I still remember the day I decided to stop selling strictly "Porch Pickup" and dip my toes into Facebook Marketplace Shipping. I had a vintage Pyrex bowl that was collecting dust in my local feed, so I clicked the "Enable Shipping" toggle. Within an hour, it sold to a buyer in Ohio for $25.
I was thrilled. I slapped a label on it, dropped it at the post office, and waited for my payout. When the notification finally hit my bank account, I did a double-take. Payout: $19.50. Where did the rest go? Between the selling fee and the payment processing costs I hadn't properly calculated, I had lost nearly 20% of the sale value. And because I had underestimated the box weight by 4 ounces, I narrowly avoided a postage-due disaster that would have wiped out my profit entirely.
If you are staring at your "Sales" dashboard and wondering does facebook marketplace charge fees, you aren't alone. The platform that started as a digital yard sale has quietly evolved into a fee-heavy e-commerce giant. In 2025, the days of "everything is free" are gone—unless you know exactly which buttons not to click.
The Two Worlds of Facebook: Local Cash vs. Shipped Checkout
To understand the fee structure, you have to understand that Facebook Marketplace is actually two different platforms glued together.
1. The "Digital Yard Sale" (Fee-Free)
This is what most people think of.
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Method: You list a couch. A neighbor messages you. They come to your driveway. They hand you $50 cash (or Venmo).
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Fee: $0.00.
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Why: Facebook is just the introducer. They never touched the money, so they can't take a cut.
2. The "E-Commerce Rival" (Fee-Heavy)
This is where the confusion starts.
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Method: You list a vintage sweater. A stranger in Texas clicks "Buy Now." They pay via credit card through Facebook. You ship it.
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Fee: 10% (Minimum $0.80).
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Why: Facebook processed the payment, hosted the checkout, and provided "Purchase Protection." They charge for this service.
Opinion Statement: If you are selling low-margin items (like $5 kids' clothes), shipping is rarely worth it. The minimum $0.80 fee plus packaging costs will eat your lunch. Stick to local pickup or bundle items to make the fees digestible.
The 2025 Fee Hike: From 5% to 10%
Here’s where it gets interesting... for years, the standard facebook marketplace fees were 5%. It was the cheapest game in town compared to eBay (13%) or Poshmark (20%). In 2024/2025, that changed.
The New Reality: The fee for shipped items has jumped to 10%.
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Old Math: Sell for $50 -> Fee was $2.50.
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New Math: Sell for $50 -> Fee is $5.00.
Why the hike? Facebook claims it covers improved "Purchase Protection" and payment infrastructure. Realistically, it’s because they can. They realized sellers were making money, and they wanted a bigger slice.
The Death of Prepaid Labels (And Why It Matters)
Now the tricky part... In early 2025, Facebook rolled out a massive change that quietly hurt casual sellers: The removal of Prepaid Shipping Labels for new listings.
Previously, Facebook negotiated great rates with USPS. You clicked "Ship," and they generated a label for you. The New Rule: Sellers are increasingly responsible for buying their own shipping labels (via platforms like Pirate Ship) and manually uploading the tracking number.
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The Hidden Cost: You lose the subsidized rates.
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The Risk: If you forget to upload tracking within 3 days, Facebook automatically cancels the order, refunds the buyer, and you lose the item and the money.
My Honest Failure: I sold a rare video game last month. I bought my own label but forgot to paste the tracking number into the Facebook order page. Five days later, I got a notification: "Order Cancelled. Buyer Refunded." The game was already delivered to the buyer. I lost $60 because I missed a data entry step.
Does Facebook Marketplace Charge Fees for Shipping?
This is a semantics trap. Does Facebook Marketplace charge fees for shipping?
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Technically No: They don't charge you a fee just for the act of shipping.
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Practically Yes: They charge the 10% fee on the Total Transaction Amount.
The "Tax on Shipping" Trap: If you sell an item for $20 and charge the buyer $10 for shipping:
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Total Transaction: $30.
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Facebook Fee (10%): $3.00.
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Wait... You only made $20 on the item! Why is the fee $3.00?
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Because Facebook takes 10% of the shipping money too.
Strategy: Always account for this "fee on shipping" when pricing your item. If shipping is expensive, your fee burden goes up, even if your profit stays the same.
I use Closo to automate cross-listing my inventory to Mercari and Poshmark – saves me about 3 hours weekly – because if I'm going to pay 10%+ in fees, I want my item seen by as many buyers as possible, not just the Facebook crowd.
