Selling on Amazon involves more than one charge. One of the most important is the referral fee, commonly described by sellers as Amazon's commission.
Amazon US does not charge one universal commission percentage across every product. Referral fees vary by product fee category. Some categories use a single percentage, while others use price thresholds or tiered calculations. Amazon generally charges the applicable percentage of the total price or the category's minimum referral fee, whichever is greater.
Amazon also charges for the seller's chosen selling plan. The Individual plan currently costs $0.99 per item sold, while the Professional plan costs $39.99 per month. Optional programs such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Amazon Ads can add further costs.
Important: This guide covers Amazon.com / US selling fees. Marketplace fees and program costs can change. Verify current charges in Amazon's official documentation and your own seller account before making a material commercial decision.
Amazon referral fees by category
Amazon's US referral-fee schedule varies by fee category. The table below shows selected current examples from Amazon's official pricing page.
| Amazon US fee category | Referral fee |
|---|---|
| Home & Kitchen | 15% |
| Computers | 8% |
| Consumer Electronics | 8% |
| Automotive & Powersports | 12% |
| Sports & Outdoors | 15% |
| Tools & Home Improvement | 15% |
| Toys & Games | 15% |
| Footwear | 15% |
| Backpacks, Handbags & Luggage | 15% |
| Office Products | 15% |
| Tires | 10% |
| Gift Cards | 20% |
| Video Game Consoles | 8% |
Many categories also have a minimum referral fee, often $0.30, although exceptions exist. Always check the current official schedule for the exact fee category that applies to your product.
Categories with variable or tiered rates
Not every category can be represented by one percentage. Some use a threshold that changes the rate once the total sales price passes a stated level. Others apply different percentages to different portions of the sales price.
- Clothing & Accessories: 5% for products priced at $15 or less, 10% above $15 through $20, and 17% above $20.
- Baby Products: 8% at $10 or less and 15% above $10.
- Beauty, Health & Personal Care: 8% at $10 or less and 15% above $10.
- Grocery & Gourmet: 8% at $15 or less and 15% above $15.
- Furniture: 15% on the portion up to $200 and 10% on the portion above $200.
- Jewelry: 20% on the portion up to $250 and 5% on the portion above $250.
- Electronics Accessories: 15% on the portion up to $100 and 8% on the portion above $100.
Fee-category warning: Amazon notes that a product's fee category can differ from the category customers see while shopping. Amazon also states that the total price used for referral-fee calculations includes the list price plus shipping and gift-wrapping charges where applicable.
View Amazon's official US referral-fee schedule.
How Amazon commission affects your profit
Knowing the referral-fee percentage is useful, but sellers ultimately need to know how much money remains after Amazon's charges and the other costs of doing business.
Example 1: $25 Home & Kitchen product
Referral fee: $25.00 × 15% = $3.75
Estimated profit margin: $10.25 ÷ $25.00 × 100 = 41%
Example 2: $100 Computer product
Estimated profit margin: $25 ÷ $100 × 100 = 25%
A lower referral percentage does not automatically make a product more profitable. COGS, landed cost, fulfillment, advertising, returns and other operating costs matter too.
Example 3: $300 Furniture product with a tiered referral fee
Amazon's current Furniture structure applies 15% to the portion up to $200 and 10% to the portion above $200.
First $200: $200 × 15% = $30
Remaining $100: $100 × 10% = $10
Total referral fee: $40
Estimated margin: $65 ÷ $300 × 100 = 21.67%
Profit Margin (%) = Estimated Profit ÷ Revenue × 100
Estimate your own Amazon profit
Use your own selling price, product costs and fee assumptions instead of relying on a headline commission percentage.
Referral fee vs. selling plan vs. FBA costs
Amazon's current documentation distinguishes standard selling fees from costs tied to optional programs and services.
| Cost type | What it represents |
|---|---|
| Referral fee | Category-dependent selling fee tied to a sale. |
| Selling plan | Individual per-item charge or Professional monthly subscription. |
| FBA fulfillment | Costs associated with picking, packing, shipping, customer service and returns. |
| FBA storage | Monthly inventory storage based on the space inventory occupies. |
| Other optional costs | Programs and services such as Amazon Ads and other selected seller services. |
Amazon's July 2026 FBA guide says fulfillment costs are based on product weight and size, while storage costs are charged monthly based on cubic feet used in Amazon's fulfillment network. Other potential FBA costs can include aged inventory, returns processing, removal or disposal, and inbound placement.
Key distinction: Referral fee ≠ total Amazon selling cost, and revenue minus referral fee ≠ profit.
Read Amazon's official 2026 FBA cost guide.
