How Much Do Whatnot Sellers Make? (Real Data)
Whatnot has exploded from a niche trading card app to a full-blown live commerce platform. Sellers are streaming live auctions for everything from Pokemon cards and sneakers to vintage clothing, coins, and designer bags. But the question everyone asks before getting started: how much money can you actually make?
We've analyzed data from hundreds of Whatnot shows tracked through BundleLive, combined with publicly available information, seller interviews, and community discussions to give you the most realistic picture possible.
The Quick Answer
| Seller Level | Monthly Revenue | Monthly Profit (est.) | Shows/Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (Month 1-3) | $500-2,000 | $150-800 | 2-3 |
| Intermediate (3-12 months) | $2,000-8,000 | $800-3,500 | 3-5 |
| Advanced (1+ year) | $8,000-25,000 | $3,000-12,000 | 5-7 |
| Top 1% Sellers | $25,000-100,000+ | $10,000-50,000+ | Daily |
Important caveat: Revenue is NOT profit. These numbers look impressive until you subtract cost of goods, shipping, Whatnot's fees (8% + payment processing), packaging supplies, time, and overhead. More on the real math below.
Whatnot's Fee Structure
Before we talk income, let's understand what Whatnot takes:
- Seller fee: 8% of sale price
- Payment processing: ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (built into the 8% for most sellers)
- Shipping: Buyer pays, but Whatnot provides discounted labels. You can also use your own labels.
- Promotions/Giveaways: Many sellers offer $1 auctions, giveaways, and loss leaders to attract viewers. This is a real cost.
Effective take-home: After Whatnot's fees, you keep approximately 92% of the sale price. Then subtract your cost of goods sold (COGS) and shipping supplies.
Revenue by Category
What you sell dramatically affects how much you make. Here's a breakdown by the most popular Whatnot categories:
Trading Cards (Pokemon, Sports, MTG)
Trading cards were Whatnot's original category and remain the largest. Sellers here range from break operators to singles sellers to sealed product auctioneers.
- Average show revenue: $300-2,000 per show
- Top card sellers: $5,000-20,000 per show
- Margins: 20-40% on sealed product, 40-70% on singles (if sourced well)
- Key to success: Building a loyal following, offering exclusive products, running engaging breaks
Sneakers
Sneaker shows are high-energy, high-value, and attract big spenders.
- Average show revenue: $500-3,000 per show
- Top sneaker sellers: $10,000-30,000+ per show
- Margins: 15-30% on hyped releases, 30-50% on vintage/used pairs
- Key to success: Inventory depth, authentication knowledge, entertaining presentation
Vintage Clothing & Thrift
The fastest-growing category on Whatnot. Thrifters source inventory for pennies and sell for dollars.
- Average show revenue: $200-1,500 per show
- Top vintage sellers: $3,000-10,000 per show
- Margins: 60-85% (sourced at thrift stores for $2-5, sold for $15-50+)
- Key to success: Knowledge of brands/eras, high volume, engaging personality
Coins & Precious Metals
Coin sellers tend to have knowledgeable, dedicated audiences who spend consistently.
- Average show revenue: $500-5,000 per show
- Top coin sellers: $10,000-50,000+ per show
- Margins: 10-25% on bullion, 30-60% on numismatic coins
- Key to success: Expertise, trust, graded inventory, competitive pricing
Funko Pops & Collectibles
- Average show revenue: $200-1,000 per show
- Margins: 30-50% on exclusive/vaulted pops
- Key to success: Inventory of exclusive/convention pops, mystery box format
📊 Track Your Whatnot Show Revenue in Real-Time
BundleLive monitors every sale during your live shows. See revenue, items sold, SPM, and more — live on your screen while you sell.
Try BundleLive Free →The Real Math: Revenue vs. Profit
Let's walk through a realistic example for an intermediate vintage clothing seller:
Monthly Revenue: $4,000 (4 shows × $1,000/show)
| Expense | Amount | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Whatnot fees (8%) | $320 | 8% |
| Cost of goods (sourced at thrift) | $600 | 15% |
| Shipping supplies | $120 | 3% |
| Gas/sourcing travel | $80 | 2% |
| Giveaways & loss leaders | $100 | 2.5% |
| Phone/internet/equipment | $50 | 1.25% |
| Packaging materials | $40 | 1% |
| Total Expenses | $1,310 | 32.75% |
| Net Profit | $2,690 | 67.25% |
That's $2,690/month profit from roughly 16-20 hours of live selling plus 20-30 hours of sourcing, photographing, shipping, and prep work. Call it $35-45 hours total per month, which works out to roughly $60-77/hour.
