When a buyer clicks an Etsy ad on Google, Instagram or Pinterest and buys within 30 days, Etsy charges an Offsite Ads fee on the whole order — capped at $100.
The true cost of selling on Etsy in 2026
Every fee below comes from one verified data source (last checked 2026-10). Pay attention to the "charged on" column — most fees apply to the whole order, not just your item price.
| Fee | Percentage | Fixed | Charged on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | — | $0.20 | Per listing / sale |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | — | Item + shipping + gift wrap |
| Payment processing | 3% | $0.25 | Order total incl. tax |
| Offsite Ads | 15% / 12% | — | Attributed order total (cap $100) |
| Share & Save rebate | −4% | — | Orders from your links |
Shipping you charge the buyer is part of the fee base on most platforms. That means "cheap shipping, higher item price" and "higher shipping, cheaper item" cost you exactly the same in fees — the only way to lower fees is to lower the order total or move sales to cheaper channels.
15% vs 12% vs opting out
Shops that made under $10,000 in the past 12 months pay 15% and can opt out at any time. Once you cross $10,000, the fee drops to 12% but participation becomes mandatory.
Offsite Ads is only charged on attributed sales, so the real question is whether those orders are worth it. If your margin is below 25%, a 15% Offsite Ads sale may leave you with almost nothing — use the toggle above to see your number.
Real-world worked example: breaking down a sale
Using this page's default inputs:
- Item price $45.00 + shipping charged $5.00 = order total $50.00.
- Listing fee: −$0.20
- Transaction fee 6.5%: −$3.25
- Payment processing: −$1.75
- Offsite Ads: −$7.50
- Total platform fees: −$12.70 (25.4% of the order).
- Your costs (product, shipping, packaging): −$18.00.
- Net cash in pocket: $19.30 — a 38.6% margin. Break-even list price: $19.44.
How to protect your profit margins on Etsy
- If Offsite Ads sales are break-even for you, raise prices 5–8% across the shop to absorb them.
- Track the 'Offsite Ads' line in your monthly statement against total revenue.
- Count packaging, labels, tape and inserts in your costs — at $0.50–$1.50 per order they're often the forgotten 3% of margin.
- Use reverse mode before you list: decide the profit you want, then price to it, rather than discovering your margin after the sale.
Frequently asked questions
Does Etsy charge fees on customer shipping?
Yes. Transaction and payment processing fees are levied against the entire transaction total, including buyer-paid shipping and any gift wrap options.
What is the minimum selling price to avoid losing money (break-even)?
The break-even threshold is the exact price at which revenue covers product cost, packaging, shipping, ad spend and all platform percentage and flat fees. FeeOrbit computes it live in the results card.
How does the reverse pricing calculator work?
Reverse mode lets you set the net profit you want (for example $20). The engine solves for the list price needed after deducting every percentage and flat fee: price = (profit + costs + flat fees) ÷ (1 − percentage fees) − shipping charged.
Is my financial or product data saved or shared?
No. FeeOrbit runs entirely in your browser. Inputs are only stored in your own browser's local storage so they're there next visit — nothing is sent to a server.
How current are these fee rates?
All fee constants were last verified in 2026-10 against each platform's published fee schedule. Platforms change fees regularly, so always confirm with your seller dashboard.