Poshmark vs Mercari: which keeps more on a $30 item?

Mercari keeps you more on a $30 item: $26.30 versus $24.00 on Poshmark, when the buyer pays $7 shipping that covers the label and there’s no sales tax. Poshmark takes 20% of the item price ($6.00), while Mercari takes 10% of the item plus shipping ($3.70).

Fee rules as of Oct 2026 · checked October 4, 2026 · sources

Your sale

Sets the Whatnot vertical and eBay category.

Same price on every platform.

Counted as money in.

Some platforms charge fees on it.

What you paid for the item.

Counted as money out.

  1. Whatnot

    Profit: $26.23

    Commission8% of item price $30.00
    −$2.40
    Payment processing2.9% of $37.00 (item + shipping + tax) + $0.30
    −$1.37
    Total fees
    −$3.77
    Net payout
    $33.23
    Margin
    87.4%

  2. eBay

    Profit: $24.57

    Final value fee13.6% of $37.00 — charged on item + shipping + tax
    −$5.03
    Per-order feeOrder total over $10.00
    −$0.40
    Total fees
    −$5.43
    Net payout
    $31.57
    Margin
    81.9%

  3. Poshmark

    Profit: $24.00

    Poshmark fee20% of item price $30.00 (sales of $15+) — includes processing
    −$6.00
    Total fees
    −$6.00
    Net payout
    $31.00
    Margin
    80.0%

  4. Mercari

    Profit: $26.30

    Selling fee10% of $37.00 (item + buyer-paid shipping)
    −$3.70
    Total fees
    −$3.70
    Net payout
    $33.30
    Margin
    87.7%

  5. Depop

    Highest profit

    Profit: $28.33

    Payment processing3.3% of $37.00 (item + shipping + tax) + $0.45
    −$1.67
    Total fees
    −$1.67
    Net payout
    $35.33
    Margin
    94.4%

Prefilled with this page’s example. Standard-tier rates, no ads or promotions. Estimates only.

How each fee works

  • Poshmark: a flat $2.95 on sales under $15 and 20% at $15 and up, on the item price only. Processing is included, and the buyer’s shipping pays for the prepaid label.
  • Mercari: 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, with no separate processing fee since January 6, 2025. Sales tax is not in the base.

Side by side, from $10 to $100

Computed with our fee engine: $7 buyer-paid shipping that covers the label, no sales tax. “Keep” is item price minus fees.
Item pricePoshmark feeKeep on PoshmarkMercari feeKeep on MercariMercari advantage
$10$2.95$7.05$1.70$8.30$1.25
$14$2.95$11.05$2.10$11.90$0.85
$30$6.00$24.00$3.70$26.30$2.30
$60$12.00$48.00$6.70$53.30$5.30
$100$20.00$80.00$10.70$89.30$9.30

Mercari leaves more at every price in the table (computed). The gap is narrowest under $15, where Poshmark’s flat fee is low, and widest on expensive items, where 20% grows faster than 10% of item plus shipping.

When the answer changes

If you offer free shipping on Mercari, you pay the label and the fee is charged on the item alone. The same $30 item with a $7 label you pay leaves $20.00 (computed), less than Poshmark’s $24.00. Shipping discounts on Poshmark come out of your earnings too. Fees are also only part of it: which app actually sells your item, and at what price, matters more than a dollar or two of fees.

Sales tax doesn’t change either fee. Poshmark charges on the item price and Mercari on item plus shipping, so tax the marketplace collects never enters the base on either app.

The calculator above runs the same sale on all five platforms. It starts on the clothing preset; for prices near $15, see Poshmark’s $15 fee cliff.

Estimates, fees as of Oct 2026. Not affiliated with any marketplace.

Frequently asked questions

Is Poshmark or Mercari cheaper on a $30 item?

Mercari, by our calculation: $3.70 in fees and $26.30 kept, against $6.00 and $24.00 on Poshmark, with $7 buyer-paid shipping and no tax.

Does Mercari charge its fee on shipping?

Yes. Mercari’s 10% selling fee is charged on the item price plus buyer-paid shipping. Poshmark’s fee is on the item price only.

When does Poshmark keep more than Mercari?

When you pay shipping on Mercari. A $30 item with free shipping and a $7 label leaves $20.00 on Mercari, less than Poshmark’s $24.00.

Is Flip Profit HQ affiliated with Poshmark or Mercari?

No. Flip Profit HQ is independent and not affiliated with any marketplace. Rates are estimates from each platform’s help pages as of Oct 2026.