Short answer: $5.20 — that is 10.4% of the sale. You keep $44.80 before your product cost and shipping.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.20 |
| Transaction fee (6.5%) | $3.25 |
| Payment processing (3% + $0.25) | $1.75 |
| Total Etsy fees | $5.20 |
| You receive | $44.80 |
Assumes Etsy Payments in the US and no Offsite Ads attribution. If the sale is attributed to Offsite Ads, add 12% (sellers over $10k/yr) or 15% (under) of the order total on top.
$44.80 is not profit — it is what lands in your account before you pay for the item itself. Here is the real number at four common cost levels on a $50 sale:
| Your unit cost | Net profit | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $34.80 | 69.6% |
| $15.00 | $29.80 | 59.6% |
| $20.00 | $24.80 | 49.6% |
| $25.00 | $19.80 | 39.6% |
Margin is net profit divided by the $50 sale price. It excludes inbound shipping, storage, returns and ad spend — all of which come out of the profit column above.
If your unit cost is $20.00, you need to charge at least $22.60 on Etsy just to break even, and $29.01 to clear a 20% margin. Anything under $22.60 loses money on every single order — which is exactly the kind of SKU that hides in a big catalog.
Change the price and cost in the calculator →
Is $5.20 the whole cost of selling at $50?
No. It is the whole of Etsy's fees. Your own costs — the unit cost, inbound freight, packaging, returns, and any advertising — come out of the $44.80 you receive.
Does the buyer's shipping charge change the fees?
Yes on all three marketplaces. Etsy charges its percentage fee on the total the buyer pays, shipping included, so a $50 item with $6 shipping is charged fees on $56, not $50.
How do I check this against my own catalog?
Paste your SKUs, prices and costs into the free calculator, or send a CSV for the $9 bulk audit and get every SKU's fees, margin and break-even price back within 24 hours.