eBay's fee structure in the UK looks simple on paper: one final value fee, one payment processing rate, and a £0.30 order-level fixed fee. In practice, most sellers under-estimate what eBay takes because they anchor on the headline FVF and forget the payment processing layer sits on top of it. Across most categories, the true combined bite is 15–17% of the transaction value plus £0.30 per order — not the 12.9% sellers quote when they're deciding what to pay for stock.
This page gives you the actual rate for every major UK category, what private sellers pay versus business sellers, how promoted listings stack on top, and two worked examples — one at £28 and one at £95 — so you can see how the fees scale with sale price.
Business sellers vs private sellers: who pays what
Since October 2024, eBay UK has operated a split fee model. The rate you pay depends on whether eBay considers you a business seller or a private seller.
| Seller type | Final value fee | Payment processing | Fixed order fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private seller | 0% | 0% | £0 |
| Business seller | 6.9–14.9% | 2.9% | £0.30 (< £10) · £0.40 (≥ £10) |
Most resellers — anyone sourcing stock, listing regularly, or running this as more than a clear-out — fall into the business-seller bracket, even if they haven't registered a company. eBay's own definition hinges on intent: buying with the intention to resell makes you a business seller regardless of volume. The rates below all relate to business sellers.
Cars, motorbikes and caravans sold on eBay Motors are the one category where private sellers still pay a listing insertion fee (£14.99 for cars). This is the only category in the UK where private sellers aren't entirely fee-free.
Final value fee rates by category
These are the business seller final value fees charged by eBay UK as of April 2026. The FVF is applied to the total transaction — item price plus postage — not just the item price. That distinction matters for low-price items where postage is a meaningful share of the total.
| Category | Final value fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras & Photography | 6.9% | Lenses tiered: 6.9% up to £1,000, 3% above |
| Vehicle Parts & Accessories | 7.9% | One of the lowest standard FVFs on eBay UK |
| Books, Comics & Magazines | 9.9% | Media rate — one of the lowest in the UK |
| DVDs, Film & TV | 9.9% | Includes physical DVD, Blu-ray, 4K discs |
| Music (CDs, vinyl, tapes) | 9.9% | Physical music formats — NFTs are a separate 5% tier |
| Video Games & Consoles | 9.9% | Games, consoles, controllers at the same rate |
| Mobile Phones & Consumer Electronics | 9.9% | Phones, smartwatches, audio, TVs |
| Computers & Tablets | 6.9% / 3% | Tiered: 6.9% on first £1,000, 3% above |
| Antiques | 10.9% | |
| Baby & Nursery | 10.9% | Prams, cribs, car seats, toys |
| Collectibles | 10.9% | Coins, stamps, memorabilia, pottery |
| Musical Instruments & Gear | 10.9% | |
| Sports & Leisure | 10.9% | |
| Health & Beauty | 11.9% | |
| Home & Garden | 11.9% | Kitchen, DIY, furniture, bedding |
| Toys & Games | 11.9% | Excludes video games (9.9%) |
| Business, Office & Industrial | 12.5% | Power tools, commercial equipment |
| Clothes, Shoes & Accessories | 12.9% | Outside the UK private-seller fashion concession |
| Crafts & Sewing | 12.9% | |
| Pet Supplies | 12.9% | |
| Accessories (cables, cases, chargers) | 12.9% | Standard accessories rate across electronics |
| Jewellery & Watches | 14.9% | Highest standard category rate on eBay UK |
These are the rates published in eBay UK's selling fees schedule. eBay adjusts the rate card periodically — always cross-check your specific sub-category on eBay's fee page before making sourcing decisions that depend on tight margins.
Payment processing and fixed order fee
On top of the FVF, eBay charges a payment processing fee that covers card acquiring, fraud screening, and chargebacks — functions that used to sit with PayPal before Managed Payments rolled out.
| Fee component | Rate | Applied to |
|---|---|---|
| Variable payment fee | 2.9% | Total transaction (item + postage) |
| Fixed order fee | £0.30 / £0.40 | £0.30 if order total < £10, £0.40 if ≥ £10 |
| International buyer surcharge | +1.6% | Orders from outside the UK, on top of 2.9% |
The international surcharge is the one most sellers miss. If your buyer is in Ireland, the US, Germany, or anywhere outside the UK, your payment processing jumps from 2.9% to 4.5% on that sale. This matters if you list with Global Shipping Programme or ship internationally — factor it into the floor margin you're willing to accept before you agree to list abroad.
