eBay charges casual sellers 13.6% Final Value Fee in standard categories plus a $0.40 per-order fee and 2.7% plus $0.30 Managed Payments processing fee. Etsy charges sellers a $0.20 listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on the sale price including shipping, and a 3% plus $0.25 payment processing fee. On a $50 sale with free shipping, eBay costs the seller $8.85 in total fees (17.7%) while Etsy costs $5.70 in total fees (11.4%). Etsy is consistently less expensive than eBay for handmade, vintage, and craft supply sellers at standard price points. eBay is more competitive than Etsy for high-volume sellers who can use an eBay store subscription to access the 12.7% rate.
eBay and Etsy are two distinct marketplace platforms with different core audiences. eBay is defined as a general marketplace for new, used, refurbished, and collectible goods across all categories with 130 million active buyers. Etsy is defined as a curated marketplace specializing in handmade goods, vintage items (at least 20 years old), and craft supplies with 96 million active buyers. The fee structures reflect their different business models: eBay’s volume-driven model and Etsy’s curation-driven model.
How Do eBay and Etsy Transaction Fees Compare?
eBay charges casual sellers 13.6% Final Value Fee plus $0.40 per-order fee. Etsy charges 6.5% transaction fee plus $0.20 listing fee. At a $100 sale price, eBay’s Final Value Fee is $13.60 while Etsy’s transaction fee is $6.50 plus $0.20 listing equals $6.70. Etsy’s transaction fee is $6.90 less than eBay’s Final Value Fee on a $100 item. Adding payment processing: eBay’s Managed Payments adds $3.00 (2.7% plus $0.30) for a total of $17.00, while Etsy adds $3.25 (3% plus $0.25) for a total of $9.95. eBay costs $7.05 more on a $100 item.
The Etsy listing fee of $0.20 per item applies each time an item is listed or renewed (every 4 months for active listings). A seller with 100 active listings pays $20 per month in Etsy listing fees. eBay casual sellers receive 250 free listings per month before the $0.35 insertion fee applies.
Etsy’s transaction fee applies to the total order amount including shipping charged to the buyer. A $70 item with $10 shipping charged to the buyer generates a transaction fee of 6.5% of $80 ($5.20). eBay’s Final Value Fee also applies to the combined item price and shipping, so both platforms calculate their fees on the same total order amount base.
The eBay store subscription changes the comparison. A Basic Store subscriber at $21.95 per month pays 12.7% Final Value Fee. On a $100 item, the store subscriber pays $12.70 (FVF) plus $0.40 (per-order) plus $3.00 (Managed Payments) equals $16.10, compared to Etsy’s $9.95. eBay is still $6.15 more expensive per $100 transaction even with a store subscription.
Which Platform Is Better for Handmade Goods Sellers?
Etsy is less expensive and more targeted for handmade goods sellers. Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee versus eBay’s 13.6% casual seller rate produces a cost difference of 7.1 percentage points per transaction. On $1,000 in monthly handmade sales, Etsy costs $95 in total fees while eBay costs $170 in total fees. The $75 monthly saving from using Etsy instead of eBay for handmade goods covers most of eBay’s store subscription cost.
Etsy’s buyer base of 96 million active buyers specifically searches for handmade items. A buyer who searches “handmade ceramic mug” on Etsy is a highly qualified buyer with clear intent to purchase handmade goods. The same buyer searching eBay may find mass-produced mugs alongside handmade ones, diluting the handmade seller’s visibility.
Etsy’s SEO algorithm (Etsy search ranking) rewards recency of listing renewal and relevance of listing tags. Sellers who optimize their Etsy tags with specific material, style, and occasion-based keywords rank higher in Etsy search results. eBay’s Cassini algorithm uses different signals including seller performance, price competitiveness, and item specifics completeness.
The buyer’s shopping intent on each platform differs. Etsy buyers search for unique, artisanal items and are willing to pay a premium for handmade quality. eBay buyers often search for value, comparing prices across multiple listings. Handmade goods sellers who prioritize premium positioning benefit from Etsy’s audience alignment.
Which Platform Is Better for Used and Secondhand Goods Sellers?
eBay is more appropriate than Etsy for used and secondhand goods sellers (excluding vintage items, which are permitted on both platforms). Etsy permits only handmade goods, vintage items (20 years or older), and craft supplies. Used clothing, used electronics, used sporting goods, and modern used items do not qualify for Etsy listing. eBay has no category restriction on used goods.
Vintage items (20 years or older) qualify for both platforms. A vintage 1990s leather jacket can be listed on eBay’s Clothing category or Etsy’s Vintage category. The fee comparison for a $150 vintage jacket: eBay casual seller charges 13.6% ($20.40) plus $0.40 plus $4.35 Managed Payments, totaling $25.15. Etsy charges 6.5% ($9.75) plus $0.20 listing plus $4.75 payment processing, totaling $14.70. Etsy saves $10.45 on this $150 vintage jacket transaction.
eBay’s auction format is a competitive advantage for vintage and collectible items. Etsy does not support auction format; all Etsy listings are fixed-price. A rare vintage item with multiple interested buyers benefits from eBay’s auction mechanism that captures the competitive clearing price. A fixed-price Etsy listing may sell below the true market clearing price if the seller underestimates demand.
What Are the eBay and Etsy Selling Fee Totals at Different Price Points?
The table below compares total fees (transaction plus payment processing plus listing) for eBay casual sellers versus Etsy sellers at 5 price points with free shipping.
| Sale Price | eBay Total Fees (Casual) | Etsy Total Fees | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25 | $4.78 (19.1%) | $2.88 (11.5%) | Etsy saves $1.90 |
| $50 | $8.85 (17.7%) | $5.70 (11.4%) | Etsy saves $3.15 |
| $100 | $17.00 (17.0%) | $9.95 (9.95%) | Etsy saves $7.05 |
| $250 | $41.45 (16.6%) | $23.50 (9.4%) | Etsy saves $17.95 |
| $500 | $82.20 (16.4%) | $46.25 (9.25%) | Etsy saves $35.95 |
The fee gap widens in absolute dollar terms as the sale price increases. At $500, Etsy saves the seller $35.95 per transaction. At $100 per month in $500 sales, the annual fee difference between eBay and Etsy is $4,314. For sellers who qualify for both platforms (handmade or vintage goods), the fee savings from using Etsy are substantial.