Calculators / Where to sell / eBay vs TikTok Shop
eBay vs TikTok Shop fees: what you keep on each sale
On a $25 sale you keep $21.20 on eBay and $23.50 on TikTok Shop, $2.30 more on TikTok Shop. You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1.00 to $23,127.24; eBay leaves you more at every price from $23,127.59 to $25,000.00, because eBay's rate drops to 2.35% on the part of the total above $7,500. Between $23,127.25 and $23,127.58, the two are within 1 cent of each other. Fees from eBay's and TikTok Shop's own fee pages, checked ; item price only, before shipping, tax and your costs.
Rates verified on
What you keep at $5 to $100
Item price only: no shipping charged, no sales tax, no item or postage costs. eBay: most categories. TikTok Shop: most categories, including books (6%).
| Sale price | eBay fees | You keep on eBay | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $0.98 (19.6%) | $4.02 | $0.30 (6%) | $4.70 | TikTok Shop +$0.68 |
| $10.00 | $1.66 (16.6%) | $8.34 | $0.60 (6%) | $9.40 | TikTok Shop +$1.06 |
| $15.00 | $2.44 (16.3%) | $12.56 | $0.90 (6%) | $14.10 | TikTok Shop +$1.54 |
| $25.00 | $3.80 (15.2%) | $21.20 | $1.50 (6%) | $23.50 | TikTok Shop +$2.30 |
| $50.00 | $7.20 (14.4%) | $42.80 | $3.00 (6%) | $47.00 | TikTok Shop +$4.20 |
| $100.00 | $14.00 (14%) | $86.00 | $6.00 (6%) | $94.00 | TikTok Shop +$8.00 |
With $5 buyer-paid shipping and 8% sales tax
Here the fee bases split apart. The buyer pays $5 for shipping and you spend the same $5 on the label, so what's left is the item price minus fees. 8% is an example tax rate, not an average; rates vary by place.
| Item price | eBay fees | You keep on eBay | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $1.87 | $3.13 | $0.60 | $4.40 | TikTok Shop +$1.27 |
| $10.00 | $2.60 | $7.40 | $0.90 | $9.10 | TikTok Shop +$1.70 |
| $15.00 | $3.34 | $11.66 | $1.20 | $13.80 | TikTok Shop +$2.14 |
| $25.00 | $4.81 | $20.19 | $1.80 | $23.20 | TikTok Shop +$3.01 |
| $50.00 | $8.48 | $41.52 | $3.30 | $46.70 | TikTok Shop +$5.18 |
| $100.00 | $15.82 | $84.18 | $6.30 | $93.70 | TikTok Shop +$9.52 |
Where the winner flips
We ran both fee schedules at every price from $1 to $25,000, one cent at a time.
- Item price only: You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1.00 to $23,127.24, and on eBay from $23,127.59 to $25,000.00, because eBay's rate drops to 2.35% on the part of the total above $7,500. Between $23,127.25 and $23,127.58, the two are within 1 cent of each other.
- With $5 shipping and 8% tax: You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1.00 to $24,378.08, and on eBay from $24,378.59 to $25,000.00, because eBay's rate drops to 2.35% on the part of the total above $7,500. Between $24,378.09 and $24,378.58, the two are within 1 cent of each other.
Selling books: eBay 15.3%, TikTok Shop 6%
eBay's rate for Books & Magazines, Movies & TV, Music (not vinyl records) is 15.3% of the total instead of 13.6% (eBay's fee page). TikTok Shop's standard 6% covers most categories, books included (TikTok's rates by category).
| Sale price | eBay fees | You keep on eBay | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.83 | $8.17 | $0.60 | $9.40 | TikTok Shop +$1.23 |
| $25.00 | $4.23 | $20.77 | $1.50 | $23.50 | TikTok Shop +$2.73 |
| $50.00 | $8.05 | $41.95 | $3.00 | $47.00 | TikTok Shop +$5.05 |
| $100.00 | $15.70 | $84.30 | $6.00 | $94.00 | TikTok Shop +$9.70 |
Pre-owned trading cards and comics: eBay 13.25%, TikTok Shop 5%
eBay's rate for Coins & paper money (not bullion), comics, trading cards, CCGs is 13.25% of the total (eBay's fee page). TikTok Shop's Pre-Owned categories, which include trading cards and comics, pay 5% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, and 3% on the part of a sale over $10,000 (TikTok's rates by category). Cards listed in TikTok's Collectibles + Trading Cards & Accessories category pay 6% instead; the next section has those numbers.
| Sale price | eBay fees | You keep on eBay | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25.00 | $3.71 | $21.29 | $1.25 | $23.75 | TikTok Shop +$2.46 |
| $100.00 | $13.65 | $86.35 | $5.00 | $95.00 | TikTok Shop +$8.65 |
| $500.00 | $66.65 | $433.35 | $25.00 | $475.00 | TikTok Shop +$41.65 |
| $1,500.00 | $199.15 | $1,300.85 | $75.00 | $1,425.00 | TikTok Shop +$124.15 |
| $5,000.00 | $662.90 | $4,337.10 | $250.00 | $4,750.00 | TikTok Shop +$412.90 |
| $15,000.00 | $1,170.40 | $13,829.60 | $650.00 | $14,350.00 | TikTok Shop +$520.40 |
Trading cards in TikTok's Collectibles category: eBay 13.25%, TikTok Shop 6%
Card listings in TikTok's Collectibles + Trading Cards & Accessories category, rather than Pre-Owned, pay TikTok Shop's 6% rate on the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, and 3% on the part of a sale over $10,000 (TikTok's rates by category). eBay's rate is the same 13.25% as above (eBay's fee page).
