If you’re planning to start selling on eBay in 2025, one of the most important questions you’ll ask is: “How much does it cost to sell on eBay?” Whether you’re a small business owner or a full-time eCommerce entrepreneur, understanding eBay seller fees is critical to pricing your products correctly and maximizing your profits.
eBay offers an enormous marketplace with millions of buyers, but selling comes at a cost—literally. From listing fees and final value fees, to store subscriptions, promoted listings, and payment processing charges, it’s important to know what eBay takes from each sale.
In this detailed guide, we’ll break down every type of fee you may encounter in 2025, including how much eBay takes, how those costs vary by product category, and how to minimize expenses. Whether you’re selling casually or running a high-volume store, this guide will help you make informed financial decisions as an eBay seller.
Let’s dive into the full cost breakdown of selling on eBay in 2025.
eBay’s Fee Structure Explained
Before you list your first item, it’s crucial to understand eBay’s layered fee structure. These fees can add up quickly and affect your bottom line, so having clarity on each type of charge is key to selling profitably on the platform.
What Are eBay Seller Fees?
eBay seller fees are charges applied by the platform when you list, promote, or sell products. They come in several forms and vary depending on your product category, selling format (auction vs. fixed price), and whether or not you have a store subscription.
Here’s a high-level breakdown of the most common fees:
Insertion Fee – A charge for listing an item (after you use your free monthly listings).
Final Value Fee – A percentage of the total amount of the sale (item price + shipping + tax).
Optional Listing Upgrade Fees – Charges for adding bold titles, subtitles, or other premium features.
Promoted Listings Fee – Additional cost if you use eBay advertising to boost visibility.
Payment Processing Fee – eBay now handles payments directly through its Managed Payments system, applying a small processing charge per order.
Store Subscription Fees – Monthly or annual charges for subscribing to eBay’s professional selling plans.
eBay Insertion Fees (Listing Fees)
Insertion fees, also known as listing fees, are the costs you pay just to list an item for sale on eBay. These fees apply whether your item sells or not—unless it falls within your free monthly listing quota.
How Insertion Fees Work
eBay gives every seller a limited number of zero-insertion-fee listings per month:
Private sellers get up to 250 free listings per month.
Store subscribers receive higher limits depending on their store level.
Once you exceed your free allotment, eBay charges $0.30 per additional listing (standard in most categories for U.S. sellers).
Insertion Fee Example
Let’s say you’ve already used your 250 free listings in a month. For every additional item you list:
You’ll be charged $0.30 upfront.
If you list the same item in two categories, you’ll pay the fee twice (once per category).
Do Store Subscriptions Reduce Insertion Fees?
Yes. Store subscribers benefit from discounted insertion fees and a higher quota of free listings:
| Store Level | Monthly Cost (Annual Billing) | Free Listings | Insertion Fee (Beyond Quota) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Store | $4.95/month | 250 | $0.30 |
| Basic Store | $21.95/month | 1,000+ | $0.25 |
| Premium Store | $59.95/month | 10,000+ | $0.10 |
| Anchor Store | $299.95/month | 25,000+ | $0.05 |
| Enterprise Store | $2,999.95/month | Custom | Custom |
eBay Final Value Fees
The Final Value Fee (FVF) is arguably the most important cost for any eBay seller to understand. It’s a percentage fee eBay takes after a successful sale, calculated based on the total amount of the transaction, which includes:
The item price
Shipping costs
Sales tax
Yes—you pay fees even on the tax and shipping, not just the item’s listed price.
How Are Final Value Fees Calculated?
In 2025, eBay’s final value fees vary by category and whether you have a store subscription. Most categories fall between 12.9% and 15%, with discounts available for top-rated sellers and store owners.
Here’s an example of how it works:
Sold item price: $50
Shipping charged to buyer: $5
Sales tax: $3
Total = $58eBay charges 12.9% of $58 = $7.48 final value fee
Plus a fixed $0.30 per order fee = Total Fee: $7.78
How to Reduce Final Value Fees
Become a Top Rated Seller: You may receive a 10% discount on final value fees in many categories.
