eBay vs Amazon for selling, in short: on the fee pages we read, eBay charges 13.6% of the sale total plus $0.30 or $0.40 per order in most categories, with no monthly fee required. Amazon charges 15% in the "Everything Else" and video game rows, plus either $0.99 per item sold (Individual plan) or $39.99 per month (Professional plan). Amazon's sign-up asks for ID, a bank account and proof of address; eBay's account is quicker to open. All figures below were checked on November 3, 2026 on eBay's selling fees page and Amazon's seller pricing page. Fees change, so recheck before you buy inventory.
This guide is the marketplace comparison behind selling on eBay. It isn't a promise of what you'll keep: prices move, items come back, and some inventory doesn't sell.
eBay vs Amazon seller fees side by side
| eBay | Amazon | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None required to sell (Stores are optional) | Individual: none. Professional: $39.99/month |
| Per-item or per-order fee | $0.30 (order $10 or less) or $0.40 (over $10) | Individual: $0.99 per item sold. Professional: none |
| Main percentage fee | 13.6% of the sale total up to $7,500 in most categories | 15% in "Everything Else" (minimum $0.30) |
| Trading cards | 13.25% | No card row on the page we read (see below) |
| Video games | No separate row; standard rate likely, unconfirmed | 15% (Video Games and Gaming Accessories) |
| Game consoles | No separate row; unconfirmed | 8% (Video Game Consoles) |
| Books, DVD, music, software, video | Books, Movies and Music rows: 15.3% | 15% plus a $1.80 closing fee per item |
| Free listings | Up to 250 zero-insertion-fee listings a month | Not a feature of the page |
Sources: eBay's selling fees page and Amazon's seller pricing page, both checked November 3, 2026. For the eBay formula step by step, see our eBay seller fees guide.
Three notes on the table:
- Amazon's trading card and vinyl rows weren't on the page. We looked for Collectible Cards, Entertainment Collectibles and a vinyl or Music row. None appeared. Books sit inside the "Media" row. We won't guess a rate for cards or vinyl on Amazon: check the rate Amazon shows for your exact category when you list.
- eBay's video game rate is unconfirmed too. As our video game guide explains, eBay's fee page has no Video Games row, so the standard rate is the likely base.
- Where Amazon's page shows "--" for a minimum fee, we read that as no minimum listed, but the page doesn't say so in words.
Which Amazon plan: Individual or Professional?
Amazon's page lists two plans. Individual is $0.99 per item sold; Professional is $39.99 per month. Both pay the referral fee on top.
The break-even is simple arithmetic: $39.99 divided by $0.99 is about 40.4, so at 41 or more items sold in a month the Professional plan costs less in fixed fees than paying $0.99 each. Below that, Individual is cheaper. That's math on the two listed prices, not advice. The page doesn't tell you which plan allows which categories, so read what yours includes before you sign up.
Worked example: a $50 item
Illustration with made-up inputs. Assumptions: the buyer pays $6 shipping, there is no sales tax, and for both sites we apply the percentage to the item price plus buyer-paid shipping ($56 total). Amazon's page says the fee is a percentage of the "total price" without spelling out shipping, so treat the Amazon line as an estimate. Amazon rate: 15% ("Everything Else").
| eBay | Amazon (Individual) | Amazon (Professional) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage fee | 13.6% of $56 = $7.62 | 15% of $56 = $8.40 | 15% of $56 = $8.40 |
| Flat fee | $0.40 | $0.99 | $0 (plus $39.99/month) |
| Total fees on this sale | $8.02 | $9.39 | $8.40 |
On one $50 sale, eBay costs about $1.37 less than Amazon's Individual plan in this example. The Professional plan's monthly fee is a fixed cost spread over everything you sell that month.
Worked example: a $150 item
Assumptions: the buyer pays $10 shipping (sale total $160), no sales tax, same method.
| eBay | Amazon (Individual) | Amazon (Professional) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage fee | 13.6% of $160 = $21.76 | 15% of $160 = $24.00 | 15% of $160 = $24.00 |
| Flat fee | $0.40 | $0.99 | $0 (plus $39.99/month) |
| Total fees on this sale | $22.16 | $24.99 | $24.00 |
The gap grows in dollars as the price rises, because it's a percentage gap (13.6% against 15%).
