Comparison · general
Mercari vs Poshmark
Which marketplace has lower fees for resellers — and when does each one win?
Two of the most accessible resale platforms for casual sellers. Mercari is general-purpose with predictable fees; Poshmark is fashion-specific with a flat 20%.
Net payout at common sale prices
| Sale price | Mercari fees | Mercari net | Poshmark fees | Poshmark net | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25.00 | −$3.73 · 14.9% | $21.27 | −$5.00 · 20.0% | $20.00 | +$1.27 |
| $50.00 | −$6.95 · 13.9% | $43.05 | −$10.00 · 20.0% | $40.00 | +$3.05 |
| $100.00 | −$13.40 · 13.4% | $86.60 | −$20.00 · 20.0% | $80.00 | +$6.60 |
| $250.00 | −$32.75 · 13.1% | $217.25 | −$50.00 · 20.0% | $200.00 | +$17.25 |
| $500.00 | −$65.00 · 13.0% | $435.00 | −$100.00 · 20.0% | $400.00 | +$35.00 |
| $1,000.00 | −$129.50 · 13.0% | $870.50 | −$200.00 · 20.0% | $800.00 | +$70.50 |
Net payout = sale price + shipping charged − platform fees. Both platforms calculated with default options and no shipping charged to buyer.
Fee structure
Mercari
Open calculator →Casual marketplace for general goods
- The selling fee (10%) applies to the item price only — shipping and sales tax are excluded from this charge.
- Payment processing (2.9% + $0.50) applies to the full amount the buyer pays, item plus shipping.
- Mercari Shipping Label deducts the discounted label cost directly from your payout. Enter that cost in 'Your shipping cost' to see accurate profit.
- Mercari Shipping Protection covers eligible packages up to $200 at no extra cost to the seller — it does not change the calculator math.
Poshmark
Open calculator →Fashion-forward social marketplace
- Poshmark charges a flat $2.95 commission on sales under $15.
- For sales of $15 or more, Poshmark takes a flat 20%. There is no separate payment processing fee — it's bundled in.
- Poshmark handles shipping pricing — the buyer pays Poshmark for a priority mail label by weight tier. The seller chooses the label weight at listing time.
- Bundled sales (multiple items from one closet) use the same fee structure applied to the total bundle price.
Audience & fit
On fashion items above $20, Mercari is meaningfully cheaper (≈13% effective vs Poshmark's 20%). But Poshmark's social features and fashion-specific buyer pool can move inventory faster, especially for designer or trend-driven items. If you're moving high-volume general goods, Mercari. If you're working a curated fashion closet, Poshmark.
Frequently asked
How much does Mercari take from each sale?
Mercari charges a 10% selling fee on the item price only (not shipping), plus a payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.50 on the buyer's total payment (item plus shipping). For a $30 item with $5 shipping, you'd pay $3.00 selling fee plus $1.52 processing — about $4.52 total, or roughly 13% of the gross.
Does Mercari charge fees on shipping?
Partially. The 10% selling fee applies only to the item price, but the 2.9% + $0.50 payment processing fee applies to the buyer's full payment, which includes shipping. So shipping is partially fee-free on Mercari, unlike eBay where all fees apply to item + shipping.
Why does Poshmark take 20% of my sale?
Poshmark's 20% commission covers payment processing, the Posh Protect buyer guarantee, customer service, and shipping label costs (USPS Priority Mail flat rates that buyers pay). It is the highest percentage fee of any major resale platform, but unlike eBay or Mercari, there are no separate processing fees — the 20% is the all-in cost.
How does the $2.95 flat fee work for cheap items?
Sales under $15 are charged a flat $2.95 instead of the 20% percentage. This is actually a discount for very small sales — at $5, the flat $2.95 is 59% effective, but at $10 it's only 29.5%. At $14.99, the flat fee is $2.95 (19.7%), and at $15.00 the percentage kicks in for $3.00 (20%). There's a tiny cliff right at the threshold.
More comparisons
See all comparisons →Want to run the numbers on your specific sale?