Facebook Seller Transaction Fees: The "Chargeback" Risk
Beyond the standard 10%, there is a hidden fee lurking in the Terms of Service: The Chargeback Fee.
If a buyer purchases your item and then tells their credit card company "I didn't authorize this," a chargeback is initiated.
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The Cost: If you lose the dispute, Facebook charges you a $20 Chargeback Fee on top of refunding the buyer.
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How to Avoid: Always use tracked shipping. Always communicate through Facebook Messenger. Never take conversations to text/WhatsApp.
Tips for Selling on FB Marketplace (To Minimize Fees)
If you want to keep more of your money, you have to play the game differently in 2025.
1. The "Local First" Strategy
List every item as "Local Pickup Only" for the first 3 days.
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Why: You might find a cash buyer who pays $0 fees.
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Pivot: If it doesn't sell by Day 4, then turn on shipping.
2. The "Pre-Bundling" Method
Since there is a minimum fee of $0.80, selling a $3 item is financial suicide (26% fee!).
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Fix: Bundle low-value items. "Lot of 5 T-Shirts" for $20.
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Result: One transaction fee (10% of $20 = $2.00) vs. five separate fees ($0.80 x 5 = $4.00).
3. Use Your Own Labels (Smartly)
Since you likely have to buy your own labels now anyway, use a service like Pirate Ship to get "Commercial Cubic" rates.
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Benefit: You might pay $6 for a label that Facebook would have charged the buyer $9 for.
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Profit: You can charge the buyer $9 shipping, pay $6 for the label, and pocket the $3 difference (minus the 10% fee on shipping). It’s a small arbitrage that adds up.
People Always Ask Me...
"Is there a listing fee on Facebook Marketplace?"
Common question I see. No. Unlike Etsy ($0.20 per listing) or eBay (after 250 items), Facebook Marketplace has $0 listing fees. You can list 1,000 items and pay nothing. You only pay when something sells via shipping. This makes it the best platform for testing inventory risk-free.
"Can I ask a shipping buyer to pay me via Venmo to avoid fees?"
People always ask me this. Technically, you can, but it is extremely risky.
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The Risk: If you take payment off-platform (Venmo) and ship the item, you have zero seller protection. If the buyer claims "I never got it," Venmo won't help you.
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My Advice: Only use Venmo for face-to-face meetups. For shipping, pay the 10% fee. It’s the cost of insurance against scams.
"Does Facebook charge sales tax?"
Yes. For shipped items, Facebook automatically calculates, collects, and remits sales tax for almost all states.
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Good News: You don't have to do anything.
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Bad News: The 10% seller fee is often calculated on the total including tax in some regions (check your specific state laws), meaning you pay a fee on the tax money you never touched.
Conclusion
So, does facebook marketplace charge fees? If you are willing to meet a stranger in a parking lot: No. If you want the convenience of shipping to 300 million users: Yes, and it’s getting pricier.
The jump to a 10% fee puts Facebook squarely in competition with Mercari and eBay. It is no longer the "cheap" alternative for shipping. However, its massive audience often leads to faster sales, which might be worth the premium.
My recommendation? Use Facebook for what it does best: Local, heavy, and cash sales. For everything else, cross-list it and let the best platform win.
If you are ready to expand beyond the Facebook ecosystem, check out our guide on how to start selling on Mercari. And if you are overwhelmed by tracking fees across apps, read our review of best accounting tools for resellers to keep your profits clear.
FAQ
Here's something everyone wants to know: Does Facebook Marketplace take a cut of shipping?
Yes. When you sell an item with shipping enabled, Facebook's 10% selling fee applies to the total transaction amount. This usually includes the item price and the shipping cost paid by the buyer. This ensures sellers don't dodge fees by listing an item for $1 and charging $50 for shipping.
Common question I see: Is there a fee for local pickup on Facebook Marketplace?
No. Transactions arranged for "Local Pickup" are considered offline deals. Facebook does not process the payment (which is usually cash or Venmo/Zelle), so they cannot charge a fee. This remains the only 100% fee-free way to sell on the platform in 2025.
People always ask me: How much does FB Marketplace charge for selling a car?
For vehicle listings, there are generally no fees for private sellers listing basic classifieds. However, dealerships and high-volume sellers may encounter listing fees or ad costs. For a standard user selling their old Honda Civic, it is free to list and free to sell, as the payment is handled in person (cashier's check/cash).
