How much does it cost to sell on Amazon? Understanding the true cost is your first competitive advantage. Amazon’s latest fee updates covering FBA fulfillment, storage, and inbound placement are reshaping what it takes to stay profitable.

This guide breaks down every major fee and shares proven ways to keep more of your margins.

Is It Still Worth Selling on Amazon in 2026?

Yes, selling on Amazon in 2026 can still be worth it, provided you’re strategic.

On the plus side, Amazon offers massive customer reach, strong brand credibility, built-in logistics, and excellent growth tools. On the other hand, you’ll face rising fees, heavy competition, limited branding control, and dependence on Amazon’s rules as the platform evolves.

We broke down the pros and cons in the table below so you can make your own judgment.

Pros and Cons of Selling on Amazon in 2026

Amazon is still the largest online marketplace in the world, and if you enter with tight cost control, a differentiated product strategy, and multi-channel backup, Amazon remains a major channel in 2026.

What to Expect to Spend on Amazon Fees as a Seller in 2026

Your total costs as a seller depend on which specific services you use from Amazon, but the table below gives a quick overview of what to expect.

Amazon Core Fees Explained

1. Selling Plan Fees

Individual Plan

When you select the Individual Plan, you pay $0.99 per item sold and no monthly subscription. This plan is best if you are a small-volume seller.

Professional Plan

If you opt for the Professional Plan, you pay $39.99 per month and can list unlimited products, use bulk tools, run ads, and access advanced reporting.

2. Referral Fees

Since Amazon facilitates sales by providing a platform between sellers and customers, they charge a percentage of the total sale price for each item sold.

Most categories fall in the 8–15% range. For example, categories like Footwear and Tools & Home Improvement commonly sit at 15%.

Certain categories such as Amazon Device Accessories can reach as high as 45%.

Referral fees are expected to remain stable in 2026 and not increase.

To learn more about referral fees, check out our detailed blog here.

3. Closing Fees for Media Categories

If you sell items in the following categories, you are charged additional Closing Fees, also known as Variable Closing Fees, on a per-unit basis:

• Books
• DVDs
• Music
• Software & Computer/Video Games
• Video Game Consoles
• Video Game Accessories

4. Refund Administration Fees

When you refund a customer for an item for which they have already paid, Amazon refunds you the referral fee minus an applicable refund administration fee.

For a more detailed overview of referral fees and refund administration fees, check out this blog here.

What Are Amazon’s Fulfillment Options and Costs?

When selling on Amazon, you can either ship orders yourself (Fulfilled by Merchant, FBM) or have Amazon handle storage, packing, and shipping for you through Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) is a hybrid option where you keep fulfillment in-house but still display the Prime badge.

1. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Selling through Amazon FBA gives you access to Amazon’s warehousing, fast delivery network, and customer service, but it also comes with several recurring fees that affect profitability. Understanding these standard charges helps you price products correctly and forecast margins more accurately.

Below is a quick overview of the main fees an Amazon FBA seller should expect:

• FBA Fulfillment Fee: Charged per unit for picking, packing, shipping, handling customer service, and returns. Varies by size, weight, and whether the item is apparel or non-apparel.
• Monthly Storage Fee: Based on the volume (cubic feet) your inventory occupies in Amazon’s warehouses. Rates increase significantly from October–December.
• Aged Inventory Surcharge: Applied to inventory stored beyond 181 days, with higher tiers for products stored over one year.
• Removal & Disposal Fees: Charged per unit when removing or discarding items from Amazon fulfillment centers.
• Low-Inventory Level Fee: Added to FBA fulfillment fees when your 30- and 90-day inventory levels fall below 28 days of supply.
• Inbound Placement Fee: Charged depending on how many locations you ship your inventory to; minimal splits (one location) incur the highest fees.
• Optional: Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) Fees: Applicable only if you use Amazon to fulfill orders from channels outside Amazon (e.g., Shopify).

2. Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM)

Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) is an Amazon selling method where you store, pack, and ship orders yourself, or through your own third-party logistics provider, instead of using Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

Because you handle fulfillment, your costs are based on your own shipping rates, packaging materials, labor, and storage, rather than Amazon’s FBA fees. FBM can be a smart choice for sellers with bulky, heavy, or slow-moving products, or for those who want more control over delivery speed, branding, and customer experience.

For more details, you can visit Amazon’s official FBM page.

3. Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)

Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) allows you to ship orders directly from your own warehouse while still displaying the Prime badge, giving customers fast, reliable delivery without using Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

There are no additional program fees, but you must meet Amazon’s strict performance requirements, including fast shipping, accurate tracking, and high on-time delivery rates. For sellers with strong in-house logistics or a reliable 3PL, SFP offers the flexibility of self-fulfillment while getting the visibility and conversion benefits of Prime.

To see if you qualify, visit Amazon’s official SFP page: https://sell.amazon.com/programs/seller-fulfilled-prime

Example Cost Breakdown for a Product Selling at $40

Below is a revised example of total costs and profit for an Amazon FBA product selling at $40.

Other Amazon Fees Sellers Should Know About

Beyond core and fulfillment fees, several other costs can impact your bottom line:

• Amazon PPC advertising costs vary depending on keyword competition, marketplace demand, and how aggressively you set your bids.
• High-volume listing fees may apply once your catalog surpasses Amazon’s SKU thresholds (which vary by region), adding extra costs for very large product catalogs.
• GS1 UPC and GTIN codes carry their own membership and barcode fees, which increase depending on how many identifiers your brand requires.
• Amazon Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS) charges a tiered conversion fee—generally between 0.75% and 1.5%, based on your total transaction volume.
• Amazon’s 2026 returns processing fee will apply to units returned by customers, with costs varying based on product size and return activity.
• Some Amazon tools and reports (such as certain analytics dashboards) may only be available to Professional selling accounts, depending on the feature.

Smart Ways to Reduce Your Amazon Seller Fees

If you want to keep more of your profits, here are some practical strategies that can help you cut down your Amazon seller fees:

• Enroll in Amazon Brand Registry to access brand-protection tools and be eligible for programs like Brand Referral Bonus.
• Leverage the Amazon Brand Referral Bonus to drive external traffic (social, search, email) to your listings and earn ~10% credit to offset referral fees.
• Maintain a high sell-through rate and avoid letting inventory sit too long in Amazon’s warehouse, so you avoid aged-inventory surcharges.
• Monitor your inventory age and turnover regularly by using Amazon’s inventory health tools or reports to avoid surcharge fees by removing or discounting slow-moving stock early.
• Regularly evaluate FBA vs FBM costs using Amazon’s fee calculator and pay attention to items with low velocity or high storage costs.

Take Control of Your Amazon Costs with AI Repricing

Stay Below Amazon’s Higher-Fee Thresholds Automatically

Our AI repricer intelligently adapts your pricing to avoid ranges that trigger higher Amazon fees, helping you protect margins without constant monitoring.

Reprice Fast When Storage Costs Stack Up

Whether you want to move inventory quickly to avoid long-term storage fees, optimize based on historical days of supply, or accelerate sell-through when needed, BQool’s Repricing Central follows your exact conditions to keep profits healthy and inventory flowing.

Fine-Tune Prices Using Sell-Through Rate Goals

Set repricing automations based on your target sell-through rate and let BQool adjust prices to maximize profit per unit while maintaining healthy velocity.

Optimize Pricing for FBA and FBM Channels

With fulfillment-based conditions, you can tailor pricing for FBA and FBM listings independently, giving hybrid sellers a smarter way to balance fees, speed, and Buy Box share.

Enjoy Seamless Integrations With SellerAmp and Boxem

Source smarter and ship smoother. Our integrations allow your repricer to communicate directly with your sourcing and shipping tools, creating a connected workflow that saves time and eliminates manual steps.

FAQs

How much does it cost to sell something on Amazon?

Most sellers pay 15–35% of the sale price once referral fees, fulfillment, storage, and other costs are included.

Can I make $1,000 a month selling on Amazon?

Yes, it’s achievable, and it’s a common milestone for new sellers. But it’s not automatic—you need a solid plan and the right execution.

Do I have to pay $40 to sell on Amazon?

Only if you choose the Professional Plan ($39.99/month). The Individual Plan charges $0.99 per sale instead.

What percentage does Amazon take from each sale?

Referral fees are usually 8–15%, depending on the product category.

Is it cheaper to sell as an Individual or Professional seller?

Individual is cheaper for fewer than 40 sales per month; above that, the Professional Plan is more cost-effective.

Does Amazon charge for returns?

Yes. Amazon charges a refund administration fee, and FBA sellers may also incur returns processing fees.

What are FBA storage and long-term storage fees?

Amazon charges monthly storage based on cubic footage, with higher rates in Q4. Long-term storage fees start after 181 days in the warehouse.

Can I sell without paying for FBA?

Yes. You can use FBM or Seller Fulfilled Prime to handle your own fulfillment and avoid FBA fees.

How can I reduce my Amazon fees?

Improve inventory turnover, choose the right fulfillment method, manage ad spend carefully, and use brand tools that help increase profitable sales.

Conclusion

Selling on Amazon in 2026 can still be profitable, but it requires tight cost control and a clear understanding of every fee involved. With referral fees, FBA, storage, aged inventory surcharges, inbound placement, removals, MCF, and advertising, a large share of revenue can disappear quickly without careful management.

The sellers who succeed know their true cost per unit, pick the right fulfillment method for each SKU, monitor inventory age and sell-through, and use tools to stay competitive.

With these fundamentals in place and an AI repricer like BQool to help avoid fee triggers, move aging stock, and optimize pricing, Amazon remains a strong and profitable channel in 2026.