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What does selling on Amazon FBA really cost?

A Professional plan is $39.99 a month, the referral fee is often 15%, and FBA adds fulfilment and storage fees that depend on size, weight and time.

✓ Checked 5 Nov 2026 against Amazon’s own pricing page and 2 seller guides · Next check 5 Feb 2027
Cardboard boxes on steel warehouse shelves

FBA means Amazon stores, packs and ships your stock. You pay for a selling plan, a referral fee on each sale, and FBA fees on top. You also buy the stock first, so your money is tied up before you sell a single unit.

What do you need for Amazon FBA?

  1. A selling planProfessional is $39.99 a month. Individual is $0.99 per item sold, which seller guides suggest below about 40 sales a month.
  2. StockYou buy it and send it to Amazon before the first sale.
  3. A product that survives the feesCheck it in Amazon’s revenue calculator first.

What comes off each sale

CostAmountWhat it means
Professional plan$39.99 a monthFrom Amazon’s own page
Individual plan$0.99 per item soldOn Amazon’s pricing page, and two seller guides agree
Referral fee15% in ‘Everything Else’Varies by category, with a $0.30 minimum there
Media closing fee$1.80 per itemOn media items, on top of the referral fee
FBA fulfilment and storageBy size, weight and timeNo single figure: use Amazon’s calculator

15% is the most common rate in Amazon’s table, but some categories charge 8% or less on cheap items, and some charge more. A $25 sale at 15% is $3.75, before plan, FBA and product costs.

What it adds up to

Items sold at $25SalesReferral fees at 15%Left after the $39.99 plan
50 items$1,250.00$187.50$1,022.51
200 items$5,000.00$750.00$4,210.01
500 items$12,500.00$1,875.00$10,585.01

FBA fulfilment and storage fees and what the stock cost you still come out of the last column. Our sums on Amazon’s ‘Everything Else’ rate above: an example, not a promise.

When does Amazon FBA pay you?

QuestionAnswer
Pay cycleAbout every 14 days
HoldFunds are held for 7 days after delivery, under a policy new in 2026

What is the catch with Amazon FBA?

  • You pay for stock up front, and unsold stock keeps costing you storage.
  • Larger and heavier items carry higher fulfilment and storage fees.
  • Amazon advertises credits for new sellers and brands, so read the conditions before counting on them.
  • The fee table has many exceptions, so check your exact category.

How to start with Amazon FBA

  1. Pick one product ideaKeep it small and light while you learn the fees.
  2. Run the numbersPut it through Amazon’s revenue calculator.
  3. Choose a planCompare $0.99 per item with $39.99 a month for your volume.
  4. Start with a small batchSee real sales before you tie up more money.

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