With Amazon FBA, you can use Amazon’s fulfillment network for storage, packing, shipping, and customer service.
In addition to referral and subscription fees, you’ll also have per–unit fulfillment fees, monthly storage fees, and seasonal charges. If you don’t have a plan, you may find that those charges will eat into your profits quickly.
This guide breaks down every Amazon FBA fees you’ll encounter in 2026, standard and oversized fulfillment rates, inventory storage fees, category–based referral charges, and more.
You’ll also get free calculators, the latest fee updates, and practical tips to manage costs. By the end, you’ll know exactly what it costs to sell with FBA and how to protect your margins.
The Core Costs of Selling on Amazon
There are some standard costs every seller selling an item on Amazon will face, no matter how they choose to fulfill the order.
Take a few moments to understand these fees so you can understand profits and price your products appropriately to see if Amazon FBA is profitable or not.
Referral Fees by Category
| Product Category | Referral Fee Structure | Minimum Referral Fee |
| Amazon Device Accessories | 45% | $0.30 |
| Amazon Explore | 30% for Experiences | $2.00 |
| Automotive and Powersports | 12% | $0.30 |
| Base Equipment Power Tools | 12% | $0.30 |
| Baby Products | 8% for items ≤ $10; 15% for items > $10 | $0.30 |
| Backpacks, Handbags, and Luggage | 15% | $0.30 |
| Beauty, Health, and Personal Care | 8% for items ≤ $10; 15% for items > $10 | $0.30 |
| Business, Industrial, and Scientific Supplies | 12% | $0.30 |
| Clothing and Accessories | 17% | $0.30 |
| Compact Appliances | 15% for the portion ≤ $300; 8% for the portion > $300 | $0.30 |
| Computers | 8% | $0.30 |
| Consumer Electronics | 8% | $0.30 |
| Electronics Accessories | 15% for the portion ≤ $100; 8% for the portion > $100 | $0.30 |
| Everything Else | 15% | $0.30 |
| Eyewear | 15% | $0.30 |
| Fine Art | 20% for the portion ≤ $100; 15% for the portion > $100 and ≤ $1,000; 10% for the portion > $1,000 and ≤ $5,000; 5% for the portion > $5,000 | — |
| Footwear | 15% | $0.30 |
| Full-Size Appliances | 8% | $0.30 |
| Furniture | 15% for the portion ≤ $200; 10% for the portion > $200 | $0.30 |
| Gift Cards | 20% | — |
| Grocery and Gourmet Food | 8% for items ≤ $15; 15% for items > $15 | — |
| Home and Kitchen | 15% | $0.30 |
| Jewelry | 20% for the portion ≤ $250; 5% for the portion > $250 | $0.30 |
| Lawn and Garden | 15% | $0.30 |
| Lawn Mowers and Snow Throwers | 15% for items ≤ $500; 8% for items > $500 | $0.30 |
| Mattresses | 15% | $0.30 |
| Media – Books, DVDs, Music, Software, Video | 15% | — |
| Musical Instruments and AV Production | 15% | $0.30 |
| Office Products | 15% | $0.30 |
| Pet Products | 15%; 22% for veterinary diets | $0.30 |
| Sports and Outdoors | 15% | $0.30 |
| Tires | 10% | $0.30 |
| Tools and Home Improvement | 15% | $0.30 |
| Toys and Games | 15% | $0.30 |
| Video Game Consoles | 8% | — |
| Video Games and Gaming Accessories | 15% | — |
| Watches | 16% for the portion ≤ $1,500; 3% for the portion > $1,500 | $0.30 |
Referral fees are amounts paid to Amazon as a commission on a per-item sold basis. In 2026, Amazon kept these fees constant, creating a little more stability for sellers.
Referral fees are typically 8-15% of your total sale price, although fees can vary significantly by category:
- Amazon Device Accessories: 45% (highest category fee)
- Computers and Consumer Electronics: 8%
- Clothing and Accessories: Tiered structure (5% for items ≤$15, 10% for $15-$20, 17% for >$20)
- Jewelry: 20% for the first $250, 5% for any amount over
- Toys and Games: 15% Most categories have a minimum referral fee of $0.30 per unit.
