Whatnot seller fees

Whatnot offers lower commission rates as your sales grow, giving you the opportunity to keep more of what you earn and reinvest in your business.

As you reach new sales thresholds, you can unlock progressively lower commission rates. There’s nothing to apply for or enroll in. Reach the next threshold, unlock a lower rate.

Below, you can see the commission rates and sales thresholds available to you and how they work.

On this page: 

• How Commission Rates Work
• Tiers & Commission Rates
• Tracking Your Progress
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Current Commission Rates

How Commission Rates Work

On Whatnot, your commission rate drops as your sales grow. Your sales in a four-week period determine the tier you unlock and the rate you pay for the next period. Here’s how it works:

1. Sell: Sales in all categories count toward your total
2. Your total sales unlock a tier; your tier determines your rate: Higher sales = higher tier unlocked = lower commission rates, per category. Rates go as low as 3%
3. Tiers and rates reset every four weeks: Your tier and rates are dynamic, resetting every 28-days depending on your sales volume. Keep selling to maintain lower rates.

Keep in mind:

1. Your rate is locked for the full period. Crossing into a higher tier during a period lowers your rate for the next period, not right away.
2. Reduced rates apply to your Whatnot selling commission only. Payment processing and other seller fees still apply.
3. “Total sales” means the combined sale price of your completed orders across all categories.

Tiers & Commission Rates

Your total sales over a four-week period determine your tier (and your tier determines your commission rate). Commission rates vary by category. This means that your total sales across all categories determine the tier you unlock. Once you unlock a tier, the commission rate for that tier is applied based on the category of each sale.

For example, if you have $10,000 in Fashion sales and $5,000 in Toys sales, your total sales are $15,000. That $15,000 determines your tier, but your Fashion and Toys sales may be charged different commission rates within that tier.

For live sales: the rate is based on the category of the show. 

For marketplace (non-live) sales: the rate is based on the category of the product. 

These rates are your Whatnot commission rate. In the EU and UK, all rates are subject to VAT. Payment processing fees are separate and still apply.

All Tiers & Rates

Your rate card depends on where you sell. Thresholds and rates are set per market and aren't the same everywhere. Choose your market to see your full table: 

How Whatnot Calculates Commission

Whatnot calculates commission on Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), which is the sale price of the item. Shipping and taxes paid by the buyer are not included.

Other marketplaces may calculate commission on Gross Transaction Value (GTV), which can include the item price plus additional costs like shipping and taxes. This means a lower advertised commission rate can sometimes result in a higher fee.

For example: You sell a $10 item with $4.99 shipping and $0.85 in sales tax.

• Whatnot: An 8% commission on the $10 item price = $0.80
• Another marketplace: A 6% commission on the full $15.84 transaction (item price plus shipping plus tax) = $0.95

In this example, the seller pays less in commission on Whatnot even though the headline commission rate is higher. And as your sales grow on Whatnot, you may unlock even lower commission rates.

Tracking Your Progress

You can track your sales progress and projected rate in Seller Hub at any time. 

You can see the exact rate charged on any individual order:

• iOS and Android: Orders → select the order → Receipt and earnings details
• Seller Hub web: Orders → click into an order → scroll the right side panel

Your pace toward the next tier, your current tier, and your projected rate are all on the Seller Hub home page.

Progress Notifications

We'll keep you updated on your pace via email and push notifications throughout your four-week period. You can also check your progress anytime in Seller Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How is my tier determined?

Your tier is set by your total sales across all categories over a four-week period. Every sale counts toward your tier, even though the commission rate may vary by category.

How do the four-week periods work?

Your total sales progress and tier resets every four-weeks (28 days). When a four-week period ends, your new tier (and new rates) kicks in automatically for the next four-week period.

Every period starts from zero. The threshold has to be reached inside one four-week window — sales don't carry over or stack across periods, and they can't be moved between them. Your exact cutoff date and time are in Seller Hub, shown in your local time.

