The eBay Per-Order Fee Explained: Why It Matters on Cheap Items
Published 3 min read
In this guide
Alongside the percentage-based final value fee, eBay charges a small fixed per-order fee on every order. It's easy to overlook because it's only a few cents, but on low-priced items it can be one of your biggest costs. Here's how it works and how to keep it from eating your profit.
Figures come from our calculators, last checked on September 25, 2026.
How much is the per-order fee?
| Market | Per-order fee |
|---|---|
| United States | $0.40, or $0.30 if the total is $10 or less |
| Canada | C$0.40, or C$0.30 if the total is C$10 or less |
| UK business sellers | £0.40, or £0.30 if the total is £10 or less, plus 20% VAT (£0.48 or £0.36) |
| UK private sellers | None on domestic sales |
| Australia, eBay Pro | AU$0.30 on Starter; AU$0.33 on Basic, Featured and Anchor |
| Australia, Free Selling | None on domestic sales |
The "$10 or less" test uses the total amount of the sale, including shipping and tax, not just the item price.
Per order, not per item
The fee is charged once per order. If a buyer purchases several items from you in one checkout, you pay one per-order fee, not one per item. That's why combining sales into a single order is one of the easiest ways to cut costs on cheap items.
Why it matters on cheap items
As a share of the sale, the per-order fee shrinks as the price rises:
| US order total | Per-order fee | As a share of the sale | Total fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | $0.30 | 30% | $0.44 |
| $5 | $0.30 | 6% | $0.98 |
| $10 | $0.30 | 3% | $1.66 |
| $10.01 | $0.40 | 4% | $1.76 |
| $20 | $0.40 | 2% | $3.12 |
| $100 | $0.40 | 0.4% | $14.00 |
| $200 | $0.40 | 0.2% | $27.60 |
(Most categories, no Store, free shipping, no tax.)
On a $5 sale, the per-order fee adds almost half as much again to the final value fee. Add postage and packaging, and very cheap single items often aren't worth selling alone.
How to reduce the per-order fee's impact
1. Sell in lots and bundles
Four $5 items sold separately cost $3.92 in fees (four final value fees plus four per-order fees). Sold as one $20 lot, they cost $3.12, a saving of $0.80, plus you only pack and post once.
2. Encourage multi-item orders
Offer combined shipping discounts, and use volume pricing or "buy more, save more" offers so buyers add more to one order.
3. Set a minimum listing price
Decide on the lowest price you'll list a single item at, based on your time and costs. Anything below that gets bundled, donated or sold in bulk.
4. Mind the $10 line
The fee rises from $0.30 to $0.40 when the total goes over $10. That extra 10 cents is small, but on a large number of cheap orders it's worth pricing with it in mind.
When there's no per-order fee
- Athletic shoes at $150 or more (US and Canada): the special 8% rate comes with no per-order fee. See our sneaker fee guide.
- UK private sellers on domestic sales. See UK private vs business seller fees.
- Australian Free Selling on eligible domestic sales. See Free Selling vs eBay Pro.
What the per-order fee isn't affected by
- Top Rated Plus: the 10% discount applies to the final value fee only. See Top Rated Seller benefits.
- eBay Stores: the per-order fee is the same with or without a Store.
- Category: apart from the athletic shoes exception, it's the same in every category.
Include it in every calculation
Our calculators always include the per-order fee, so the total you see is the total you'll pay. Try a few low prices in the US eBay fee calculator to see how much of each sale you'd really keep. For the complete fee maths, see how to calculate eBay fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the eBay per-order fee?
A fixed fee charged on every order in addition to the final value fee. In the US it's $0.40, or $0.30 when the total amount of the sale is $10 or less.
Is the per-order fee charged per item?
No. It's charged once per order, so several items bought together in one checkout pay a single per-order fee.
Does Top Rated Plus reduce the per-order fee?
No. The 10% Top Rated Plus discount applies only to the final value fee.
When is there no per-order fee on eBay?
US and Canadian athletic shoes sold for $150 or more have no per-order fee, and UK private sellers and eligible Australian Free Selling users don't pay it on domestic sales.