The calculator is preset to eBay’s trading card rate and Whatnot’s TCG rate (change either under Advanced). eBay takes 13.25% of the whole order for trading cards, sales tax and buyer-paid shipping included, on the first $7,500 and 2.35% above that, plus $0.40 per order ($0.30 on orders of $10 or less) (eBay Help: Selling fees (eBay.com)). Whatnot takes an 8% commission on the card’s sale price only at the Standard tier, lower as your 4-week sales grow, plus 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing on everything the buyer pays (Whatnot Help: Whatnot seller fees).
The short answer
- Everyday cards: Whatnot leaves you more at every price up to $9,516.06 at the Standard tier. On a $50 card with $8 buyer shipping, fees are $6.11 on Whatnot and $8.66 on eBay, so you keep $33.89 vs $31.34.
- High-end cards: eBay’s rate drops to 2.35% on the part of the order over $7,500, while Whatnot keeps charging its full commission and processing. So eBay pays more from $9,516.07 at Whatnot’s Standard tier. Higher Whatnot tiers push that line up (table below).
- Every figure assumes $8 buyer shipping, 7.5% sales tax, a $10 card cost, no eBay insertion fee and Whatnot’s Standard tier. Change any number in the calculator above to see your own result.
Side by side at common card prices
| Sale price | Whatnot fees | Whatnot: you keep | eBay fees | eBay: you keep | Pays more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $1.11 | -$6.11 | $2.25 | -$7.25 | Whatnot |
| $10.00 | $1.66 | -$1.66 | $2.96 | -$2.96 | Whatnot |
| $25.00 | $3.33 | $11.67 | $5.10 | $9.90 | Whatnot |
| $50.00 | $6.11 | $33.89 | $8.66 | $31.34 | Whatnot |
| $100.00 | $11.67 | $78.33 | $15.78 | $74.22 | Whatnot |
| $250.00 | $28.34 | $211.66 | $37.15 | $202.85 | Whatnot |
| $500.00 | $56.14 | $433.86 | $72.76 | $417.24 | Whatnot |
| $1,000.00 | $111.72 | $878.28 | $143.98 | $846.02 | Whatnot |
| $2,500.00 | $278.49 | $2,211.51 | $357.63 | $2,132.37 | Whatnot |
| $7,500.00 | $834.36 | $6,655.64 | $1,007.57 | $6,482.43 | Whatnot |
| $10,000.00 | $1,112.30 | $8,877.70 | $1,070.73 | $8,919.27 | eBay |
| $25,000.00 | $2,779.92 | $22,210.08 | $1,449.66 | $23,540.34 | eBay |
By Whatnot sales tier
Whatnot sets your tier from your total sales in the previous four-week period, across all categories, and the TCG rate for that tier applies to each card sale (Whatnot Help: Whatnot seller fees). Whatnot’s Sports category has the same US rates as TCG, so the numbers are the same if you sell in Sports.
| Whatnot tier (US) | TCG commission | Whatnot: you keep | eBay: you keep | eBay pays more from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard ($0 - $14,999 in 4 weeks) | 8% | $78.33 | $74.22 | $9,516.07 and up |
| Tier 1 ($15,000 - $34,999) | 7.75% | $78.58 | $74.22 | $9,801.30 and up |
| Tier 2 ($35,000 - $49,999) | 7.5% | $78.83 | $74.22 | $10,104.11 and up |
| Tier 3 ($50,000 - $99,999) | 7.25% | $79.08 | $74.22 | $10,426.17 and up |
| Tier 4 ($100,000 - $249,999) | 7% | $79.33 | $74.22 | $10,769.65 and up |
| Tier 5 ($250,000 - $499,999) | 6.75% | $79.58 | $74.22 | $11,136.35 and up |
| Tier 6 ($500,000+) | 6.5% | $79.83 | $74.22 | $11,528.98 and up |
Why Whatnot usually wins on card fees
Whatnot’s commission is charged on the card’s price only, not on shipping or tax, and even with 2.9% + $0.30 processing on top, the total stays under eBay’s 13.25% of the full order. eBay only catches up on very expensive cards, because its rate falls to 2.35% on the portion of the order over $7,500.
Other rules to know
- Which eBay categories get 13.25%: Comic Books & Memorabilia, Non-Sport Trading Cards, Sports Trading Cards and Collectible Card Games (eBay Help: Selling fees (eBay.com)).
- Which Whatnot rate applies: for live shows, the show’s category; for marketplace sales, the product’s category (Whatnot Help: Whatnot seller fees).
- Whatnot Premier Shops: through October 31, 2026, Premier Shops get 10% off their commission rate (8% becomes 7.2%). From November 1, Premier Shop no longer includes a commission discount (Whatnot Help: Premier Shop Program). This page does not include the discount.
- Not included: Whatnot promotional rates (Whatnot gives new-seller promos as an example), eBay’s extra 6% on final value fees for Below Standard sellers, promoted listings, grading and supplies.
Fees are only half the story: list where buyers shop for your cards. For the full rules, see the eBay fee calculator and the Whatnot fee calculator, or compare all six marketplaces in the payout comparison.
eBay’s and Whatnot’s official fee pages were re-read on Oct 25, 2026; no change.