Amazon vs Shopify — which takes less?
| Amazon | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 8-17% referral fee by category ($0.30 min) + FBA fulfillment tiers | Basic 2.9% + $0.30 / Grow 2.7% / Advanced 2.5% online |
| $100 → fees | $15.00 | $3.20 |
| $100 → net | $85.00 | $96.80 |
Side-by-side quick reference
| Amount | Amazon fees | Amazon net | Shopify fees | Shopify net | Difference | Amazon charge→net | Shopify charge→net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.50 | $8.50 | $0.59 | $9.41 | shopify +$0.91 | $11.77 | $10.61 |
| $25.00 | $3.75 | $21.25 | $1.03 | $23.97 | shopify +$2.72 | $29.42 | $26.06 |
| $50.00 | $7.50 | $42.50 | $1.75 | $48.25 | shopify +$5.75 | $58.83 | $51.81 |
| $100.00 | $15.00 | $85.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | shopify +$11.80 | $117.65 | $103.30 |
| $250.00 | $37.50 | $212.50 | $7.55 | $242.45 | shopify +$29.95 | $294.12 | $257.78 |
| $500.00 | $75.00 | $425.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | shopify +$60.20 | $588.24 | $515.25 |
| $1,000.00 | $150.00 | $850.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | shopify +$120.70 | $1,176.48 | $1,030.18 |
Amazon formula
8-17% referral fee by category ($0.30 min) + FBA fulfillment tiers
8-17% referral fee by category ($0.30 min) + FBA fulfillment tiers — verified 2026-11-10
Shopify formula
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Basic 2.9% + $0.30 / Grow 2.7% / Advanced 2.5% online — verified 2026-11-10
Amazon fee formula & hidden costs
8-17% referral fee by category ($0.30 min) + FBA fulfillment tiers
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $15.00 fees → $85.00 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $117.65.
Hidden fees to watch
- The $0.30 minimum referral fee makes sub-$2 items effectively fee-locked.
- FBA adds fulfillment, monthly storage, aged-inventory and removal fees beyond referral.
- Media categories add a $1.80 closing fee per item.
- Refunds trigger a refund administration fee (~20% of the referral, capped).
- Low-price jewelry and beauty fee breaks flip at $250 and $10 thresholds.
Shopify fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $3.20 fees → $96.80 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $103.30.
Hidden fees to watch
- Using any gateway other than Shopify Payments adds a 2%/1%/0.6% transaction penalty by plan.
- Shopify keeps the card fee when you refund an order.
- Currency conversion for cross-border orders adds ~1.5-2%.
- The monthly plan fee ($39-$2,300) is a real per-order cost at low volumes — amortize it above.
Frequently asked questions
Which takes less on a $100 sale: Amazon or Shopify?
Amazon takes $15.00 (net $85.00); Shopify takes $3.20 (net $96.80). Shopify wins by $11.80 at $100.
Which is better for international sellers, Amazon or Shopify?
Amazon: 8-17% referral fee by category ($0.30 min) + FBA fulfillment tiers. Shopify: Basic 2.9% + $0.30 / Grow 2.7% / Advanced 2.5% online. Check the regional variants above — rates change materially by country.
What is the effective take rate difference between Amazon and Shopify?
At $100, Amazon takes 15.0% vs Shopify at 3.2% — a 11.8 point gap before modifiers.