eBay Break-Even Calculator
Calculate the minimum eBay listing price needed to break even after Final Value Fee, the fixed per-order fee, and product costs.
By Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & PODUpdated Fee data verified against official platform documentation
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Break-even price
Break-even sale price$24.77
eBay fees at break-even$3.77
Effective fee rate (13.6%)$3.77 / $24.77
How this is calculated
Break-even = (Product cost + Shipping + $0.40) / (1 − FVF% − Promoted%)
Assumptions:
- FVF: 13.60% (Most categories) — includes payment processing
- Free shipping to buyer (shipping cost absorbed in sale price)
Source: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees · Last verified: 2026-07-02
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum price I need to charge on eBay?
eBay break-even price = (Product cost + Shipping cost + $0.30) / (1 − FVF% − 3%). For a general category item with $15 cost + $8 shipping: $23.30 / (1 − 0.1325 − 0.03) = $23.30 / 0.8375 = $27.82. Sell below this price and you lose money.
Does eBay store subscription help break even faster?
eBay Store reduces the Final Value Fee by ~1% for most categories. On 100 orders at $30 average: 1% × $30 × 100 = $300/month saved. If the Store subscription costs $21.95/month (Basic), you save $278/month net. Use the Store vs. No Store calculator for your specific volume.
What fees are included in the eBay break-even price?
Two eBay fees plus your own costs. The Final Value Fee is ~13.6% of the total order (item + shipping) for most categories and already includes payment processing. On top of that eBay charges a fixed per-order fee of $0.30 for orders $10 or under and $0.40 above $10. The calculator grosses up your price so that after both fees plus your product and shipping cost, you land exactly at zero profit.
Does the Final Value Fee apply to shipping I charge?
Yes. eBay's Final Value Fee is calculated on the total amount the buyer pays, including any shipping and handling you charge. That's why raising shipping to 'cover costs' doesn't fully work — eBay takes ~13.6% of that shipping too. Your break-even price has to account for the fee on the whole order, which this tool does automatically.
Why does my break-even price change by category?
eBay's Final Value Fee varies by category — most sit around 13.6%, but some differ (for example books ~15.3%, guitars ~6.7%, most jewelry ~15%). A lower FVF category needs a lower break-even price for the same cost, and a higher one needs more. Enter your category's actual FVF rate to get an accurate minimum price.
Should I include promoted listing fees in break-even?
If you use Promoted Listings, yes. The ad rate (often 2–12% of the sale) comes out on top of the Final Value Fee, so it raises your true break-even price. Add your average ad rate to the fee percentage — a product that breaks even at $27.82 organically may need $30+ once a 10% promoted-listing rate is included.