Worked example 1: a £28 Levi's 501 jeans sale (12.9% FVF)
A £28 sale in the clothing category — a common reseller price point — shows how the fees bite harder at low price points because the £0.30 fixed fee is a larger share of the total.
Levi's 501 jeans (32/32, stonewash blue) — sold for £28.00
eBay's combined bite on that sale is £5.46 — 17.1% of the total transaction. That's meaningfully higher than the 12.9% headline because the fixed fee and payment processing add up, especially at lower price points.
Worked example 2: a £95 iPhone 11 sale (9.9% FVF)
At higher price points the fixed fee becomes negligible and the combined rate compresses closer to the 12–13% that most reseller maths assumes.
Apple iPhone 11 64GB (black, unlocked) — sold for £95.00
Combined fees here are 13.2% of the total — the fixed £0.40 fades to insignificance. This is why "eBay takes about 13%" is only true once you're past roughly £60 per sale. Anything under that and you're paying closer to 15–18%.
Promoted listings and other add-ons
The rates above are eBay's mandatory fees. There are three optional layers most sellers encounter:
- Promoted Listings Standard — you set an ad rate (typically 2–15%). Charged only when a buyer clicks your promoted placement and converts within 30 days. Stacks on top of FVF.
- Promoted Listings Advanced — cost-per-click auction. Billed per click regardless of whether the buyer purchases. Better for high-value items with good conversion.
- Listing upgrades — subtitle (£0.80), bold (£1.50), international site visibility (from £0.25). Mostly legacy, rarely worth the spend in 2026.
Most private-seller listings get 1,000 free insertion-fee listings per month. Business sellers with a shop subscription get higher allowances — Basic Shop is £19.99/month for 1,000 fixed-price listings, Featured Shop £49.99/month for 10,000.
If you're VAT-registered, eBay charges VAT on all its fees and you can reclaim it through your return. If you're not VAT-registered, the fees quoted above are VAT-inclusive. Check your monthly eBay invoice — the VAT element should be broken out as a separate line.
Calculate your exact profit after UK fees
Rather than back-of-envelope this every time you're at a car boot, run it through the calculator. It accounts for the FVF, the 2.9% + £0.30/£0.40 structure, your postage cost, and your buy price — and gives you a clean net figure.
See your exact profit after all UK eBay fees.
Pick your category, enter your sale price, postage, and buy cost. See net profit in under 5 seconds.
Use the profit calculator →eBay UK fees — common questions
It varies by category — from 6.9% on cameras and photography up to 14.9% on jewellery and watches. The most common rate across general categories (clothing, crafts, pet supplies) is 12.9%. Payment processing of 2.9% + £0.30 sits on top of the FVF. Private sellers currently pay 0% on most categories.
No — since October 2024, private sellers pay 0% final value fees and no regulatory operating fee on most categories. Payment processing is also absorbed. The exception is motor vehicles, which still attract a listing fee. Business sellers (anyone selling regularly or sourcing stock to resell) pay the standard category rates.
On a £50 sale with £3.99 postage in a 12.9% FVF category, eBay takes approximately £9.86 — £6.96 FVF plus £1.86 payment processing plus the £0.40 fixed order fee. Your take before postage and stock costs is around £44.13. The exact bite depends on your category's FVF rate.
Yes. Promoted Listings Standard charges your chosen ad rate (2–15%) only when a buyer clicks and purchases via the promoted placement, on top of the FVF and payment processing. Promoted Listings Advanced bills per click regardless of conversion. Both are billed separately from your normal selling fees.
VAT-registered UK business sellers are charged VAT on eBay's fees and can reclaim it through their VAT return. Non-VAT-registered sellers pay VAT-inclusive fees and cannot reclaim. Your monthly eBay invoice breaks out the VAT element if you're registered — always check it matches what your bookkeeping expects.