### Etsy vs Amazon FBA: Head-to-Head Fee Structure
Choosing between Etsy and Amazon FBA is one of the most critical decisions for an ecommerce business. While Etsy focuses on handmade, unique, and customizable products with self-fulfillment, Amazon FBA provides massive global scale with automated prime warehouse logistics.
| Fee Type | Etsy | Amazon FBA |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Monthly Subscription** | $0 (Free standard shop) | $39.99/mo (Professional Seller Account) |
| **Listing / Insertion Fee** | $0.20 per listing / 4 mo | $0 (Unlimited listings with Professional plan) |
| **Base Commission / Referral Fee**| 6.5% transaction fee | 8% to 15% referral fee (15% avg apparel/home) |
| **Payment Processing Fee** | 3.0% + $0.25 | Included in Amazon referral fee |
| **Fulfillment / Delivery Cost** | Self-ship ($4.00–$6.00 merchant cost) | FBA Pick & Pack Fee ($3.50–$6.50 small/large standard) |
| **Storage & Inventory Fees** | $0 | $0.87 / cu.ft (Jan–Sep) or $2.40 / cu.ft (Q4 Peak) |
| **Total Average Fee Burden** | **11% – 15%** of sale price | **30% – 45%** of sale price |
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### Profitability Comparison Table: $25 Product
Let's compare a standard 1 lb consumer product sold for **$25.00** with a **$6.00 product cost (COGS)**:
#### Etsy Scenario (Merchant Fulfilled with $4.50 shipping charged):
- **Gross Revenue Collected**: $29.50
- **Product Cost**: $6.00
- **Postage Label Cost**: $4.50
- **Etsy Listing Fee**: $0.20
- **Etsy Transaction Fee (6.5%)**: $1.92
- **Processing Fee (3%+$0.25)**: $1.14
- **Net Take-Home Profit**: **$15.74** (**53.4% Profit Margin**)
#### Amazon FBA Scenario (Fulfillment by Amazon):
- **Gross Revenue**: $25.00 (Free Prime Shipping)
- **Product Cost**: $6.00
- **Amazon Referral Fee (15%)**: $3.75
- **FBA Fulfillment Fee (Large Standard 1 lb)**: $4.15
- **Monthly Storage Allowance**: $0.15
- **Net Take-Home Profit**: **$11.00** (**44.0% Profit Margin**)
*Result: Etsy delivers +$4.74 higher profit per unit because fulfillment is handled in-house rather than paying Amazon's warehouse labor fees.*
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### When to Choose Etsy vs Amazon FBA
#### Choose Etsy If:
- You create handmade, vintage, or personalized items.
- You operate a Print-on-Demand business (Printify, Gelato).
- You sell digital downloads, templates, or SVG printables.
- You prefer lower fixed overhead and self-fulfillment flexibility.
#### Choose Amazon FBA If:
- You sell standardized manufactured goods in high volumes.
- You require automated Prime 1-day or 2-day delivery capabilities.
- You are leveraging private label manufacturing or wholesale arbitrage.
Finance Guide
Etsy vs Amazon FBA Fee Comparison 2026: Which Platform is More Profitable?
Side-by-side analysis of marketplace commissions, fulfillment fees, storage costs, and profit margins.
By Sellrivo Editorial Team•Updated: 2026-08-12•11 min read
Want to calculate your exact product profit?
Use our free, real-time fee calculator to estimate net profit before listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell the same products on both Etsy and Amazon FBA?+
Yes! Multi-channel selling is a popular strategy. You can fulfill Etsy orders manually or use Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) to ship Etsy orders from your FBA inventory.
Is Amazon FBA referral fee higher than Etsy transaction fee?+
Yes. Amazon charges an average referral fee of 15% across most categories, compared to Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee.