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Whatnot Fees vs eBay Fees - Who Wins?

Discover who wins in the battle of Whatnot fees vs eBay fees. Compare costs and seller benefits easily!

Whatnot Fees vs eBay Fees - Who Wins?
Sanket S.
February 22, 2025

Fee Structure Overview

Picking the right eCommerce platform can feel like sitting on a tricky balancing beam. How do you get the best bang for your buck without getting nickel and dimed? Don't worry. We’re here to lay out the fees for Whatnot and eBay so you can make some solid money moves.

Getting to Know Whatnot Fees

Whatnot doesn’t try to dazzle you with a kazillion fee categories. It's got some charges when you're doing deals, but they're pretty straightforward. Here's how they stack up:

  • Listing Fees: Nada, zip, zilch—list away for free
  • Selling Fees: Just 5% of whatever you make plus a flat 30 cents each time you sell
  • Payment Processing Fees: The usual mix of percentage and flat fee that’s par for the course
Fee Type Percentage/Flat Rate
Listing Fee $0
Selling Fee 5% + $0.30
Payment Processing Fee 2.9% + $0.30

Getting to Know eBay Fees

With eBay, the fee system's a bit like a game of Tetris. There are more blocks to fit, but with practice, it’s a cinch. Here’s what you've got:

  • Listing Fees: First 50 listings on the house per month, then they get ya for $0.35 a pop
  • Selling Fees: This one’s a shape-shifter, changing with the category, generally 10-15% on the final price tag
  • Payment Processing Fees: They manage payments, taking a percentage, with a little firm rate on top
Fee Type Percentage/Flat Rate
Listing Fee $0 for first 50, $0.35 per extra
Selling Fee 10-15% (depends on category)
Payment Processing Fee 2.35% + $0.30

Understanding these fees helps you size up what works for you. For more nitty-gritty details, peek at our listing fees comparison and amazon ebay arbitrage.

This breakdown should give you a clearer picture to make up your mind. If you’re still comparing, check out articles like is it better to sell on ebay or mercari or poshmark fees vs ebay.

Listing Fees Comparison

Whatnot Listing Fees

Listing your items on Whatnot? Here's the sweet part: zero fees for listings! This is a real win, especially if you're planning to unload a boatload of stuff. You get to keep those upfront dollars in your wallet, making it easier to manage what you spend. Plus, without the worry of those costs, you can jazz up your listings and get those buyers clicking.

eBay Listing Fees

Over on eBay, it's a different story. What you pay depends on your account and what you're selling. Everyone gets a certain number of free listings each month—hit that ceiling, and fees kick in. Here’s a quick peek:

eBay Account Type Free Listings per Month Listing Fee After Free Limit
Basic Account 250 $0.35 per listing
Store Account Depends on your subscription level It varies

And don’t forget, eBay's got extras like auctions and Buy It Now deals, which might come with price tags of their own. So, when you’re plotting out how to list your stuff, keep these in mind.

For a deeper dive into how eBay stacks up against other platforms, snoop through some of our other reads like is it better to sell on eBay or Mercari and Poshmark fees vs eBay.

By checking out Whatnot’s no-listing-fee swagger next to eBay’s fee setup, you can figure out where your stuff—and your bucks—fit best. For more on finding the right platform, see articles like Mercari or eBay and eBay vs Offerup.

Selling Fees Comparison

Figuring out which platform will eat less into your profit margins, Whatnot or eBay, can feel a bit like solving a puzzle. So let's piece out exactly what you need to know about their selling fees to help you decide where to list that next hot item.

Whatnot Selling Fees

Let's talk Whatnot. They keep it simple, my friend. You sell something and they take a straightforward, no-funny-business cut. Right off the top of whatever your item goes for—what you see is what you get.

Fee Type Percentage
Final Sale Fee 8%

eBay Selling Fees

Now, eBay's a different animal. Their selling fees are like a mystery novel—twists and turns around every corner. The base fee changes depending on what kind of doodad you're selling. They grab a percentage of everything, so if your item sells for a bundle and you're charging for shipping, all that gets wrapped up in one neat bundle for their cut.

