Whatnot fees for sellers: How much does Whatnot take? | 2026

Whatnot’s fees include 3–8% commission (depending on your category and your 4-week sales tier), plus 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing per transaction. Your commission rate drops as your total sales grow over each 4-week period. 

The more you sell, the lower the rate goes, and it can drop to 3% for the highest-volume sellers. Learn about all the fees, some examples, and when Whatnot pays you out.

These Whatnot fees reflect the rates available at the time of writing. Whatnot can adjust its pricing or category rules during the year, so always check the latest details on the platform before you list or estimate your payout. 

Specific categories, thresholds, or add-on charges can change without advance notice, and your final fees may differ based on your seller stats, region, or listing style.

How much are Whatnot’s fees? The 30-second answer

For U.S., Australian, and Canadian sellers, Whatnot's commission depends on your category and your sales tier. Rates start at the Standard tier and fall as your total sales grow across each 4-week period. Here are the Standard (starting) rates:

• 8% seller fee on Sports, Trading Card Games, and Other Collectibles
• 4% seller fee on Coins & Money
• 8% seller fee on Fashion and all other categories
• Rates fall as your sales grow: U.S. published rates reach 3.5% (Coins & Money) and 4% (Other), with custom rates as low as 3% for top sellers
• 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee on all transactions

Whatnot also collects taxes, which vary by region. 

Whatnot fees for US, Canadian, and Australian sellers: At a glance

Note: Rate cards are set per market. The U.S., Canada, and Australia each have their own thresholds and rates, so check your rate card in Seller Hub for your exact figures.

Whatnot fees for EU and UK sellers: At a glance

Whatnot fee types

Whatnot splits costs into commission fees and payment processing fees on every order. 

Commission fee rates change based on the category you're selling in and your sales tier. Your total sales across all categories over a 4-week (28-day) period sets the tier you unlock, and that tier sets your rate for the next period. 

Standard rates start at 8% for most categories and 4% for Coins & Money, then fall as you reach higher tiers, as low as 3% for top sellers on custom terms.

Your rate is locked for the full period. If you cross into a higher tier mid-period, the lower rate starts when your next period begins. For live shows, your rate follows the show's category. For marketplace and Shop sales, it follows the product's category. The reduced rate only applies to your Whatnot commission fee.

Payment processing fees still apply. Whatnot applies this fee to the final price of all orders, which includes the final sales price, taxes, and shipping. It’s a 2.9% flat fee + $0.30 per transaction. 

Whatnot item categories and fee calculation examples

At checkout, Whatnot calculates your fees using the item’s final sale price plus any buyer‑paid shipping and tax. The platform charges commission only on the final sale price, while the 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee applies to the total order value. 

Buyers typically pay shipping unless you choose to offer free shipping, which we’ll cover in the next section.

Note: All example sales detailed here are hypothetical.

Category 1: Comics, toys, cards, and sports

Comics and anime, toys and hobbies, trading card games, and sports singles all sit at 8% commission at the Standard tier. That rate falls as your total sales grow. In the U.S., Sports and TCG reach as low as 6.5%, and Other Collectibles as low as 5%, at the top tiers.

For instance, a $2,000 Pokémon card at the Standard 8% rate costs you $160 in commission (8% of $2,000). The 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing still applies to the full order value. So, if shipping is $10 and taxes are $15, you’ll pay a total of $219.03 ($59.03 in payment processing fees and $160 in commission). You’ll receive $1,780.97. 

Category 2: Coins and currency collectibles

Coins and money items receive a 4% commission at the Standard tier, which drops to 3.5% at higher sales tiers.

To illustrate, say you sell a $3,000 Spanish doubloon. You pay $120 in commission (4% of $3,000). Assume shipping is $10, and taxes are $15, so payment processing is ($3,025 × 2.9%) + $0.30 = $88.03. For this transaction, you'll pay a total of $208.03 in costs and receive $2,791.97. 

‍Here’s the calculation breakdown:

Item price: $3,000

Commission on first $3,000 @ 4% = $120.00

Shipping: $10 (assumed)

Taxes: $15 (assumed)

Total order value: $3,025

Payment processing: ($3,025 × 2.9%) + $0.30 = $88.03

Total fees: $120 + $88.03 = $208.03

Seller receives: $3,000 – $208.03 = $2,791.97

Category 3: All other items

Everything outside the collectible and coin categories defaults to 8% commission at the Standard tier on the final sale price. Handbags, clothing, vintage items, home goods, beauty products, jewelry, electronics, and all other permitted items either fall under Fashion or Other (both use Standard 8%). In the top U.S. tiers, the commission can be as low as 4% for Other goods and 4.5% for Fashion.

To illustrate, a $2,500 designer bag costs $200 in commission (Category: Fashion; 8% of $2,500). If shipping is $10 and taxes are $15, the payment processing fees add up to $73.53, bringing the total payment to $273.53. For this example, you’ll make $2,226.47. 

How your sales tier lowers your rate

Your rate drops as your total sales grow. For example, if you have $10,000 in Fashion sales and $5,000 in Toys sales, your total is $15,000. That total sets your tier, even though Fashion and Toys may be charged at different rates within it. In the U.S., $15,000 in sales moves you from the Standard tier into Tier 1, so your Fashion rate falls from 8% to 7% for your next 4-week period.

