Question 1

Is CalcCompare free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, CalcCompare is 100% free with no registration, no subscription, and no paywalls. All calculations happen entirely on your device inside your browser.

Question 2

Do you store or track my business sales data?

Accepted Answer

No. CalcCompare is an entirely client-side calculation utility. We do not transmit, log, store, or sell your product pricing, manufacturing costs, or sales volumes to any remote server or third party.

Question 3

How accurate are the fee estimates?

Accepted Answer

Our rates are researched directly from official 2026 fee schedules published by Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Gumroad, AliExpress, Alibaba, Shopify, and Payhip. However, marketplace rates can vary based on merchant country, account status, return disputes, or specialized seller programs. Always verify exact billing statements with your respective platform.

Question 4

Can I add my own custom platform or local marketplace?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Click the 'Add Custom Platform' button above the comparison table to configure any custom platform name with percentage commissions or flat per-order transaction fees. Your custom platform will immediately appear in the ranked profit comparison table.

Question 5

How does Etsy Offsite Ads fee structure work and when is it mandatory?

Accepted Answer

Etsy Offsite Ads advertises seller listings across Google, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Bing. If your shop generated $10,000 or more in gross sales during any trailing 12-month period, participation is mandatory at a 12% advertising fee on attributed orders. For shops generating under $10,000, participation is optional and billed at a 15% fee per attributed sale, on top of Etsy's standard 6.5% transaction and 3% + $0.25 payment processing fees.

Question 6

What are Gumroad Discover marketplace fees vs direct sales?

Accepted Answer

When creators sell through direct product links or email lists, Gumroad charges a flat 10% platform commission plus $0.50 with payment processing included. However, if a buyer finds and purchases your digital product through the Gumroad Discover recommendation feed or marketplace search, Gumroad applies an additional 30% discovery cut, bringing the total fee to 40% + $0.50 per completed order.

Question 7

How is the eBay Final Value Fee (FVF) calculated in 2026?

Accepted Answer

eBay calculates Final Value Fees based on the total buyer payment (item price + buyer shipping + handling + applicable sales tax). In standard general categories, eBay charges 13.25% plus $0.40 per order on the first $7,500 of the order, and drops to 2.35% on the portion exceeding $7,500, plus a 0.35% regulatory operating fee. Basic Store subscribers receive discounted rates (typically 12.35% + $0.40).

Question 8

What is the break-even volume for Shopify vs commission marketplaces?

Accepted Answer

Shopify charges a $39/month Basic subscription with 0% transaction commission when utilizing Shopify Payments (2.9% + $0.30 processing). In contrast, marketplaces like Etsy (9.5% + $0.45) or Gumroad (10% + $0.50) charge per-order percentages. The break-even threshold where Shopify becomes significantly more profitable is typically between $1,200 and $2,000 in monthly sales revenue.

Question 9

How do Amazon FBA fulfillment fees compare to standard referral fees?

Accepted Answer

Amazon charges two distinct fee layers: an 8% to 15% Category Referral Fee on the total sales price, and Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) pick, pack, and weight-based delivery fees (starting at $3.22 for standard small parcels up to 1 lb). Sellers also incur monthly inventory storage fees ($0.87/cu ft standard season, $2.40/cu ft Q4 holiday peak).

Question 10

What is Merchant of Record (MoR) and why do Gumroad and Payhip use it?

Accepted Answer

A Merchant of Record (MoR) takes legal responsibility for financial transactions, including collecting, filing, and remitting digital goods sales taxes, EU/UK VAT, and GST worldwide. Platforms like Gumroad and Payhip act as the MoR, shielding individual sellers from complex global tax registrations and audit liabilities.

Question 11

What is the difference between Etsy and Gumroad fees?

Accepted Answer

Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee plus $0.20 listing fee and 3% + $0.25 payment processing (totaling ~9.5% + $0.45 per sale), and may apply a 12-15% Offsite Ads fee. In contrast, Gumroad charges a flat 10% + $0.50 with payment processing included on direct links, but charges an additional 30% if customers find you through Gumroad Discover.

Question 12

Does this calculation include payment processing fees?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Payment processing charges (such as Stripe, PayPal, or platform-native gateways like Etsy Payments or Shopify Payments) are explicitly factored into each platform's fee calculation to give you true take-home net revenue.

Question 13

How often are marketplace fees updated on CalcCompare?

Accepted Answer

Our team monitors e-commerce fee policy changes quarterly. The current fee dataset reflects verified March 2026 platform pricing schedules. Each platform card displays its specific verification date.

Question 14

Can I export or print my comparison results?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can click 'Export CSV' to download a clean spreadsheet compatible with Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or Apple Numbers, or click 'Print / PDF' to generate an executive-ready formatted PDF report.

Question 15

Which platform is best for selling digital products?

Accepted Answer

For sellers with an existing social following or email list, Payhip (5% on Free plan or $29/mo with 2%) or Gumroad (10% + $0.50) offer zero listing fees and instant checkout. For sellers seeking built-in buyer search traffic without paid advertising, Etsy remains the strongest marketplace despite listing and renewal costs.

Question 16

Is there a public API available for automated fee queries?

Accepted Answer

Currently, CalcCompare operates as a client-side web application. A programmatic REST/JSON API for multi-channel seller software and ERP integrations is currently in development for enterprise users.

CalcCompare — E-Commerce Seller Fee Calculator