On a typical print on demand order, Etsy's fees take about 10 to 14% of what the buyer pays, before any advertising, at a payment processing rate of 3% plus $0.25 (at a 6.5% rate it is closer to 14 to 17%). That covers the three fees on every order: a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping, and a payment processing fee. A fourth, Offsite Ads, adds 12% or 15% on the orders it brings in. Etsy's report also mentions a seller set-up fee and an extra fee on payments in a foreign currency, which we leave out of the math below.
The figures below come from Etsy's own annual report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for 2025, filed in February 2026, which describes how Etsy charges sellers.
Every fee, in one table
| Fee | Amount | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.20 per item listed | Each listing, for a four-month period |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | Each sale, "inclusive of shipping fees charged" |
| Payment processing (Etsy Payments) | "Typically" 3.0% to 6.5% plus a flat fee per order | The item's total sale price including shipping; the flat fee depends on the country of your bank account |
| Offsite Ads | 12% or 15%, depending on your sales volume | Only sales that come from an ad Etsy placed on another platform |
Two things catch new sellers out. First, the transaction fee applies to shipping too, so charging more for shipping does not dodge it. Second, Etsy's report gives the processing rate only as a typical range and says the flat fee depends on the country of your bank account, which is why we show a range: check the rate listed in your own shop's Payments settings and use that number in the formula below.
Fees by order size
Using a processing rate of 3% plus $0.25 as an example (replace with yours), here is what Etsy keeps from an order, counting item price plus shipping:
| Buyer pays | Listing | Transaction (6.5%) | Processing (example) | Total fees | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.20 | $0.65 | $0.55 | $1.40 | 14.0% |
| $20 | $0.20 | $1.30 | $0.85 | $2.35 | 11.8% |
| $30 | $0.20 | $1.95 | $1.15 | $3.30 | 11.0% |
| $50 | $0.20 | $3.25 | $1.75 | $5.20 | 10.4% |
| $100 | $0.20 | $6.50 | $3.25 | $9.95 | 9.95% |
Small orders lose the biggest share because the listing fee and the flat processing fee do not shrink with the price. That is the same reason a single print on demand sticker is a thin sale.
The formula
For one item, with P the item price, S the shipping you charge, r your processing rate and f your flat processing fee:
Etsy fees = 0.20 + 0.065 x (P + S) + r x (P + S) + f
Your profit = P + S - Etsy fees - production cost - production shipping
If the order came through Offsite Ads, add 12% or 15% "of the value of a sale," in the words of Etsy's report. We use P + S as the base, which is the cautious reading: 0.12 or 0.15 x (P + S).
Worked example: a mug
A ceramic mug from Printify starts at $5.03 to produce, with shipping from $5.79 to a US buyer (lowest listed prices, October 2026). Sold on Etsy at $18 with $5.79 shipping, the buyer pays $23.79:
- Listing fee: $0.20
- Transaction fee: 6.5% of $23.79 = $1.55
- Processing (example 3% + $0.25): $0.96
- Production and shipping: $10.82
- Profit: $10.26
If that sale came from an Offsite Ad at 15%, another $3.57 goes to Etsy and the profit drops to $6.69.
How to price with the fees in
- Work from the profit you want. Decide what you need per sale after fees and production, then solve the formula for what the buyer pays: P + S = (production cost + production shipping + target profit + 0.20 + f) / (1 - 0.065 - r). With r = 3% and f = $0.25, that is the total divided by 0.905.
- Price for Offsite Ads before they happen. An order that arrives through Offsite Ads costs an extra 12% or 15%. If your margin cannot absorb that, those orders lose money; leave room for them.
- Count renewals. The $0.20 covers a four-month listing period. A listing you keep live beyond that costs another $0.20 for each new period, so fifty unsold listings are $10 every cycle.
- Watch refunds. When you refund a print on demand order, the item has already been printed and shipped, so the production cost is gone.
Fees are fixed; the niche is the part you control. PodRadar's weekly niche reports show search volume, live listing counts and launch timing so you can price for a niche that actually sells.
FAQ
How much does Etsy take per sale?
A 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping, a payment processing fee that typically runs between 3.0% and 6.5% plus a flat fee depending on your bank's country, and the $0.20 listing fee. At a 3% plus $0.25 processing rate, on a $20 to $50 order that is about 10 to 12% of what the buyer pays.
Does Etsy charge fees on shipping?
Yes. Etsy's annual report states that the 6.5% transaction fee is "inclusive of shipping fees charged," and processing fees are calculated on the total including shipping.
How long does an Etsy listing last?
Four months for each $0.20 listing fee, unless the item sells first.
What is the Offsite Ads fee?
12% or 15% of the sale, depending on your sales volume, charged only on orders that come from an ad Etsy placed on another platform.
Sources
- Etsy, Inc., Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2025, filed with the SEC on 19 February 2026 (Note 1, Revenue Recognition).
- Printify catalog, Ceramic Mug (11oz, 15oz), US prices, checked 12 October 2026.