Direct Deposit
A completed direct deposit costs $0. A $2 fee applies to a failed deposit request. Mercari says a request is typically processed within 5 business days, depending on your bank.[1]
Fee comparison
Mercari fees explained, and how they compare with eBay
On Mercari, listing is free and the selling fee is 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, for listings created or updated on or after January 6, 2025.[1] There is no separate payment processing fee on those listings, and a standard bank cash-out is free.[1] eBay works differently: a percentage of the total sale plus a small per order fee, with most categories at 13.6%.[2] This page lays out both, shows the same sale on each with labeled sample numbers, and notes which old rules still turn up in older guides.
Disclosure: Strooply is made by The Stroop LLC, the publisher of this page. Strooply is an app for eBay sellers, and eBay is one of the two marketplaces compared here. Mercari is a trademark of its owner, and Strooply is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mercari. Mercari's details come from Mercari's own help center and eBay's from eBay's own help center, both as of October 25, 2026, and are cited below. Fees change, so check both pages before you list.
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The short answer
What Mercari charges a seller
- Listing fee: none. Mercari says listing an item is always free, and fees are charged when an item sells or a service is used.[1]
- Selling fee: 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, on listings created or updated on or after January 6, 2025.[1]
- Payment processing: no separate fee on those same listings.[1]
- Getting paid: direct deposit to your bank is $0 per completed cash-out. Instant Pay costs a flat $3 per cash-out, up to $600 a month and once a day on eligible debit cards.[1]
- Other charges: a cancelation fee, fees on improper shipping, and optional authentication fees, covered below.[1]
The buyer pays a separate Buyer Protection fee of 3.6% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping. It is added to the buyer's checkout total and is not taken out of your sale.[1]
Old listings
The January 6, 2025 change, and why older guides disagree
Mercari changed its fee structure on January 6, 2025, and the rules depend on when a listing was created or last updated. That is why you will find articles quoting a selling fee of 0%, or a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.50, and both can look right for different listings.[2]
| Listing | Selling fee | Payment processing |
|---|---|---|
| Created or updated on or after January 6, 2025 | 10% of item price plus buyer-paid shipping | No separate fee |
| Created before January 6, 2025 and not yet updated | No selling fee applied until the listing is updated[2] | A $0.50 plus 2.9% processing fee, charged to the buyer, until the listing is updated[2] |
Mercari also says existing listings from before the change are updated automatically within a week, and that the new structure applies whenever you update an old listing.[1] In practice, expect the 10% rule on almost everything you list now. Open Mercari's own fee article and check its "Updated" date before relying on any figure, including ours.
Everything else
Cash-out, cancelations, and other Mercari charges
Instant Pay
A flat $3 per completed transfer, with a limit of $600 a month and one cash-out a day, on eligible debit cards. Mercari describes it as taking up to 30 minutes in some cases.[1]
Cancelation fee
If you cancel often, Mercari may charge 5% of the item price, with a $25 maximum, after warning you.[1]
Shipping mistakes
You pay extra costs if you use the wrong packaging with a prepaid label, ship prohibited items with Media Mail, or underpay a label. Mercari may deduct these from your balance.[1]
Authentication
Mercari lists a $5 charge to the seller to list an item over a set amount through a third-party authentication service, and a $10 certificate fee on authenticated items.[1]
Shipping labels are bought through Mercari at fixed rates by weight and carrier. The rates change often, so read them on Mercari's fee article instead of relying on a number copied into a blog.[1]
eBay side
What eBay charges, in the same terms
- Insertion fee: each month you get up to 250 zero insertion fee listings. After that, most categories charge $0.35 per listing.[2]
- Final value fee: a percentage of the total amount of the sale plus a per order fee of $0.30 for orders of $10.00 or less and $0.40 for orders over $10.00. For most categories the percentage is 13.6% on the part of the sale up to $7,500, and 2.35% above that.[2]
- What the total includes: item price, handling charges, shipping collected from the buyer (with some exceptions), sales tax, and other applicable fees.[2]
- Payment processing: eBay states you do not pay third-party payment processing fees on top of the final value fee.[2]
- Category differences: some categories carry other rates, for example 15.3% for Books & Magazines and 15% for Women's Bags & Handbags up to $2,000.[2]
- Performance fees: an extra 6% on final value fees applies the month after a Below Standard evaluation, and eBay lists other additional fees on the same page.[2]
Side by side
Mercari and eBay fees compared
| Fee | Mercari | eBay |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | Free[1] | 250 free listings a month, then $0.35 each in most categories[2] |
| Percentage fee | 10%[1] | 13.6% in most categories, up to $7,500 per item[2] |
| What the percentage applies to | Item price plus buyer-paid shipping[1] | Total sale: item, handling, shipping collected, and sales tax[2] |
| Fixed fee per sale | None stated for the selling fee[1] | $0.30 on orders of $10.00 or less, $0.40 above[2] |
| Separate payment processing | No, on new or updated listings[1] | No third-party processing fee[2] |
| Getting paid | Direct Deposit $0, Instant Pay $3[1] | Not a separate line on the fees page we reviewed |
| Category-specific rates | The fee article states one selling fee[1] | Yes, several[2] |
Sample math
The same sale on Mercari and eBay
These are sample numbers for illustration, not a forecast. They assume no sales tax, the general eBay rate of 13.6%, and a buyer who pays the shipping amount shown. They show the fee only, not the cost of the shipping label, packaging, or what you paid for the item.
