Example scenario · illustrative, not a real seller
An example trading card sells for $10 in a Whatnot show. Commission is $0.80, but processing on the $15.84 order including shipping and tax adds $0.76, so fees come to $1.56.
What you’ll get
- Whatnot’s current fee structure.
- A worked $10 sale and a $2 sale.
- Why category matters.
- How to set starting bids.
- When lots beat singles.
Whatnot sells through live shows, and its fees changed in September
Whatnot is a live-auction marketplace: sellers run shows, buyers bid in real time, and items sell in seconds. It's popular for trading cards, sports collectibles, sneakers, fashion and coins. Since September 21, 2026, it has used a tiered commission structure, with rates that depend on the category and on your recent sales volume.
This guide covers Whatnot's seller fees from its help article, updated November 1, 2026 and checked November 8, 2026, and how to price items for a live auction with those fees in mind.
Whatnot's fees
| Fee | What Whatnot says | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Commission, US Standard tier | 8% for Sports, Trading Card Games, Fashion, Other Collectibles and Other; 4% for Coins | The item's sale price only, excluding shipping and tax |
| Payment processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | The order total, including shipping and tax |
| Tiers | Based on sales volume; the Standard tier covers $0 to $14,999 in a period | Tiers reset every 28 days |
Whatnot's own worked example: a $10 item pays an $0.80 commission at 8%. Higher-volume tiers have their own rates on Whatnot's page; most new sellers start in Standard.
A worked example
In this chosen example, a trading card sells for $10.00 in a show. The buyer pays $4.99 shipping and $0.85 tax, for an order total of $15.84.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 8% × $10.00 | $0.80 |
| Processing | 2.9% × $15.84 + $0.30 | $0.76 |
| Whatnot fees | $1.56 | |
| Item price less fees | $10.00 − $1.56 | $8.44 |
Notice that processing is charged on shipping and tax, which aren't yours to keep. On a $10 card, the fixed $0.30 and the processing on shipping take nearly as much as the commission.
A $2 card sold the same way, with the same $4.99 shipping and say $0.17 tax, pays $0.16 commission and 2.9% × $7.16 + $0.30 = $0.51 processing: $0.67 in fees, a third of the item price. Low-value singles are usually better grouped into lots or offered as part of a bundle.
Step 1: Check your category
The commission depends on the category you list under: 4% for Coins and 8% for the other listed groups in the Standard tier. List items in the category they truly belong to. Putting a card in Coins to pay 4% is miscategorization, and marketplaces treat that as a policy problem, not a savings trick.
Step 2: Set a starting bid you can live with
Live auctions can end low. If an item's floor is $8, don't start it at $1 unless you're comfortable selling it at $1. Work out the floor from your cost, fees and packing, then decide whether to start at the floor or accept the risk of a low start to build bidding energy. The price floor tool calculates the number.
Step 3: Plan shows around lots and bundles
Because fixed processing charges weigh heavily on cheap items, plan shows so that low-value cards or small items are grouped. A $20 lot of ten cards pays 8% commission ($1.60) and a single processing fee, rather than ten separate fixed fees.
Step 4: Pack in batches after the show
A good show can produce dozens of orders at once. Have mailers, sleeves, top loaders and labels ready before going live, and pack by order right after. The packed box before price manual helps you price shipping against the real packed weight.
Step 5: Track your 28-day volume
Tiers are based on sales volume and reset every 28 days. If you're close to the next tier boundary, check Whatnot's page for that tier's rates before planning a big show.
Step 6: Check authenticity and condition before going live
Live buyers can't inspect items before bidding, so your description in the show, and the condition you state, carry the sale. For cards, state the condition honestly and show the back and edges on camera. The trading cards guide and the signed memorabilia guide cover checks for those categories.
Where Whatnot fits
| Item type | Whatnot's fit |
|---|---|
| Trading cards, sealed product, collectibles | Strong: buyers come to live shows for these |
| Sneakers and fashion | Possible: depends on having a following |
| One-off household items | Weak: live shows suit a category focus |
| Very low-value singles | Better as lots |
The choose a marketplace guide compares other channels.
Common mistakes
- Using an old commission rate from before September 21, 2026.
- Forgetting that processing applies to shipping and tax.
- Starting items below your floor without meaning to accept that price.
- Selling very cheap singles one at a time and losing a large share to fixed fees.
- Listing items in a lower-commission category they don't belong in.
Fees follow the category
On Whatnot, commission is on the item price and depends on category and volume, while processing is on the whole order. Group cheap items, start at prices you can accept, and list in the right category.
Worked example · hypothetical, not a real seller
Keep the example in view
| Chosen sale | Commission | Processing |
|---|---|---|
| $10 card, $15.84 order | $0.80 | $0.76 |
| $2 card, $7.16 order | $0.16 | $0.51 |
| $20 lot of ten cards | $1.60 | one fee |
Before the next transaction
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Practical questions
What commission does Whatnot charge?
Whatnot lists 8% for Sports, Trading Card Games, Fashion, Other Collectibles and Other, and 4% for Coins, in the US Standard tier.
Is commission charged on shipping?
No. Whatnot says commission is on the item price only, excluding shipping and tax. Processing is on the total including both.
How often do Whatnot tiers reset?
Whatnot says tiers reset every 28 days.
Can I list cards under Coins to pay 4%?
No. That’s miscategorization, and marketplaces treat it as a policy problem.
Do this next · one concrete move