Reverb vs eBay Fees (2026)
The answer depends on what you sell: eBay's fee on guitars and basses is low, its fee on pedals, amps and keyboards isn't. Enter a sale to see what you'd keep on Reverb and on eBay.
Fees verified October 2026What you'd keep
How Reverb and eBay fees differ
- Reverb: a 5% selling fee on the item and shipping (minimum $0.50, maximum $500) plus 3.19% + $0.49 payment processing on the whole order, sales tax included. Preferred Sellers pay 2.99% + $0.49.
- eBay, guitars & basses: 6.7% of the total sale (item, shipping and sales tax) plus $0.40 per order, with or without a Store. On these defaults eBay keeps you more at every price from $1 to $5,000: at $300 you'd keep $276.91 on eBay against $272.96 on Reverb.
- eBay, pedals, amps, keyboards & other gear: 13.6% of the total plus $0.40 (10.35% with a Basic or higher Store). Reverb keeps you more at every price from $1 to $5,000: at $300, $272.96 on Reverb against $253.55 on eBay.
- With an eBay Store, other gear still keeps more on Reverb up to about $3,371.49; above that eBay's Store rate drops to 2.35% on the part over $2,500.
- Audience counts too: Reverb's buyers come for music gear; eBay reaches more people. A sale that happens sooner can beat a few dollars of fees.
What you keep on Reverb vs eBay
Assumes $15.00 shipping paid by the buyer, a $15.00 shipping cost, 7.5% sales tax and no eBay Store. "Keep" is after fees and shipping, before what you paid for the item.
| Sale price | Reverb fees | Keep on Reverb | Keep on eBay: guitars & basses | Keep on eBay: other gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25.00 | $3.86 | $21.14 | $21.72 | $18.75 |
| $50.00 | $5.97 | $44.03 | $44.92 | $40.10 |
| $100.00 | $10.18 | $89.82 | $91.32 | $82.79 |
| $300.00 | $27.04 | $272.96 | $276.91 | $253.55 |
| $500.00 | $43.90 | $456.10 | $462.51 | $424.31 |
| $1,000.00 | $86.05 | $913.95 | $926.49 | $851.21 |
| $2,500.00 | $212.49 | $2,287.51 | $2,318.46 | $2,131.91 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Reverb cheaper than eBay?
For pedals, amps, keyboards and most other gear, yes: on a $300 sale with $15 shipping Reverb's fees are $27.04 and eBay's $46.45. For guitars and basses, no: eBay's 6.7% rate makes its fees $23.09.
Where should I sell a guitar?
On fees alone, eBay: on a $1,000 guitar with $15 shipping you'd keep $926.49 on eBay and $913.95 on Reverb, after shipping. Reverb may still sell it faster to the right buyer.
Where should I sell a guitar pedal?
On fees, Reverb: a $100 pedal keeps $89.82 on Reverb and $82.79 on eBay, after $15 shipping and 7.5% sales tax.
Do both charge fees on shipping and sales tax?
eBay charges its fee on the item, shipping and sales tax. Reverb's 5% selling fee covers the item and shipping; its processing fee covers the whole order, tax included.
More calculators
Sources
Official fee pages, checked October 2026:
- https://help.reverb.com/hc/en-us/articles/40917652290843-What-fees-will-I-pay-for-selling-on-Reverb
- https://help.reverb.com/hc/en-us/articles/41988540155931-What-is-a-payment-processing-fee
- https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4822
- https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/store-selling-fees?id=4809