How to Compare Marketplace Fees: Complete Guide
Choosing where to sell is one of the most impactful decisions you will make as an e-commerce seller. Each platform has a different fee structure, and the same product can yield dramatically different profit margins depending on where you sell it. This guide walks you through using our free comparison tool to find the best platform for your product.
Why Platform Choice Matters
A product that nets you $8 profit on Amazon might yield $12 on Shopify or $6 on Etsy. But profit per unit is only part of the equation — you also need to consider where your customers are, how much traffic each platform provides organically, and how competitive your category is on each channel. The goal is not to find the cheapest platform, but the one that maximizes total profit after accounting for all costs including customer acquisition.
Fee Structures Compared
Amazon FBA
Referral fee (8-15%) + FBA fulfillment fee ($3-8+) + monthly storage
Highest fees but largest customer base and Prime shipping.
TikTok Shop
Referral fee (2-8%) + affiliate commission (10-20%) + FBT fees
Lower platform fees, but affiliate commissions can add up quickly.
Walmart Marketplace
Referral fee (6-15%) + optional WFS fulfillment fees
Competitive with Amazon on fees, growing customer base.
Shopify
Subscription ($39-399/mo) + payment processing (2.9% + $0.30)
No referral fee — you keep the margin but drive your own traffic.
eBay
Final value fee (3-15%) + payment processing (2.35% + $0.25)
Varies heavily by category. Good for used/refurbished goods.
Etsy
Listing fee ($0.20) + transaction fee (6.5%) + payment processing (3% + $0.25)
Best for handmade, vintage, and craft supplies. Fees are straightforward.
How to Use the Comparison Tool
1. Enter your product details
Input your product's selling price, cost of goods, weight, and dimensions. These are the baseline numbers used to calculate fees across all platforms.
2. Select your category
Choose the product category that best matches your item. Referral fees and commission rates vary significantly by category on most platforms.
3. Review the side-by-side breakdown
The tool calculates your estimated profit on each platform, showing the fee breakdown (referral, fulfillment, processing) and your net margin. All numbers appear in a single table for easy comparison.
4. Adjust your assumptions
Tweak inputs like shipping costs, monthly subscription tiers, or ad spend percentages to model different scenarios. The comparison updates instantly.
Interpreting Your Results
- The platform with the highest per-unit profit is not always the best choice — consider traffic volume, competition, and customer acquisition cost.
- Shopify often shows the highest margin because there is no referral fee, but you need to factor in ad spend to drive traffic to your store.
- Amazon FBA fees are high, but the built-in traffic and Prime eligibility can more than offset the cost for many products.
- TikTok Shop can look expensive when affiliate commissions are included, but the organic viral potential lowers your effective customer acquisition cost.
- Consider selling on multiple platforms simultaneously — many top sellers diversify across 2-3 channels to reduce risk.
- For low-priced items (under $15), pay close attention to fixed-cost fees like payment processing — they eat a larger percentage of your margin.
Compare your product across platforms
One product, 7 platforms — see your profit on each in seconds. Free, no signup required.
Open Marketplace Comparison