For better planning, always check the most up-to-date and accurate fee chart for your category before listing products.
Selling Plan Fees
| Selling Plan | Cost | Best For | Key Features |
| Professional Selling Plan | $39.99 monthly subscription (no $0.99 per-item fee) | Sellers listing 40+ items/month | Advanced tools (bulk listing, inventory reports), saves money if 40+ items sold |
| Individual Selling Plan | No monthly fee, but $0.99 per item sold | Occasional sellers or those testing with a small number of items | Simple structure, no subscription, flexible for low-volume sellers |
Amazon has two selling plans to choose from:
- Professional Selling Plan: This $39.99 monthly subscription allows you to avoid the $0.99 per-item fee. This is best for sellers planning to list more than 40 items in any month. The Professional plan also provides advanced selling tools such as bulk listing and inventory reports.
- Individual Selling Plan: There is no subscription fee for the Individual plan, but sellers will pay $0.99 per item sold. This is best for someone who sells occasionally, or someone testing the waters of selling in an Amazon marketplace with only a small number of items.
The two plans are nearly identical from a fee perspective at 40 items, or $39.99 for the Professional plan vs. $39.60 for the Individual plan…. If you are planning to sell at least 40 items in a month, the Professional Selling Plan is probably going to save you money.
Refund Administration Fees
| Refund Scenario | Details |
| Fee Rule | Lesser of $5.00 or 20% of the applicable referral fee. |
| Example (Refunding $100 item, 15% referral fee) | – Original referral fee: $15.00- Refund administration fee: $3.00 (20% of $15)- Amount refunded to you: $12.00 |
| Multiple Line Items | For multiple refunds in the same order, the $5 check applies per unique line item, which can increase fees. |
| Exempt Categories | Books, Music, DVDs (no refund administration fee applies). |
When a customer returns an item and you refund them, rather than refunding your full referral fee, Amazon holds back money from you as a refund administration fee. The refund administration fee is the lesser of $5.00 or 20% of the applicable referral fee.
So, for example, if you refund a $100 item in a category that has a 15% referral fee:
- Original referral fee: $15.00
- Refund administration fee: $3.00 (20% of $15.00)
- Amount refunded to you = $12.00
For multiple refund line items on the same order, the $5.00 check applies to the unique line amount, which increases the fees for multi-listings. Additionally, there are product categories that are exempt from a refund administration fee, such as books, music, and DVDs.
Exclusive Costs for FBA Sellers
In addition to the standard fees associated with being an Amazon seller, FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) sellers incur unique costs associated with Amazon’s warehousing and fulfillment capabilities.
Knowing these fees is critical to creating product pricing, inventory fulfillment plans, and an Amazon FBA strategy that maximizes profit.
Fulfillment Fees (Pick, Pack & Ship)
| Category | Weight / Size Tier | Fee (Non-Peak) |
| Small Standard-Size | 14+ to 16 oz | $3.06 |
| Small Standard-Size | 2 oz or less | $3.65 |
| Large Standard-Size | 4 oz or less | $3.68 |
| Large Standard-Size | 3+ lb to 20 lb | $6.92 + $0.08 per 4 oz above 3 lb |
Fulfillment fees cover the costs associated with picking, packing, shipping, and customer service for each order.
The fulfillment fee differs based on size and weight, but also in which product category the product is in. For 2026, the fees for standard-size items are as follows (the fees are tiered based on weight):
- Small standard-size items (14+ to 16 oz): $3.06, during non-peak charge times.
- Small standard-size items (2 oz or less): $3.65, during non-peak charge times.
- Large standard-size items (4 oz or less): $3.68, during non-peak charge times.
- Large standard-size items (3+ lb to 20 lb): $6.92, plus $0.08 per 4 oz above the first 3 lb.
Additionally, the holiday peak fulfillment period will apply to fees charged from October 15, 2026, to January 14, 2026, and the peak period will increase the Amazon FBA fees to be anywhere from $0.19 to $2.73 more for each unit.
It should be noted that dangerous goods with special handling requirements have higher fees. Furthermore, FBA provides lower fees for SIPP (Ships in Product Packaging) products and for items priced under $10.00.
