TikTok Shop vs Etsy vs Amazon: what each platform actually takes
Headline fees make TikTok Shop look like the cheapest major marketplace — and on the platform line alone, it usually is. But each platform's economics are driven by a different cost: TikTok by creator commission, Amazon by fulfillment and ads, Etsy by listing and offsite-ad fees. Here's the honest side-by-side.
| TikTok Shop | Etsy | Amazon FBA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | None | None | $39.99 (Professional) |
| Platform / referral fee | 6% US · 9% UK/EU | 6.5% transaction + $0.20 listing | 8–15% by category |
| Payment processing | Included (US) | 3% + $0.25 (US) | Included |
| Fulfillment | FBT ~$2.86–3.58/unit | Self-ship | FBA ~$3–8/unit + storage |
| Traffic model | Creator affiliate 8–25% | Search + offsite ads 12–15% | Search + PPC |
| Refund / return fees | 20% of referral (cap $5) + return handling | — | Return processing on most categories |
| Typical all-in take | ~30–45% of revenue | ~10–15% + shipping | ~30–50% incl. ads & FBA |
Figures are 2026 planning estimates for the US market unless noted; category exceptions apply on every platform. Verify in each platform's seller dashboard before pricing.
Which platform is "cheapest"?
Wrong question. TikTok Shop's 6% beats Amazon's 15% referral on paper, but TikTok demand runs through creators — if 60% of your orders come through affiliates at 15% commission, your blended take is already past Amazon before fulfillment. The right question is: where does your product's contribution margin survive? For visual, impulse-buy products in the $20–60 range, TikTok Shop's economics frequently win. For search-driven purchases and higher price points, Amazon's buyer intent often justifies its fees. Etsy remains the lowest-friction option for handmade and vintage, with the lightest fixed-cost load.
Model your own product on the TikTok Shop calculator, then compare against your existing channel's real numbers — not the marketing pages'.