Feebrief · marketplace comparison
Mercari vs Whatnot fees: 10% all-in vs 8% plus 2.9% + $0.30
Whatnot advertises 8%, but its 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing is a separate seller line. With shipping at $0 that adds up to 10.9% + $0.30, above Mercari’s 10% at every price, so Mercari nets more and there is no breakeven. Whatnot numbers use the Standard tier; data confidence is medium, so verify on help.whatnot.com before you price.
Fee data last updated (Mercari checked , Whatnot checked ). Official fee pages.
How it works
- Enter your expected sale price (and buyer-paid shipping if you know it).
- We apply each platform’s published seller-side fee assumptions.
- Compare estimated fees and take-home side by side—then confirm on the platform before you list.
Short answer: Mercari keeps more at every price when shipping is $0
With shipping at $0, Whatnot’s 8% commission plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing adds up to 10.9% + $0.30, which is above Mercari’s 10% at every price. Mercari nets more at $25, $50 and $100, by $0.53, $0.75 and $1.20. There is no breakeven price for this pair.
The gaps are small: under a dollar at $25 and $50. Unlike Poshmark vs Whatnot, where Whatnot wins by a wide margin, here Whatnot’s stacked fees sit just above Mercari’s flat rate. This is fee math only; live shows and listings sell differently.
Mercari vs Whatnot seller fees side by side (as of Oct 2026)
| Fee | Mercari seller fees and take-home estimator | Whatnot seller fees and take-home estimator |
|---|---|---|
| Selling fee / commission | 10% of item + shipping | 8% of item (Standard tier, Fashion and similar categories) |
| Payment processing (seller side) | Included (no separate seller processing line) | 2.9% + $0.30 on item + shipping |
| All-in rate at shipping $0 | 10% | 10.9% + $0.30 |
| Fee base when the buyer pays shipping | Item + shipping | Commission on item; processing on item + shipping |
| Excluded from the default estimate | Instant Pay | Non-Standard tiers, Coins, category-specific rates, promotions, label costs |
| Source and as-of date | Mercari fees (US), | Whatnot seller fees, |
What each fee is charged on
Mercari charges 10% on item price plus buyer-paid shipping. Whatnot charges its 8% commission on the item price only, then 2.9% + $0.30 processing on item plus shipping. The worked examples below assume shipping is $0, so every base is just the item price.
- Mercari: 10% of item + shipping; processing is not a separate seller deduction. The buyer-paid Buyer Protection fee is not subtracted from seller take-home.
- Whatnot (Standard tier): 8% of the item, plus 2.9% + $0.30 on item + shipping.
- Seller net = item price minus seller-side fees. Buyer-paid shipping is not added to payout.
Take-home at $25, $50 and $100 (shipping $0)
| Item price | Mercari fee | Mercari net | Whatnot fee | Whatnot net | Mercari keeps more by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25 | $2.50 | $22.50 | $3.03 | $21.97 | $0.53 |
| $50 | $5.00 | $45.00 | $5.75 | $44.25 | $0.75 |
| $100 | $10.00 | $90.00 | $11.20 | $88.80 | $1.20 |
Each fee component is rounded to the cent: Whatnot’s $25 fee is $2.00 commission plus $1.03 processing (0.725 + 0.30 = 1.025), so $3.03 and a $21.97 net. Estimates use Whatnot’s Standard rate for Fashion and similar categories, assume no promotions or Instant Pay, set shipping to $0 so every fee base equals item price, and set payout equal to item price minus seller-side fees. When the buyer pays shipping, Mercari applies 10% to item plus shipping; Whatnot applies 8% to the item and 2.9% + $0.30 to item plus shipping. See how Feebrief estimates seller fees.
Why 8% ends up costing more than 10% here
Whatnot’s 8% commission is only part of the seller cost; processing is charged on top. With shipping at $0 the difference between the two fees is:
(0.08p + 0.029p + 0.30) − 0.10p = 0.009p + 0.30, which is above $0 at every price
So Whatnot’s fee is always the larger one and no breakeven exists. Other pairs in this cluster land differently:
- Poshmark vs Whatnot fees (where Whatnot wins): Poshmark’s 20% tier is far above Whatnot’s 10.9% + $0.30, so Whatnot nets more.
- Depop vs Mercari fees (~$6.72 breakeven): Depop’s 3.3% + $0.45 undercuts Mercari’s 10% above about $6.72, so Mercari sits between Depop and Whatnot on seller cost at shipping $0.
- Mercari vs Whatnot: a flat 10% against a stacked 8% plus processing, with Whatnot higher at every price.
