Whatnot fees explained for 2026

Whatnot charges a US seller 8% of the final sale price in most categories, 4% on Coins & Money and on Pallets, plus a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 on the total order. Every figure below is computed by the same engine as the Whatnot fee calculator, and each rate is quoted from Whatnot's seller fees article, cross-checked against Whatnot's seller marketing page and verified on 4 September 2026.

The two fees on every sale

The commission depends on what you sold; the processing fee is the same on every sale whatever the category.

On a $100 sale in a standard category, the fee on $100.00 is $11.20 ($8.00 commission — all other categories plus $3.20 payment processing fee) and you keep $88.80, an effective rate of 11.2%.

The $1,500 cap on two categories

Comics, TCG, Sports Singles and Toys & Hobbies pay their 8% on the first $1,500 of an item and nothing on the portion above it; Coins & Money works the same way at 4%. On a big single item that is a real discount.

On a $2,000 comic, the fee on $2,000.00 is $178.30 ($120.00 Commission — Comics, TCG, Sports Singles, Toys & Hobbies plus $58.30 payment processing fee) and you keep $1,821.70, an effective rate of 8.92%. The same $2,000 sold in a standard category, the fee on $2,000.00 is $218.30 ($160.00 commission — all other categories plus $58.30 payment processing fee) and you keep $1,781.70, an effective rate of 10.92%.

Whatnot marks both caps "limited time" and links a separate promotion article, but states no expiry date on the fee page itself, so treat the cap as current rather than permanent. The 4% Pallets rate carries the same "limited time" wording, and no cap.

The cheaper categories

On a $100 Coins & Money sale, the fee on $100.00 is $7.20 ($4.00 Commission — Coins & Money plus $3.20 payment processing fee) and you keep $92.80, an effective rate of 7.2%.

Coins & Money and Pallets are the only two categories Whatnot prices below 8%; everything else that is not explicitly listed falls in "all other categories" at 8%, with some restrictions Whatnot does not enumerate on this page.

The processing fee is charged on the whole order

Whatnot calculates the 2.9% + $0.30 on the total order value — what the buyer pays at checkout, so the item, the shipping and any tax. This calculator has no shipping or tax field and applies the rate to the sale price alone, which means a real order with buyer-paid shipping costs a little more than the figure shown. The fixed $0.30 is also what makes small lots expensive:

On a $20 sale, the fee on $20.00 is $2.48 ($1.60 commission — all other categories plus $0.88 payment processing fee) and you keep $17.52, an effective rate of 12.4%.

That is 12.4% of a $20 sale against 11.2% of a $100 one, on the same schedule.

Pricing to a target payout

Both fees are charged on the price the item reaches, so adding them to what you want to keep lands short.

To keep $100.00 you charge $112.56, and the fee is $12.56.

A live auction rarely lands on a number you choose, but the same arithmetic sets a sensible reserve.

What this guide leaves out

Only the United States is modelled. Whatnot's help centre groups the US, Canada and Australia in one rate table but gives dollar figures with no currency stated for the other two, and prices EU/UK and Japan sellers separately with VAT or JCT added on top of the fee amounts — none of which this calculator handles. Shipping, buyer-paid tax and any promotional rate under separate terms are also out of scope.

When these rates last changed

Whatnot last updated the fee article on 11 August 2026, the effective date on every rule above. The schedule was first verified here on 4 September 2026 against that article and Whatnot's seller page, which states "seller fees are ≤8% (varies by category/country) + payment processing fees (2.9% on total order value + $0.30 transaction fee)" and agrees with every US rule; confidence is high. The Whatnot fee changelog holds that entry.

Frequently asked questions

Does Whatnot take 8% of everything?

No. 8% is the commission in most categories, including Comics, TCG, Sports Singles and Toys & Hobbies; Coins & Money and Pallets are 4%. Every category then pays the same 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee.

What is the $1,500 cap?

On Comics, TCG, Sports Singles, Toys & Hobbies and Coins & Money, the commission applies to the first $1,500 of an item's sale price and drops to 0% above it. Whatnot describes it as limited time and gives no end date.

Why is my processing fee higher than the calculator says?

Because Whatnot charges it on the total order value rather than the item price, so buyer-paid shipping and tax are in the base. This page prices the sale amount you enter and nothing else.

How does Whatnot compare with other resale marketplaces?

The eBay fee calculator and the Mercari fees guide cover the closest comparisons for collectibles. Both charge one commission on the sale; Whatnot is unusual in splitting commission and processing into two lines.

Where do these numbers come from?

Each rate is quoted verbatim from Whatnot's own pages, stored as a dated snapshot and checked line by line; the methodology explains how. If a figure here no longer matches what Whatnot charges you, report a wrong fee and it will be re-checked.