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Poshmark Fees Breakdown: Is 20% Commission Worth It?

BundleLive Team February 12, 2026 14 min read

Last updated: February 2026

TL;DR — Key Takeaways

How Poshmark Fees Actually Work in 2026

Let's cut through the noise. Poshmark's fee structure is the simplest in reselling:

That's it. No insertion fees. No final value fee plus payment processing fee combo. No promoted listing surcharges eating into your margins. One flat percentage.

The Real Math on a $50 Sale

Let's say you sell a pair of jeans for $50 on Poshmark:

Compare that to eBay on the same $50 sale:

So eBay puts about $3.37 more in your pocket on a $50 item. But here's what that calculation misses — and this is where most guides get it wrong.

What the 20% Actually Includes

Poshmark's 20% covers things you'd pay for separately on other platforms:

  1. Prepaid shipping label — The buyer pays $7.67 for shipping (Priority Mail up to 5 lbs). You never touch a shipping calculator or worry about dimensions.
  2. No payment processing fees — On eBay, managed payments already bakes this in, but on platforms like Shopify you're paying 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on top of everything.
  3. Built-in authentication for luxury items — Posh Authenticate is included for items $500+ (they take the same 20%, but you get free authentication).
  4. Free marketing and discovery — Poshmark's social sharing system means your items get seen without paying for promoted listings.

The Shipping Advantage Nobody Talks About

Here's where Poshmark quietly saves you money. On eBay, if you offer free shipping on that $50 pair of jeans, you're eating $8-$12 in shipping costs depending on where the buyer lives.

eBay with free shipping on a $50 sale:

Poshmark on a $50 sale:

Suddenly that 20% doesn't look so bad, does it?

When 20% Commission Is Worth It

Sweet Spot: $20-$150 Items

Poshmark's fee structure is most competitive for items in the $20-$150 range. Here's why:

At $25:

At $100:

At $150:

Once you factor in shipping, Poshmark and eBay are nearly identical in the $100-$150 range.

The Low-Ticket Advantage

For items $15 and under, Poshmark's flat $2.95 fee is genuinely great:

$10 item on Poshmark: You keep $7.05 (70.5%)

$10 item on eBay: You keep ~$8.68 (minus shipping if you offer free = maybe $0 profit)

$15 item on Poshmark: You keep $12.05 (80.3%)

$15 item on eBay: You keep ~$13.01 (minus shipping = maybe $4)

For low-ticket items, Poshmark is often the only platform where you can actually profit because the buyer covers shipping.

Categories Where Poshmark Crushes It

Based on my experience and seller data, these categories justify the 20%:

  1. Women's contemporary brands (Anthropologie, Free People, Madewell) — Poshmark's audience is 80% female and actively searches these brands
  2. Designer handbags ($200-$2,000) — Posh Authenticate gives buyers confidence, and the audience is already there
  3. Athletic wear (Lululemon, Nike, Athleta) — Some of the fastest-selling items on the platform
  4. Shoes — Flat-rate shipping up to 5 lbs means no dimensional weight surprises
  5. NWT (New With Tags) items — Poshmark buyers love NWT and will pay closer to retail

When 20% Is NOT Worth It

High-Ticket Items ($500+)

The math gets painful on expensive items:

$500 designer jacket:

$1,000 Louis Vuitton bag:

For items over $500, you're leaving serious money on the table. Consider listing these on eBay or even Whatnot live shows where the energy of live bidding can push prices higher.

Electronics and Non-Clothing Items

Poshmark expanded beyond clothing, but the audience is still primarily fashion-focused. Electronics, home goods, and collectibles will sell faster and for more on eBay, Mercari, or Facebook Marketplace.

Men's Clothing (With Exceptions)

Poshmark's audience skews heavily female. Men's items sell slower and often for less. Exceptions: premium streetwear, designer menswear, and sneakers.

Poshmark's Hidden Costs and Gotchas

The Time Tax

Poshmark's social features are a double-edged sword. To maximize visibility, you need to:

Successful Poshmark sellers spend 30-60 minutes daily just on sharing. That's unpaid labor. On eBay, you list it and walk away.

Lowball Offers

Poshmark has a built-in offer system, and buyers use it aggressively. Expect:

Shipping Weight Limit

The $7.67 prepaid label covers up to 5 lbs. If your item weighs more, you pay the difference (and it gets expensive). This limits what you can sell — heavy items like boots, coats, or bundled orders can eat into your margins.

Pro tip: Weigh everything before listing. A heavy winter coat might cost you an extra $5-$10 in shipping upgrades, turning that 20% commission into an effective 30%+.

Returns

Poshmark's return policy is actually seller-friendly — buyers can only return if the item is "not as described." No buyer's remorse returns. But when returns happen, you lose the sale AND Poshmark keeps the original shipping cost.

How to Maximize Your Poshmark Earnings

1. Price 20% Higher (But Smartly)

Since Poshmark buyers expect to negotiate, price your items 20-30% above your target sale price. If you want $40 for a dress, list it at $50-$52.

2. Use Closet Clear Out Events

Poshmark runs regular Closet Clear Out (CCO) events where you can drop prices and buyers get a shipping discount. Time your price drops to these events for maximum impact.

3. Bundle to Increase Order Value

Poshmark's bundle feature lets buyers combine items from your closet. Offer a bundle discount (10-20% off 2+ items) to increase average order value. A $30 sale with 20% commission stings. A $75 bundle with 20% commission is much more palatable because your per-item shipping cost drops to zero.

4. Photograph Like a Pro

This applies everywhere, but Poshmark's visual feed makes it especially important:

5. Cross-List to Offset the Commission

Here's the real secret: don't rely on Poshmark alone. List the same items on:

Cross-listing means whichever platform sells the item first wins. You capture the best of each platform's audience.

Related: Cross-Listing on Multiple Marketplaces: The Complete Guide

Poshmark vs Other Platforms: Quick Comparison

PlatformCommissionShipping (Seller)Best For
Poshmark20% (or $2.95 under $15)$0 (buyer pays)Women's fashion, designer
eBay~13.25%Varies ($8-15 avg)Everything, especially high-ticket
Mercari10%VariesQuick sales, general items
Whatnot~10-12%VariesLive selling, collectibles
FB Marketplace0% local / ~6% shippedVariesLocal sales, furniture

Deep dive: eBay vs Poshmark vs Mercari: Complete Fee Comparison

Real Seller Numbers: What I Actually Make

Here's a snapshot from a real Poshmark closet doing about $3,000/month in sales:

That's a 52% profit margin. Not bad for a side hustle. But if those same items sold on eBay with free shipping:

Wait — Poshmark actually wins here? Yes, because on eBay you'd be eating shipping costs. This example assumes similar sell-through rates, which isn't always the case (eBay has more buyers overall).

The Verdict: Is 20% Worth It?

Yes, if:

No, if:

The smart play: Don't choose just one platform. List on Poshmark AND eBay AND Mercari. Let the platforms compete for your sale. The first one to sell, wins.

Stop Tracking Fees Manually

If you're selling on multiple platforms (and you should be), tracking fees, profits, and inventory across Poshmark, eBay, Whatnot, and Mercari gets messy fast.

BundleLive helps resellers manage inventory across platforms, track real profit after fees, and streamline their workflow. Stop using spreadsheets — let the tools do the math.

Try BundleLive free →

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