Selling on Etsy From the Philippines: Peso Fees and Payouts

If you're in the Philippines and you've seen sellers in Pakistan or Egypt being told to use Payoneer for Etsy, you might expect the same. According to Etsy's help pages, you won't. Filipino sellers get the direct route, with a local bank account, but there's a small deposit fee rule in pesos that catches people out. Here's what Etsy publishes for the Philippines, step by step.

The Philippines is on Etsy's direct list, with no Payoneer step

Etsy publishes a list of countries where Etsy Payments is available, and it puts an asterisk beside the ones where sellers must accept payment through a Payoneer Payment Account. The Philippines is on the list without an asterisk. That means you can enrol with a normal bank account, not an extra Payoneer account.

Etsy is also clear that where Etsy Payments isn't offered, new shops usually can't open at all. So being on this list is what makes the shop possible, and the dropdown you see when you open a shop only includes supported countries.

Your bank country is locked once you pick it

When you open a shop, you choose a bank country, and Etsy says that becomes the country for the shop and for its bank account. You must use a bank account from the country on file. Etsy can't update the bank account country, apart from moves within the Eurozone, so if you pick wrongly you either keep using an account you still have access to or open a new shop with the right bank country.

Etsy also says it can't send sale funds to a PayPal account or to a credit or debit card. You need a residential address, a valid bank account in the country, and a valid credit, debit or reloadable prepaid card on file for Etsy fees.

The peso fees Etsy lists for the Philippines

Etsy's fee table lists a Philippines bank account at 4.5% plus 25 PHP per order. That's the payment processing fee, and it sits on top of Etsy's other seller fees.

If you list prices in a different currency from the one in your payment account, Etsy charges a currency conversion fee of 2.5% on the sale amount, and takes it from the sale before the money shows in your balance. Listing in the same currency as your payment account is the simple way to avoid that line.

Deposit minimum, fee threshold and deposit fee

This is the rule that is specific to a handful of countries, and the Philippines is one of them. Etsy lists three numbers:

• a deposit minimum of 100.00 PHP, which your available funds must be above to be paid out at all
• a fee threshold of 5,000.00 PHP
• a deposit fee of 100.00 PHP, charged if your deposit is above the minimum but below the threshold

In plain words, a small payout costs you a fixed fee, and a bigger one doesn't. Etsy says that fee comes out of your payment account when the deposit is made, and it suggests moving to a less frequent deposit schedule so more sales build up before each payout and you're more likely to clear the threshold.

Daily deposits have their own minimum too, listed as PHP 5,000.00 for a Philippine peso bank account. If your balance is lower than that on a given day, no daily deposit goes out.

VAT on Etsy's own fees

Etsy lists The Philippines among the countries where shops get downloadable VAT invoices for seller fees. If you haven't given Etsy a VAT ID, the tax on those fees appears in your payment account balance, with an invoice on the first of the following month. If you add a VAT ID, Etsy says you won't be charged it on seller fees. Whether you should register, and how Etsy sales are taxed in the Philippines, is a question for a local accountant or the tax authority.

Setting up: identity and bank checks

Etsy says it verifies the details you give when you enrol. You'll be asked whether you're an individual or a business, and for a name, date of birth and home address. Etsy may also ask for a government-issued photo ID, which can be a driver's license or a passport. The name on it must be in Latin characters and match what you entered during shop setup, and the image has to be clear and unaltered.

Outside the US, Etsy says it verifies a bank account with test deposits. If your shop was opened after March 1, 2022, you can add and verify the bank account after your first sale, so you needn't have everything ready on day one.

How long before the first payout

For a new seller, Etsy says funds are generally eligible for deposit 14 days after a sale, though it can take longer depending on the standing of the shop. After that your deposit schedule decides when money leaves Etsy. The default for new sellers is weekly, every Monday, and you can choose daily, biweekly or monthly in payment settings.

What I checked	What Etsy says for the Philippines
Payoneer required?	No, the Philippines has no asterisk
Payout goes to	A bank account in the country on file
Processing fee	4.5% plus 25 PHP
Deposit minimum	100.00 PHP
Fee threshold	5,000.00 PHP
Deposit fee	100.00 PHP
Daily deposit minimum	PHP 5,000.00

Money from your shop is only one part of getting paid from abroad, so how Wise works for people in the Philippines and what Payoneer offers in the Philippines are worth reading for other clients and income. And if the other platforms you use differ, PayPal in the Philippines is a quick check before you choose where to send buyers.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell on Etsy from the Philippines?

Yes. Etsy lists the Philippines among its Etsy Payments countries without an asterisk, so you enrol with a Philippine bank account and don't need Payoneer.

Can Etsy pay me to PayPal in the Philippines?

No. Etsy says it can't send sale funds to a PayPal account or to a credit or debit card, so payouts go to your bank account.

What is Etsy's deposit fee in the Philippines?

Etsy lists a deposit minimum of 100.00 PHP, a fee threshold of 5,000.00 PHP and a deposit fee of 100.00 PHP, charged when a deposit is below the threshold.

Can I change my bank country on Etsy later?

Generally no. Etsy says your bank country becomes the shop's country and it can't update it except for moves within the Eurozone, so you'd keep your current account or open a new shop.

How can I avoid the Etsy deposit fee?

Etsy suggests choosing a less frequent deposit schedule, so more sales build up and your deposit is more likely to be above the fee threshold.