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If you're selling on Amazon — or thinking about starting — understanding every fee is critical to your bottom line. Most sellers know about referral fees and FBA fulfillment fees, but Amazon charges at least 12 different types of fees, and the ones you don't know about can silently destroy your profit margins.
This is the most comprehensive guide to Amazon seller fees in 2026. We'll cover every fee type with exact amounts, real seller examples, and actionable strategies to keep more of your hard-earned money.
Here's the full picture of what Amazon charges sellers:
| # | Fee Type | Amount | When Charged |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional Subscription | $39.99/month | Monthly (or $0.99/unit for Individual) |
| 2 | Referral Fee | 8-45% of sale price | Per transaction |
| 3 | FBA Fulfillment Fee | $3.07 - $8.26+/unit | Per unit shipped |
| 4 | Monthly Storage Fee | $0.56 - $2.40/cu ft | Monthly |
| 5 | Long-Term Storage Fee | $3.80 - $6.90/cu ft | Semi-annually (181+ days) |
| 6 | Low-Inventory-Level Fee | $0.32 - $0.89/unit | Per unit shipped |
| 7 | Returns Processing Fee | $0 - $2.30/unit | Per return |
| 8 | Removal Order Fee | $0.97 - $1.98/unit | Per unit removed |
| 9 | Refund Administration Fee | $5.00 or 20% of refund | Per refund |
| 10 | Currency Conversion Fee | ~3.5% of total | When selling in other currencies |
| 11 | High-Volume Listing Fee | $0.005/listing/month | For 100,000+ active listings |
| 12 | Restocking Fee (Returns) | Up to 50% of refund | When return damages product |
The referral fee is Amazon's commission — non-negotiable and charged on every sale. Here are the 2026 rates:
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Most categories | 15% | Default for most products |
| Clothing & Accessories | 17% | Higher due to returns |
| Personal Computers | 10% | Competitive pricing |
| Grocery (under $15) | 8% | Incentivizes grocery sales |
| Amazon Device Accessories | 45% | Highest rate on Amazon |
| Gift Cards | 20% | Low margin for resellers |
| Collectible Coins | 15% | Standard rate |
| Watches | 15% | Standard rate |
These are your biggest variable costs. Every unit you sell through FBA incurs a fulfillment fee based on size and weight:
| Weight | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2-4 oz | $3.07 |
| 4-6 oz | $3.15 |
| 6-8 oz | $3.24 |
| 8-10 oz | $3.33 |
| 10-12 oz | $3.42 |
| Weight | Fee |
|---|---|
| 12-16 oz | $3.86 |
| 16-20 oz | $4.08 |
| 20-24 oz | $4.30 |
| 24-30 oz | $4.52 |
| 30-36 oz | $4.74 |
| 36-40 oz | $4.96 |
| 40-48 oz | $5.18 |
| 48 oz-3 lb | $5.40 |
| Weight | Fee |
|---|---|
| 3-50 lb | $8.26 + $0.16/lb over 3 lb |
| 50+ lb | $16.06 + $0.16/lb over 50 lb |
Introduced in 2024, this fee penalizes sellers who don't maintain enough inventory relative to their sales. Amazon wants sellers to keep products consistently in stock, so if your inventory-to-sales ratio drops too low, you'll be charged:
| Days of Supply | Fee per Unit |
|---|---|
| Under 28 days | $0.32 - $0.89 |
| 28-56 days | $0.15 - $0.32 |
| Over 56 days | No fee |
When a customer returns a product and you issue a refund, Amazon keeps the referral fee (or charges an administration fee). The refund administration fee is the lesser of $5.00 or 20% of the refund amount. So on a $30 refund, Amazon keeps $5.00. On a $15 refund, Amazon keeps $3.00.