When buyer-paid shipping can flip it toward Whatnot
Mercari takes 10% of item plus shipping, while Whatnot’s 8% applies to the item only and just its 2.9% processing touches shipping. With buyer-paid shipping s, Whatnot minus Mercari becomes 0.009p − 0.071s + 0.30, so Whatnot nets more once s passes (0.009p + 0.30) / 0.071:
| Item price | Whatnot nets more when shipping is above |
|---|---|
| $25 | about $7.39 |
| $50 | about $10.56 |
| $100 | about $16.90 |
These thresholds are unrounded estimates; cent rounding can move them by a few cents. Test your own price and shipping in the calculator.
Estimated payouts
Here’s an estimate of seller fees and what you might keep. Shipping cost you pay out of pocket, taxes, and promos aren’t fully modeled unless noted.
Loading fee schedules…
Enter a price to compare estimated take-home across platforms.
| Rank |
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Seller net = sale price − platform fee − payment fee − other deductions. “Included” and “None” count as zero and are not subtracted again.
Tools that help you list on more marketplaces
After you pick where the fee math looks best, a crosslisting tool can push the same listing to more apps so you retype less.
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List once, sell on more marketplaces
You just compared estimated take-home across apps. If you list on more than one marketplace, a crosslisting tool can push the same title, photos, and price so you type less — and can auto-delist when an item sells. Pick a tool only after you’ve chosen where the fee math makes sense.
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Is a crosslisting tool worth it?
If you already sell on two or more apps, the time you save retyping listings (and avoiding double-sales with auto-delist) is usually the reason people pay for a crosslister — not because it changes marketplace fees. Fees still come from eBay, Poshmark, and the rest; Feebrief helps you pick where to list, then a crosslister helps you list everywhere faster.
| Crosslist (approx.) | Relistly | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry monthly plan | From ~$29.99/mo (Bronze; listing caps by plan) | See Relistly pricing |
| Listing model | New-listing caps on lower plans; higher tiers raise or remove caps | Vendor plans / listing limits |
| Trial / guarantee | Money-back window on first purchase (vendor terms) | Check current trial or intro offer on Relistly |
| Best when | You want their feature set / marketplace mix at their list prices | When you want their marketplace mix |
Crosslist prices are approximate from Crosslist’s public pricing page at time of writing and change often; Relistly pricing is not listed here. Confirm current plans on Crosslist, PrimeLister, and Relistly before you subscribe. Links below may be affiliate links.
What is not in the default estimate
- Mercari Instant Pay cash-out fees.
- Whatnot non-Standard tiers, Coins, category-specific rates, promotions and shipping label costs.
- Your own shipping cost, sales tax quirks, ads and one-off penalties.
- When shipping is greater than $0, Mercari’s 10% and Whatnot’s processing apply to item + shipping; Whatnot’s 8% commission stays on the item.
Feebrief is not affiliated with Mercari or Whatnot and is not an official calculator. Rates change and vary by plan and category; confirm on the linked help pages before pricing. See how Feebrief estimates seller fees.
Mercari vs Whatnot FAQ
Whatnot says 8%, so why does Mercari net more?
Whatnot’s 8% is the commission only. Payment processing of 2.9% + $0.30 is a separate line, so the all-in rate at shipping $0 is 10.9% + $0.30, above Mercari’s 10%. On a $25 item Whatnot’s fee is $3.03 against Mercari’s $2.50.
Can Whatnot ever come out ahead on fees?
Yes, when the buyer pays enough shipping, because Mercari takes 10% of item plus shipping while Whatnot’s 8% commission applies to the item only. On a $50 item that happens once shipping is above about $10.56. Use the shipping field in the calculator to test your own case.
Which Whatnot plan and category do these numbers describe?
The Standard rate for Fashion and similar categories as published on the Whatnot seller fees page, checked 2026-10-01. Other categories, volume tiers or plans may differ, so confirm your own category on the official page.
← All platforms on Feebrief · Mercari · Whatnot · eBay vs Whatnot · Poshmark vs Mercari · Vinted vs Mercari · Depop vs Mercari · Poshmark vs Whatnot · Depop vs Whatnot · Vinted vs Whatnot · Methodology
Disclaimer
Fee rates change and can vary by category, seller level, promotions, and location. This tool is an independent estimate—not affiliated with or endorsed by eBay, Mercari, Poshmark, Depop, Vinted, or Whatnot. Always check the platform’s official fee pages and your seller dashboard for the amount that will actually be deducted. Estimates generally exclude your own shipping cost, sales tax remittance quirks, boosted/promoted listing ads, store subscriptions, and one-off penalties unless stated in the breakdown.
Official fee pages and as-of dates
Open the platform’s own help page before you list. The addresses come from the fee file.
- Mercari: Mercari fees (US) (rates as of )
- Whatnot: Whatnot seller fees (rates as of )
Focused estimators: Mercari · Whatnot · eBay vs Whatnot · Poshmark vs Mercari · Vinted vs Mercari · Depop vs Mercari · Poshmark vs Whatnot · Depop vs Whatnot · Vinted vs Whatnot · Methodology