$4.81 of it is fulfilment that Amazon includes and eBay doesn't. Strip that out and the marketplace access gap is $0.29. Which platform is cheaper depends on what YOUR fulfilment costs — and on eBay, your seller performance can swing your commission by $5,232/year.
The headline fee gap is misleading. Amazon's $9.31 includes services eBay doesn't provide. Equalise for fulfilment and the marketplace access gap is $0.29. Your fulfilment cost determines which platform is cheaper.
The comparison flips at different weights and categories. A 2 oz electronics product lands differently from a 2 lb kitchen product. The analysis runs every SKU across both structures and flags where each platform costs less.
The things you can change are completely different on each. On Amazon, it's how you package, ship, and configure. On eBay, it's your seller performance — your rating directly changes your commission rate by up to 16 percentage points. No Amazon equivalent exists.
Amazon US charges a 2% Digital Services Fee to UK-established sellers. eBay US charges a 1.65% international fee on cross-border sales — waivable through one programme enrolment. The costs that appear when you cross a border are different on each platform.
This shows what exists on each platform — not what it costs. Amazon bundles fulfilment into its fee stack; eBay leaves fulfilment to you and adds a performance dimension Amazon has no equivalent for.
| Amazon (FBA) | eBay (Basic store) |
|---|---|
| Referral fee (15%)Fixed | Final value fee (12.7%)Performance |
| FBA fulfilment ($4.60)Configurable | Seller-provided |
| Fuel surcharge ($0.16)Fixed | — doesn't exist |
| Monthly storage ($0.05)Configurable | Seller-provided |
| Inbound placement ($0.00)Configurable | — doesn't exist |
| Digital services fee ($0.00)Conditional | — doesn't exist |
| Professional plan ($39.99/mo)Fixed | Store subscription ($21.95/mo)Configurable |
| — | Per order fee ($0.40)Fixed |
| — | International fee (1.65%)Conditional |
| — | Insertion fees ($0)Configurable |
| — | Performance penalty (+6%)Performance |
Subscriptions are account-level, shown monthly — not amortised per unit.
Amazon charges across 7 fee lines on this product. Three are configurable — fulfilment method, inbound shipment routing, and programme enrolment (SIPP). The referral fee is fixed by category. The fuel surcharge is fixed at 3.5%. Storage depends on how fast your inventory turns.
eBay charges across 3–5 fee lines. But two things are structurally different. First: your seller performance directly changes your commission rate — Top Rated Plus pays 10% less, Below Standard pays 6% more. Amazon has no equivalent. Second: your store subscription changes three cost lines simultaneously — the FVF schedule, the insertion fee rate, and the free listing allocation. One decision, three costs move.
What doesn't exist on eBay: fulfilment fees, storage fees, fuel surcharges, inbound placement, digital services fee. These aren't "savings" — they're services the seller handles instead.
What doesn't exist on Amazon: performance-based commission changes, insertion fees, international fee (waivable), listing upgrade fees.
A $29.99 stainless steel insulated water bottle, Home and Kitchen. Every rate below is from the published rate card.
| Amazon (FBA) | eBay (Basic, standard seller) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price | $29.99 | $29.99 |
| Commission | −$4.50 referral, 15% |
−$3.81 FVF, 12.7% Sched B |
| Fulfilment | −$4.60 FBA |
— seller-provided |
| Surcharges | −$0.16 fuel |
— |
| Storage | −$0.05 | — seller-provided |
| Per order fee | — | −$0.40 |
| Platform fees | −$9.31 | −$4.21 |
| Passed through | $20.68 | $25.78 before fulfilment |
Sources: Amazon referral fees, verified 18 Apr 2026 · FBA fulfilment fees, verified 18 Apr 2026 · Fuel surcharge, verified 18 Apr 2026 · eBay selling fees, verified 18 May 2026
The marketplace access gap — strip fulfilment from Amazon and the comparison is $4.50 (Amazon referral) vs $4.21 (eBay FVF + per-order). $0.29. The other $4.81 is fulfilment that Amazon includes and eBay doesn't. Whether Amazon or eBay costs less for your product depends on what your fulfilment costs.
The referral fee is fixed. Everything else has alternatives.
| Decision | What moves | Annual impact (2,400 units) |
|---|---|---|
| Fulfilment method (FBA → FBM) | Removes $4.60 + $0.16 + $0.05. Adds your fulfilment cost. | ±$11,544 |
| Inbound shipment splits | $0.00 (Amazon-optimised) vs $0.16–$0.32 (minimal) | $384–$768 |
| SIPP enrolment | −$0.07/unit discount (free certification) | $168 |
| Size tier boundary | Product is 2 oz from next weight band ($4.60 → $5.04) | $1,056 at risk |
The commission rate is NOT fixed. Your seller performance and store tier determine what you actually pay.
| Decision | What moves | Annual impact (2,400 units) |
|---|---|---|
| Achieve Top Rated Plus | FVF drops 10% ($3.81 → $3.43) | $912 saved |
| Fall Below Standard | +6% FVF (12.7% → 18.7%): $3.81 → $5.61 | $4,320 penalty |
| Store tier (none → Basic) | Changes FVF schedule + insertion fees + listing allocation | $528–$4,400 |
| eBay International Shipping | Waives 1.65% international fee | $0–$1,188 |
The structural difference: On Amazon, the things you can change are mostly operational — how you package, ship, and configure. On eBay, they're performance-driven — how you run your seller account. The analysis maps both and flags which ones apply to your product, your volume, and your seller profile.
Your product. Both platforms. Every fee from published rate cards. Launching September 2026.
Upload your settlement report. Every fee line checked against the published rate card. How it works →
More comparisons: Amazon vs Walmart → · Amazon vs Shopify → · eBay vs Shopify → · Amazon UK vs US vs EU →
Every number is computed from the published rate card — not from what the platform's API reports. That's how we check your actual charges too → Product: stainless steel insulated water bottle, $29.99, 450g, 27×8×8cm, Home and Kitchen / Home & Garden. Amazon verified 25 Jun 2026, eBay verified 29 May 2026.