Now let's see the same math for a trading card break seller:
Monthly Revenue: $8,000 (5 shows × $1,600/show)
| Expense | Amount | % of Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Whatnot fees (8%) | $640 | 8% |
| Cost of goods (sealed boxes/cases) | $4,800 | 60% |
| Shipping supplies | $200 | 2.5% |
| Giveaways & promotions | $300 | 3.75% |
| Equipment/supplies | $60 | 0.75% |
| Total Expenses | $6,000 | 75% |
| Net Profit | $2,000 | 25% |
Same revenue tier? Not the same profit. Card break margins are much thinner because the product costs more. The thrift seller makes more profit on less revenue because their sourcing costs are dramatically lower.
What Top Sellers Do Differently
Based on analyzing hundreds of shows, here's what separates the top earners:
1. Consistent Schedule
Top sellers go live at the same time on the same days every week. Their audience knows when to show up. Inconsistent streaming = inconsistent revenue.
2. Entertainment Value
Whatnot is live commerce meets entertainment. The sellers who make the most money are genuinely fun to watch. They tell stories, interact with chat, create excitement around auctions, and make buyers feel like part of a community.
3. Smart Promotions
Top sellers use $1 auctions and giveaways strategically — not randomly. They place promotional items early in the show to build the audience, then sell their best inventory when viewership peaks.
4. Deep Category Knowledge
The best coin sellers know grading. The best sneaker sellers know authentication. The best card sellers know which pulls drive value. Expertise builds trust, and trust drives repeat buyers.
5. Community Building
Top sellers build communities outside of Whatnot — Discord servers, Instagram pages, YouTube channels. This gives them an audience they can bring to every show, rather than relying on Whatnot's algorithm.
6. Data-Driven Decisions
The best sellers track their shows meticulously. They know their average sale price, SPM (sales per minute), best-selling categories, peak viewer times, and most valuable buyers. They use this data to optimize future shows.
⚡ Make Data-Driven Selling Decisions
BundleLive gives you the analytics top sellers use: real-time SPM, revenue tracking, buyer patterns, and show-over-show comparisons. Stop guessing, start optimizing.
Start Your Free Trial →How to Get Started on Whatnot
Getting Approved
Whatnot requires seller approval. You'll need to apply and wait for acceptance. Tips to get approved faster:
- Have an existing selling history on eBay, Poshmark, or similar platforms
- Showcase your inventory and expertise in the application
- Focus on a specific niche rather than "I sell everything"
- Apply for categories with seller demand (check which categories Whatnot is actively recruiting for)
Your First Show
- Start small: 20-30 items for a 1-2 hour show. You can always add more.
- Price competitively: Your first shows are about building an audience, not maximizing profit. Start auctions at $1 and let the market decide.
- Invest in lighting and camera: You don't need professional equipment, but good lighting and a steady phone mount make a huge difference.
- Engage with every viewer: Greet people by name, answer questions, be personable. Small shows are your chance to build loyal fans.
Scaling Your Whatnot Income
Here's the path most successful sellers follow:
- Month 1-3: Learning phase. 2-3 shows/week, $500-2,000/month revenue. You're learning the platform, finding your style, building your first regular viewers.
- Month 3-6: Growth phase. 3-5 shows/week, $2,000-5,000/month. You have 50-100 regular viewers. Shows are more polished. You understand what sells.
- Month 6-12: Optimization phase. 5+ shows/week, $5,000-15,000/month. You're sourcing efficiently, running promoted shows, building a community. You may add employees for shipping/prep.
- Year 2+: Scaling phase. Daily shows, $15,000-50,000+/month. Multiple categories, team members, optimized sourcing, strong brand presence. Some sellers open physical retail at this stage.
Hidden Costs Most Sellers Forget
- Returns and refunds: Budget 3-5% of revenue for returns, especially in categories like sneakers where authenticity concerns drive returns.
- Taxes: Self-employment tax is 15.3% on top of income tax. Budget 25-35% of profit for taxes.
- Time cost: Sourcing, prepping, listing, going live, packing, shipping, customer service. A 2-hour show requires 4-6 hours of additional work.
- Equipment upgrades: Ring lights ($30-100), phone mounts ($20-50), better camera ($200-1,000), show backdrop ($50-200).
- Inventory that doesn't sell: Not everything moves. Budget for 10-20% of inventory value being "dead stock" that needs to be liquidated.
Is Whatnot Selling Worth It?
Here's our honest assessment:
Yes, if:
- You enjoy live interaction and have an engaging personality
- You have knowledge/passion in a collectible or fashion niche
- You can source inventory at good margins (thrift stores, estate sales, wholesale)
- You can commit to a consistent streaming schedule
- You treat it as a business, not a hobby
Maybe not, if:
- You're camera-shy or uncomfortable with live interaction
- You don't have access to affordable inventory
- You can't commit to at least 2-3 shows per week consistently
- You expect to make thousands in your first month
The sellers who succeed on Whatnot treat it like a real business from day one. They track their numbers, optimize their shows, build their audience, and reinvest profits into better inventory. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, the income potential is real.