Craft BusinessBusiness
Etsy Fees Explained for Makers (2026): Worked Examples and Calculator
By Kerf & Press EditorialResearched by the Kerf & Press teamUpdated How we research & testResearched lab test pending
The short answer
For a US seller, a typical Etsy sale costs a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee on item price plus shipping, and 3% + $0.25 payment processing on the order total including tax. That's roughly 9.5% + $0.45 per order. Orders from Etsy's Offsite Ads add 15% (or 12% for shops over $10,000 a year), capped at $100.
The number
9.5% + $0.45
Source: Etsy Fees & Payments Policy; Etsy Payments Policy
The short version: on a typical US Etsy order you pay $0.20 to list, 6.5% of the item price plus shipping, and 3% + $0.25 payment processing on the full order total including sales tax. If the sale came from an Offsite Ad, add 15% (or 12% for shops over $10,000 a year), capped at $100.00. Everything below uses Etsy’s official fee pages, checked in September 2026.
Every Etsy fee, in one table
| Fee | Rate | Charged on | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.20 | Per listing | At listing, every 4 months on auto-renew, and again for each extra unit sold from a multi-quantity listing |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | Item price + shipping + gift wrap | Every sale |
| Payment processing | 3% + $0.25 | Order total including shipping and sales tax | Every sale paid through Etsy Payments |
| Offsite Ads | 15% (under $10k/yr, can opt out) or 12% (mandatory at $10k+), max $100.00 | Order total | Only orders where a buyer clicked an Etsy offsite ad and bought within 30 days |
| Etsy Ads (on-site) | Cost per click | Your daily budget | Only if you turn them on |
| Currency conversion | 2.5% | Sale amount | Only if your listing currency differs from your payment account currency |
| Setup fee | Shown at sign-up | One time | May be waived during promotions |
Sources: Etsy Fees & Payments Policy, Etsy Payments Policy, Etsy Help’s Offsite Ads article, and Etsy’s Advertising & Marketing Policy.
Worked examples per product
Assumptions: US seller, no sales tax (see below for tax), no Offsite Ad, one unit per order. Prices and shipping charges are examples, not market data.
| Product | Item + shipping | Listing | Transaction | Processing | Total fees | Fees as % of order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engraved 20 oz tumbler | $32.00 + $7.00 | $0.20 | $2.54 | $1.42 | $4.16 | 10.7% |
| Slate coaster set of 4 | $36.00 + $8.00 | $0.20 | $2.86 | $1.57 | $4.63 | 10.5% |
| DTF or HTV T-shirt | $24.00 + $5.00 | $0.20 | $1.89 | $1.12 | $3.21 | 11.1% |
| Aluminum pet ID tag | $14.00 + $4.00 | $0.20 | $1.17 | $0.79 | $2.16 | 12.0% |
| Acrylic wedding welcome sign | $65.00 + $12.00 | $0.20 | $5.00 | $2.56 | $7.77 | 10.1% |
Notice that cheap items pay a higher share. The fixed $0.45 (listing + processing) is 2.5% of an $18 pet-tag order but only 0.6% of the $77 sign. That’s one reason bundles (a set of four coasters instead of one) help margins.
Adding sales tax
With sales tax of 7% on the item (an example rate; Etsy collects and remits in most US states), the tumbler’s processing fee rises from $1.42 to $1.49. It’s a small amount, but it’s charged on money you never keep.
Adding an Offsite Ad
If the tumbler order came through an Offsite Ad:
| Shop size | Ad fee | Total Etsy fees | Share of $39 order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10k/yr (15%) | $5.85 | $10.00 | 25.7% |
| $10k+/yr (12%) | $4.68 | $8.84 | 22.7% |
The $100.00 cap only matters on large orders: at 15%, you’d need an order over $666.67 to hit it.
Fee calculator you can copy
Put item price in B2, shipping charged in C2 and sales tax collected in D2. This spreadsheet formula returns Etsy’s standard fees (no ads):
=0.20 + 0.065*(B2+C2) + 0.03*(B2+C2+D2) + 0.25Add an Offsite Ads column (use 0.12 once your shop passes $10,000 a year):
=MIN(0.15*(B2+C2), 100)And to find the price that nets a target (cost + profit in E2, shipping charged equal to your label cost, no tax):
=(E2 + 0.45 + 0.095*C2) / (1 - 0.095)Or skip the spreadsheet: our pricing calculator uses the same fee data as this page, lets you toggle Offsite Ads and compares marketplaces side by side.