| Sale price | eBay fees | You keep on eBay | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25.00 | $3.71 | $21.29 | $1.50 | $23.50 | TikTok Shop +$2.21 |
| $100.00 | $13.65 | $86.35 | $6.00 | $94.00 | TikTok Shop +$7.65 |
| $500.00 | $66.65 | $433.35 | $30.00 | $470.00 | TikTok Shop +$36.65 |
| $1,500.00 | $199.15 | $1,300.85 | $90.00 | $1,410.00 | TikTok Shop +$109.15 |
| $5,000.00 | $662.90 | $4,337.10 | $300.00 | $4,700.00 | TikTok Shop +$362.90 |
| $15,000.00 | $1,170.40 | $13,829.60 | $750.00 | $14,250.00 | TikTok Shop +$420.40 |
What each platform charges on shipping and tax
| Fee rule | eBay | TikTok Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Headline fee | 13.6% of the total (15.3% for books, movies and music) + $0.30 or $0.40 per order | 6% referral on item + buyer-paid shipping (5% pre-owned); no separate processing fee |
| What the fee is figured on | Final value fee is a percentage of the total amount of the sale: item price, handling, shipping charged to the buyer, and sales tax. | TikTok's formula: referral fee = rate × (customer payment + platform discount − tax). That is the item price plus the shipping the buyer pays, without sales tax. TikTok says the referral fee covers all TikTok Shop fees except shipping and tax. (TikTok: referral fee updates) |
| Fee on shipping? | Yes: $0.68 more in fees on $5 of shipping ($25 sale), from the final value fee | Yes: $0.30 more in fees on $5 of shipping ($25 sale), from the referral fee |
| Fee on sales tax? | Yes: $0.27 more in fees on 8% tax ($25 sale), from the final value fee | No |
| Shipping label | You set the shipping charge (or offer free shipping) and buy the label, through eBay Labels or elsewhere. | Shipping labels are a separate seller cost. |
| Other fees and rules |
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2026 fee and shipping changes on eBay and TikTok Shop
From our change tracker, newest first. Each entry has the source and the dates; 8 of these 9 also show the effect on a $10, $25 and $50 sale.
eBay
- eBay raises its seller currency conversion charge to 3.25% Fees · effective
- eBay Labels skip most of the USPS holiday increase Postage · effective
- eBay Labels: Ground Advantage 0-2 lb up $0.10, Flat Rate up $0.30 Postage · effective
- eBay Labels: Ground Advantage 3-5 lb up $1 to Zone 5, $2 to Zones 6-8 Postage · effective
- eBay Labels: Ground Advantage 3-5 lb up $0.10 Postage · effective
- eBay raises its penalty fees for sellers who stay Below Standard or keep a high 'not as described' rate Fees · effective
TikTok Shop
- TikTok Shop: 4% LIVE auction referral fee for new auction sellers until Dec 31 Fees · effective
- Fulfilled by TikTok: heavy single items cheaper, 5-20 lb multi-unit orders up to $3 more Fees · effective
- TikTok Shop Smart Promotion: 3.5% of GMV, now required to join platform campaigns Fees · effective
Common questions
Is eBay or TikTok Shop cheaper to sell on?
On a $25 sale you keep $21.20 on eBay and $23.50 on TikTok Shop, $2.30 more on TikTok Shop. Item price only, fees checked Oct 14, 2026. You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1.00 to $23,127.24, and on eBay from $23,127.59 to $25,000.00, because eBay's rate drops to 2.35% on the part of the total above $7,500. Between $23,127.25 and $23,127.58, the two are within 1 cent of each other.
Do eBay and TikTok Shop take a fee on shipping?
On a $25 sale with $5 of buyer-paid shipping: eBay: yes, $0.68 more on $5 of shipping, from the final value fee. TikTok Shop: yes, $0.30 more on $5 of shipping, from the referral fee.
Do eBay and TikTok Shop figure their fees on sales tax?
On a $25 sale with an example 8% sales tax: eBay: yes, $0.27 more on 8% tax, from the final value fee. TikTok Shop: no. The tax itself isn't yours to keep on either platform. General information, not tax advice.
Does TikTok Shop charge a payment processing fee?
Not separately. TikTok says its referral fee covers all TikTok Shop fees except shipping and tax. The fee is 6% of the item price plus the shipping the buyer pays, without sales tax (5% in Pre-Owned categories). Optional programs such as Smart Promotion cost extra.
How we compared
- Fees come from each platform's own US fee page as checked on Oct 14, 2026, run through the same code as our calculators. Each fee line is rounded to the cent, the way the platforms show it.
- Selling at the same price on both platforms is a simplification. Buyers, prices, how fast items sell, and shipping differ from one platform to the other.
- No optional ads, boosts or promotions unless a section says so. eBay sellers rated Below Standard pay more (see the table above). TikTok Shop's optional Smart Promotion and its LIVE auction promotion aren't included.
- Sales tax appears only to show whether a fee is figured on it. General information, not tax advice: check with a tax pro about your own situation.
Sources
Rates verified on from each official page below.
- eBay: Selling fees (US)
- TikTok Shop Academy: TikTok Shop Referral Fees in 2024 by Category (dated 10/08/2026)
- TikTok Shop Academy: 26Q4 Seller LIVE Auction Referral Fee Reduction Policy
- TikTok Shop Academy: US Smart Promotion Introduction / FAQ
- TikTok Shop Academy: TikTok Shop Referral Fee Updates - 2024
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