Etsy takes several fees rather than one cut. According to its Fees and Payments Policy, you pay 20 cents (US dollars) to list each item, a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrapping, and a payment processing fee that varies by country. Offsite Ads can add 15% or 12% on sales they bring in.
Etsy is where a lot of makers sell their first candle, print or digital planner, and it's also where many of them first get confused by their monthly statement. Etsy doesn't take one neat percentage. It stacks a few small fees, and the total depends on what you sell, where you're based and whether an ad brought the buyer in. Here's how each piece works, taken from Etsy's own policy and help pages.
The fees Etsy takes on every sale
Etsy's charges fall into a handful of buckets. Some you pay whatever happens, some only when something sells, and one only applies if Etsy's advertising found the buyer for you.
Listing fee
Etsy's policy sets a listing fee of 20 cents in US dollars for each item you list on Etsy.com or the apps. A listing lasts four months. If it auto-renews, you pay the fee again and a fresh four-month period starts. You also pay it when a multi-quantity listing sells one unit and renews to keep the rest live, so it's worth keeping an eye on renewal settings for slow sellers.
Transaction fee
When something sells, Etsy takes a transaction fee of 6.5%. The important detail is what it's charged on: the displayed item price plus what the buyer pays for shipping and gift wrapping. So if you charge for postage, Etsy's percentage applies to that too. For sellers in the US, Etsy says the transaction fee doesn't apply to sales tax.
Payment processing fee
Etsy Payments charges a processing fee on each order. Etsy describes it as a set rate plus a percent of the total sale price, and both the rate and the percent vary by country. Because this one differs so much depending on where your bank account is, I'd always check the figure on Etsy's fee page for your own country rather than trusting a number from a blog post.
How Etsy Offsite Ads change what Etsy takes
Offsite Ads are Etsy's adverts for your listings on other websites and social platforms. You only pay when one works: Etsy's policy says the fee applies if a buyer clicks an ad and then orders from your shop within 30 days of that click.
- Shops with under 10,000 US dollars in sales over the past 365 days pay 15% on those orders, and Etsy lets these shops opt out.
- Shops at or above 10,000 US dollars pay 12%, and Etsy says the 12% rate then stays for the life of the shop, even if sales later dip.
- There's a ceiling. Etsy's help centre says the Offsite Ads fee will never exceed 100 US dollars for an order.
This is the fee that surprises people most, because it can turn a normal sale into one where Etsy takes a much bigger share. If your margins are thin, check your Offsite Ads setting in Shop Manager before a busy season.
What decides how much Etsy takes from your shop
Two sellers with the same item price can end up with different fee totals. These are the things that move it:
- Your country. Processing fees vary by country, and the way tax interacts with fees differs too.
- Your shipping price. Higher shipping means a bigger transaction fee, because the 6.5% includes it.
- How often you renew. Every renewal is another 20 cents, which adds up across a big catalogue.
- Whether ads brought the buyer. An Offsite Ads sale costs far more than a sale from Etsy search.
- Optional extras. Etsy Ads inside the site, shipping labels bought on Etsy and other add-ons are charged separately.
Your monthly statement in Shop Manager breaks every fee down line by line. Pick one order and trace it from sale price to deposit, and you'll know your real Etsy take in a few minutes.
When Etsy pays you
Your sales money goes into your Etsy Payments account first, then on to your bank on a schedule you choose. Etsy's help pages say you can pick daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly deposits, and new sellers start on a weekly deposit every Monday. Daily deposits only go out once your balance passes a minimum for your currency.
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New shops wait longer. Etsy's payments policy says that for new sellers, funds are generally available for deposit 14 days after a sale, while established sellers may see them the next business day. After Etsy sends a deposit, it's generally credited within five business days.
Payment account reserves
Etsy can place a reserve on your account, which holds back a percentage of each new physical-item sale for a while. Etsy says digital item sales aren't held, funds are released once it can confirm the order has shipped, and for most sellers the reserve is removed within 90 days. Adding tracking to every order is the simplest way to get reserved money moving.
What to watch for with Etsy fees
- Charges still come out of your balance during a reserve, along with refunds and shipping labels.
- Refunds don't always return every fee, so a high refund rate costs more than the refund itself.
- Currency conversion can apply if you list in a different currency from your bank account.
- Etsy may send tax forms in some countries once you pass reporting thresholds. Etsy can't advise on your tax, so talk to an accountant or your national tax office about what you owe.
Ways Etsy sellers keep more of each sale
You can't change Etsy's percentages, but you can shape the sale around them:
- Build fees into your price from day one rather than absorbing them later.
- Price shipping at cost, because the transaction fee applies to whatever you charge.
- Sell digital products, which skip postage and aren't held in reserve. My guide to making passive income with digital products walks through what sells.
- Bundle items so one listing fee and one order carry more value.
- Keep Etsy as one channel among several. My breakdown of online income routes that aren't scams covers others worth adding.
Etsy fee checklist
| What Etsy charges | How it works | Source checked |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | 20 cents (US dollars) per listing, lasts four months | Etsy Fees and Payments Policy |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% of item price plus shipping and gift wrap | Etsy Fees and Payments Policy |
| Payment processing | Set rate plus a percent, varies by country | Etsy help centre |
| Offsite Ads | 15% or 12% on ad-driven orders, never over 100 US dollars an order | Etsy policy and help centre |
| Deposits | Daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly; new sellers wait 14 days | Etsy Payments policy and help |
Etsy's figures are set in its policy and can change, and they differ by country. Before you price a new range, read the Fees and Payments Policy for your own country and category.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage does Etsy take per sale?
Etsy's transaction fee is 6.5% of the item price plus shipping and gift wrapping. A payment processing fee is added on top, and its rate varies by country.
Does Etsy charge to list an item?
Yes. Etsy's policy sets a listing fee of 20 cents in US dollars per item, and each listing lasts four months before it renews or expires.
Can I avoid Etsy Offsite Ads fees?
Shops with under 10,000 US dollars in sales over the past 365 days can opt out. Shops above that threshold are enrolled and pay 12% on ad-driven orders.
Does Etsy take a fee on shipping?
Yes. The 6.5% transaction fee is charged on the shipping price you set as well as the item price.
How long does Etsy take to pay new sellers?
Etsy says new sellers' funds are generally available for deposit 14 days after a sale, and deposits are then usually credited within five business days.
