Whatnot Fees Calculator
Work out Whatnot's seller fees on a sale and see your net deposit. Enter your sale price, pick the category, and the tool breaks down the commission fee, the payment-processing fee, and the payout Whatnot deposits before your own costs. Built for Whatnot sellers.
Estimate, not your actual payout. This tool applies Whatnot's published commission rate per category and the payment-processing formula, which Whatnot can change at any time and which vary by category. Re-check the current rate on Whatnot's own seller-fees page, and reconcile against your real Whatnot payout statement before relying on the number.
Your Whatnot fees and payout
Whatnot payout (deposit before your costs) $88.80
Commission fee $8.00
Payment-processing fee $3.20
Total Whatnot fees $11.20
Effective fee rate on the sale price 11.20%
Take-home after your item and label costs $88.80
Whatnot deposits about 88.8% of the 100 sale price as your payout ($88.80); fees take about 11.2%. This is the deposit before your own item and label costs, not your take-home.
- Commission fee $8.00 71%
- Payment-processing fee $3.20 29%
How the sale price changes your payout
| Sale price | Whatnot payout |
|---|---|
| $80.00 | $70.98 |
| $100.00 | $88.80 |
| $120.00 | $106.62 |
How to use this Whatnot fees calculator
- Enter the sale price, the final winning bid on your item. Whatnot charges the category commission on this amount.
- Pick the category that matches your item. The label shows the commission rate that applies: Standard and sneakers/streetwear at 8%, Electronics at 5%, and Coins & money at 4%, with a $1,500 cap on the collectible and coin tiers.
- Add the shipping and sales tax the buyer paid, if any. The payment-processing fee is charged on the buyer’s full order total, so shipping and tax raise it. Sales tax then nets back out of your deposit, because you remit it rather than keep it.
- Add your shipping-label cost and what the item cost you, if you want take-home. The tool subtracts these from the Whatnot deposit and stays hidden until you enter a cost.
- Read the itemized result: the commission fee, the payment-processing fee, the total fees, your Whatnot payout, the all-in fee rate, and your take-home when you supply costs.
How it works
Whatnot takes two fees out of every sale before it deposits the rest to you. The first is the commission fee, a percentage of the item’s sale price that depends on the category you pick. The second is the payment-processing fee, charged at 2.9% plus a fixed $0.30 per order on the buyer’s full order total, which includes the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping and sales tax (Whatnot seller fees).
The math is the Whatnot seller-fee formula: category commission on the sale price, plus payment processing on the full order total. So commission_fee = sale_price x category_rate, and processing_fee = (sale_price + shipping + sales_tax) x 2.9% + $0.30. Your Whatnot payout is the net deposit Whatnot sends you: sale_price + shipping - total_fees. Sales tax collected nets out, because you remit it. That deposit is not your take-home. You still buy the shipping label and pay for the item out of it, so the tool subtracts those to show real take-home. The effective fee rate is the total fees as a share of your sale price, so you see your all-in Whatnot take at a glance.
Sale price is the biggest lever on your payout: a higher sale price lifts the net deposit, a lower one cuts it, because both fees scale with the order while only the fixed $0.30 stays flat. The commission rate comes from Whatnot’s own published seller-fees page rather than a third-party guess, because Whatnot changes its tiers and competing calculators disagree on the category rates.
Examples
If you sell a Standard item for $100 with no shipping or tax, the tool returns an $8.00 commission fee (8% of $100) and a $3.20 processing fee (2.9% of $100 plus $0.30), for $11.20 in total fees and an $88.80 net deposit. Your effective fee rate is 11.2%. Take-home stays hidden, because you entered no item or label cost.
If you sell a $50 sports card with $8.00 of buyer-paid shipping and $4.13 of sales tax, and you buy a $5.50 label, the tool returns a $4.00 commission fee (8% of $50) and a $2.10 processing fee (2.9% of the full $62.13 order total plus $0.30). Total fees are $6.10, and the net deposit is $51.90, because the $4.13 of tax nets out. After the $5.50 label, your take-home is $46.40.
If you sell a $200 item in Coins & money and it cost you $120, the tool returns a $8.00 commission fee (the distinct 4% rate, so 4% of $200) and a $6.10 processing fee, for $14.10 in total fees and a $185.90 net deposit. Subtract the $120 item cost and your take-home is $65.90.
Whatnot commission rates by category
Your commission rate depends on the category you select. The table below maps each category in this tool to the rate Whatnot publishes on its own fee page. The payment-processing fee is the same across every category, at 2.9% plus $0.30 per order (Whatnot seller fees).
| Category | Commission rate | Payment-processing fee |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 8.00% | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Sports cards / TCG / comics | 8.00% (first $1,500, then 0%) | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Sneakers & streetwear | 8.00% | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Electronics | 5.00% | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Coins & money | 4.00% (first $1,500, then 0%) | 2.9% + $0.30 |
Sneakers & streetwear is the standard 8% rate, not a separate sneaker tier. Whatnot does not list sneakers on its own line, so they fall under all other categories at 8% (Whatnot seller fees). Electronics is a distinct 5% rate with no cap (Reduced Commission on Electronics). For sports cards, trading card games, and comics, and for coins & money, commission applies only to the first $1,500 of an order and 0% on the part above $1,500, under Whatnot’s reduced-commission promotion for high-value orders (Reduced Commission on High-Value Orders Promotion). Standard and Electronics have no such cap.