Fee Type Percentage
Final Value Fee 10% - 12% (varies by category)

But wait, there's more! Sometimes, if you dance to eBay's tune just right, like playing it cool with seller tiers and subscribing to certain plans, you might score a discount—kind of like a secret handshake.

To decode eBay's fee scheme further, we’ve got a couple of articles up our sleeve. You might want to click through to poshmark fees vs ebay or mercari fees vs ebay for more on this front.

When you're juggling between the fee structures of Whatnot and eBay, knowing the quirks of each can save you a buck or two. Looking into more head-to-heads with other platforms? We've got the goods with ebay vs poshmark and ebay vs offerup. Pop over and see what you can learn.

Payment Processing Fees

Let's take a look at some of the costs you'll face while selling on eCommerce platforms, specifically focusing on those pesky payment processing fees. Both Whatnot and eBay have their own way of getting a slice of the pie when you make a sale.

Whatnot Payment Processing Fees

Whatnot doesn't mess around when it comes to taking their cut. For each transaction, they claim a solid chunk right off the bat. Here's a quick rundown:

Fee Type Amount (USD)
Transaction Fee $0.30 every time you get paid
Percentage of Sale 2.9% of what you earn each time

This means every sale shaves a bit from your earnings before you even see the cash.

eBay Payment Processing Fees

eBay, not to be outdone, has its own structure that’s pretty similar. With their managed payments service, eBay handles everything in-house. Take a look:

Fee Type Amount (USD)
Fixed Fee $0.30 whenever you make a transaction
Percentage of Sale 2.7% of your total sales per transaction

As you can see, eBay's percentage cut is a smidge lower than Whatnot's, which might tip the scales if you're selling often.

When weighing your options between whatnot fees vs eBay fees, these processing fees are just one part of the story. You’ll also want to keep an eye on those listing and selling fees for a fuller picture. For a deeper dive, check out our comparisons with other platforms: poshmark fees vs ebay, mercari fees vs ebay, and ebay vs offerup. These insights could be just what you need to tweak your selling approach.

Other Considerations

When weighing up the costs of selling on Whatnot and eBay, there's more to factor in than just fees.

Customer Reach and Traffic

How many eyeballs are on your stuff? eBay has been around the block a few times and boasts millions of users worldwide, so your listings can draw a sizable crowd. More folks might mean more bids, bumping up your final sale price.

Platform Monthly Active Users
eBay 182 million
Whatnot Numbers not out there

On the flip side, Whatnot's the new kid on the block and might not have as many folks looking just yet. Think about where your audience hangs out the most before choosing where to sell.

For insights on different platforms, dive into ebay vs poshmark and mercari or ebay.

Seller Protection and Policies

Each platform has your back, but in different ways. eBay gives sellers a safety net with dispute help, fraud protection, and other handy features. This kind of support can make things smoother when dealing with tricky buyers.

Platform Seller Protection Features
eBay Dispute handling, fraud safeguards
Whatnot Basic dispute solving (still evolving)

Whatnot has similar protections but isn't quite as seasoned as eBay yet. Consider how secure you feel using each as you plot your selling strategy. For more platform comparisons, head over to is it better to sell on ebay or mercari.

Overall Seller Experience

What’s it like to actually use these sites to sell your goods? eBay offers tons of tools, analytics, and resources to streamline your selling game.

If you’re sizing up Whatnot against eBay, think about which service makes your life easier and more profitable. Curious about other platforms? Check ebay or poshmark and amazon ebay arbitrage for more info.

By considering reach, seller protection, and the whole selling vibe, you'll be in a better spot to make up your mind about whatnot fees vs ebay fees.

​​Ready to Outsell Your Competitors? Book your call now.

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Book your call now.

Let’s talk for 15 minutes. We’ll gather the data that makes a difference.

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20+ years in eCommerce and data analytics

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$3M+ in revenue growth for eBay sellers

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Proven accuracy and reliability

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Trusted by top eBay sellers

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Scalable solutions for any seller - solo or enterprise