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 | −$2.50 · 10.0% | $22.50 | −$5.00 · 20.0% | $20.00 | +$2.50 |
| $50.00 | −$5.00 · 10.0% | $45.00 | −$10.00 · 20.0% | $40.00 | +$5.00 |
| $100.00 | −$10.00 · 10.0% | $90.00 | −$20.00 · 20.0% | $80.00 | +$10.00 |
| $250.00 | −$25.00 · 10.0% | $225.00 | −$50.00 · 20.0% | $200.00 | +$25.00 |
| $500.00 | −$50.00 · 10.0% | $450.00 | −$100.00 · 20.0% | $400.00 | +$50.00 |
| $1,000.00 | −$100.00 · 10.0% | $900.00 | −$200.00 · 20.0% | $800.00 | +$100.00 |
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
- Sellers pay a flat 10% selling fee on the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping. That is the entire seller cost — there is no payment processing fee.
- The 2.9% + $0.50 payment processing fee that older guides still list was charged to the BUYER, not the seller, and Mercari removed it entirely on 6 January 2025.
- Buyers now pay a 3.6% Buyer Protection fee on the item price plus shipping. It does not come out of your payout, but it raises the buyer's total — price with that in mind.
- Cashing out by direct deposit is free (the old $2 fee was dropped in January 2025); a failed direct deposit costs $2. Instant Pay costs a flat $3 per cash-out, capped at $600/month.
Poshmark
Open calculator →Fashion-forward social marketplace
- Poshmark takes a flat $2.95 on sales under $15 and 20% on sales of $15 or more. There is no separate payment processing fee — it's bundled into the commission.
- The commission is charged on the listing price. Buyers pay shipping separately via Poshmark's flat-rate label, so shipping does not increase your fee.
- There are no listing fees and no monthly subscription. The 20% is the highest headline rate of the major resale platforms, but it is genuinely all-inclusive.
- Poshmark reverted the US marketplace to this structure on 24 October 2024, removing the Buyer Protection fee it had briefly introduced.
Audience & fit
On fashion items above $20, Mercari is meaningfully cheaper (a flat 10% 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.
The bottom line
For fashion, the fee math favors Mercari and it isn't subtle: Mercari runs a flat 10%, Poshmark a flat 20% on sales over $15. On a $40 top that's roughly $3 more to Poshmark every sale. If cost were the only factor, Mercari would win outright.
What Poshmark sells is velocity and audience. Its fashion-specific buyer pool and social engine — shares, parties, closet following, bundles — move inventory, especially designer and trend-driven pieces, faster than Mercari's quieter general marketplace. For those items, the faster sale (and often higher price) can be worth the extra seven points.
So it comes down to inventory. High-volume general goods and everyday fashion lean Mercari, where the lower fee compounds. A curated closet of designer or contemporary pieces can justify Poshmark's 20% through speed and its engaged buyers. Plenty of sellers run both and route each item to the platform that fits it.
Frequently asked
How much does Mercari take from each sale?
A flat 10% selling fee on the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping — and that is the entire seller cost. On a $30 item with $5 shipping you pay $3.50 and keep $31.50. Mercari charges sellers no payment processing fee: the 2.9% + $0.50 that most fee guides still quote was charged to the BUYER, and Mercari removed it outright on 6 January 2025.
Does Mercari charge fees on shipping?
Yes. Since the January 2025 change the 10% selling fee applies to the item price plus any shipping the buyer pays, so charging for shipping does increase your fee. Offering free shipping and building the cost into the item price gives the same result — the fee lands on the combined total either way.
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?