What Whatnot’s payment-processing fee is charged on
Two fees sit behind this calculator, and they apply to different amounts.
Commission fee
The commission fee is a percentage of the item’s sale price alone. It does not touch shipping or tax. The rate is set by the category you pick (Whatnot seller fees).
Payment-processing fee
The payment-processing fee, about 2.9% plus $0.30 per order, is charged on the buyer’s full order total. That total is the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping and sales tax, not the item alone (Whatnot seller fees). This is why the processing fee runs larger than many sellers expect on orders with shipping: two items at the same price net different amounts once one of them adds a shipping charge. It is also why this calculator asks for shipping and tax on their own lines, so the processing fee lands on the right base.
Do you owe taxes on Whatnot sales? (Form 1099-K)
If you sell on Whatnot for income, two questions follow: will you get a Form 1099-K, and what do you owe? A Form 1099-K is the information return a marketplace files to report the payments it processed for you.
Whatnot, like other marketplaces, issues a 1099-K once your payments pass the federal reporting threshold. The IRS lists that threshold as more than $20,000 in payments and more than 200 transactions, though a platform may issue one below that (IRS Form 1099-K). State thresholds can be lower.
The gross on a 1099-K can run far higher than the net deposit this tool shows, because fees do not reduce the reported gross. Decide your reporting this way:
You will likely get a 1099-K if:
- Your Whatnot payments pass the federal $20,000 and 200-transaction threshold, or a lower state threshold.
- Your state requires reporting below the federal amount.
You still report the income if:
- You sold for profit but stayed under the threshold and received no form. Income from sales is reportable whether or not a 1099-K is issued (IRS Form 1099-K).
Use this calculator to see your net deposit per sale, then reconcile that against the gross on any 1099-K before you report. The two numbers differ by your fees, and they should.
What the data says
Many Whatnot sellers arrive with the same feeling: my payout was less than I expected, and where did my money go. The gap between the sale price and the deposit is the fees, the label, and the item’s own cost, and it is real money at real scale.
Whatnot says sellers on its platform generated more than $8 billion in live-selling sales in 2025, more than double the prior year (Whatnot 2026 State of Live Selling Report). About one in eight Whatnot sellers now sells full-time, up roughly 20% year over year, and more than half of surveyed sellers earn most of their annual income from live selling (Whatnot 2026 State of Live Selling Report). When live selling is your living, knowing your net payout per sale matters.
The headline commission is not a third-party guess. Whatnot’s own co-founder and CEO has put the take-rate on the record:
“Right now, the business is supported by taking a cut, 8%, of every transaction.”
Grant LaFontaine, co-founder and CEO of Whatnot, in Modern Retail.
On top of that commission, Whatnot charges the separate payment-processing fee, which is why this calculator itemizes both.
The federal 1099-K threshold has changed several times, which is part of why sellers are unsure what they owe. Here is how it has moved, with the current law restored to $20,000 and more than 200 transactions (IRS):
| Tax year | Reporting threshold | Transaction count | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through 2023 | $20,000 | more than 200 | Long-standing rule; $600 rule delayed for 2023 |
| 2024 | $5,000 | none | Phase-in amount under IRS Notice 2024-85 |
| 2025 (originally planned) | $2,500 | none | Planned transition amount, never took effect |
| 2026 (originally planned) | $600 | none | ARPA target amount, never took effect |
| 2025 and after (current law) | $20,000 | more than 200 | Reinstated by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, July 2025 |
A few mistakes come up again and again:
- People often price off the sale price and treat the Whatnot deposit as profit, forgetting the commission, the 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee, the shipping label, and the item’s own cost.
- A common mistake is to assume the processing fee only touches the item price, when it lands on the full order total including buyer-paid shipping and tax, so two same-price sales can net different amounts.
- People often worry at tax time that their 1099-K gross is far higher than what hit their bank, and fear being taxed on money they never kept, because fees, shipping, and refunds are not subtracted from the reported gross.
What this tool does that others don’t
- It charges the payment-processing fee on the buyer’s full order total, including buyer-paid shipping and sales tax, rather than the item price alone, so the fee matches your payout statement on orders that include shipping.
- It itemizes the commission fee and the payment-processing fee as separate lines instead of one bundled number, so you can see which fee drives the cost and check it against Whatnot’s schedule.
- It nets remitted sales tax out of the deposit rather than letting it inflate your payout, because the tax you collect is passed on, not kept.
- It separates the Whatnot deposit from real take-home, subtracting your shipping-label cost and item cost, so the post-fee number is not mislabeled as what you keep.
- It applies Whatnot’s published per-category rates, including the distinct 5% Electronics and 4% Coins & money tiers and the $1,500 high-value cap, rather than a flat 8% that overstates fees on those categories.
