Etsy Fees Explained
Etsy takes a bigger bite than most sellers expect — but it's still worth it if you price for it. Every fee, the real all-in rate, and what a $30 sale pays.
Every fee, in one table
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | $0.20 | Per listing, 4 months or until sold |
| Transaction | 6.5% | On item price + shipping charged |
| Payment processing | ~3% + $0.25 | Per order (varies slightly by country) |
| Offsite ads (mandatory $10k+) | 12–15% | Only on sales from Etsy's external ads |
| Etsy Plus (optional) | $10/mo | Skip until profitable — it's a nice-to-have |
What a $30 sale actually pays
- Sale: $30.00
- Transaction (6.5%): −$1.95
- Payment (~3% + $0.25): −$1.15
- Listing share: −$0.20
- You keep: ~$26.70 (89%)
With offsite ads: subtract another $3.60–$4.50 — you keep ~$22. Sellers over $10k/year can't opt out of offsite ads, so bake it into pricing early.
Pricing rules that survive fees
- Price backwards from $26.70, not $30. Decide what you need to keep, divide by 0.89, that's your list price.
- Raise prices before cutting costs. A $2 increase covers all fees on most items and buyers rarely notice.
- Bundle small items. The $0.25 + $0.20 fixed fees punish $5 sales — a 3-pack converts fee drag into margin.
- Track offsite-ad sales separately. If they dominate, your real margin is ~75%, not 89% — price accordingly.
Quick answers
How much does Etsy take?
~10–12% all-in normally; ~22–25% on offsite-ad sales. Price backwards from what you keep.
Is Etsy worth the fees?
Yes with fee-aware pricing — the built-in traffic beats paying for your own ads as a beginner.