Use Promoted Listings carefully: Promoted Listings fees are in addition to the FVF, not a replacement.
Offer free shipping and competitive pricing to attract more buyers, reducing the need for aggressive promotions.
Optional Listing Upgrade Fees
When listing an item on eBay, sellers have the option to enhance visibility and presentation using listing upgrades—but these come at an added cost. While completely optional, these upgrades can help drive more attention and potentially lead to faster sales.
Let’s explore the most common listing upgrades and their fees:
Bold Titles
Fee: $4.00 per listing
Purpose: Makes your title bold in search results to stand out from competitors.
Subtitle
Fee: $1.50 to $6.00 depending on category
Purpose: Adds a secondary line under your title with more detail.
Gallery Plus
Fee: $0.35 to $1.00
Purpose: Shows a larger version of your photo in search results—ideal for visually appealing items.
Scheduled Listings
Fee: $0.10 per listing
Purpose: Schedule your listings to go live at a specific time, perfect for targeting buyer behavior.
Listing Designer
Fee: Free in most categories (was paid previously)
Purpose: Customize your listing with templates and rich design for brand consistency.
Listing in Multiple Categories
Fee: Insertion and final value fees apply for each category
Purpose: Increases visibility by placing your listing in more than one relevant category.
Pro Tip: These upgrades should be used strategically. If your item is in a highly competitive niche or visual appeal is a key selling factor (e.g., fashion or collectibles), Gallery Plus and Subtitles may offer a strong ROI.
eBay Store Subscription Plans and Costs
If you’re planning to sell frequently or in large volume, an eBay Store subscription can significantly reduce your overall fees and give you access to powerful tools for branding, promotions, and analytics. Let’s break down the various subscription tiers available in 2025.
eBay Store Subscription Tiers (2025)
| Plan | Monthly Price (Annual Billing) | Free Listings/Month | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $4.95/month | 250 fixed-price | New sellers or casual sales |
| Basic | $21.95/month | 1,000 fixed-price | Consistent sellers |
| Premium | $59.95/month | 10,000 fixed-price | Growing businesses |
| Anchor | $299.95/month | 25,000 fixed-price | High-volume sellers |
| Enterprise | $2,999.95/month | Custom allocation | Large-scale operations |
💡 Monthly subscription plans are available, but annual billing saves you money.
Promoted Listings and Advertising Costs
Promoted Listings are one of the most effective ways to increase your item visibility on eBay’s crowded marketplace. With over 1.7 billion listings, standing out is key—and eBay’s advertising tools help you do just that.
Let’s explore how they work and how much they cost.
What Are Promoted Listings?
Promoted Listings are ads that boost your items’ visibility in high-traffic placements like:
Top of eBay search results
Product pages
Browsing pages on desktop and mobile
They’re available through three main formats:
Promoted Listings Standard
Promoted Listings Advanced (Cost-per-click)
Promoted Listings Express (for auction-style listings)
Promoted Listings Standard (Most Popular)
This is eBay’s default ad model for fixed-price listings.
Cost: You only pay when your item sells through the promoted ad (not for clicks).
Ad Rate: You choose a percentage of the item’s sale price, typically ranging from 2% to 15%.
Billing: Charged only if a buyer clicks on your promoted listing and purchases the item within 30 days.
Pro Tip: Use eBay’s suggested ad rate for competitive placement. Sellers in highly competitive categories may need to offer higher rates.
Promoted Listings Advanced (CPC)
This is eBay’s pay-per-click (PPC) ad model designed for more experienced sellers.
Cost: You pay every time someone clicks your ad.
Budget Control: You set a daily budget and maximum bid per keyword.
Targeting: Choose specific keywords and placements.
Advanced is best for:
Sellers with deep product knowledge
High-margin listings
Businesses who can manage CPC campaigns like on Google Ads
Promoted Listings Express (For Auctions)
Ideal for auction-style listings.
Flat Fee: Based on item category and duration (starting at $1.00).
