Amazon, Etsy, or Your Own Shopify Store? Break-Even and Fee Comparison to Choose the Most Profitable Launch Path

Launching online is not just a platform choice. It is a unit economics decision you can quantify in a few minutes. This guide compares the real fee stacks for Amazon, Etsy, and your own Shopify store, then walks through a simple break-even workflow you can run today with the free calculator at FullyCounted. The goal is practical: find the path that gives you the highest contribution margin per order and the fastest payback at your expected volume.

What the fee stack actually looks like by channel

Before you model break-even, get a clean picture of fixed versus variable costs for each option. Variable costs rise with every order. Fixed costs are the bills you pay regardless of sales. If you need a quick refresher with current benchmarks, the explainer on ecommerce fixed versus variable costs at FullyCounted has 2025 reference points and examples you can use.

Amazon

You will pay a selling plan fee and a referral fee on every item sold. The plan is either the Individual plan at 0.99 dollars per item or the Professional plan at 39.99 dollars per month as shown on Amazon's pricing page. Referral fees are category based, with many categories around 15 percent of the total price and a 0.30 dollar minimum per item, and the full table is listed on that same Amazon pricing page.

If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, you add FBA costs. The FBA rate card is published on the program page and shows that fulfillment is priced per unit by size and weight. For example, the small standard tier around 8 to 12 ounces lists a per unit fulfillment cost in the low 3 dollar range, and storage runs 0.78 dollars per cubic foot January through September and 2.40 dollars October through December according to the Amazon FBA page. Amazon also notes an inbound placement service cost for distributing inventory closer to customers, detailed under the same FBA cost section.

What this means in practice: Amazon has one variable marketplace fee on every order, then optional FBA per unit fees in exchange for Prime-grade logistics. The Professional plan adds a fixed monthly cost that you should allocate across expected unit sales in your break-even math.

Etsy

Etsy has three core fees on each sale. There is a 0.20 dollar listing fee per product you publish as outlined in Etsy's Fee Basics. When a sale occurs, Etsy charges a 6.5 percent transaction fee on the total order amount, which includes item price plus shipping and gift wrap as explained in the same Etsy Fee Basics. If you accept payments through Etsy Payments, there is also a payment processing fee that varies by country. In the United States that processing fee is 3 percent plus 0.25 dollars per order, and the full country list is maintained in Etsy's processing fee page.

One more variable cost can apply. Etsy runs Offsite Ads on external channels with no upfront spend, and if a sale is attributed to one of those ads, Etsy collects a 12 percent fee if your shop has made at least 10,000 dollars in the past 12 months or 15 percent if under that threshold, with a 100 dollar per order fee cap as the Offsite Ads documentation explains. You can opt out below the threshold, but many new shops stay opted in for the extra reach.

Shopify

With your own store, platform cost and payment processing are the primary fees. Shopify publishes clear plan pricing and rates. The Basic plan is 39 dollars per month when paying monthly or the yearly equivalent of 29 dollars per month if billed annually, and standard online card rates through Shopify Payments start at 2.9 percent plus 0.30 dollars per transaction on Basic, with lower rates on higher tiers as shown on the Shopify pricing page. If you do not use Shopify Payments, Shopify charges an additional third party transaction fee on each order. The Shopify blog also explains how processing tiers, premium cards, and international cards affect your effective rate in its 2025 overview of fees, which you can review in the Shopify credit card fee guide.

There are no marketplace referral fees when you own the checkout. That means after processing, the rest of the variable stack is yours to control, including shipping, packaging, and returns. It is also why many brands choose to launch on their own site once they can drive traffic efficiently.

The break-even formula you will actually use

Break-even units equals monthly fixed costs divided by contribution margin per unit. Contribution margin per unit equals Net Selling Price minus Variable Costs per unit. That is it. If you want a fast way to plug in price, cost per unit, and your monthly fixed expenses, the free calculator at FullyCounted shows break-even units and profit projections in real time and lets you save and export your scenarios for planning.

Typical variable costs by channel look like this.

