April 6, 2026 · 7 min read
Amazon is the biggest marketplace in the world — but its fee structure is also the most complex. Between referral fees, FBA fulfillment fees, storage fees, and closing fees, it's easy to lose track of what you're actually paying. Here's the complete breakdown for 2026.
Unlike most platforms that charge a single percentage, Amazon stacks multiple fees on every sale:
The referral fee is the big one — it's Amazon's cut for giving you access to their massive buyer base. Rates vary significantly by category:
Most categories: 15%
Electronics: 8%
Automotive: 12%
Apparel (tiered):
$0–$15 → 5%
$15–$20 → 10%
$20+ → 17%
Jewelry (tiered):
$0–$250 → 20%
$250+ → 5% on amount above $250
Minimum referral fee: $0.30 on all items
The $0.30 minimum means even very cheap items will always cost you at least 30 cents in referral fees.
If you sell books, music, DVDs, or video games, Amazon adds an extra $1.80 closing fee per sale. This is on top of the referral fee and any FBA fees. It's a significant hit on low-priced media — a $5 used book loses $1.80 right off the top before the 15% referral fee even kicks in.
Amazon offers two selling plans:
If you're selling more than 40 items a month, the Professional plan saves you money. At 100 sales/month, you're saving $59.01 vs the Individual plan.
Example 1: $25 Book (Professional plan)
Referral fee (15%): $25 × 0.15 = $3.75
Closing fee (media): $1.80
Total fees: $5.55 | Payout: $19.45 | Effective rate: 22.2%
Example 2: $100 Electronics Item
Referral fee (8%): $100 × 0.08 = $8.00
Total fees: $8.00 | Payout: $92.00 | Effective rate: 8%
Example 3: $50 Apparel Item
Referral fee (10% — $20-tier portion): $50 × 0.10 = $5.00
Total fees: $5.00 | Payout: $45.00 | Effective rate: 10%
These examples exclude FBA fulfillment and storage fees, which vary by item size and weight. The referral fee alone is what FeePilot calculates for side-by-side platform comparison.
Amazon's referral fees are generally higher than most peer-to-peer platforms:
The trade-off: Amazon has by far the largest buyer base. The higher fees buy you access to hundreds of millions of active shoppers, Prime shipping trust, and the Buy Box algorithm.
Use FeePilot to calculate your exact Amazon fees by category — then compare across all 21 platforms to see where you'll net the most profit.
Disclaimer: FeePilot is not affiliated with Amazon. This article is based on publicly available fee information as of April 2026. Always consult Amazon's official pricing page for the latest rates.
We'll email you when any marketplace updates their seller fees. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.