Fees
Promoted Listings Fee Calculator
Enter the total sale amount, the ad rate you set, your product cost, the shipping you pay and your base marketplace fee. The calculator shows the ad fee and the profit left after all of it.
Promoted Listings charges are separate from the normal marketplace fee and they stack: you pay both on the same sale. The ad fee is only charged when a buyer clicks your promoted listing and then buys within the attribution window, so it does not apply to every sale — but on the sales it does apply to, it comes straight out of profit.
Formula
Ad fee = total sale amount × ad rate %. Profit = total sale amount − product cost − shipping − base marketplace fee − ad fee.
How it works
Enter the total the buyer pays, including shipping where the marketplace counts it, and the ad rate you set for the campaign. The calculator applies the base marketplace fee and the ad fee to the same total, then subtracts your costs. Compare the profit with and without the ad fee to judge whether the extra visibility is worth it.
Worked example
Total sale $55.00, ad rate 5%, product cost $16.00, shipping $8.00 and base marketplace fee 13.6%. Ad fee: $55.00 × 5% = $2.75. Base fee: $55.00 × 13.6% = $7.48. Profit: $55.00 − $16.00 − $8.00 − $7.48 − $2.75 = $20.77, a 37.76% margin. Without the ad fee the profit would be $23.52.
FAQs
When is the ad fee actually charged?
For Promoted Listings Standard (General) campaigns, the fee is charged when a buyer clicks your promoted listing and then buys a promoted item within 30 days of that click. You do not pay for clicks or impressions that do not lead to a sale under this model.
What is the ad rate based on?
The ad rate is a percentage of the total sale amount, which eBay describes as including the item price, shipping and other applicable fees. That is why the calculator applies the rate to the total sale amount, not just the item price.
What ad rate should I start with?
Start low and test. A low rate costs little but may win less prominent placement; a high rate wins visibility but eats margin fast. Check your campaign dashboard for the suggested rate in your category, then test one rate for a few weeks before changing it.
Does the ad fee replace the normal final value fee?
No. The ad fee is charged on top of the normal final value fee and any per-order fee. Both come out of the same sale, which is why this calculator shows them as separate lines.
What about Promoted Listings Priority campaigns?
Priority campaigns use a cost-per-click model: you pay for clicks whether or not they lead to a sale, and you set a daily budget. This calculator models the cost-per-sale General model only; do not use it for a Priority campaign budget.
Stand: October 2026. Ad-fee structure (percentage of total sale amount, charged on a sale within 30 days of an ad click) per eBay's published Promoted Listings FAQs. The 2% minimum ad rate commonly reported for General campaigns could not be confirmed from a live eBay.com help page in this batch, so no minimum is stated as fact on this page — check the minimum shown in your own campaign setup. Source: eBay — Promoted Listings FAQs.
Disclaimer: Results are estimates and general information only, not tax or financial advice. Your actual fees, shipping costs and profit depend on your marketplace account, category, shipping service and buyer location. Check the figures that apply to you before pricing a listing.
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