eBay seller fees explained
eBay rolled almost everything into one "final value fee" when it took over payments from PayPal. For most categories it is 13.6% of the total amount the buyer paid, including shipping and sales tax, plus a fixed $0.30 or $0.40 per order. There is no separate payment processing line.
The category matters. Books and media are higher at 15.3%, coins are 13.25%, and qualifying sneakers sold at $150 or more drop to 8%. Promoted Listings, if you use them, add your chosen ad rate on top.
Every eBay fee in 2026
| Fee | Amount | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Insertion fee | $0 for the first 250 listings each month, then $0.35 | Store subscribers get more free listings. |
| Final value fee, most categories | 13.6% up to $7,500, then 2.35% | Of item price + shipping + handling + sales tax. |
| Final value fee, Books, Movies & Music | 15.3% | Same basis. |
| Final value fee, Coins & Paper Money | 13.25% | Non-bullion. |
| Final value fee, Jewelry & Watches | 15% up to $5,000, then 9% | |
| Final value fee, Athletic shoes $150+ | 8% | Qualifying listings only. Under $150 the 13.6% rate applies. |
| Per-order fee | $0.30 or $0.40 | $0.30 on orders of $10 or less, $0.40 above. |
| Promoted Listings | Your ad rate (2% to 12% typical) | Only when a sale comes from a promoted click within 30 days. |
| International fee | 1.65% | When the buyer is outside the US and you do not use eBay International Shipping. |
| Below Standard penalty | +6 percentage points | Rises to 7 points after four months below standard. |
| Dispute fee | $20 | Per payment dispute you lose. |
Source: eBay's own fee documentation. See our methodology for how and when we verify.
Worked examples
United States seller, default category and options, free shipping. These are the fees; subtract what the item cost you to get profit.
| Sale price | Final value fee | Per-order fee | Total fees | Fees % | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.36 | $0.30 | $1.66 | 16.6% | $8.34 |
| $25.00 | $3.40 | $0.40 | $3.80 | 15.2% | $21.20 |
| $50.00 | $6.80 | $0.40 | $7.20 | 14.4% | $42.80 |
| $100.00 | $13.60 | $0.40 | $14.00 | 14% | $86.00 |
| $500.00 | $68.00 | $0.40 | $68.40 | 13.68% | $431.60 |
Notice how the effective rate falls as the price rises on platforms with fixed fees, and stays flat on pure-percentage platforms. That is the whole story of which marketplace suits cheap versus expensive items.
What changed recently
- Per-order fixed fee for orders over $10 increased from $0.30 to $0.40.
- UK private sellers stopped paying selling fees; eBay UK later added a buyer protection fee charged to buyers instead. Business sellers still pay final value fees.
All platforms: fee change log.
How to pay less on eBay
- Because the final value fee includes sales tax the buyer paid, your effective rate on the item itself is higher than 13.6% in states with high sales tax.
- The fixed per-order fee makes sub-$10 items expensive: $0.30 on a $5 item is 6% before the percentage.
- An eBay Basic Store ($21.95/month annually) lowers the final value fee in many categories to 12.35% and adds free listings. It pays off around $1,500 a month in sales.
- Promoted Listings General is charged on the whole order, including shipping. A 5% ad rate on a $50 item with $10 shipping costs $3, not $2.50.
Frequently asked questions
Does eBay charge fees on shipping?
Yes. The final value fee is calculated on the total amount of the sale, which includes the shipping and handling you charged the buyer.
Does eBay charge fees on sales tax?
Yes. Since eBay collects and remits sales tax itself, the tax is part of the total the buyer paid, and the final value fee percentage applies to it.
How much does eBay take from a $100 sale?
In most categories with free shipping and no tax: 13.6% ($13.60) plus the $0.40 per-order fee = $14.00. You keep $86.00.
Are eBay fees lower with a store subscription?
In some categories, yes. A Basic Store or higher drops the most-categories rate from 13.6% to 12.35% and includes more zero-insertion-fee listings.