Most Etsy fee calculators tell you what Etsy takes. This one also tells you the lowest price you can charge without losing money, and the price you need to hit a profit target, including when a sale comes from an Offsite Ad.
A seller on r/smallbusiness asked: "How do you track your real profit after fees (listing, transaction, payment processing, ads)?" (source) Here is the math you can do on a phone calculator.
Step 1: The fee formula (US seller, free shipping, no sales tax)
Etsy fees = $0.20 listing + 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing
Fees = 0.095 × Price + $0.45
With an Offsite Ad sale (15%): Fees = 0.245 × Price + $0.45. If your shop pays the 12% rate, use 0.215.
Step 2: Profit
Profit = Price − Fees − your costs (materials, packaging, shipping you pay for, and your time)
Step 3: Break-even and target price
- Break-even price = (Costs + $0.45) ÷ 0.905
- Price for a target profit = (Costs + Target + $0.45) ÷ 0.905
- For Offsite Ads at 15%, divide by 0.755 instead of 0.905.
Worked examples
| Your costs | Target profit | Price (normal sale) | Price (Offsite Ad sale, 15%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $0 (break-even) | $6.02 | $7.22 |
| $12 | $0 (break-even) | $13.76 | $16.49 |
| $12 | $10 | $24.81 | $29.74 |
| $20 | $15 | $39.17 | $46.95 |
Check the $12 / $10 row: at $24.81, fees are 0.095 × 24.81 + 0.45 = $2.81, so the profit is 24.81 − 2.81 − 12 = $10.00.
Notice the gap: to make the same $10 on an Offsite Ad sale, you need about $5 more on the price. That's why many sellers under $10,000 a year opt out.
If you charge shipping or collect sales tax
- Add shipping to the price before you apply the 6.5% and the 3%.
- Payment processing (3%) also applies to sales tax, but the transaction fee doesn't (for US sellers).
- Outside the US, use your country's processing rate (for example, UK 4% + £0.20) and add the Regulatory Operating Fee if one applies (UK 0.48%, France 1.14%, Canada 0.50%).
What other calculators miss
Etsy's built-in earnings calculator is useful, but by Etsy's own description it doesn't include Offsite Ads. Most third-party calculators show one sale at a time. Neither tells you which products are actually profitable over a month, and that is where the "$4,200 vs $2,800" surprise comes from.
FAQ
How do I calculate Etsy fees?
For a US seller: 9.5% of (price + shipping), plus $0.45 per order. Add 12–15% if the sale came from an Offsite Ad.
What is a good profit margin on Etsy?
There's no official number. Calculate your own with the formula above, and include your time as a cost.
How do I find my break-even price?
Break-even = (costs + $0.45) ÷ 0.905 for a US seller with no Offsite Ad.
Does Etsy have its own fee calculator?
Yes, it's in the Price & Inventory section of the listing form on the web. It leaves out Offsite Ads.
Do fees differ for sellers outside the US?
Yes. Payment processing varies by bank country, and some countries add a Regulatory Operating Fee.
Free first, then the tracker if you need it
- FREE Etsy Fee Cheat Sheet 2026: every fee and both formulas on one page. It costs $0.
- Etsy Real Profit Tracker: a $9 spreadsheet. You enter your orders, and it calculates fees, Offsite Ads, and profit per product for you. Code LAUNCH5 brings it to $5 until 24 October 2026.
Sources (official Etsy pages, checked 17 Oct 2026)
- Etsy Fees & Payments Policy: https://www.etsy.com/legal/fees/
- Etsy "How to sell" fee summary: https://www.etsy.com/sell
- Payment processing fees by country: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015628847
- How Etsy's Offsite Ads work: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000338367
- Regulatory Operating Fee: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500011073202
- Etsy's built-in earnings calculator: https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1246712843661
Fees change. Check the links above before you set prices.
About the author: I'm Nidhi. I build simple tools for Etsy sellers. I don't work for Etsy, and this isn't tax advice.
