Swappa vs eBay Fees (2026)
Selling a phone, laptop or console? Swappa's fees are about half of eBay's, though eBay has far more buyers. Enter your price to see what you'd keep on each.
Fees verified October 2026What you'd keep
How Swappa and eBay fees differ
- Swappa: 3% of your ask price, plus PayPal (3.49% + $0.49) or Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) on the payment total. The buyer pays another 3% on top, and Swappa listings ship free.
- eBay: 13.6% of the total sale (item, shipping and sales tax) plus $0.40 per order for phones, laptops and consoles. With a Basic or higher Store: 9.35% for phones and other electronics, 7.35% for laptops, tablets and consoles.
- Who keeps more: on these defaults (free shipping, 7.5% sales tax, PayPal), Swappa keeps you more at every price from $10 to $3,000: on a $500 phone, $465.19 on Swappa against $426.50 on eBay.
- With an eBay Store, phones still keep more on Swappa at every price from $10 to $3,000; laptops and consoles do up to $2,879.30, where eBay's Store rate drops to 2.35% on the part above $2,500.
- The 3% buyer fee: Swappa buyers pay 3% more than your ask. Even if you lower your ask so a buyer pays $500 in both places ($485.44 ask), you'd keep $451.63 on Swappa against $426.50 on eBay.
- Audience counts too: eBay reaches far more buyers. A phone that sells this week can beat a few dollars of fees.
What you keep on Swappa vs eBay
Assumes free shipping, 7.5% sales tax, PayPal on Swappa and no eBay Store. "Keep" is after fees, before your shipping cost and what you paid for the item.
| Price | Swappa fees | Keep on Swappa | eBay fees | Keep on eBay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $3.92 | $46.08 | $7.71 | $42.29 |
| $100.00 | $7.35 | $92.65 | $15.02 | $84.98 |
| $250.00 | $17.65 | $232.35 | $36.95 | $213.05 |
| $500.00 | $34.81 | $465.19 | $73.50 | $426.50 |
| $700.00 | $48.54 | $651.46 | $102.74 | $597.26 |
| $1,000.00 | $69.13 | $930.87 | $146.60 | $853.40 |
| $1,500.00 | $103.45 | $1,396.55 | $219.70 | $1,280.30 |
| $2,500.00 | $172.10 | $2,327.90 | $365.90 | $2,134.10 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Swappa cheaper than eBay?
Yes, for almost every phone, laptop or console: on a $500 phone with free shipping and 7.5% sales tax, Swappa's fees are $34.81 with PayPal and eBay's $73.50.
Where should I sell my iPhone?
On fees alone, Swappa: a $700 iPhone keeps $651.46 on Swappa and $597.26 on eBay, before your shipping cost. eBay may sell it faster.
Where should I sell a laptop?
On fees, Swappa: a $1,000 laptop keeps $930.87 on Swappa and $853.40 on eBay without a Store ($920.59 with one).
Does Swappa's buyer fee make it more expensive for buyers?
A little: buyers pay 3% more than your ask. eBay buyers pay your price plus sales tax, so for the same asking price a Swappa buyer pays 3% more before tax.
More calculators
Sources
Official fee pages, checked October 2026: