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If you sell phones on eBay, one number matters more than any other: the percentage eBay keeps when your phone sells. Phones are one of the categories where an eBay Store changes that number the most, so it’s worth understanding exactly how the fees work.
All figures below are for US sellers on eBay.com and were checked against eBay’s own fee pages on October 10, 2026. You can try any of these scenarios in our eBay fee calculator.
The short version
| No Store or Starter Store | Basic Store and up | |
|---|---|---|
| Cell phones & smartphones | 13.6% up to $7,500 | 9.35% up to $2,500 |
| Cell phone accessories (cases, chargers, cables…) | 13.6% up to $7,500 | 12.7% up to $2,500 |
| Memory cards (in Cell Phones & Accessories) | 13.6% up to $7,500 | 9.35% up to $2,500 |
| Per-order fee | $0.30 if the order is $10 or less, $0.40 above $10 | same |
Above those thresholds the rate drops to 2.35% on the extra amount. That rarely matters for phones, since even a top-spec new flagship is well under $2,500.
The detail most sellers miss: fees are charged on tax and shipping
eBay works out the percentage on the total amount of the sale. That means the item price, plus whatever the buyer paid for shipping, plus the sales tax eBay collected. The tax goes to the state, but the fee on that tax comes out of your payout.
Example: a $300 phone, free shipping, buyer pays 7% tax
- Total sale: $300 + $21 tax = $321
- No Store: 13.6% × $321 = $43.66, + $0.40 = $44.06 in fees
- Basic Store: 9.35% × $321 = $30.01, + $0.40 = $30.41 in fees
That’s a $13.65 difference on a single phone. If you sell even three or four phones a month, a Basic Store (from $21.95 a month on a yearly plan) usually pays for itself. Check it with your own numbers in the Store break-even calculator.
Accessories: the per-order fee is the real cost
For a $15 case with 7% tax, the total sale is $16.05:
- No Store: 13.6% × $16.05 = $2.18, + $0.40 = $2.58 (17.2% of the $15 price)
- Basic Store: 12.7% × $16.05 = $2.04, + $0.40 = $2.44
Now take an $8 screen protector. The total with tax is $8.56, so the per-order fee is $0.30, and the total fee is $1.46. That’s over 18% of your price before you’ve paid for shipping.
Cheap accessories lose money fast on fees. Three ways to fight back:
- Bundle. Three $8 items bought together cost $3.89 in fees, against $4.38 if they’re sold as three separate orders. Volume pricing (“buy 2, save 10%”) and combined shipping push buyers toward one bigger order.
- Price for the fee. If a protector has to net you $6, list it at a price where the maths still works. Our price finder does this for you.
- Raise the order value with a matching cable or case in the same listing as a variation.
Extra fees that can sneak in
- Promoted Listings (general): your ad rate × the total sale. At 5% on that $321 phone sale that’s another $16.05, more than the Store saving. Promote on purpose, not by default. See our guide to cutting eBay fees.
- International fee: 1.65% of the total sale if the buyer or the delivery address is outside the US, unless you ship through eBay International Shipping.
- Below Standard surcharge: +6% of the total sale (+7% after four months in a row). On a $321 phone that’s $19.26, which wipes out most of the margin on a used phone. Protect your seller level.
- Top Rated Plus discount: 10% off the percentage part of the fee. On the no-Store $300 example that saves $4.37.
Does eBay charge a payment processing fee?
No. eBay manages payments itself, and the final value fee replaces the old PayPal fee. There is no separate card processing charge for standard sales.
Quick checklist before you list a phone
- Pick the correct category. Phones listed in an accessories category can end up on the wrong fee table, and they’re harder for buyers to find.
- Decide whether you’re promoting the listing and at what rate, before you set your price.
- Run the numbers with tax included. In the calculator, set the sales tax to around your buyers’ typical rate.
eBay changes fees from time to time. We re-check these numbers against eBay’s help pages and note the date at the top of the calculator.
Tools that help
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- Crosslisting software (e.g. Vendoo, List Perfectly)List once, publish to eBay, Mercari, Poshmark and more.
Run your own numbers
See exactly what eBay will take from your next sale, by category and Store level.
Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by eBay Inc. eBay is a trademark of eBay Inc., used here only to describe the fees this site calculates.