ProfitPerShowThe two fees on every sale
Whatnot is clear that commission and payment processing are separate. Commission is Whatnot’s share of the sale, and it is the rate that can fall as your sales grow. Payment processing is the cost of taking the buyer’s payment, and it does not go down with your tier.
In the United States, Canada, and Australia, payment processing is 2.9% of the total order value plus $0.30 per order. “Total order value” means the item price after your coupons, plus buyer-paid shipping, plus tax. In the EU and UK the processing rate is different and VAT applies to commissions.
Sources: Whatnot seller fees and How Fees Work, checked November 13, 2026.
Commission is charged on the item, not the whole checkout
Whatnot calculates commission on gross merchandise value (GMV): the sale price of the item. Shipping and taxes the buyer paid are left out. Some other marketplaces apply their rate to gross transaction value (item + shipping + tax), so a lower advertised rate can still cost more.
Whatnot’s own example: you sell a $10 item with $4.99 shipping and $0.85 tax. An 8% Whatnot commission on $10 is $0.80. A 6% commission on the full $15.84 checkout would be $0.95.
US commission tiers (from September 21, 2026)
Your completed sales across all categories in a four-week period unlock a tier. The tier sets the commission rate for each category in the next four-week period, not the current one. Rates reset every 28 days. Live sales use the show’s category; marketplace sales use the product’s category.
“Total sales” means the combined sale price of completed orders. Private shows and local pickup orders do not count. Canceled or refunded orders are subtracted. Sales on one seller account do not help another account.
| Category | Standard ($0–$14,999) | Tier 1 ($15k+) | Tier 2 ($35k+) | Tier 3 ($50k+) | Tier 4 ($100k+) | Tier 5 ($250k+) | Tier 6 ($500k+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports | 8.00% | 7.75% | 7.50% | 7.25% | 7.00% | 6.75% | 6.50% |
| Trading card games | 8.00% | 7.75% | 7.50% | 7.25% | 7.00% | 6.75% | 6.50% |
| Fashion | 8.00% | 7.00% | 6.50% | 5.50% | 5.00% | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Other collectibles | 8.00% | 7.25% | 6.50% | 6.00% | 5.00% | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Coins | 4.00% | 3.90% | 3.80% | 3.70% | 3.60% | 3.55% | 3.50% |
| Other | 8.00% | 7.00% | 6.50% | 5.50% | 4.00% | 4.00% | 4.00% |
Source: Whatnot Help Center, “Whatnot seller fees,” United States rate card, checked November 13, 2026. Promotional rates (for example a new-seller offer) override the earned rate while they run, and those sales still count toward the next tier.
What “8%” really costs on a typical order
A $50 trading-card sale, $4.99 buyer shipping, $3.50 tax (7%), Standard tier:
- Commission: 8% of $50.00 = $4.00
- Payment processing: 2.9% of $58.49 + $0.30 = $2.00
- Total Whatnot fees: $6.00, or 12% of the item price
- You receive $44.00 before the card’s cost and any shipping you covered
Try other prices and categories in the free Whatnot fee calculator.
High-value orders
Starting January 14, 2026, Whatnot has charged 0% commission on the portion of an individual order above $1,500 (USD/AUD/EUR/GBP 1,500, or JPY 225,000) in select categories. Bags & Accessories and Jewelry & Watches were added at 12:00 a.m. ET on June 4, 2026. Payment processing still applies to the full transaction.
Example from Whatnot: a US seller sells a qualifying $2,000 item. Commission is 8% of the first $1,500 ($120) and 0% of the remaining $500. Processing at 2.9% + $0.30 still runs on the whole order.
Included categories include Comics & Anime, Toys & Hobbies, Coins & Money, Trading Card Games, Entertainment Cards, Sports Singles (not sports breaks or surprise products), Bags & Accessories, and Jewelry & Watches. This is a limited-time promotion and can be changed or ended.
Source: Reduced Commission on High-Value Orders, checked November 13, 2026.
Related guides and tools
Sources
- Whatnot Help Center, Whatnot seller fees (updated November 1, 2026; checked November 13, 2026)
- Whatnot, How Fees Work
- Whatnot Help Center, Reduced Commission on High-Value Orders