Why the same sale costs different amounts
Etsy's headline fee, 6.5% of the item price plus shipping, is the same everywhere. What differs is payment processing (3% + 0.25 in the US and Canada, 4% + 0.20 in the UK, 4% + 0.30 in most of Europe), the regulatory operating fee some countries pay, and the VAT many UK and EU sellers are charged on top of Etsy's fees.
The same 40-unit order in seven countries
Each row is an order worth 40 in the seller's own currency (item plus shipping), with no Offsite Ads. Fees are the listing, transaction, processing and regulatory fees. VAT is shown for sellers who cannot reclaim it, and it is zero for VAT-registered sellers who can.
| Country | Etsy fees | VAT on fees | Total | % of order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $4.25 | $0.00 | $4.25 | 10.6% |
| Canada | CA$4.71 | CA$0.00 | CA$4.71 | 11.8% |
| United Kingdom | £4.75 | £0.95 | £5.70 | 14.3% |
| Germany | €4.70 | €0.89 | €5.59 | 14.0% |
| France | €5.16 | €1.03 | €6.19 | 15.5% |
| Italy | €5.02 | €1.10 | €6.12 | 15.3% |
| Spain | €5.05 | €1.06 | €6.11 | 15.3% |
Assumptions: the listing fee is 0.20 in the seller's currency (0.16 in the UK), which is approximate, and the regulatory rates are those in force since June 22, 2026. Canadian sales tax is not modelled. Check your own Etsy payment account for exact figures.
What the comparison shows
- The US is the cheapest at about 10.6% of the order, and Canada is close behind at 11.8%, because neither charges VAT on fees.
- VAT is the biggest swing factor. A UK or German seller who cannot reclaim VAT pays roughly 14–14% of the order, three to four points more than the US.
- France, Italy and Spain are the most expensive at about 15–15.5% of the order, because a higher regulatory fee and higher VAT stack together.
- VAT registration changes the picture. If you can reclaim VAT, your real cost is the fees before VAT, which brings the UK and EU much closer to the US.
What to do with this
Work out your prices from your own country's column, not a US blog's. The pricing formula shows how to build the fee percentage into a price, and the Etsy seller profit calculator lets you pick your country and see every line. For the regulatory fee history, see the regulatory operating fee guide, and for the full fee list the Etsy fees guide.
The same item, priced for three countries
Percentages are easier to feel in prices. Take an item that costs 10 in materials and 6 in postage, where you want 15 in profit after every fee, and where shipping is charged at cost. Working backwards with the pricing formula gives these order totals, with VAT counted for sellers who can't reclaim it and no Offsite Ads.
| Country | Order total needed | Item price (with 6 shipping charged) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $34.75 | $28.75 |
| United Kingdom | £36.20 | £30.20 |
| France | €36.73 | €30.73 |
The French seller needs an item priced about 1.97 above the US seller for the same 15 of profit, and the UK seller about 1.45 above. Neither is dramatic, but over hundreds of orders the difference becomes real. If you compete with sellers in cheaper fee regimes, knowing this stops you from copying a price that doesn't work for your numbers.
Offsite Ads change the whole picture
None of the figures so far include Offsite Ads. When a sale comes from an Etsy-placed ad, the fee is 15% of the order (12% for shops over $10,000 a year), and it lands on top of everything else. For a US seller on the 40-unit order above, fees jump from 4.25 to 10.25, which is 25.6% of the order. If one order in five comes through an ad, the average extra cost is about 1.20 per order, roughly three points of margin across all sales. That's why it pays to look at your Offsite Ads share in your statements and to price with it in mind, especially while the program is mandatory for shops under $10,000 a year.
What the gap means for your prices
If a French seller faces about 15.5% of each order in fees and a US seller about 10.6%, the French seller needs prices roughly 5.8% higher than the US seller to keep the same amount after fees on an order with the same costs. The calculation is simple: divide what's kept in one country by what's kept in the other. It's an approximation because the fixed fees don't scale, but it gives you the right order of magnitude.
What to do in each region
- United States. Your main fee lever is Offsite Ads. Shops under $10,000 a year can't opt out, so price with the possibility of a 15% ad fee in mind.
- Canada. The regulatory fee is the main difference from the US. Build it into prices, and double-check how Etsy reports it on your statement.
- United Kingdom. VAT on fees is the swing factor. UK VAT registration is compulsory once taxable turnover passes the threshold, which is £90,000 at the time of writing, so check GOV.UK for the current figure. Below it, you pay VAT on fees and can't reclaim it. Above it, registering lets you reclaim.
- Germany. No regulatory fee, but 19% VAT on fees for those who can't reclaim it. Check the small-business rules before deciding on registration.
- France, Italy and Spain. The highest total in the table, because higher regulatory fees and higher VAT stack. Pricing with the real percentage matters most here.
Check the assumptions
The table uses one order size, no Offsite Ads, and an approximate listing fee, so your own percentages will differ. Open your Etsy payment account, find a recent order, and compare each line to the figures above. Then run it through the Etsy profit calculator to see what a price change does to your margin.
Last reviewed October 2026. Figures are estimates for planning, not tax advice. See the disclaimer and methodology.