What this calculator does
Find out what Whatnot takes from a sale and what you really earn on it. Whatnot charges two fees, and they're worked out on two different amounts. That's the part that's easy to miss.
Commission uses the item price only. Payment processing uses the whole order, with shipping and sales tax. The rates came from Whatnot's published fee pages as shown in search results on October 31, 2026, because automated page reads were blocked. Please confirm them in your seller app.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Low starting prices. A card seller sees a $1 lot pays $0.57 in fees and thinks again about selling that low.
- Show planning. A live seller checks that a $50 item bought for $10 leaves $33.99 after fees and shipping.
- Coin sales. A coin dealer sees the 4% rate lifts profit on a $50 sale from $33.99 to $35.99.
- Bookkeeping. A part-time seller records a $55 order as $48.99 received plus $6.01 in fees.
How to use it
- Pick your category. Choose Standard unless you sell coins.
- Enter the item sale price, the shipping the buyer pays, and what shipping costs you.
- Enter what you paid for the item and the buyer's sales tax rate.
- Enter any ad or boost fee, or leave it at 0.
- Read your fees, what you keep and your profit.
What the inputs mean
- Category
- Standard is 8%. Coins start at 4% and tier down to 3.5%. Top US tiers run lower, about 4% to 6.5% by category, and custom deals go as low as 3%. Those lower tiers aren't in this list.
- Item sale price
- Use the final sale price. Leave tips out, since Whatnot charges no commission on them.
- Sales tax rate
- The buyer pays this, not you. It matters because some platforms charge fees on it.
- Ad or boost fee, if any
- Use this if you paid for a promotion. The calculator applies it to the price plus shipping.
Formula and method
commission = item price × category rate processing = (price + shipping + sales tax) × 2.9% + $0.30 Whatnot fees = commission + processing you keep = price + shipping − Whatnot fees profit = you keep − shipping cost − item cost
Commission is what Whatnot charges for the sale itself. It's 8% in standard categories and 4% for coins and money, and it applies to the item price alone.
Processing is the cost of taking the buyer's payment. It's 2.9% plus $0.30, and it applies to everything the buyer pays. So shipping and tax can't raise your commission, but they do raise your processing.
Commission tiers reset every four weeks and fall with sales. If you've reached a lower tier, your real fee will be smaller than this one. Each 1 percentage point off the rate saves you $0.50 on a $50 item.
Worked example
You sell a $50 standard item. The buyer pays $5 shipping and 7% sales tax. Shipping costs you $5, and you paid $10 for the item.
- Commission is $50 × 8% = $4.00.
- Sales tax is $3.85, so the order total is $58.85.
- Processing is $58.85 × 2.9% + $0.30 = $2.01.
- Add them up: $4.00 + $2.01 = $6.01. You keep $55 − $6.01 = $48.99.
- Take off your costs: $48.99 − $5 − $10 = $33.99.
Result: Whatnot's fees are $6.01 and your profit is $33.99, which is 68.0% of the $50 price.
Understanding the result
The two bases matter most on cheap items. Say a lot sells for $1, with $5 shipping and 7% tax. Commission is only $0.08. Processing is $0.49, because it's charged on the full $6.42 order and includes the $0.30 flat part. Your fees are $0.57 on a $1 item.
As prices climb, commission takes over. On $50, it's $4.00 against $2.01 of processing. So a lower commission tier helps most on larger items, and it won't change much on a run of $1 lots.
Coins show the difference another way. At 4%, the same $50 sale pays $2.00 in commission. Processing stays at $2.01, since the buyer pays the same amount. Your profit rises to $35.99, and processing is now the larger fee.
Large sales have a wrinkle too. Since January 14, 2026, select categories pay 0% base commission on the part of a sale above $1,500. Processing still applies to the full sale. This calculator doesn't model that, so check your category before you price something that large.
Assumptions and limitations
- The rates came from Whatnot's published fee pages as shown in search results. Automated page reads were blocked, so confirm them in the seller app.
- You're on the standard 8% rate, or the 4% coin rate, in the US.
- Sales tax is worked out on the price plus shipping, and each fee is rounded to the nearest cent.
- This is an estimate. Whatnot's order details show the actual fee.
- Lower commission tiers, custom deals and the 0% commission above $1,500 aren't modeled.
- Sales tax may be charged on fees in some states, and that isn't included.
- Tips aren't included.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Whatnot take on a $50 sale?
In a standard category, with $5 shipping and 7% tax, it's $6.01. That's $4.00 in commission and $2.01 in processing.
Does Whatnot charge commission on shipping?
No. Commission uses the item price only. Processing does cover shipping, so $5 of shipping adds about $0.15 to your fees.
How often do the commission tiers change?
They reset every four weeks, and the rate falls with sales. Your seller app is the place to see where you stand.
Do I pay a fee on tips?
There's no commission on tips. Tips aren't an input here, so leave them out of the item price.
How sure are you about these rates?
Less sure than if we'd read the page directly. Automated reads were blocked, so we used search results showing Whatnot's own fee page on October 31, 2026. Your seller app is the place to confirm them.
Sources
- Whatnot: Seller fees (checked 2026-10-31)
How this calculator is checked
Method: Whatnot's published seller fees page, taken from search excerpts of the company's own page on 2026-10-31. Automated page reads were blocked, so the page wasn't read directly. Rates are in src/lib/finance/selling-fees.ts. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-31. Found a problem? Tell us.
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