Fee guideeBay
How Much Does eBay Charge?A plain-English breakdown of eBay's final value, per-order, and listing fees — and what they actually cost you per sale.
Comparison
eBay vs Etsy
eBay and Etsy are both marketplaces, but they attract very different buyers. eBay is the world's general-purpose marketplace — anything from car parts to vintage cameras. Etsy is built around handmade, vintage, and printable goods, with shoppers expecting a particular look and feel. This page compares the costs and fit so you can pick the right home for what you sell.
Side-by-side comparison
A quick overview of how eBay and Etsy stack up on the things that matter most.
| Factor | eBay | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Startup cost | Free to start; optional eBay Store from ~$7.95/month. | Effectively $0 — $0.20 per listing. |
| Selling fees | About 13.6% of the total (item + shipping) plus $0.30 per order in most categories. | 6.5% transaction fee + ~3% + $0.25 payment processing (US). |
| Listing fees | 250 free listings/month, then a small insertion fee. | $0.20 per listing, renews every 4 months or per sale. |
| Buyer expectations | Best price, fast shipping, broad catalog. | Handmade or curated, story-driven, niche-friendly. |
| Product fit | Used, collectibles, electronics, parts, retail goods. | Handmade, vintage (20+ years), craft supplies, printables, POD. |
| Selling format | Fixed price or auction. | Fixed price only. |
| Branding control | Limited — listings live inside eBay's frame. | Limited — Etsy's look and rules apply. |
| Customer ownership | No — eBay owns the buyer. | No — Etsy owns the buyer. |
| Ease of setup | Very fast — list and you're live. | Very fast — list and you're live. |
| Best for | Resellers, collectibles, electronics, used and retail goods. | Handmade, vintage, printable, and small-batch creative sellers. |
Pros and cons
eBay
Pros
- Massive global audience with active search demand.
- Auctions surface real market price for unique items.
- Strong fit for resale, electronics, and collectibles.
- Free listings up to 250/month.
Cons
- Final value fee plus per-order fee compresses margin.
- Strict seller standards and policy changes.
- Less buyer love for handmade or craft-style products.
- Limited branding inside listings.
Etsy
Pros
- Built-in buyers actively shopping for handmade, vintage, and printables.
- Cheap to start — no subscription needed.
- Etsy SEO can drive ongoing organic sales.
- Strong fit for small-batch creative businesses.
Cons
- Stacked fees (listing + transaction + processing) eat into margin.
- Strict category rules — most retail/new goods aren't allowed.
- Limited branding inside the Etsy frame.
- No real customer relationship.
Example scenarios
Realistic situations and which platform tends to fit best.
Handmade or printable seller starting out
Etsy. The shoppers there expect what you make, and the SEO inside Etsy can produce sales without an ad budget.
Reseller of electronics, parts, or used goods
eBay. Etsy doesn't allow most of these categories, and eBay's search audience is built for them.
Vintage seller (20+ years old items)
Either — try both. Etsy attracts curated vintage shoppers; eBay reaches collectors hunting specific pieces.
POD seller testing designs
Lead with Etsy. The audience and search intent for POD tees, prints, and gifts is much stronger there than on eBay.
Who should choose eBay?
Sellers with resale, electronics, collectibles, parts, or general retail inventory. eBay's audience expects exactly that kind of catalog, and the search reach is hard to match anywhere else.
Who should choose Etsy?
Handmade, vintage, craft-supply, printable, and small-batch creative sellers. Etsy's shoppers are already looking for what you make — that's the whole reason the platform exists.
Can you use both?
Sometimes. If you sell vintage or certain craft categories, listing on both can extend your reach. If you sell handmade, Etsy is usually a better single bet than splitting attention across two very different audiences.
Frequently asked questions
- Is eBay cheaper than Etsy?
- It depends on your sale price. Etsy's per-sale fees are lower percentage-wise, but the per-listing cost and renewals add up. eBay's final value fee is higher per sale but you don't pay to list (up to 250/month).
- Can I sell handmade items on eBay?
- Yes, but the audience isn't optimized for it. Most handmade sellers do better on Etsy because shoppers arrive expecting handmade.
- Can I sell electronics on Etsy?
- Generally no — Etsy restricts to handmade, vintage (20+ years), and craft supplies. eBay is the natural home for electronics.
- Which has more buyers?
- eBay has more total traffic globally; Etsy has more buyers searching for handmade and vintage specifically.
- Should I list the same product on both?
- Only if it qualifies for both (e.g., vintage). Otherwise stick to the platform whose buyers actually want what you sell.
Related calculators
Put the comparison into numbers for your own shop.
eBay Profit Calculator
Net profit, margin, and ROI per eBay sale.
eBay Fee Calculator
Estimate eBay fees, payout, profit, and margin per sale.
Etsy Profit Calculator
See your true profit after Etsy fees.
Etsy Fee Calculator
Estimate Etsy fees before listing a product.
Profit Margin Calculator
Universal profit, margin, and markup for any product or channel.
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Help Me Decide
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