Etsy vs Amazon Handmade vs Shopify
Same orders, US seller, fees only. Shopify’s $39.00/month Basic plan is spread over 40 orders a month (assumption). Shopify has no marketplace traffic, so your marketing cost isn’t included.
| Order | Etsy (no ads) | Etsy (with 15% Offsite Ad) | Amazon Handmade | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engraved 20 oz tumbler ($39.00) | $4.16 | $10.00 | $5.85 | $2.41 |
| DTF or HTV T-shirt ($29.00) | $3.21 | $7.55 | $4.35 | $2.12 |
| Acrylic wedding welcome sign ($77.00) | $7.77 | $19.32 | $11.55 | $3.51 |
| Etsy | Amazon Handmade | Shopify Basic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-order fees | 6.5% + 3% + $0.45 | 15% referral (min $0.30) | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Monthly fee | None | $39.99 first month, then waived for approved sellers | $39.00 (or $29.00 billed yearly) |
| Ads | Offsite Ads 12%–15% on attributed orders; optional on-site ads per click | Optional | Your own marketing |
| Traffic | Built-in gift shoppers | Amazon shoppers; application required | None; you bring it |
| Best for | Personalized gifts, discovery | Makers who can ship fast and want Amazon reach | Repeat, corporate and wholesale buyers |
Faire is different: it’s a wholesale marketplace where retailers buy from you. It charges a 15% commission on marketplace orders, a one-time $10.00 fee for each new retailer, and payment processing from 1.9% + $0.30 (60-day payout) to 3.5% + $0.30 (next-day payout). Orders from retailers you bring through Faire Direct pay 0% commission. Price for it with wholesale math (see our pricing guide).
Five ways makers keep Etsy fees under control
- Price with the fee divisor, not by adding a percentage on top. Divide by 0.905 on Etsy. Our pricing guide explains why.
- Bundle cheap items so the fixed $0.45 is spread across more revenue.
- Budget for Offsite Ads once you approach $10,000 a year, since they become mandatory.
- Charge honest shipping, remembering that it’s also subject to fees.
- Build a direct channel (email list, local B2B, your own site) for repeat buyers, where only card fees apply.
For whole-product profit, see Is laser engraving profitable? and Is DTF printing profitable?.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Etsy take from a $30 sale?
With $5 shipping and no sales tax or ads, Etsy's fees on a $35 order are $0.20 listing + $2.28 transaction (6.5%) + $1.30 processing (3% + $0.25), about $3.78 total. If the order came through an Offsite Ad, add 15% of $35 ($5.25), or 12% for shops over $10,000 a year.
Does Etsy charge fees on shipping?
Yes. The 6.5% transaction fee applies to the item price plus the shipping and gift wrap you charge. The payment processing fee applies to the whole order total, including shipping and sales tax.
Can I avoid Etsy Offsite Ads fees?
Only while your shop is small. Shops with under $10,000 in sales over 365 days can opt out. Once you reach $10,000, participation is mandatory for the life of the shop, at a 12% fee capped at $100 per attributed order.
Is there a fee to open an Etsy shop?
Etsy's fee policy says you may have to pay a one-time setup fee, shown during shop setup, which may be waived during some promotions. The policy doesn't list a fixed amount, so check what the setup screen shows.
Is Etsy cheaper than Amazon Handmade?
Per order, usually yes. Amazon Handmade charges a 15% referral fee (minimum $0.30) on the total including shipping, versus Etsy's roughly 9.5% + $0.45. Amazon waives the $39.99 monthly plan fee after the first month for approved Handmade sellers and has no listing fee.
Is Shopify cheaper than Etsy?
Per transaction, yes (2.9% + $0.30 on the Basic plan with Shopify Payments), but you pay $39 a month ($29 billed yearly) and must bring your own traffic. Many makers use Etsy for discovery and Shopify for repeat and corporate buyers.
Sources
Every spec and number on this page links back to where it came from.
Update history
Site changelogNo revisions logged for this page yet. Corrections and re-tests will be listed here with dates.
Written & researched by
Kerf & Press Editorial
Research & lab team
We research and test laser engravers, heat presses, printers, cutters and embroidery machines for people running small personalization businesses. We buy our lab machines with our own money and publish our methods and raw data.