Amazon FBA Fees Complete Guide 2026

Last updated:

✍️ Yuwen Chen ✓ Verified Amazon Seller Expert·Published: ·Updated: ·About the Author
📅 Updated September 2026 — Fact-checked against the latest Amazon fee changes and seller policy updates

Every fee explained with actual dollar amounts, surcharge alerts, and a free calculator to compute your exact costs.

Contents

  1. Referral Fees by Category
  2. Fulfillment Fees by Size Tier
  3. Fuel Surcharge (3.5% — New in 2026)
  4. Monthly and Long-Term Storage Fees
  5. Inbound Placement Fees
  6. Return Processing and Removal Fees
  7. Hidden Fees Most Sellers Miss
  8. Free FBA Fee Calculator
  9. FAQ

1. Referral Fees by Category

Amazon charges a referral fee on every sale — this is the "commission" Amazon takes for using their marketplace. The rate depends on your product category.

CategoryReferral Fee RateExample on $29.99 Sale
Most categories (Home & Kitchen, Toys, Sports, Office)15%$4.50
Computers / Consumer Electronics8%$2.40
Electronics Accessories15% on first $100, then 8%$4.50
Clothing & Accessories17% above $20$5.10
Jewelry20% on first $250, then 5%$6.00
Grocery & Gourmet Food8% up to $15, then 15%$4.50
Baby & Beauty / Personal Care8% up to $10, then 15%$4.50
Watches16% on first $1,500, then 3%$4.80
Amazon Device Accessories45%$13.50

Key point: The referral fee is calculated on the total sale price, including shipping. If you offer free shipping (which most FBA sellers do), Amazon still charges the referral fee on the full item price.

💡 Quick Tip

Use the Amazon FBA Fee Alert Tool to get notified when fee rates change for your categories. Amazon updated 12 category rates in January 2026 alone.

2. Fulfillment Fees by Size Tier

Fulfillment fees cover picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. Here are the 2026 rates before the fuel surcharge:

Size TierWeight RangeFBA Fee (2026)
Small Standard2-12 oz$3.45
Small Standard12+ oz - 1 lb$3.45
Large Standard1+ lb - 2 lb$5.40
Large Standard2+ lb - 3 lb$6.10
Large Standard3+ lb (each additional lb)+$0.92/lb
OversizeUp to 70 lb$9.73 + $0.92/lb over first lb
Special OversizeOver 70 lb$40.00-$138.00

After the 3.5% fuel surcharge: A Large Standard item with a $5.40 base fee actually costs $5.59 ($5.40 × 1.035). Over hundreds of units, this adds up fast.

3. Fuel Surcharge — New in 2026

⚠️ 3.5% Fuel Surcharge (April 2026)

Amazon introduced a 3.5% fuel surcharge on all FBA fulfillment fees starting April 2026. This applies to every unit shipped, on top of the base fulfillment fee.

Real cost impact:

  • $5.00 base fee → $5.18 total (+$0.18/unit)
  • $9.73 base fee → $10.07 total (+$0.34/unit)
  • 1,000 units/month at $5.18 = $5,180 vs $5,000 baseline = $180 extra per month
  • 📦 6-Month Storage Fee Calculator — Avoid aged inventory surcharges

For sellers doing 10,000+ units/month, this single surcharge can cost $1,800+/month. Factor this into your pricing strategy using the Profit Dashboard.

4. Monthly and Long-Term Storage Fees

Amazon charges storage fees monthly based on the cubic footage of your inventory in fulfillment centers.

Size TierJan-SepOct-Dec (Peak)
Standard-Size$0.78/cubic ft$2.40/cubic ft
Oversize$0.56/cubic ft$1.40/cubic ft

Aged Inventory Surcharges

Days in Fulfillment CenterSurcharge per Cubic Foot
181-210 days$0.50
211-240 days$1.00
241-270 days$1.50
271-300 days$5.45
301-330 days$5.70
331-365 days$5.90
366-455 days$6.90
456+ days$7.90

Example: A standard-size product (0.15 cubic ft) stored for 250 days costs: base storage of 8 × $0.78 × 0.15 = $0.94, plus the aged inventory surcharge for the final three months (1 × $0.50 + 1 × $1.00 + 1 × $1.50, each × 0.15) = $0.45 → $1.39 in storage fees alone.

