Mercari vs eBay Fees
Mercari is cheaper than eBay at essentially every price point in eBay's standard categories. But eBay has low-rate categories where it wins outright, and a buyer base large enough that a higher fee on a sold item still beats a lower fee on an unsold one.
By Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & PODUpdated Fee data verified against official platform documentation
Structure side by side
| Factor | Mercari | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Seller fee | Flat 10%, all categories | 13.6% most categories (3–15.3% by category) |
| Per-order fee | None | $0.30 under $10, $0.40 above |
| Payment processing | None since January 2025 | Included in the Final Value Fee |
| Listing fee | None, unlimited | 250 free/month, then insertion fee |
| Charged on shipping? | Yes | Yes |
| Subscription option | None | Stores reduce FVF at volume |
| Payout | Free ACH; $3 instant | Direct to bank, typically 1–3 days |
| Category breadth | Broad general resale | Broadest of any marketplace |
eBay rates: US sellers, no Store subscription. Source: ebay.com/help/selling/fees and Mercari help center — verified 2026-08-08.
What each pays you
| Sale price | Mercari fee | You keep | eBay fee | You keep | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.00 | $9.00 | $1.66 | $8.34 | +$0.66 on Mercari |
| $20.00 | $2.00 | $18.00 | $3.12 | $16.88 | +$1.12 on Mercari |
| $35.00 | $3.50 | $31.50 | $5.16 | $29.84 | +$1.66 on Mercari |
| $50.00 | $5.00 | $45.00 | $7.20 | $42.80 | +$2.20 on Mercari |
| $100.00 | $10.00 | $90.00 | $14.00 | $86.00 | +$4.00 on Mercari |
| $250.00 | $25.00 | $225.00 | $34.40 | $215.60 | +$9.40 on Mercari |
| $500.00 | $50.00 | $450.00 | $68.40 | $431.60 | +$18.40 on Mercari |
Free shipping assumed, eBay "most categories" rate. Both platforms charge on buyer-paid shipping, so adding shipping raises both fees without changing the ranking.
The gap widens with price because the percentage difference compounds — $0.70 at $10, $18 at $500. For high-value general merchandise Mercari's fee advantage is substantial. Run your own price →
Where eBay wins on fees
eBay's rate varies by category, and several sit below Mercari's flat 10%. If you sell in one of these, eBay is cheaper as well as larger:
| eBay category | eBay rate | Fee on $200 | Mercari fee on $200 | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most categories | 13.6% | $27.60 | $20.00 | Mercari |
| Jewelry & Watches | 15.0% | $30.40 | $20.00 | Mercari |
| Books, DVDs & Music | 15.3% | $31.00 | $20.00 | Mercari |
| Coins & Paper Money | 13.3% | $26.90 | $20.00 | Mercari |
| Guitars & Basses | 6.7% | $13.80 | $20.00 | eBay |
| Heavy Equipment & Boats | 3.0% | $6.40 | $20.00 | eBay |
Guitars at 6.7% and heavy equipment at 3% are the clear cases. Notice too that eBay's books and jewelry rates run aboveits standard rate, making Mercari's advantage even larger there.
Reach versus rate
Fee comparisons assume the item sells on both platforms. For a lot of inventory that assumption is wrong — eBay's buyer base finds things Mercari's never will.
| Scenario ($100 item) | Net if it sells | Chance of selling | Expected value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercari, common item | $90.00 | 80% | $72.00 |
| eBay, common item | $86.00 | 80% | $68.80 |
| Mercari, niche/collectible | $90.00 | 30% | $27.00 |
| eBay, niche/collectible | $86.00 | 85% | $73.10 |
Sell-through probabilities are illustrative, chosen to show the shape of the trade-off rather than measured rates.
For common merchandise Mercari's lower fee wins outright. For anything niche, eBay wins on expected value even at a worse rate — $73.10 against $27.00. That is the whole argument for eBay in one table.
Which to use
- Common used goods with real search demand
- You want the lowest fee on standard items
- Listing volume is high and free listings matter
- You would rather not manage a Store subscription
- Collectibles, parts, or anything niche
- Your category has a below-10% eBay rate
- Volume is high enough for a Store to pay off
- You need international buyers
How much eBay takes in detail → or compare all four resale platforms →