Whatnot shipping fees 

Whatnot buyers cover shipping costs unless you're running a promotion. Normally, buyers pay for USPS labels, which you’ll print and attach to the packaging. Here’s how Whatnot calculates U.S. domestic and international shipping fees:

US domestic shipping

For U.S. domestic orders, Whatnot calculates shipping based on package weight, destination, and service tier. This calculation offers a standard rate for many 1–5 lb shipments. A lightweight pack of baseball cards may ship for just a few dollars. For example, eligible cards or stickers via First-Class Mail Letter can cost $0.78 to $1.36. 

But a heavier collectible typically costs $7.75 for packages weighing 1–5 lb.

Sellers only pay shipping when they choose to offer free or discounted rates. Otherwise, buyers pay shipping at checkout. Whatnot generally expects sellers to ship within about 2 business days. In most cases, U.S. packages arrive in 5 to 14 days, depending on the service and distance.

Buyers pay shipping at checkout, but shipping and tax don’t count toward the final price that Whatnot uses to charge its seller fee. 

International shipping

For international sales, buyers are responsible for shipping fees (unless you choose to cover them). Buyers also pay any customs duties and import taxes, and endure longer delivery times: Cross-border orders typically arrive in 1 to 3 weeks. But timing varies by country and carrier.

Other Whatnot fees 

Beyond commission and payment processing, refunds and taxes can affect your Whatnot bottom line. Here’s a breakdown of these other fees:

• Refunds typically reverse your payout and send the buyer’s payment back to their original method. In some cases, Whatnot may still charge you some or all of the original commission and payment processing fees. Avoid refunds by properly presenting your items and knowing when Whatnot entitles buyers to refunds.
  
  
• Whatnot collects and remits sales tax on buyer purchases where required by law. Sellers outside the U.S. may also face separate VAT (Value Added Tax) or GST (Goods and Services Tax) obligations depending on their registration status. 

For some transactions, Whatnot may be required to charge tax on its own commissions and processing fees. It’s a good idea to understand tax policies that affect you before listing items on Whatnot.

When does Whatnot pay sellers?

Most U.S. sellers see their earnings appear in their Whatnot balance within about 4 hours of the carrier confirming delivery. After a day or two, this amount appears in your bank account. 

However, sellers outside North America wait for a 96‑hour settlement period plus delivery before funds start processing. 

Want to get your money even faster? Qualify for Early Payout and see earnings in your balance right after you generate shipping labels. Early Payout status is earned, and here’s how you get those stripes:

• Have lifetime sales of $100,000 before fees, or have at least 1,000 orders
• Host at least 10 live shows
• Maintain an average seller rating of 4.8+

Early Payout is automatic and based on the above factors. You can check your eligibility on the app or website. 

Overall, selling on Whatnot offers an opportunity to make substantial returns. The total amount you earn depends on the items you sell and the fees you pay to Whatnot and your government. Having a clear understanding of how much the platform charges will help maximize your returns. 

Sell more with Nifty

Now that you understand Whatnot's fee structure, it's time to expand beyond a single platform and keep more of what you earn. Nifty is an automation, analytics, and crosslisting tool that lets you manage resale platforms like Mercari, Poshmark, and others.

Here’s why over 10,000 sellers trust Nifty:

• AI listing: Snap a pic and let Nifty's AI build a boss-level listing, with SEO-optimized titles and descriptions, trending hashtags, and every dropdown already filled out for you. Plus, it's cloud-based, mobile-friendly, and easy to use.
• Crosslist to multiple marketplaces: With a couple of clicks, post your items across Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, Whatnot, and Etsy. No copy-paste, no multi-tab, it's all in the background. (More marketplaces coming soon!)
• Bulk crosslisting: Select multiple existing listings in Nifty, choose your target marketplaces, pricing, and shipping, then save the AI-generated results as drafts or publish them.
• Marketplace-specific Pricing Rules: Set your price once on a primary marketplace, and Nifty auto-calculates the rest with percentage or dollar adjustments so your take-home stays consistent when you crosslist.
• Built-in auto-delisting: Enable auto-delisting and Nifty can remove an eligible sold item from your other connected marketplaces, helping reduce the risk of selling the same item twice.
• Bulk tools = no busywork: Share and relist daily without lifting a finger. Update or discount dozens of items at once. You can even schedule drafts to go live while you sleep.
• Analytics and profits are real: Track sales, fees, top performers, and slow movers in one clean dashboard, so you can see what's working and what's just dead space.

Nifty pays for itself after just a few weeks. Start with a 7-day free trial and see how Nifty can improve your sales. 

FAQs

1. Are Whatnot’s fees lower than eBay’s?

Yes, Whatnot's fees are often lower than eBay's. Whatnot charges 3–8% commission plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing, while eBay takes 13–15% final value fees plus per-order charges and potential listing fees. High-volume sellers who reach Whatnot's higher sales tiers, where published rates fall as low as 3.5% (and 3% on custom terms), typically make more than they do selling the same items on eBay.

2. How does Whatnot calculate commission and processing fees?

Whatnot calculates commission based on your item's final sale price only, excluding shipping and tax. Payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) apply to the total order value, which includes the sale price plus buyer-paid shipping and tax.

3. Does Whatnot charge fees for listings or live shows?

No, Whatnot doesn’t charge listing fees, storage fees, or show-hosting fees. You only pay commission and processing fees when items sell during live shows or through marketplace listings. Creating unlimited listings, hosting multiple shows per week, and storing unsold inventory costs nothing. Fees only kick in after a buyer completes a purchase.