When does my first four-week period begin, and what will my tier be?

No existing sellers start at zero. We calculated your sales from August 24 to September 20 — midnight to midnight in your local market — and placed you in the tier that total earns. That's the rate you open with on September 21, as though the structure had been running all along. Your new rate activates at 12am in your local market, so sellers in different markets will see it appear at different points throughout the day. 

For new sellers after September 21, your sales will begin counting toward the tier you’ll receive for the following four-week period.

Make sure you're on the latest version of the app to see your rate and tracker.

Does the reduced rate apply to all my fees? 

No. The reduced rate applies to your Whatnot selling commission only. Payment processing fees still apply as usual, so your total fees on an order will be higher than the commission rate alone. 

Payment processing fees are calculated on the total order value paid by the buyer, including the item price, buyer-paid shipping, and taxes, plus a fixed transaction fee.

Payment processing fees vary by market:

• US, Canada, Australia: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
• EU, UK: 2.42% + €/£0.25 per transaction, plus VAT

You can see the full fee breakdown on each order in Seller Hub.

What counts as a sale, and how are my total sales calculated? 

Your total sales are the combined sale price of all your completed orders across every category, in both live shows and marketplace.

• What counts. All live show sales, including Rewards Club shows. All marketplace and Shop sales. Every category, combined into one total. Sales made while you're on a promotional rate. 
• What doesn't. Private shows, local pickup orders, and cancelled orders are subtracted from your total. Sales on a different seller account of yours are counted on that account, not added to this one.

How is my projected commission rate calculated?

We take your total sales so far, divide by the number of days that have passed, and multiply by 28 to project where you'll finish the period. 

For example:

• if you're on day 14 of the 28 day period with $10K in sales, we project you'll finish at $20K
• If you’re on day 7 of the 28 day period with $1K in sales, we project you’ll finish at $4K 

Your actual rate only locks in at the end of the period — the projection helps you understand where you're headed. That way you can tell at a glance whether you’re on pace for a higher, same, or lower rate than last period.

How is my top sales category determined?

Your top category is the one where you’ve made the most total sales as a Whatnot seller. You can toggle between all eligible categories to check your rates, but we default to your top selling category when we show your rate in Seller Hub, notifications, and emails. 

If you haven’t sold yet, we’ll show the category you selected when you signed up to sell.

When does my new commission rate take effect?

It takes effect automatically at the end of a four-week period. We'll send you an email and a notification letting you know what tier you unlocked for the next period.

I crossed into a higher tier this period. Why didn’t my rate go down? 

Your rate is locked for the full period. When you cross into a higher tier, the lower rate applies at the start of your next period, not right away. We may let you know you’ve crossed a tier, but that reward shows up in your next period’s rate.

What happens if my sales drop in a period?

If your sales drop below your current tier threshold, your tier will drop too. Your commission rate will adjust accordingly at the end of the four-week period.

What happens if I have a cancellation? 

A cancelled order is subtracted from your total sales for the period it was placed in. That affects the tier you unlock for your next period — it doesn't change the rate you're paying right now, which is locked for the full period.

What happens when a period ends in the middle of a show? 

Each order is handled by the time it was placed: 

• Orders placed before the old period ends count toward the old period’s total sales and are charged the old period’s rate
• Orders placed after the new period starts count toward the new period and are charged the new rate. 

You can see the rate charged on each order in Seller Hub.

Why did Whatnot make this change?

Helping sellers grow is one of our top priorities. Our goal is to help sellers keep more of what they earn and reinvest it back into their business, whether that's sourcing more inventory, offering better deals, or investing in future growth.

Is this how commission rates work across all markets? 

Tiered commission rates are available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Australia. Thresholds and rates are set per country, so the numbers on your rate card are specific to your market — a seller elsewhere can have the same sales and see different figures.

