Calculators / Where to sell / Whatnot vs TikTok Shop
Whatnot vs TikTok Shop fees: what you keep on each sale
On a $25 sale you keep $21.97 on Whatnot and $23.50 on TikTok Shop, $1.53 more on TikTok Shop. You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1 to $25,000. Fees from Whatnot'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. Whatnot: standard tier, most categories (8%). TikTok Shop: most categories, including books (6%).
| Sale price | Whatnot fees | You keep on Whatnot | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $0.85 (17%) | $4.15 | $0.30 (6%) | $4.70 | TikTok Shop +$0.55 |
| $10.00 | $1.39 (13.9%) | $8.61 | $0.60 (6%) | $9.40 | TikTok Shop +$0.79 |
| $15.00 | $1.94 (12.9%) | $13.06 | $0.90 (6%) | $14.10 | TikTok Shop +$1.04 |
| $25.00 | $3.03 (12.1%) | $21.97 | $1.50 (6%) | $23.50 | TikTok Shop +$1.53 |
| $50.00 | $5.75 (11.5%) | $44.25 | $3.00 (6%) | $47.00 | TikTok Shop +$2.75 |
| $100.00 | $11.20 (11.2%) | $88.80 | $6.00 (6%) | $94.00 | TikTok Shop +$5.20 |
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 | Whatnot fees | You keep on Whatnot | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $1.01 | $3.99 | $0.60 | $4.40 | TikTok Shop +$0.41 |
| $10.00 | $1.57 | $8.43 | $0.90 | $9.10 | TikTok Shop +$0.67 |
| $15.00 | $2.13 | $12.87 | $1.20 | $13.80 | TikTok Shop +$0.93 |
| $25.00 | $3.24 | $21.76 | $1.80 | $23.20 | TikTok Shop +$1.44 |
| $50.00 | $6.02 | $43.98 | $3.30 | $46.70 | TikTok Shop +$2.72 |
| $100.00 | $11.59 | $88.41 | $6.30 | $93.70 | TikTok Shop +$5.29 |
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 to $25,000.
- With $5 shipping and 8% tax: You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1 to $25,000.
TikTok Shop's Pre-Owned categories: 5%
In its Pre-Owned categories (bags, trading cards, coins, comics, figures, watches, footwear, clothing and more), TikTok Shop charges 5% instead of 6% (TikTok's rates by category). Whatnot's standard-tier commission is 8% in every category except Coins (4%) (Whatnot's seller fees).
| Sale price | Whatnot fees | You keep on Whatnot | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $0.85 | $4.15 | $0.25 | $4.75 | TikTok Shop +$0.60 |
| $10.00 | $1.39 | $8.61 | $0.50 | $9.50 | TikTok Shop +$0.89 |
| $15.00 | $1.94 | $13.06 | $0.75 | $14.25 | TikTok Shop +$1.19 |
| $25.00 | $3.03 | $21.97 | $1.25 | $23.75 | TikTok Shop +$1.78 |
| $50.00 | $5.75 | $44.25 | $2.50 | $47.50 | TikTok Shop +$3.25 |
| $100.00 | $11.20 | $88.80 | $5.00 | $95.00 | TikTok Shop +$6.20 |
Pre-owned trading cards and comics: Whatnot 0% commission above $1,500, TikTok Shop 5%
Whatnot charges no commission on the part of an order above $1,500 in eligible categories, which include trading card games, sports singles and comics (Whatnot: high-value orders); Whatnot calls this a limited-time promotion, and payment processing still applies to the full amount. TikTok Shop's Pre-Owned categories, which include trading cards and comics, pay 5%, 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 | Whatnot fees | You keep on Whatnot | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100.00 | $11.20 | $88.80 | $5.00 | $95.00 | TikTok Shop +$6.20 |
| $1,500.00 | $163.80 | $1,336.20 | $75.00 | $1,425.00 | TikTok Shop +$88.80 |
| $3,000.00 | $207.30 | $2,792.70 | $150.00 | $2,850.00 | TikTok Shop +$57.30 |
| $6,000.00 | $294.30 | $5,705.70 | $300.00 | $5,700.00 | Whatnot +$5.70 |
| $10,000.00 | $410.30 | $9,589.70 | $500.00 | $9,500.00 | Whatnot +$89.70 |
| $20,000.00 | $700.30 | $19,299.70 | $800.00 | $19,200.00 | Whatnot +$99.70 |
Trading cards in TikTok's Collectibles category: TikTok Shop 6%, Whatnot 0% commission above $1,500
Card listings in TikTok's Collectibles + Trading Cards & Accessories category, rather than Pre-Owned, pay TikTok Shop's 6% rate, and 3% on the part of a sale over $10,000 (TikTok's rates by category). Whatnot's terms are the same as above: no commission on the part of an order above $1,500 in eligible categories, with payment processing on the full amount (Whatnot: high-value orders).