• Amazon FBM. COGS, shipping you pay, Amazon referral fee.
• Amazon FBA. COGS, Amazon referral fee, FBA fulfillment per unit, plus seasonal storage and any inbound placement fees.
• Etsy. COGS, shipping you pay, 6.5 percent transaction fee, payment processing of 3 percent plus 0.25 dollars in the US, and 0.20 dollar listing. Optional Offsite Ads fee if attributed.
• Shopify. COGS, shipping you pay, payment processing through Shopify Payments at your plan’s published rate. No marketplace fee.

If you need benchmarks for the variable lines beyond platform fees, the 2025 analysis on fixed versus variable costs compiles realistic ranges for payment processing and shipping, and calls out the latest surcharge changes from carriers that can move your landed cost.

A worked example at a 30 dollar price point

Assume a single SKU with the following inputs so you can see the relative impact of platform fees.

• Price 30.00 dollars
• Cost of goods 10.00 dollars
• You offer free shipping and your average shipping and packaging cost is 5.00 dollars when you handle fulfillment yourself
• There are no discounts applied

Now apply platform specific variables to estimate contribution margin per unit. Numbers below are illustrative based on the fee schedules cited above. Your category, size tier, and shipping method may change results.

Amazon FBM. Using a 15 percent referral fee on the 30 dollar price, the referral fee is 4.50 dollars based on Amazon's referral fee schedule. Variable cost per unit equals 10.00 COGS plus 5.00 shipping plus 4.50 fee, total 19.50 dollars. Contribution margin per unit is 30.00 minus 19.50 equals 10.50 dollars. If you are on the Individual plan, also subtract 0.99 dollars per order. If you are on the Professional plan, spread the 39.99 dollar monthly fee across expected units.

Amazon FBA. Keep the 15 percent referral fee at 4.50 dollars, but swap your self-fulfillment cost for FBA per unit. For a small standard non-apparel item around 8 to 12 ounces, the published fulfillment rate is about 3.24 dollars per unit on the FBA rate table. Variable cost per unit equals 10.00 COGS plus 4.50 referral plus 3.24 FBA, total 17.74 dollars. Contribution margin per unit is 12.26 dollars. Add storage based on your inventory turn at 0.78 dollars per cubic foot for off peak or 2.40 dollars per cubic foot in Q4 as listed under FBA storage costs. Amazon also lists an inbound placement service cost that you should model for your shipping plan in the same FBA cost section.

Etsy. Use a 6.5 percent transaction fee and US payment processing of 3 percent plus 0.25 dollars as outlined in Etsy Fee Basics and the US line in Etsy’s processing fee table. The transaction fee is 1.95 dollars. Processing is 0.90 plus 0.25 equals 1.15 dollars. Add the 0.20 dollar listing fee. Variable cost per unit equals 10.00 COGS plus 5.00 shipping plus 1.95 plus 1.15 plus 0.20, total 18.30 dollars. Contribution margin per unit is 11.70 dollars. If a sale is attributed to Offsite Ads, add a 12 to 15 percent fee on the order amount with a 100 dollar cap as described in Etsy’s Offsite Ads documentation. At 15 percent, that would be an extra 4.50 dollars, dropping contribution to 7.20 dollars.

Shopify. The Basic plan’s online rate is 2.9 percent plus 0.30 dollars per order when you use Shopify Payments per the Shopify pricing page. Processing is 0.87 plus 0.30 equals 1.17 dollars. Variable cost per unit equals 10.00 COGS plus 5.00 shipping plus 1.17 processing, total 16.17 dollars. Contribution margin per unit is 13.83 dollars. Platform cost is fixed at 39 dollars monthly if you pay month to month or the equivalent of 29 dollars per month if billed yearly, also published on the pricing page.

A quick comparison on contribution margin per order at this price and cost profile:

• Shopify Basic around 13.83 dollars
• Amazon FBA around 12.26 dollars
• Etsy around 11.70 dollars without Offsite Ads attribution
• Amazon FBM around 10.50 dollars
• Etsy around 7.20 dollars when Offsite Ads fee applies at 15 percent

This aligns with the general pattern operators see. Marketplaces add meaningful take rates in exchange for demand and trust. FBA improves Amazon contribution margin by consolidating shipping and customer service into a single per unit fee. A well run Shopify store tends to keep the highest per order margin after processing, but you must bring your own traffic. The best choice depends on your unit economics, your category, and how quickly you can acquire customers profitably.