Tiered rates aren't available in Japan yet. Japanese seller fees are unchanged: 8% + JCT on the final sale price of sold items (4% + JCT on Coins & Money), plus payment processing. As Whatnot grows in newer markets we'll keep evaluating where to expand the structure, and we'll let sellers know directly if anything changes.

I’m a smaller seller, how does this help me?

Our rate structure is designed to benefit sellers at a range of sizes. 

As your sales grow, you can unlock additional commission reductions by reaching higher tiers. You'll also be able to track your progress in real time, so you'll always know how close you are to the next tier.

The goal is to reward growth with a clear, transparent path to lower commission rates as your business scales.

Am I still eligible for the Premier Shop discount?

Through October 31, your Premier Shop discount applies on top of your new commission rate. For example, if your rate is 5%, the 10% Premier Shop discount brings it to 4.5%.

Starting November 1, Premier Shop no longer includes a commission discount. Your commission rate is then set entirely by your sales tier — the more you sell, the lower it goes.

Premier Shop itself isn't going anywhere, and how you qualify for it isn't changing. It recognizes the experience you give buyers: reliable shipping, responsive support, quality service. Premier Shop sellers keep the badge, increased discoverability, and prioritised support. 

Can I get a lower rate by choosing a category that doesn’t match what I’m selling?

No. Shows and listings need to be in the category that accurately describes what you're selling — that's what makes them discoverable for the right buyers, and it's how your rate is worked out. Deliberately listing in the wrong category to get a lower commission rate is considered fee avoidance under our policies, and may result in enforcement action. 

If you're unsure which category fits, pick the one that best matches the majority of what you're selling in that show.

What's the lowest rate I can get?

The best available rate to you depends on your market, and the category you're selling in — rates differ by both, so check your rate card in Seller Hub for your exact figures.

Sell more in a four-week period to unlock a lower rate for the next one — there's nothing to apply for or enrol in.

How do I get the headline 3% rate?

Rates as low as 3% are custom rates available to  our highest-volume sellers who work directly with a dedicated account manager on custom terms. This is  not something you apply for — if your business reaches that scale, we'll be in touch.

Why was one order charged a different rate than another?

Your total sales set your tier. The rate you're charged on any individual sale depends on that sale's category, and each category has its own rate at each tier.

For live sales, the rate follows the category of the show. For marketplace and Shop sales, it follows the category of the product. Both charges can be correct and different — they're just different categories. You can see every category's rate at every tier in the Seller Hub tracker.

What is a  promotional rate? And do those sales still count toward my tier?

A promotional rate is a time-bound or eligibility-based commission rate (for example: new-seller 0% fees, Sales/Launch promos, and/or limited-time category promos) that overrides your earned rate for a defined scope. You are charged the lower applicable rate, and eligible sales count toward your total for the period, so they build the tier you unlock next. You don't move tiers during the promotion itself — your promotional rate applies for as long as the promotion runs, and your earned tier rate takes over when it ends.

I sell on more than one account. Do my sales add up across them?

No. Each seller account earns its own tier from its own sales, on its own four-week period. Selling more on one account brings that account's rate down; it doesn't change the other one.

I was part of the earlier test. Why did my progress reset?

Nothing was lost; the test period closed out early when lower rates became the standard structure for all sellers, and your period restarted on 21 September. Your starting tier was set from your sales over the previous four weeks rather than from where you were in the test, and your sales from that point build toward your next rate.

I only started selling recently. Am I included?

Yes. Every seller is included automatically — there's nothing to join. If you started selling in the days before 21 September, you're enrolled on 21 September and your sales start counting toward the tier you'll get for your following period.

Why are the rates different in another country?

Thresholds and rates are set per market, so they aren't the same everywhere. Base rates, tax treatment and payment processing fees all differ by region. Your orders are always charged on the rate card for your own market.

Current Commission Rates

The commission rates below continue to apply until your new rates start.