Good to know
- Whatnot is running a limited-time 0% commission on the part of a sale above $1,500 in select categories, which it can end without notice. It is not included here, so high-value results may overstate your fees.
- In some states tax is deducted on Whatnot's fees, which is not included here. Whatnot lists the states on its fees pages.
How Whatnot fees work
Whatnot takes two fees. Commission applies to the item price only, not shipping or tax. Payment processing is 2.9% plus $0.30 on everything the buyer pays, including shipping and tax. Whatnot's own example is a $10 item with $4.99 shipping and $0.85 tax: commission is 8%, or $0.80, on just the $10.
Commission changed on September 21, 2026, from a simple flat rate to tiers. Your total sales in a four-week period set your rate for the next period, and new sellers start in Standard at 8% in most categories, or 4% for coins. The rate falls as volume rises, by different amounts per category. Fashion reaches 4.5% at the top tier and sports cards only 6.5%. Articles quoting a flat 8% with a separate electronics rate describe the old structure: the current table has no electronics row, so we file electronics under Other, which is our reading rather than Whatnot's wording.
Live sales use the show's category. Marketplace sales use the product's category. So the same item can pay a different rate depending on where it sold.
Whatnot is also running a limited-time promotion on high-value sales: 0% commission on the part above $1,500 in select categories, including trading cards, coins, bags and jewelry. Processing still applies to the whole amount, and Whatnot can end the promotion without notice, so this calculator leaves it out. On those sales your real fees may be lower than shown.
Buyers normally pay for shipping, which is why your shipping cost is not subtracted here. If you choose to absorb it, add it to your item cost. Some states also tax Whatnot's fees, and that tax comes out of your earnings with no resale exemption, including Texas, Ohio and Hawaii on processing.
A worked example
Say you sell an item you paid $10.00 for at $50.00, with free shipping to the buyer and 7% sales tax, the buyer pays for the label. On Whatnot that comes to Commission (8%) $4.00, Payment processing $1.85, $5.85 in total. You keep $34.15, a 68.3% margin. That uses other, including most general goods and the first your rate tier option above.
Common questions
How much does Whatnot take from a sale?
Most new sellers pay 8% commission on the item, plus 2.9% and $0.30 for processing on the whole order. Coins start at 4%, and rates fall as your four-week sales rise.
Does Whatnot charge commission on shipping?
No. Commission is on the item price only. Payment processing does cover shipping and tax.
When does my Whatnot rate change?
Total sales in one four-week period set your rate for the next, under tiers that took effect on September 21, 2026.