Placement: Item is featured prominently in search results and relevant pages during the auction window.
No Bidding or Ad Rate: Just a one-time fee for increased exposure.
How to Choose the Right Format?
| Format | Best For | You Pay When |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Most fixed-price sellers | Item sells via promoted ad |
| Advanced (CPC) | High-volume, ad-savvy sellers | Ad is clicked |
| Express (Auction) | Auction-style listings | Flat fee on promotion start |
Managing Your Promoted Listings
You can set up and monitor all ads in the Advertising Dashboard within Seller Hub. Here, you can:
Track impressions, clicks, and sales
Adjust ad rates
Pause or edit campaigns
Review ROI and performance metrics
Payment Processing Fees (eBay Managed Payments)
eBay has fully transitioned to its Managed Payments system, replacing PayPal as the default payment processor. As a seller in 2025, understanding how eBay Managed Payments works—and what it costs—is essential for pricing your items correctly and ensuring a healthy profit margin.
What Is eBay Managed Payments?
eBay Managed Payments is eBay’s built-in checkout and payment system that simplifies transactions by:
Collecting payments from buyers directly
Deducting applicable fees (including final value fees and payment processing fees)
Depositing the remaining balance directly into your linked bank account or Payoneer account
This means no more third-party processors like PayPal, and everything—from selling to payouts—is handled within eBay’s platform.
How Much Does eBay Charge for Payment Processing?
Under Managed Payments, eBay combines payment processing fees with final value fees into one simple transaction deduction.
As of 2025, here’s the standard payment processing structure:
| Fee Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| Final Value Fee | 12.9% (includes processing fee) |
| Fixed Fee per Order | $0.30 USD (in the U.S.) |
| International Fees (if any) | +1.65% (cross-border transaction) |
Note: Rates may vary slightly by product category (e.g., electronics may have a slightly lower rate).
Example Calculation
Let’s say you sold an item for $100:
Final Value Fee (12.9%) = $12.90
Fixed Transaction Fee = $0.30
Total Fee = $13.20
Payout to you = $86.80
If it was an international buyer, you’d pay an additional $1.65, totaling $14.85 in fees.
eBay’s All-In-One Fee Advantage
The advantage of eBay Managed Payments is transparency and consolidation—you see:
All charges in one breakdown
No need to reconcile PayPal and eBay fees separately
Instant access to performance metrics in your Seller Hub
Important Considerations
Payouts are generally sent to your bank or Payoneer account within 1–3 business days.
On-demand payouts are also available (usually for an extra fee).
You must verify your identity and banking details before you can start receiving payouts.
How Much Does it Cost to Sell on eBay - FAQ's
In 2025, eBay typically takes 12.9% of the total sale price (including shipping and tax) as a final value fee, plus a $0.30 fixed fee per order. Some categories may have slightly different rates.
Yes, eBay offers 250 free listings per month for most sellers without a store subscription. These are called zero insertion fee listings. If you exceed this limit, eBay charges a $0.35 insertion fee per additional listing.
Sellers with an eBay Store get even more free listings depending on their subscription plan—Basic, Premium, Anchor, or Enterprise. Keep in mind that additional features like bold titles or subtitles may still incur extra charges, even with free listings.
No. As of June 2021, eBay has fully transitioned to Managed Payments, meaning you receive payouts directly to your bank or Payoneer account—PayPal is no longer required.
How Much Does it Cost to Sell on eBay - Conclusion
Selling on eBay in 2025 is both accessible and scalable—but understanding your costs upfront is essential to succeed. Between insertion fees, final value fees, store subscription plans, promoted listing charges, and payment processing fees, every dollar counts when calculating your profit margins.
The good news? eBay’s Managed Payments and Store plans consolidate many of these fees and provide streamlined tools to monitor expenses, optimize listings, and manage performance—all from a central dashboard.
Whether you’re a part-time seller or a full-time eCommerce entrepreneur, eBay offers a transparent and flexible fee system. By choosing the right selling plan and using promotional tools strategically, you can minimize your expenses and maximize your return.
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