Mercari's fees have moved around more than any other major resale marketplace in the last few years, which is why "how much does Mercari take" is a question sellers keep asking even after they have been on the platform for a while. The short answer for 2026: a 10% selling fee plus a payment processing charge of 2.9% + $0.50 on every completed sale.
That works out to a little under 14% on a typical $40 item — cheaper than Poshmark, in the same neighbourhood as eBay, and more than Depop. But the effective rate depends on your price point because of the fixed $0.50, and shipping and payout choices can quietly add a few dollars more.
Below is a plain breakdown of every Mercari seller fee, the 2024–2025 history so you understand why older articles disagree with each other, a worked example, a comparison table, and practical ways to net more. For an exact payout on any item, use our free Mercari fee calculator.
• Selling fee: 10% of the sale price
• Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.50 per completed sale
• Shipping: buyer or seller pays; Mercari offers prepaid labels
• Payouts: direct deposit may carry a small fee on low balances; Instant Pay carries a fee
• Funds release after the buyer rates you or 3 days after delivery pass
Verify current rates on Mercari's fee page. Run your own numbers in the Mercari fee calculator.
The Mercari Fee Breakdown: 10% + 2.9% + $0.50
Mercari charges sellers two things on every completed sale (as of 2026 — verify on the marketplace's fee page):
1. Selling fee: 10%.This is Mercari's commission, taken as a percentage of the item's sale price.
2. Payment processing fee: 2.9% + $0.50. This covers card processing and is charged per completed sale. The $0.50 portion is fixed regardless of price.
There is no listing fee, no fee to relist or promote via a price drop, and no monthly subscription. Fees are deducted from the sale proceeds automatically, so what lands in your Mercari balance is already net of both charges.
Because of the fixed $0.50, the effective rate is not flat. On a $10 item, the combined fee is $1.79, or 17.9%. On a $40 item it is $5.66, or about 14.2%. On a $100 item it is $13.40, or 13.4%. The higher the price, the closer you get to the 12.9% floor.
Mercari's 2024 to 2025 Fee History
If you search Mercari fees you will find articles confidently stating that Mercari is free for sellers, and others quoting the current 10%. Both were true at different times.
March 2024: Mercari removed seller fees entirely in the US, shifting a service fee onto buyers at checkout. Sellers kept 100% of the sale price, minus payment processing on withdrawal.
January 2025: Mercari reinstated seller fees. The current 10% selling fee plus 2.9% + $0.50 payment processing per sale took effect, and buyer-side fees were rolled back.
The practical takeaway: any Mercari fee guide, calculator or forum post dated between March 2024 and January 2025 is describing a structure that no longer exists. Always check the date, and check Mercari's own fee page before you set prices.
Mercari Shipping: Who Pays and What It Costs
Mercari lets you choose, per listing, whether the buyer pays shipping or you do.
Buyer pays shipping. The shipping cost is added at checkout on top of your price. Your fees are calculated on the item price and the label cost passes through to the buyer. This is the default for most sellers.
Seller pays shipping ("free shipping"). The buyer sees one price, and the label cost is deducted from your earnings. Free shipping listings tend to convert better, but you need to build the label into your price.
Either way, Mercari offers prepaid labels you can buy in-app. Prepaid Mercari labels come with shipping protection, so if a package is lost or damaged in transit you are covered up to the stated limits, and the tracking is automatically attached to the order. You can also ship on your own label, but then you handle tracking and take on the shipping risk yourself. Label prices depend on weight and carrier, so check the in-app rate at listing time.
Payout and Withdrawal Fees
After a sale, your funds sit in your Mercari balance until the transaction completes. The buyer has 3 days after delivery to rate you or raise an issue; once they rate you, or the 3 days pass, the funds are released.
From there you have two ways to withdraw:
Direct deposit. A standard bank transfer that takes a few business days. It may carry a small fee when your balance is below a minimum threshold, so it is cheaper to let the balance build and withdraw in larger batches.
Instant Pay. Transfers to a debit card in minutes, for a fee on every transfer.
For most sellers, batching direct deposits weekly or bi-weekly is the zero-cost route. Reserve Instant Pay for the rare occasion you need cash the same day. Check Mercari's current withdrawal minimums and fees, as these are adjusted from time to time.
Worked Example: A $40 Sale
Say you sell a jacket for $40 with the buyer paying shipping, and you withdraw by direct deposit with no withdrawal fee.
