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Sep 2, 2025
Filed under: Credit Card Processing, eCommerce
Etsy Fees: How Much Does Etsy Take Per Sale?
This popular platform helps creators and makers make sales, but Etsy fees can take a serious chunk of the bottom line.
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Editor & Senior Staff Writer
Last updated onUpdated
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Key Takeaways
- Etsy charges multiple fees, which can significantly impact profit margins for sellers.
- Etsy's fees can quickly add up, potentially reducing profitability, making it crucial for sellers to consider whether the platform's exposure outweighs the costs.
- Platforms like Shopify, Square, eBay, and Redbubble offer different fee structures and benefits, which may be more cost-effective.
Etsy fees keep rising, and many sellers wonder whether the platform is still worth it. While Etsy remains a popular place to sell art and handmade goods, it’s not your only option.
Below, we break down the nine types of Etsy fees, provide clear fee calculation examples, and share more affordable alternatives if you’re thinking about moving customers to other platforms.
Table of Contents
How Much Does Etsy Take Per Sale?
Etsy charges several fees for each sale, including listing fees, transaction fees, payment processing, and — depending on how you sell — currency conversion and advertising fees.
All sellers should understand that Etsy’s transaction fee applies not only to the item price but also to shipping and gift wrap charges.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect:
| Fee Type | Amount | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Listing Fee | $0.20 per listing | Charged when an item is first listed or renewed (applies to single or multiple quantities) |
| Transaction Fee | 6.5% | Taken from the total order amount (item price + shipping + gift wrap) |
| Payment Processing Fee | 3% + $0.25 (U.S.) | Applies to each transaction when using Etsy Payments; rates vary by country |
| Currency Conversion Fee | 2.5% | Applies when your listing currency and payout account currency differ |
| Etsy Ads (On-site) | You choose the budget | Optional paid advertising inside Etsy’s marketplace |
| Offsite Ads Fee | 12% – 15% | Charged only if an order is attributed to an Etsy-placed offsite ad click |
| In-Person Selling Fees | Varies | If you use Etsy to process payments at markets or events |
| Subscription Fees | Optional | Etsy Plus ($10/month) or Pattern website (≈$15/month, varies by region) |
Etsy Fees Explained
These are the major Etsy fees sellers should understand. Some apply per listing or per sale, others apply only if you use optional Etsy services.
Is Etsy Worth The Cost?
Whether Etsy is worth it depends on your profit margins and how much value you place on Etsy’s built-in customer base. These two examples show how fees impact low- and high-volume sellers differently.
Example 1: Low-Priced, High-Volume Item
A bracelet costs $5 to make, sells for $10, plus $5 shipping.
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cost of production | $5.00 |
| 6.5% fee on item | $0.33 |
| 6.5% fee on shipping | $0.33 |
| Payment processing (3% + $0.25) | $0.70 |
| Listing fee | $0.20 |
| Total expenses | $6.56 |
Profit: $3.44
With such a small margin, Etsy’s fees take a noticeable bite. You’d likely need to raise prices or reduce costs to make Etsy worthwhile.
Example 2: Higher Priced, Lower Volume Item
A custom table costs $150 to make, sells for $449 with free shipping (your shipping cost is $50). Your shop earns over $10K/year, so offsite ads are 12%.
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cost of production | $150.00 |
| 6.5% transaction fee | $29.19 |
| Shipping cost | $50.00 |
| Payment processing (3% + $0.25) | $13.72 |
| Listing fee | $0.20 |
| 12% offsite ad fee | $53.88 |
| Total expenses | $296.99 |
Profit: $152.01
Although the profit is higher, Etsy’s fees still cut heavily into revenue, especially if ads trigger the sale. For higher-ticket items, selling through your own online store may provide better margins.
If Etsy’s fees are too complicated or expensive, our experts recommend trying Square. You can sell in person, online, and through your own social posts.
How To Offset Etsy Seller Fees
To stay profitable on Etsy, you need to actively manage costs. Here are simple ways to reduce or offset fees:
- Raise your prices to cover Etsy’s baked-in transaction and processing fees.
- Source lower-cost materials without sacrificing product quality.
- Optimize packaging to reduce weight and dimensions (and therefore shipping costs).
- Compare shipping carriers to find the best rates for your products.
- Build your own traffic through social media, blogs, email, and Pinterest to reduce reliance on Etsy Ads.
- Sell in person with Square to avoid Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee (you’ll still pay Square’s payment fee and Etsy’s $0.20 listing fee).
- Remove slow-moving listings so you’re not paying automatic renewal fees.
If you want to avoid Etsy fees altogether, consider selling on your own website or pairing Etsy with a second platform — using Etsy for discovery, then encouraging repeat buyers to shop directly through your store where your margins are higher.
Etsy Alternatives For Sellers
If you want to avoid Etsy’s listing fees, rising transaction fees, or constant repricing, here are some strong alternatives to consider.
The Bottom Line: Is Selling On Etsy Worth It For Your Business?
Selling on Etsy could be worth it if you get a lot of exposure and sales on the marketplace. You also have the option to list items on Etsy for exposure but redirect people toward a different online sales platform. Crunch the numbers, do the research, and then determine if Etsy is right for you.
Erica Seppala
Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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