The $25 sale, line by line
Whatnot charges two fees on every order. Commission is 8% of the item price at the Standard tier (under $15,000 of sales in the last 28 days), so $2.00 here. It is not charged on shipping or tax. Payment processing is 2.9% + $0.30 on everything the buyer paid: 2.9% of $32 plus $0.30 is $1.23. Together that is $3.23, or 12.9% of the item price.
Worked examples
The same $25 item under different conditions. Every figure is computed by the engine behind our Whatnot fee calculator, with rates from Whatnot’s help pages.
| Scenario | Commission | Processing | Total fees | You keep | Fees ÷ price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25 item, no shipping or tax | $2.00 | $1.03 | $3.03 | $21.97 | 12.1% |
| $25 + $7 shipping (this page’s example) | $2.00 | $1.23 | $3.23 | $21.77 | 12.9% |
| $25 + $7 shipping + $2.00 sales tax | $2.00 | $1.29 | $3.29 | $21.71 | 13.2% |
| Coins & Money (4%), $7 shipping | $1.00 | $1.23 | $2.23 | $22.77 | 8.9% |
| Tier 3, Other (5.5%), $7 shipping | $1.38 | $1.23 | $2.61 | $22.39 | 10.4% |
Shipping adds $0.20 in processing on $7 of shipping, and $2.00 of sales tax adds $0.06 more. Most categories (Sports, TCG, Fashion, Other collectibles and Other) are 8% at the Standard tier; Coins & Money is 4%.
Why small sales pay a higher share: the $0.30 part of processing is the same on every order. On $25 it alone is 1.2% of the item price, and total fees come to 12.9%; on a $100 sale with the same shipping they are 11.4% (computed).
What this leaves out
- Shipping you cover yourself, such as free-shipping offers or giveaway labels. Enter it as “Extra shipping you cover” in the calculator above.
- Sales tax that Whatnot charges on its fees in a few states, the Premier Shop discount and promotional rates.
- What you paid for the item. Add it as “Your item cost” to see profit.
Higher tiers lower the commission but not processing. The full rate card is in Whatnot’s 2026 fee tiers.
Estimates, fees as of Oct 2026. Not affiliated with any marketplace.