Marketplace Fee Comparison
Price one product through every platform's own fee schedule and see which one actually nets you more. Reviewed US fee schedules with editable cost assumptions; see each calculator for exclusions.
On a $25.00 order, Etsy takes $2.83 and Shopify Payments takes $1.03, so Shopify's $39 plan pays for itself at about 22 orders a month ($550.00 of GMV). Below that, Etsy's no-subscription model has lower modeled fees; above it, Shopify has lower modeled fees. This comparison assumes one item per order, no Etsy Offsite Ads, standard domestic cards and the same acquisition costs.
Your product, every platform
Enter one product once. Each platform is priced through its own fee schedule and its own realistic settings — Amazon on FBA with a general-merchandise referral rate, Shopify on the Basic plan, dropshipping through a standard gateway.
| Platform | Fees per order | Net per order | Margin | Take rate | Net per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok ShopBest here | $1.50 | $8.50 | 34.0% | 6.0% | $425.00 |
| Shopify | $1.03 | $8.98 | 35.9% | 7.2% | $409.75 |
| Dropshipping | $2.28 | $7.73 | 30.9% | 9.1% | $386.25 |
| Etsy | $2.83 | $7.18 | 28.7% | 11.3% | $358.75 |
| Print on Demand | $2.83 | $7.18 | 28.7% | 11.3% | $358.75 |
| Walmart Marketplace | $3.75 | $6.25 | 25.0% | 15.0% | $312.50 |
| eBay | $3.80 | $6.20 | 24.8% | 15.2% | $310.00 |
| Amazon FBA | $7.84 | $5.16 | 20.6% | 34.6% | $218.10 |
At $25.00 and 50 orders a month, TikTok Shop nets $425.00 a month — $15.25 more than Shopify. Its take rate is 6.0% of revenue against 7.2%, and that ranking moves with your order volume: a monthly plan costs the same whether you sell ten orders or a thousand, while a percentage fee never stops scaling.
Etsy vs Shopify fee calculator: when do lower fees pay off?
Enter your sale price, shipping charged to the buyer, cost of goods, shipping cost, monthly orders and monthly ad spend above. Compare the Etsy and Shopify rows in Net per month: Shopify's subscription is included there, while its per-order fee excludes that monthly cost. These are US estimates for Etsy Payments and Shopify Basic with standard domestic online card payments.
For example, enter a $25.00 sale, no shipping charged to the buyer, $8.00 product cost, $3.00 shipping cost, 50 monthly orders and $200.00 in monthly ads. Etsy's modeled monthly profit is $358.75; Shopify's is $409.75 after its $39 plan. The difference is $51.00 under the same product and advertising assumptions.
How average order value changes the crossover
For a fee-only comparison, divide Shopify's monthly plan cost by Etsy's per-order fees minus Shopify's per-order card fees. The first whole monthly order count that offsets the plan is shown below. Each row assumes one item per order and no buyer-paid shipping. Displayed fees are rounded to cents; crossover counts use the engine's unrounded estimates.
| Order value | Etsy fees/order | Shopify card fees/order | Orders/month to offset Basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $1.88 | $0.73 | 35 |
| $25.00 | $2.83 | $1.03 | 22 |
| $50.00 | $5.20 | $1.75 | 12 |
| $100.00 | $9.95 | $3.20 | 6 |
A fee saving is not a traffic forecast
In the 50-order example, Shopify's $51.00 fee advantage allows only $1.02 in extra acquisition cost per order before the two channels tie. A standalone store may need a different advertising budget, conversion rate and order volume. Compare those scenarios in the individual calculators instead of assuming an Etsy audience will follow you.
This comparison excludes Etsy Offsite Ads, unsold-listing renewals, sales-tax-related processing, optional subscriptions, Shopify apps and domains, returns, discounts and setup costs. Annual billing or a different Shopify plan also changes the crossover. Use the Etsy fee calculator to model Offsite Ads and refunds, the Shopify profit calculator for plan and app costs, and the Basic versus Grow guide to compare billing terms.
Sources: Etsy fee guidance, Etsy Payments processing and Shopify US pricing. Worked examples are calculated from our sourced fee data; the rates' review dates are on the individual calculators.
Fee structures side by side
| Fee type | Etsy | Shopify | Dropshipping | Amazon FBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.20 per listing | None | None | None |
| Percentage fees | 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing | 2.9% + $0.30 (Shopify Payments) | Whatever your channel charges | 15% referral (typical) |
| Charged on shipping you collect? | Yes | Yes | Usually | Yes |
| Monthly plan | Optional add-on | $39/mo (Basic) | Depends on channel | Professional plan (monthly cost) |
| Fulfilment | You ship | You ship | Supplier ships | FBA per-unit fee by size and weight |
| Fees on a $25.00 order | $2.83 | $1.03 | Set your own rate | $8.50 (with a $4.75 fulfilment fee) |
Every figure here is computed from the same fee data the calculators use, last verified 2026-09-11. See the fee changelog for what changed and when.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ecommerce platform has the lowest fees?+
Does Etsy charge a higher transaction fee than Shopify?+
Are Amazon FBA fees worth it compared to selling on Shopify?+
Why is dropshipping considered low-margin even with no listing fees?+
How often do these platforms change their fees?+
Why these fees vary
Listing vs. transaction
Some platforms (Etsy) charge a fee just to list inventory. Others (Shopify) only collect on conversion. High listing fees punish slow-moving SKUs.
Take-rate vs. flat plan
Shopify and Amazon mix a monthly subscription with per-transaction percentages. Volume tilts the math: at low GMV the subscription dominates.
Fulfillment offload
FBA bundles pick-pack-ship into a single per-item fee. It's higher than self-fulfilled rates, but you trade time and inventory complexity for the cost.