If you sell internationally, Amazon charges approximately 3.5% for currency conversion. This is on top of all other fees and can significantly impact margins for international sellers.
| Item | Amount | % of Price |
|---|---|---|
| Selling Price | $12.99 | 100% |
| Referral Fee (15%) | −$1.95 | 15% |
| FBA Fulfillment (4 oz) | −$3.07 | 23.6% |
| Storage (0.05 cu ft) | −$0.04 | 0.3% |
| Product Cost | −$2.00 | 15.4% |
| Shipping to FBA | −$0.25 | 1.9% |
| PPC (est.) | −$2.60 | 20% |
| Net Profit | $3.08 | 23.7% |
Verdict: Marginal. After factoring in returns (~15% rate for phone cases), the actual profit drops to about $2.30/unit. You need to sell 1,000+ units monthly to make this worthwhile.
| Item | Amount | % of Price |
|---|---|---|
| Selling Price | $29.99 | 100% |
| Referral Fee (15%) | −$4.50 | 15% |
| FBA Fulfillment (14 oz) | −$3.86 | 12.9% |
| Storage (0.2 cu ft) | −$0.17 | 0.6% |
| Product Cost | −$5.00 | 16.7% |
| Shipping to FBA | −$0.40 | 1.3% |
| PPC (est.) | −$4.50 | 15% |
| Net Profit | $11.56 | 38.5% |
Verdict: Strong. Even with 15% returns, profit stays above $9/unit. This is the sweet spot for FBA profitability.
| Item | Amount | % of Price |
|---|---|---|
| Selling Price | $89.99 | 100% |
| Referral Fee (15%) | −$13.50 | 15% |
| FBA Fulfillment (2.5 lb) | −$5.40 | 6% |
| Storage (0.5 cu ft) | −$0.44 | 0.5% |
| Product Cost | −$25.00 | 27.8% |
| Shipping to FBA | −$1.50 | 1.7% |
| PPC (est.) | −$13.50 | 15% |
| Net Profit | $30.65 | 34.1% |
Verdict: Excellent in dollar terms, but requires $25K+ upfront investment for inventory. High barriers to entry but high per-unit returns.
Across all fee types, here's what Amazon actually takes from a typical $30 product:
Every product you can fit into a smaller size tier saves money. Reducing from large standard (14 oz, $3.86) to small standard (12 oz, $3.42) saves $0.44/unit. Over 12,000 units/year, that's $5,280 saved.
Below $15, fees consume 40-50% of revenue. Above $20, fees drop to 25-35%. The most profitable price point is $20-$50 for most categories.
Maintain at least 60 days of inventory supply. This means: track your daily sales velocity, set reorder points at 45-day supply, and use Amazon's inventory planning tools.
Many sellers overpay for PPC. Focus on long-tail keywords with lower competition. Target ACoS under 20% for mature products and under 30% for new launches.
Products under 12 oz and $15 sell qualify for reduced fulfillment fees. This program saves 10-20% on fulfillment for qualifying products.
Returns cost you: (1) fulfillment fees (non-refundable), (2) return processing fees ($0-$2.30), and (3) the refund administration fee (20% of refund). Improve product descriptions, sizing charts, and quality control to reduce returns below 10%.
Instead of selling 3 small items separately (3 × $3.07 = $9.21 in fulfillment), sell them as a bundle (1 × $4.52 = $4.52). You save $4.69 per bundle sale.
Sell in Canada and Mexico using your US FBA inventory without sending separate shipments. NARF fees are often lower than standard FBA fees, and you expand your market with zero additional inventory risk.
Set up alerts for inventory approaching 180 days. Options: (a) Run promotions, (b) Use Amazon Outlet, (c) Request removal before the semi-annual fee date (Feb 15 and Aug 15).
Before purchasing any product, calculate your exact fees using our free calculator. This prevents the #1 mistake: sourcing products that seem profitable but lose money after all fees.
Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) eliminates FBA fees entirely but requires you to handle shipping, customer service, and returns yourself. FBM makes sense when:
Amazon's fees are not cheap — but they're the price of access to 300+ million active customers, Prime 1-2 day shipping, and the world's most trusted e-commerce platform. The key is to work within the fee structure rather than fight it.
Focus on products that are profitable after all fees. Use our FBA Profit Calculator to validate every sourcing decision. And continuously optimize your packaging, pricing, and inventory management to minimize fees where possible.
The sellers who thrive on Amazon aren't the ones who complain about fees — they're the ones who calculate them accurately and plan accordingly.
See our fee cards & rate comparison boards on Pinterest.