eBay Fee Calculator
How eBay Selling Fees Affect Your Profit
Every eBay sale includes several moving parts: the price the buyer pays, what you pay for the item, shipping in both directions, and eBay's own selling fees. If you don't account for each of these, your actual profit can be much lower than your expected margin.
This eBay fee calculator helps you estimate total fees and net profit for a single listing. Enter your sale price, what you charge the buyer for shipping, your own costs, and the fee rate and fixed fee that apply to your category. The tool then shows an estimated profit so you can decide whether a listing is worth it or how you may want to adjust your price.
How This Calculator Works
The calculator models a typical eBay transaction where:
- You receive the item sale price from the buyer.
- You may also charge the buyer an additional amount for shipping.
- eBay charges a percentage fee (final value fee) on the total sale including shipping charged to the buyer.
- There is also a fixed per-transaction fee, similar to a payment processing fee.
- You pay your own item cost and any shipping costs you cover.
Define the following variables:
- S = item sale price (what the buyer pays for the item)
- Cb = shipping charged to the buyer
- Fr = final value fee rate as a decimal (for 13.25%, use 0.1325)
- Ff = fixed fee per transaction
- Ci = your item cost (cost of goods)
- Cs = your shipping cost (what you pay carriers or eBay for postage)
The calculator assumes the percentage fee is applied to the total amount the buyer pays for the order (item price plus any shipping you charge them):
eBay's percentage fee amount is then:
Your estimated net profit P is calculated as:
In plain language, this is:
Profit = (sale price + shipping charged to buyer) − percentage fee on that total − fixed fee − item cost − your shipping cost.
The inputs in the calculator map directly to these variables, so when you change any one of them, your estimated profit updates accordingly.
Typical eBay Fee Rates by Category
eBay's final value fee rate depends on the item category, the account type, and sometimes the total selling price. The table below shows example percentage rates and fixed fees for common categories. Always check your own seller account or eBay's latest fee schedule for current numbers.
| Category | Percentage Fee | Fixed Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 12.55% | $0.30 |
| Clothing & Accessories | 15.00% | $0.30 |
| Collectibles | 14.95% | $0.30 |
| Books & Media | 14.55% | $0.30 |
| Automotive Parts | 9.00% | $0.30 |
Use these figures only as a starting point. If your category or region has different rates, enter the exact percentage and fixed fee that apply to your listings.
Worked Example: Buyer Pays Shipping
Suppose you are selling a used electronics item with the following numbers:
- Item sale price (S): $80.00
- Shipping charged to buyer (Cb): $10.00
- Item cost (Ci): $35.00
- Your shipping cost (Cs): $8.00
- Final value fee rate (Fr): 12.55% (0.1255)
- Fixed fee (Ff): $0.30
Total paid by the buyer is $80 + $10 = $90. The percentage fee is 0.1255 × 90 = $11.30 (rounded). Profit is then:
$80 + $10 − $11.30 − $0.30 − $35 − $8 = $35.40 in estimated net profit.
Entering these values into the calculator should give a very similar profit figure, allowing for rounding differences.
Example: Free Shipping vs. Buyer-Paid Shipping
Consider the same item but with two different shipping strategies. Assume the item costs you $25 and your shipping cost is $6 in both cases. The fee rate is 13.25% with a $0.30 fixed fee.
| Scenario | Sale Price (S) | Shipping Charged to Buyer (Cb) | Your Shipping Cost (Cs) | Estimated Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer pays shipping | $40.00 | $6.00 | $6.00 | (40 + 6) − 0.1325 × (46) − 0.30 − 25 − 6 ≈ $7.60 |
| Free shipping (built into price) | $46.00 | $0.00 | $6.00 | (46 + 0) − 0.1325 × (46) − 0.30 − 25 − 6 ≈ $8.20 |
In this simplified example, building shipping into the sale price yields slightly higher profit because the fee rate and buyer psychology may allow a higher item price. However, in some categories or price points, the difference may be negligible. Use the calculator to test different combinations for your niche.
Interpreting Your Results
Once you enter your values and calculate, you will see:
- Total fees: the sum of the percentage-based final value fee and any fixed fee.
- Total costs: your item cost plus your shipping cost.
- Estimated profit: what is left after subtracting all fees and costs from the amount paid by the buyer.
You can use the estimated profit in several ways:
- Pricing strategy: adjust your item price or shipping charge until the profit matches your desired margin.
- Product research: check whether a product is still profitable after fees and shipping before you decide to source inventory.
- Category comparison: see how changing categories or fee rates affects your bottom line.
Assumptions and Limitations
This tool is designed as a simple, single-transaction eBay fee and profit estimator. To keep the calculator fast and easy to use, it makes several assumptions:
- User-entered fees: You must supply the correct final value fee rate and fixed fee for your account type, region, and item category. eBay updates fee structures periodically, and we do not fetch current rates automatically.
- No taxes included: The calculation ignores sales tax, VAT, import duties, or any other government taxes that may appear on the order or be remitted by eBay.
- Excluded eBay costs: The calculator does not include store subscription fees, promoted listings or ad fees, insertion fees, listing upgrades, refund or dispute costs, or any other eBay program charges.
- Operational overhead: General business expenses such as packaging materials, software subscriptions, employees, rent, and utilities are not part of the estimate.
- Currency: All fields are treated as the same currency (for example, USD). If you sell in another currency, enter consistent values and interpret the result in that same currency.
- Approximate results: Actual payouts may differ slightly due to rounding, tiered fee structures, promotions, or special offers in your eBay seller account.
Because of these limitations, treat the result as an estimate for planning and research rather than an official statement of your profit. For precise accounting, always compare against the detailed transaction records and reports in your eBay seller dashboard.