| Sale price | Whatnot fees | You keep on Whatnot | TikTok Shop fees | You keep on TikTok Shop | You keep more on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100.00 | $11.20 | $88.80 | $6.00 | $94.00 | TikTok Shop +$5.20 |
| $1,500.00 | $163.80 | $1,336.20 | $90.00 | $1,410.00 | TikTok Shop +$73.80 |
| $3,000.00 | $207.30 | $2,792.70 | $180.00 | $2,820.00 | TikTok Shop +$27.30 |
| $4,000.00 | $236.30 | $3,763.70 | $240.00 | $3,760.00 | Whatnot +$3.70 |
| $6,000.00 | $294.30 | $5,705.70 | $360.00 | $5,640.00 | Whatnot +$65.70 |
| $20,000.00 | $700.30 | $19,299.70 | $900.00 | $19,100.00 | Whatnot +$199.70 |
What each platform charges on shipping and tax
| Fee rule | Whatnot | TikTok Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Headline fee | 8% commission on the item (standard tier) + 2.9% + $0.30 processing | 6% referral on item + buyer-paid shipping (5% pre-owned); no separate processing fee |
| What the fee is figured on | Commission is on the item's sale price only (not shipping or tax). Payment processing is on everything the buyer pays: item, shipping and 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: $0.14 more in fees on $5 of shipping ($25 sale), from payment processing; the commission isn't charged on shipping | Yes: $0.30 more in fees on $5 of shipping ($25 sale), from the referral fee |
| Fee on sales tax? | Yes: $0.05 more in fees on 8% tax ($25 sale), from payment processing; the commission isn't charged on tax | No |
| Shipping label | Buyers usually pay shipping through Whatnot's label. | Shipping labels are a separate seller cost. |
| Other fees and rules |
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2026 fee and shipping changes on Whatnot and TikTok Shop
From our change tracker, newest first. Each entry has the source and the dates; 5 of these 10 also show the effect on a $10, $25 and $50 sale.
Whatnot
- Whatnot will bill sellers for USPS weight adjustments from Nov 4 Postage · effective
- Whatnot Premier Shops lose their 10% commission discount on Nov 1 Fees · effective
- Whatnot reprices USPS international shipping for US sellers Postage · effective
- Whatnot moves to volume tiers: commission falls as four-week sales grow Fees · effective
- Whatnot's plain-envelope (FCML) labels go up $0.04 to $0.78 Postage · effective
- Whatnot makes Ground Advantage the default: $7.75 for 1-5 lb Postage · effective
- Whatnot: 0% commission on the part of an order above $1,500 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 Whatnot or TikTok Shop cheaper to sell on?
On a $25 sale you keep $21.97 on Whatnot and $23.50 on TikTok Shop, $1.53 more on TikTok Shop. Item price only, fees checked Oct 14, 2026. You keep more on TikTok Shop at every price from $1 to $25,000.
Do Whatnot and TikTok Shop take a fee on shipping?
On a $25 sale with $5 of buyer-paid shipping: Whatnot: yes, $0.14 more on $5 of shipping, from payment processing; the commission isn't charged on shipping. TikTok Shop: yes, $0.30 more on $5 of shipping, from the referral fee.
Do Whatnot and TikTok Shop figure their fees on sales tax?
On a $25 sale with an example 8% sales tax: Whatnot: yes, $0.05 more on 8% tax, from payment processing; the commission isn't charged on tax. 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. Whatnot's rate falls as your four-week sales grow; this page uses the standard tier ($0-14,999 in four-week sales). 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.
- Whatnot: Seller fees
- Whatnot: Reduced commission on high-value orders
- 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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