A console example, where Amazon is lower
Amazon's page lists Video Game Consoles at 8%. Take a $150 console with $10 shipping, so a $160 sale. On Amazon that's 8% of $160 = $12.80, plus $0.99 on the Individual plan, or $13.79. On eBay at the standard 13.6% (rate unconfirmed for consoles) it would be $21.76 + $0.40 = $22.16. Fees are only one line: you also pay for shipping, and on Amazon you may face approval or condition rules, so this is a comparison of fees, not a verdict.
Account requirements and how fast you can start
Amazon. Per Amazon's registration guide and seller FAQ (checked November 3, 2026), you need a government-issued ID, a credit card, a bank account, a business license or registration, proof of residential address, and tax information. The address proof must be dated from the last 180 days, such as a bank or credit card statement. You also take a photo of your face with the ID or join a video call. Amazon says verification usually takes three business days or less. The bank account must be in your name or your business's name.
eBay. You create an account, choose personal or business, verify it by email, and register for payments when you list. We cover the steps in how to become an eBay seller.
Category approval. Amazon's seller FAQ says some categories require approval from Amazon. The pages we could open didn't list which categories, so we can't tell you whether trading cards, video games or collectibles are gated for you. Check inside your Seller Central account before you plan inventory. eBay lets you list in these categories from a normal seller account, subject to its policies.
How you get paid
- Amazon: the FAQ says that when your account is settled with a positive balance, Amazon sends funds to your bank account by ACH, and it can take up to five business days to appear after Amazon starts the payment. We didn't find a payout schedule on the pages we read, so we don't state one.
- eBay: payouts are on-demand by default, with optional automatic schedules, and eBay says a balance change begins for eligible US sellers on November 4, 2026. The details are in our account setup guide.
Because the two pay on different terms, the cash is available at different times. Plan for that if you reinvest sale proceeds into the next buy.
Returns and buyer protection
On eBay, if an item doesn't match the listing, the buyer can return it and the seller pays return shipping, per eBay's Money Back Guarantee (see our video game guide for the details we checked on October 30). On Amazon, we couldn't open a seller returns page with article text, so we're not describing Amazon's seller return rules here. Read them in Seller Central before you list, especially for used items.
Who the buyer is, and what each is best for
- eBay buyers often search for a specific item, used, vintage or limited: a sold record, a sealed box, a retro cartridge. That suits one-off collectibles and used items.
- Amazon buyers often shop by product page, which suits new, in-box items that already have a listing. Check how the listing and its condition rules work before you buy stock.
That's a general description of how each site is used, not a ranking. Your category decides which one fits.
Which should a reseller of cards, vinyl, games and collectibles use?
Reasoning, not promises:
- Trading cards and sealed collectibles: eBay has a published card rate (13.25%) and no approval step we found. Amazon's page shows no card row, and category approval may apply. eBay is the simpler place to start.
- Vinyl: neither fee page gives a clear vinyl rate (see the notes above). Confirm in your account. Our where to sell vinyl records guide covers the options.
- Video games and consoles: Amazon's page lists both at stated rates, with the console rate at 8%. eBay is where used and retro copies commonly sell. Run the math on your own item.
- Both: many sellers use both, since the fee math differs by item. Start with where your inventory fits, then compare with real numbers from how to find products that resell and the reseller fees guide.
Sources (checked November 3, 2026)
- eBay: Selling fees
- Amazon: Seller pricing
- Amazon: Seller registration guide
- Amazon: Seller FAQ
All worked examples are our own arithmetic on labeled assumptions, not marketplace figures. Results vary by item, shipping cost and tax.
eBay is a trademark of eBay Inc. Amazon is a trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. Friends & Family is an independent reselling community and isn't affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by eBay or Amazon. This is educational, not financial or tax advice, and resale prices aren't guaranteed.