Amazon Individual vs. Professional: the selling-plan break-even point
Amazon US currently lists the Individual selling plan at $0.99 per item sold and the Professional plan at $39.99 per month, plus applicable selling fees.
Considering only those published selling-plan charges:
Professional monthly plan charge = $39.99
| Monthly units sold | Individual | Professional | Lower plan charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $9.90 | $39.99 | Individual |
| 20 | $19.80 | $39.99 | Individual |
| 30 | $29.70 | $39.99 | Individual |
| 40 | $39.60 | $39.99 | Individual by $0.39 |
| 41 | $40.59 | $39.99 | Professional by $0.60 |
| 50 | $49.50 | $39.99 | Professional by $9.51 |
| 100 | $99.00 | $39.99 | Professional by $59.01 |
41 units per month is the first whole-unit volume where $39.99 is lower than $0.99 per item. But that is only a selling-plan cost comparison. Professional also includes additional tools and capabilities, so plan choice should not be based on unit volume alone.
Common Amazon fee mistakes that can reduce profit
- Treating the referral fee as the total cost of selling. Referral fees are only one component.
- Using the wrong fee category. Amazon's fee category can differ from the customer-facing store category.
- Calculating tiered rates incorrectly. Portion-based rates must be applied to the relevant portions, not blindly to the whole price.
- Forgetting the selling-plan charge. Individual and Professional plans use different cost structures.
- Ignoring FBA fulfillment and storage costs. These can materially change unit economics.
- Confusing supplier cost with landed cost. Freight, customs, prep and packaging can increase the true unit cost. See COGS vs. Landed Cost.
- Leaving advertising out of the model. Ad spend can turn an apparently healthy product into a low-margin one. Use the Break-Even ROAS Calculator when advertising economics matter.
- Ignoring inventory age and returns. FBA can involve additional inventory- and returns-related costs.
- Using outdated fee assumptions. Marketplace fee structures change, so verify current official terms.
For a broader explanation of Amazon's fee layers, see Amazon Seller Fees Explained. For margin planning, see Ecommerce Profit Margin.
Amazon seller commission FAQ
What percentage does Amazon take from sellers?
There is no single percentage for every Amazon US product. Referral fees vary by fee category, and sellers may also incur selling-plan charges and other applicable costs.
What is an Amazon referral fee?
A referral fee is a standard selling fee charged when an item sells. Amazon generally charges the applicable percentage of total price or the category's minimum referral fee, whichever is greater.
Does Amazon charge 15% on every sale?
No. Several categories use 15%, but other categories use different percentages or tiered structures.
Is the Amazon referral fee the same as an FBA cost?
No. Referral fees are standard selling fees. FBA is an optional fulfillment program with separate fulfillment, storage and potentially other costs.
How much does Amazon charge for the Individual selling plan?
Amazon US currently lists the Individual plan at $0.99 per item sold, plus applicable selling fees.
How much is the Amazon Professional selling plan?
Amazon US currently lists the Professional plan at $39.99 per month, plus applicable selling fees.
When does Professional become cheaper than Individual?
Considering only the published plan charges, 41 units in a month is the first whole-unit point at which $39.99 is lower than paying $0.99 per item. Seller tools and operational needs can still justify a different choice.
Does Amazon calculate referral fees on seller profit?
No. Referral fees are based on Amazon's applicable total-price and fee-category rules, not on the seller's final profit.
How can I calculate my actual Amazon profit?
Model revenue against all applicable Amazon charges plus landed cost, fulfillment, advertising and other relevant expenses. The Ecomly Profit Amazon Profit Calculator can help you test those assumptions.
How much does Amazon really take?
There is not one percentage that answers this for every seller. Actual economics can depend on the product's fee category, selling plan, fulfillment method, inventory and storage profile, advertising, landed cost and other business expenses.
A 15% referral fee does not mean the seller automatically keeps the other 85% as profit.
The better question: After applicable Amazon charges and all of my business costs, how much profit do I actually keep?
Related Ecomly Profit resources
Source methodology
Marketplace: Amazon.com — United States
Last reviewed: September 5, 2026
Primary source: Amazon official seller documentation
Ecomly Profit reviews fee-sensitive marketplace information against official marketplace documentation wherever available. Fee schedules, classifications and program costs can change.
Calculations and examples on this page are educational planning estimates, not quotes from Amazon. Actual seller costs can vary according to product, fee category, fulfillment method, inventory characteristics, programs used and other factors.
Verify current charges before making material pricing, sourcing or inventory decisions.
Amazon US official pricing and referral-fee schedule
Amazon's July 2026 FBA cost guide