For most items, Mercari leaves you more money. A $50 sale with free shipping costs $7.20 on eBay and $5.00 on Mercari, so you receive $42.80 from eBay and $45.00 from Mercari. The difference is the rate and what it's charged on: eBay takes 13.6% of the whole order plus $0.40, and Mercari takes 10% of the item and any shipping the buyer pays.
Enter your own price in the calculator above. Add your item cost, and your postage cost if you pay for shipping, and it shows profit on each, plus the total the buyer pays.
eBay vs Mercari fees, side by side
- eBay (US): a final value fee of 13.6% in most categories, charged on the total the buyer pays, which includes shipping and sales tax. Plus a per-order fee of $0.40, or $0.30 on orders of $10 or less. Some categories differ: trading cards pay 13.25%, books and media 15.3%, and sneakers of $150 or more pay less.
- Mercari: a 10% selling fee on the item price plus any shipping the buyer pays. No per-order fee and no processing fee. Instant Pay costs $3 per cash-out; direct deposit is free.
- What buyers pay: on eBay, the price, shipping and sales tax. On Mercari, the same plus a 3.6% Buyer Protection fee.
What each one pays you at common prices, with free shipping and no sales tax:
| Sale price | eBay fee | eBay pays you | Mercari fee | Mercari pays you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.66 | $8.34 | $1.00 | $9.00 |
| $25.00 | $3.80 | $21.20 | $2.50 | $22.50 |
| $50.00 | $7.20 | $42.80 | $5.00 | $45.00 |
| $100.00 | $14.00 | $86.00 | $10.00 | $90.00 |
| $250.00 | $34.40 | $215.60 | $25.00 | $225.00 |
| $500.00 | $68.40 | $431.60 | $50.00 | $450.00 |
Standard settings, free shipping to the buyer, no sales tax.
In a Mercari vs eBay comparison the gap grows with the price. Every extra $100 of sale price costs about $3.60 more in fees on eBay than on Mercari.
Sales tax: the part of eBay's fee people miss
eBay charges its 13.6% on the sales tax too, even though the tax goes to the state. On a $50 item with 8% sales tax, the eBay fee rises from $7.20 to $7.74 and your payout drops to $42.26. Mercari's fee is worked out on the item and shipping only, so tax doesn't change what you receive there.
Is Mercari better than eBay?
On fees, usually yes. But eBay can still pay more overall, for two reasons.
eBay's audience is bigger. More buyers can mean a faster sale or a higher price, especially for collectibles, parts, rare items and anything people search for by model number. eBay also has auctions, best offer and international buyers. If an item sells for $10 more on eBay, that easily covers the fee difference on most prices.
Some eBay categories are cheaper. Sneakers of $150 or more in eBay's athletic shoes category pay a lower rate with no per-order fee. A $160 pair costs $12.80 on eBay and $16.00 on Mercari, so eBay pays you $147.20 against Mercari's $144.00. Use the eBay fee calculator and pick the category to check yours.
Mercari is simpler for everyday items. Clothes, toys, home goods and small electronics sell well there, the listing process is quick, and a flat 10% is easy to price around.
How shipping changes things
Both apps take their fee from shipping the buyer pays. On Mercari, a $50 item with $8 buyer-paid shipping costs $5.80 and pays you $44.20. On eBay the same sale costs $8.29 in fees, and you receive $49.71 because eBay passes the shipping money to you to buy the label. Take your label cost off the eBay figure before comparing. The calculator does this if you enter it as "Your postage cost".
Mercari or eBay: how to choose for one item
- Look up sold prices for the item on both apps, not asking prices.
- Run each sold price through the calculator with your item cost and the shipping you'd pay.
- Go with the higher profit. If the two are close, choose the app where it sold faster.
Selling clothes? The Poshmark vs Mercari comparison covers fashion resale. Selling cards? The eBay trading card fee calculator has the lower card rate.
Common questions
Does eBay or Mercari charge more fees?
eBay charges more in most categories. On a $100 sale with free shipping, eBay takes $14.00 and Mercari takes $10.00, so you receive $86.00 from eBay and $90.00 from Mercari.
Is it better to sell on eBay or Mercari?
Mercari is cheaper, with a 10% fee against eBay's 13.6% plus $0.40. eBay often sells faster and for more on collectibles, parts and rare items, so check sold prices on both before you list.
Which is better for cheap items, eBay or Mercari?
Mercari. A $10 sale costs $1.66 on eBay, including the $0.30 per-order fee, and $1.00 on Mercari.
Do buyers pay more on Mercari than on eBay?
Yes, a little. Mercari adds a 3.6% Buyer Protection fee at checkout, while eBay buyers in the US pay only the price, shipping and sales tax.
Sources
Fees last checked against these official pages: eBay (US) on 2026-10-11; Mercari (US) on 2026-10-12. We re-check every source daily and update the calculators when a platform changes its fees.
- eBay Help: Selling fees
- eBay: Top Rated Seller program
- eBay Developers: Promoted Listings
- Mercari Help: Fees on Mercari