| Sample sale | Mercari fee (10%) | eBay fee (13.6% plus per order fee) |
|---|---|---|
| $8 item + $4 shipping = $12 | $1.20[2][1] | $1.63 + $0.40 = $2.03[2][1] |
| $20 item + $5 shipping = $25 | $2.50[2][1] | $3.40 + $0.40 = $3.80[2][1] |
| $100 item + $10 shipping = $110 | $11.00[2][1] | $14.96 + $0.40 = $15.36[2][1] |
On the $25 sale, Mercari takes $2.50 and eBay takes $3.80, a gap of $1.30. The percentages are what drive the gap, so it grows with the price. Three things the table leaves out matter just as much. First, eBay's total includes sales tax, which would raise its fee. Second, eBay gives you 250 free listings a month while Mercari lists for free, so insertion fees only matter on eBay once you pass that allowance. Third, the fee is not the whole decision: where an item sells for a higher price, or sells at all, changes your result more than a few dollars of fees.[1][2] To run your own numbers for eBay, including category rates, use the eBay fee calculator.
Choosing
Fees are one input, not the whole decision
- Check the fee base. Mercari applies its percentage to the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, and eBay applies its percentage to the total amount of the sale.[1][2]
- Check the category. eBay has different rates for books, handbags, jewelry, trading cards, and more, so a general rate may not be yours.[2]
- Check weight. Both marketplaces sell shipped items, and a heavy item can lose more to a label than to any fee. Plan packaging with the shipping supplies guide before you price.
- Check the account rules. eBay can add fees tied to seller performance, and Mercari can charge for frequent cancelations.[1][2]
- Check the price. Look at what similar items actually sold for before you list on either site.
If you are deciding among more places than these two, the where to sell used items online roundup compares 11 marketplaces with their fee sources.
In Strooply
What Strooply does, and does not do
Strooply is an app for eBay sellers. It does not list on, sync with, or track sales on Mercari.[S2] On eBay, you take photos of an item, Strooply identifies it, shows live eBay listing comps, and drafts a listing that is published once you confirm it. It also tracks your profit on eBay sales.[S2] There is a free plan with no credit card, then $12.99/mo (Starter), $29.99/mo (Pro), and $79.99/mo (Team).[S1] See how Strooply works for the full flow.
Questions
Mercari fees: FAQ
How much does Mercari take from a sale?
Mercari's selling fee is 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, for listings created or updated on or after January 6, 2025.[1] There is no separate payment processing fee on those listings.
Does Mercari charge a listing fee?
No. Mercari states that listing an item is always free, and fees apply when an item sells or a service is used.[1]
Does Mercari charge a payment processing fee?
Not on new or updated listings, which carry no separate processing fee. Listings made before January 6, 2025 and not yet updated were charged $0.50 plus 2.9% to the buyer.[1]
Does shipping count toward the Mercari fee?
Yes, buyer-paid shipping is part of what the 10% selling fee is applied to.[1] eBay also includes shipping collected from the buyer in its fee base, with some exceptions.[2]
What does it cost to cash out on Mercari?
Direct Deposit is $0 per completed cash-out, and Instant Pay is a flat $3 per cash-out, up to $600 a month on eligible debit cards.[1]
Are Mercari fees lower than eBay fees?
On the general case, Mercari's 10% is lower than eBay's 13.6% plus a per order fee, as the sample math above shows.[1][2] Category rates, sales tax, and what an item sells for on each site all change the real result.
Does the buyer pay a fee on Mercari?
Yes. Mercari charges the buyer a Buyer Protection fee of 3.6% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping, shown at checkout.[1]
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Mercari Help: Fees on Mercari (page shows "Updated 10/23/2026"), checked October 25, 2026, mercari.com/us/help_center
- eBay selling fees, checked October 25, 2026, ebay.com/help
- S1. Strooply plans, strooply.com/#pricing
- S2. How Strooply works, strooply.com/how-strooply-works
Last verified October 25, 2026. Spot an error? Email zach@strooply.com and we will correct it.
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