Whatnot vs eBay vs TCGplayer Fees for Trading Cards (2026)
Selling trading cards? Enter a card price below to compare the fees on eBay (with and without a Store), Whatnot and TCGplayer, then check the table for common card prices from $5 to $2,000.
Fees verified October 2026What you'd keep on each platform
| # | Platform | Fees | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whatnot | $6.01 | $43.99 |
| 2 | TCGplayer | $7.16 | $42.84 |
| 3 | eBay (Basic+ Store) | $7.70 | $42.30 |
| 4 | eBay (no Store) | $8.23 | $41.77 |
How the three platforms charge for trading cards
- eBay (trading cards): 13.25% of the total amount of the sale (card, shipping and sales tax) up to $7,500, and 2.35% above that. With a Basic, Premium or Anchor Store it's 12.35% up to $2,500. Either way there is a per-order fee: $0.40, or $0.30 if the order is $10 or less.
- Whatnot (card singles): 8% commission at the Standard tier (under $15,000 in sales per 4 weeks, lower at higher tiers) on the card price up to $1,500 and 0% on the part above, plus 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing on the order total. Breaks are excluded from the 0% rate. The buyer pays shipping to Whatnot.
- TCGplayer (marketplace sellers): 10.75% commission on the cards, capped at $75 per card, plus a 2.5% + $0.30 transaction fee on the order total. Pro and Direct sellers pay different rates.
- The result: eBay has the highest fees at every price in the table. Whatnot is the cheapest up to about $889, and TCGplayer is the cheapest above that, because its $75 cap holds the commission flat. At $100, the fees are $11.57 on Whatnot, $13.87 on TCGplayer and $15.35 on eBay ($14.34 with a Store). At $1,000 they're $111.63, $102.31 and $143.55.
- Whatnot's 0% above $1,500 is a promotion. It applies to card singles (breaks excluded) and Whatnot can end it at any time. If it ended, a $2,000 card would cost $222.81 in Whatnot fees instead of $182.81, which is more than $129.18 on TCGplayer either way.
Trading card fees at common sale prices
Assumes the buyer pays $4.99 shipping and 7.5% sales tax, and your label costs the same as the shipping the buyer pays, so you keep the card price minus the fees. eBay is the trading cards category with no ads; Whatnot is a card single at the Standard tier (8% commission); TCGplayer is a marketplace seller. Each cell shows the total fees and the fees as a percentage of the card price.
| Card price | eBay (no Store) | eBay (Basic+ Store) | Whatnot | TCGplayer | Lowest fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $1.82 36.4% | $1.73 34.6% | $1.01 20.2% | $1.11 22.2% | Whatnot |
| $10.00 | $2.54 25.4% | $2.39 23.9% | $1.57 15.7% | $1.78 17.8% | Whatnot |
| $25.00 | $4.67 18.7% | $4.38 17.5% | $3.23 12.9% | $3.80 15.2% | Whatnot |
| $50.00 | $8.23 16.5% | $7.70 15.4% | $6.01 12.0% | $7.16 14.3% | Whatnot |
| $100.00 | $15.35 15.3% | $14.34 14.3% | $11.57 11.6% | $13.87 13.9% | Whatnot |
| $250.00 | $36.72 14.7% | $34.25 13.7% | $28.25 11.3% | $34.03 13.6% | Whatnot |
| $500.00 | $72.33 14.5% | $67.44 13.5% | $56.04 11.2% | $67.62 13.5% | Whatnot |
| $1,000.00 | $143.55 14.4% | $133.82 13.4% | $111.63 11.2% | $102.31 10.2% | TCGplayer |
| $2,000.00 | $285.99 14.3% | $266.59 13.3% | $182.81 9.1% | $129.18 6.5% | TCGplayer |
Frequently asked questions
Which platform has the lowest fees for selling trading cards?
In this comparison, Whatnot for cards up to about $889 and TCGplayer above that. eBay's fees are the highest at every price we checked, with or without a Store. The assumptions are $4.99 shipping paid by the buyer and 7.5% sales tax.
How much would I keep on a $50 card on each platform?
Fees on a $50 card are $6.01 on Whatnot, $7.16 on TCGplayer, $7.70 on eBay with a Store and $8.23 on eBay without one. You keep the card price minus those fees, because the shipping the buyer pays covers your label.
Is TCGplayer cheaper than eBay for cards?
At every price in this comparison, yes. TCGplayer's $75 cap per card makes the gap bigger on expensive cards: at $1,000 its fees are $102.31 against $143.55 on eBay.
Is Whatnot's 0% commission over $1,500 permanent?
No. Whatnot offers it as a promotion on card singles, not breaks, and can end it at any time. Check Whatnot's help page before you rely on it. Without it, the commission is 8% of the whole card price at the Standard tier.
Do these fees include shipping labels, grading or ads?
No. The table shows platform fees only. Your label is assumed to equal the shipping the buyer pays, and eBay Promoted Listings, grading costs and what you paid for the card are not included.
More fee calculators and comparisons
Sources
Official fee pages, checked October 2026:
- 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
- https://help.whatnot.com/hc/en-us/articles/27912945518733-Reduced-Commission-on-High-Value-Orders
- https://help.tcgplayer.com/hc/en-us/articles/201357836-TCGplayer-Fees