Turn those margins into a break-even plan in minutes

Break-even units equals fixed costs divided by contribution margin per unit. If your fixed costs are 1,000 dollars monthly and your contribution per order is 13.83 dollars on Shopify, break-even is 1,000 divided by 13.83, around 73 orders. If the same product is on Etsy with an Offsite Ads driven sale that yields 7.20 dollars contribution, break-even jumps to about 139 orders with the same fixed cost. You can test these what ifs instantly in the free Break-Even and Profit Analysis calculator at FullyCounted. Enter your product name, cost per unit, selling price, and monthly fixed expenses like rent and utilities, marketing and ads, and software and tools, then see break-even and monthly profit update in real time.

Two tips help you get to a confident answer faster.

• Model fixed versus variable correctly. Platform subscriptions, rent, and base software are fixed. Referral fees, payment processing, FBA per unit, packaging, and shipping are variable. The FullyCounted breakdown of fixed and variable costs can help you categorize each line.
• Do not ignore LTV and payback effects if you plan to run subscriptions or nurture repeat purchases. A follow on analysis that compares subscription versus one time models with LTV and CAC payback is available in FullyCounted’s subscription vs one time guide.

When each launch path tends to win

Amazon fits products with broad demand, competitive landed cost, and the ability to win the Buy Box through pricing and logistics. The 15 percent referral fee is the cost of accessing an enormous customer base and Prime trust. If your item is light and compact, the small standard tiers on FBA can keep per unit fulfillment manageable as detailed on the FBA cost tables. The tradeoff is less control over branding and direct customer relationships.

Etsy is strongest for handmade, vintage, and craft centric categories where discovery is the main value. If Offsite Ads are likely to drive your early sales, build that 12 to 15 percent fee into your model from day one using the Offsite Ads policy. Etsy’s fee structure is transparent and simple, but the stacked transaction, processing, and possible Offsite fee can compress contribution margin at lower price points. Many sellers refine products and test pricing on Etsy, then add their own storefront once repeat buyers emerge.

Shopify gives you the highest control and often the highest per order contribution margin after processing, which is why it is a common home base for DTC brands. The pricing and card rate schedules on the Shopify pricing page make it straightforward to model break-even. The challenge is traffic. If you have audience access, partner distribution, or a paid media plan with acceptable CAC and payback, owning your checkout is strategically powerful. If you are ready to start fast, you can launch on Shopify in a few hours and integrate marketplaces later using Shopify’s channels.

A simple workflow to choose your path

1. Pick your first product and define the price and COGS.
2. Add platform specific variable fees from the sources above. For Amazon, use Amazon’s pricing page and the FBA program page if relevant. For Etsy, plug in the rates from Etsy Fee Basics and payment processing in your country. For Shopify, add the card rate from the Shopify pricing page.
3. Estimate shipping. If you choose FBA, use the size tier table on the FBA page. If you self fulfill, use your current carrier quotes and update monthly. Remember that Q4 storage is more expensive for FBA per Amazon’s storage schedule.
4. Enter monthly fixed expenses and test scenarios in the free tool at FullyCounted. Save and export your plan for your teammates or investor brief.
5. Decide by margin and speed. If contribution margin is highest and payback fastest on your own site, start there. If marketplaces give you a better cash ramp with FBA logistics, launch there and expand once you have proof of product market fit.

You do not need complex spreadsheets to get started. With a few numbers and reliable fee schedules from Amazon’s pricing page, Etsy Fee Basics, and the Shopify pricing page, you can see your break-even point and profit curve in minutes. If you want a fast, web native way to run the math and share a clean report, the free calculator at FullyCounted is built to help founders, side hustlers, dropshippers, and solo operators make decisions quickly. When you are ready to spin up your own store with transparent subscription pricing and built in payment rates, start on Shopify and keep your model current as you scale.