Limits of this estimate
This calculator estimates Whatnot’s two core per-sale fees. A few things it does not do:
- The Whatnot payout it shows is the net deposit before your own costs, not your take-home. You still pay for the shipping label and the item out of that deposit; enter your label cost and item cost to see real take-home, and it still excludes any other out-of-pocket selling costs.
- It uses Whatnot’s published commission rate per category and payment-processing rate, which Whatnot can change at any time and which vary by category. If Whatnot updates a rate after this page was built, re-check the current rate on Whatnot’s own seller-fees page before relying on the number.
- It models only the two core per-sale fees, the category commission and the payment-processing fee. It does not include optional costs such as promotions, giveaways, or ad spend, which reduce your real take-home further.
- It assumes the category you pick matches Whatnot’s grouping for your item. Whatnot lists categories like sports cards, sneakers, electronics, and coins separately, and miscategorizing an item applies the wrong commission rate, so confirm your item’s category on Whatnot.
- It treats sales tax collected from the buyer as remitted, not kept, so tax nets out of your deposit. It does not calculate your tax liability, marketplace facilitator rules, or any income tax you owe on the sale.
- It is an estimate, not your actual Whatnot payout. Rounding on individual fees, promotions, refunds, and chargebacks can shift the final figure, so always reconcile against your real Whatnot seller payout statement.
- Each fee is rounded to the nearest cent on its own (commission and payment processing separately) before they are added, so the total can differ by a cent from an unrounded calculation or from how a payout statement rounds.
- The payment-processing fee (2.9% + $0.30) is applied to the buyer’s full order total (sale price plus buyer-paid shipping and sales tax), not the item price alone. A calculator that charges processing on the item only will show a smaller fee on orders with shipping or tax.
- For sports cards / TCG / comics and for coins & money, commission is charged only on the first $1,500 of an order and 0% above, per Whatnot’s reduced-commission high-value promotion. Standard and Electronics have no such cap. If Whatnot ends the promotion, commission on large sales in those two groupings would rise.
- Commission rates are Whatnot’s published US figures (Standard and sneakers/streetwear 8%, Electronics 5%, Coins & money 4%), which Whatnot can change and which differ outside the US. Sneakers & streetwear is the standard 8% rate, not a separate sneaker tier.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Whatnot take from sellers?
Whatnot charges sellers two fees per sale: a commission fee, a percentage of the item’s sale price that depends on the category, and a payment-processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per order on the buyer’s full order total. Most categories use the standard 8% commission, while Electronics is 5% and Coins & money is 4%. This calculator itemizes both fees so you can see your exact net deposit.
What percentage does Whatnot charge?
The commission rate depends on the category. Most categories use Whatnot’s standard 8% rate, Electronics is 5%, and Coins & money is 4%. On top of commission, a payment-processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per order applies to the full order total. This tool uses Whatnot’s published rate for the category you pick, because tiers can change.
Does Whatnot charge a payment-processing fee?
Yes. In addition to the category commission, Whatnot charges a payment-processing fee of 2.9% plus a fixed $0.30 per order. This fee is calculated on the buyer’s full order total, including buyer-paid shipping and sales tax, not just the item price, which is why this calculator asks for shipping and tax separately.
Does Whatnot take a cut of shipping?
Whatnot’s commission fee applies to the item’s sale price, not to shipping. The payment-processing fee, though, is charged on the buyer’s full order total, which includes buyer-paid shipping and tax, so the processing portion does apply to shipping. Enter the shipping you charge the buyer to see the processing fee on it.
Is the Whatnot payout the same as what I take home?
No. The net deposit Whatnot sends you is the sale price plus buyer-paid shipping minus Whatnot’s fees, but you still pay for the shipping label and the item itself out of that deposit. This tool shows the Whatnot payout as your deposit, then subtracts your label cost and item cost when you enter them to show your real take-home.
Are Whatnot fees different by category?
The commission rate varies by category. Standard and sneakers/streetwear use the 8% rate, Electronics is 5%, and Coins & money is 4%, with a $1,500 cap on the collectible and coin tiers. The payment-processing fee is the same across every category. Pick your category in the calculator to apply the right commission rate.
What is the Whatnot commission on sports cards?
Sports cards, along with trading card games and comics, use Whatnot’s 8% commission on the first $1,500 of an order, then 0% on the part above $1,500, under the reduced-commission promotion for high-value orders. Select the sports cards / TCG / comics category to apply that rate; the option label shows the rate, and you can confirm it on Whatnot’s seller-fees page.
Does Whatnot charge fees on sales tax?
The commission fee does not apply to sales tax. The payment-processing fee is charged on the buyer’s full order total, which can include sales tax, so a small processing portion does apply to tax. The tax itself is collected and remitted, not kept by you, so this calculator nets it out of your deposit rather than counting it as income.
Will I get a 1099-K from Whatnot?
Marketplaces like Whatnot issue a Form 1099-K once your payments pass the federal reporting threshold, which the IRS lists as more than $20,000 and more than 200 transactions, though platforms may issue below it. The gross on a 1099-K can be higher than the net deposit this tool shows, because fees do not reduce the reported gross. Income from sales is reportable whether or not you receive a form; see the IRS 1099-K guidance.