Use the Inventory Management Tool to track storage duration and avoid aged inventory surcharges.

5. Inbound Placement Fees

Inbound placement fees cover Amazon's cost of distributing your inventory across their fulfillment network. The fee depends on your chosen placement option:

Strategy: For sellers shipping 500+ units, the full split option saves significant money. For smaller shipments, the placement fee is often worth the time savings.

Calculate the exact cost with the Dimensional Weight Calculator — placement fees correlate with product size.

6. Return Processing and Removal Fees

Return Processing Fees

Amazon charges a return processing fee for items in the Clothing & Accessories category and some other categories. The fee equals 20% of the referral fee, capped at $5.00 per unit.

On a $29.99 clothing item: 20% of $5.10 (17% referral) = $1.02 return processing fee.

Removal Fees

If you want Amazon to return or dispose of unsold inventory:

For FBA reimbursement on damaged/lost inventory, see our FBA Reimbursement Guide.

7. Hidden Fees Most Sellers Miss

🔍 The 7 Hidden FBA Costs

  1. Fuel Surcharge (3.5%) — Added to every fulfillment fee since April 2026
  2. Low Inventory Fee — Charged if your daily supply drops below 28 days ($1.50-$5.00/unit)
  3. Currency Conversion — 3.5% fee for international sellers paid in foreign currency
  4. Coupons Fee — $0.60 per redemption (on top of the discount you offer)
  5. Early Reviewer Fee — $60 per enrollment (for the Early Reviewer Program)
  6. Referral Fee on Refunds — Amazon keeps the referral fee even on refunded orders in some cases
  7. Aged Inventory Spike — The largest single step is at day 271 (from $1.50 to $5.45/cubic ft, +263%)

For a complete cost breakdown that includes all hidden fees, use the Profit Dashboard or the COGS Calculator.

8. Free FBA Fee Calculator

🧮 Compute Your Exact FBA Costs

Use our free calculators to get instant, accurate cost breakdowns:

9. Frequently Asked Questions

What are all the Amazon FBA fees in 2026?

Amazon FBA fees in 2026 include: (1) Referral fees — 6-45% of sale price depending on category, (2) Fulfillment fees — $3.45-$12+ per unit based on size/weight tier, plus 3.5% fuel surcharge added April 2026, (3) Monthly storage fees — $0.78-$2.40 per cubic foot, (4) Aged inventory surcharge — $0.50-$7.90 per cubic foot for items stored 181+ days, stepping up 263% at day 271, (5) Inbound placement fees — $0-$0.98 per unit, (6) Return processing fees — 20% of referral fee capped at $5, (7) Removal fees — $0.97-$1.98 per unit.

How much is the Amazon referral fee in 2026?

The Amazon referral fee in 2026 ranges from 6% to 45% depending on the product category. Most categories charge 15%. Electronics and accessories charge 8%. Clothing and shoes charge 17%. Jewelry over $500 charges 5%.

What is the new Amazon fuel surcharge in 2026?

Amazon added a 3.5% fuel surcharge to all FBA fulfillment fees starting April 2026. This surcharge applies on top of the base fulfillment fee and is calculated as 3.5% of the total fulfillment fee amount.

How do Amazon FBA storage fees work?

Amazon charges monthly storage fees based on the volume (cubic feet) of your inventory. Standard-size: $0.78/cubic foot (Jan-Sep) and $2.40/cubic foot (Oct-Dec). Aged inventory surcharges kick in at 181 days, increasing every 60-90 days up to $7.90/cubic foot.

What hidden Amazon FBA fees do most sellers miss?

Hidden fees include the 3.5% fuel surcharge, aged inventory surcharges starting at 181 days, return processing fees, low inventory fees (below 28 days supply), currency conversion fees for international sellers, and coupons redemption fees ($0.60 per redemption).

See our fee cards & rate comparison boards on Pinterest.

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