Selling fee (10%):−$4.00
Payment processing (2.9% of $40 + $0.50):−$1.16 − $0.50 = −$1.66
Total Mercari fees: $5.66 (about 14.2%)
You keep: $34.34
Now suppose you had listed the same jacket with free shipping and bought a Mercari label. Your take-home is $34.34 minus the label cost. If that label is, for instance, $8, you net $26.34 — which is why free-shipping listings usually need a higher sticker price to end up in the same place.
And if the buyer had made a $35 offer that you accepted: fees become $3.50 + $1.02 + $0.50 = $5.02, and you keep $29.98. Every dollar you discount costs you about 87 cents in net, since the percentage fees shrink with the price. Test different scenarios in the Mercari fee calculator.
Mercari vs eBay, Poshmark and Depop
Same $40 item, buyer pays shipping separately, US rates as of 2026 — verify on each marketplace's fee page. Note that eBay's final value fee also applies to shipping and sales tax, and Depop's processing fee applies to item plus shipping, so those two are shown on the item price only and will be slightly higher in practice.
| Marketplace | Fee structure | Fee on $40 item | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercari | 10% + 2.9% + $0.50 processing | $5.66 | $34.34 |
| eBay | 13.6% of total + $0.40 per order (most categories) | $5.84 (item only) | $34.16 |
| Poshmark | 20% ($2.95 flat under $15) | $8.00 | $32.00 |
| Depop | 0% commission; 3.3% + $0.45 processing on item + shipping | $1.77 (item only) | $38.23 |
Mercari sits in the middle: clearly cheaper than Poshmark, roughly level with eBay once you account for eBay charging on shipping and tax, and more expensive than Depop. Mercari's advantage is breadth — it is a general marketplace, so electronics, toys, home goods and collectibles sell alongside clothing. For a category-by-category view see the best marketplaces for reselling in 2026, our eBay seller fees guide, our Poshmark fees guide, and the index of free fee calculators covering eBay, Poshmark and Depop.
How to Keep More of Each Mercari Sale
1. Avoid very cheap singles
The fixed $0.50 processing charge makes sub-$10 items expensive to sell in percentage terms. Group low-value items into lots, or price them so the fee is a reasonable share of the sale.
2. Decide shipping strategy per item, not per shop
Light, high-value items are good candidates for free shipping baked into the price. Heavy or bulky items should be buyer-pays, otherwise a label surprise can wipe out the margin. Weigh before you list.
3. Use Mercari labels for the protection
A prepaid Mercari label bundles tracking and shipping protection. Buying postage elsewhere can occasionally be cheaper, but if the parcel goes missing you carry the loss. For most sellers the built-in protection is worth it.
4. Batch withdrawals by direct deposit
Skip Instant Pay unless you truly need same-day cash, and withdraw above any minimum balance threshold to avoid a low-balance fee.
5. Cross-list and let each item find its cheapest exit
The same $40 jacket nets about $34 on Mercari and $32 on Poshmark. If it is live on both, plus eBay and Depop, it sells faster and you can accept the first good offer wherever it lands. The only requirement is that when it sells in one place it comes down everywhere else immediately — a cross-listing app with automatic delisting handles that. See how to cross-list on multiple platforms for the step-by-step.
FAQ
How much does Mercari take from a sale?
A 10% selling fee plus 2.9% + $0.50 payment processing per completed sale (US, as of 2026 — verify on Mercari's fee page). On a $40 item that is $5.66, leaving you $34.34.
Is Mercari still free for sellers?
No. Mercari removed seller fees in March 2024 but reinstated them in January 2025. Guides that say Mercari is fee-free for sellers are out of date.
Does Mercari charge a listing fee?
No. Listing is free. Fees are only charged when an item sells and the transaction completes.
Who pays for shipping on Mercari?
You choose per listing. Either the buyer pays shipping at checkout, or you offer free shipping and the label cost is deducted from your earnings. Mercari sells prepaid labels in-app that include tracking and shipping protection.
When do I get paid on Mercari?
Funds are released to your balance once the buyer rates you or 3 days pass after delivery. You can then withdraw by direct deposit (which may carry a small fee for low balances) or Instant Pay (which carries a fee).
Is there a Mercari fee calculator?
Yes. SECND's free Mercari fee calculator lets you enter a price, shipping choice and label cost and shows your exact net. For a look at whether the platform is worth selling on at all, read Is Mercari legit and safe?.
SECND turns one set of photos into listings on every marketplace, keeps inventory in sync so a Mercari sale delists the item everywhere else, and shows you net-of-fee margins per channel. Explore the cross-listing app or sign up free and list your first item in minutes.