eBay vs Etsy Fees in 2026: Which Is Cheaper for Sellers?

Which marketplace takes a smaller cut of your sale — eBay or Etsy? The answer depends on what you sell, whether you're a private or business seller, and how you handle shipping. Here's the 2026 comparison.

The headline numbers

• Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee + 3% + $0.25 payment processing + $0.20 listing fee + 0.5% regulatory fee. About 15-16% of an order all-in.
• eBay (business seller): 13.25% final value fee for most categories (6.35-15% by category) + $0.30-0.40 per-order fee + 0.35% regulatory fee. About 13.5-16% all-in.
• eBay (US private seller): 0% final value fees in most categories since October 2024.

On the headline percentage, Etsy's 6.5% looks dramatically cheaper — but it excludes payment processing, listing, and regulatory fees. Once you stack everything, the two marketplaces are far closer than their sticker rates suggest.

A worked comparison

A $50 item with $5 buyer-paid shipping. On Etsy: 6.5% on $55 ($3.58) + 3% + $0.25 processing ($1.90) + $0.20 listing + 0.5% regulatory ($0.25) = about $5.93 in fees. On eBay as a business seller: 13.25% on $55 ($7.29) + $0.40 = about $7.69. eBay takes about $1.76 more on this sale.

But the difference shrinks at higher prices because eBay caps its final value fee at $7,500 (then 2.35%), and it also includes payment processing in the FVF. Run your own numbers in the eBay Fee Calculator and Etsy Fee Calculator.

When Etsy is cheaper

• Handmade, vintage, and craft items — Etsy's built-in buyer base means less ad spend.
• Low-price items where eBay's per-order fee hurts more.
• Items you sell in low volume, since Etsy has no monthly fee.

When eBay is cheaper (or better value)

• US private sellers — 0% fees in most categories is unbeatable.
• High-ticket items over $7,500, where eBay's FVF cap kicks in.
• Electronics and motors parts, with lower category rates.
• High volume — a Basic store drops the FVF to 12.35% and gives 1,000 free listings.

Bottom line

For a typical $50 business-seller sale, Etsy is cheaper by roughly $1.50-2.00. For US private sellers and high-ticket items, eBay wins clearly. For handmade goods, Etsy's built-in buyer base usually beats the fee difference. Price correctly on either platform — both take 13-16% when you count everything — and you'll keep your margin.