Storage Fees
Monthly storage fees are based on the size of your inventory in Amazon’s fulfillment centres:
Amazon FBA Monthly Storage Fees (2026):
| Product Type | Off-Peak (Jan–Sep) | Peak (Oct–Dec) |
| Standard-Size | $0.78 per cubic foot | $2.40 per cubic foot |
| Oversize | $0.53 per cubic foot | $1.40 per cubic foot |
Long-Term Storage Fees (Effective 2026):
| Inventory Age | Fee Type | Charge |
| 181–270 days | Long-Term Storage | $1.50 per cubic foot |
| 271–300 days | Long-Term Storage | $3.80 per cubic foot |
| 301–365 days | Long-Term Storage | $4.20 per cubic foot |
| Over 365 days | Long-Term Storage | $6.90 per cubic foot or $0.15 per unit (whichever is greater) |
Also, there are aged inventory surcharges applied for items in storage for over 181 days, starting from $0.50 per cubic foot and increasing for each day of storage.
There is a storage utilization surcharge for professional sellers who have exceeded 26 weeks of storage utilization (22 weeks as of April 2024).
Finally, storage overage fees of over $10.00 per cubic foot apply for inventory exceeding storage limits.
Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP)
Seller-Fulfilled Prime is a viable option to FBA; it allows you to fulfill orders yourself while showing the Prime badge.
As a Seller-Fulfilled Prime seller, you would need to know the following:
- 2% fee on each SFP item sold (minimum of $0.25 per unit)
- Removing FBA storage and fulfillment fees
SFP requires strict performance requirements that you’ll need to satisfy, including:
- Fast delivery speed (one day and two days)
- 93.5% on-time delivery
- 99% valid tracking
- Less than 0.5% seller-initiated cancellations
In most cases, SFP will save you money compared to FBA, especially since you will also need to provide free shipping on all Prime orders, which would impact your profit margin substantially.
Unlike with FBA, you can store your inventory wherever works for you while still benefiting from the Prime badge.
Exclusive Costs for FBM Sellers
Unlike FBA sellers, Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) sellers manage their own storage, packaging, and shipping operations, resulting in lower direct Amazon fees.
FBM sellers pay referral fees and selling plan fees ($0.99 per item for Individual sellers or $39.99 monthly for Professional sellers), but avoid fulfillment and storage charges.
Certain categories, like Books and Video Games, require an additional $1.80 closing fee per item.
While escaping Amazon’s fulfillment charges, FBM sellers must factor in their own operational expenses such as below to become a top seller on Amazon:
- Self-storage costs for inventory
- Packaging materials and shipping supplies
- Labor for order processing
- Shipping carrier fees
- Customer service management
- Return processing expenses
Cost-saving Services for FBM Sellers
Amazon offers cost-saving services for FBM sellers:
- Amazon Buy Shipping with rates 31% lower than retail ground rates
- Veeqo shipping software with up to 5% back on eligible shipments
- Amazon Warehousing and Distribution for low-cost bulk storage options
FBM often proves more economical for products with thin profit margins, low sales volume, or oversized/fragile items.
When calculating your true costs, consider both Amazon’s fees and your self-managed fulfillment expenses to determine the most profitable strategy for your product catalog.
FBA shipping vs. FBM shipping
FBA (inbound): This means you ship your inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers, and Amazon handles the delivery to the customer.
Note: as of March 2024, Amazon imposed inbound placement service fees depending on your distribution option, single location (most variety across the most distribution choices), partial splits (2-3 locations), and Amazon-optimized splits (4+, sometimes no additional cost).
FBM (outbound): You coordinate the customer shipment (packaging, carriers, timelines) and incur all associated costs.
Cost Example: 1,200 Monthly Orders
| Item | FBA | FBM |
| Fulfillment (per unit) | $2.50 × 1,200 = $3,000 | — |
| Inbound shipping | $0.50 × 1,200 = $600 | — |
| Shipping | — | $4.00 × 1,200 = $4,800 |
| Packaging | — | $0.75 × 1,200 = $900 |
| Storage | $0.75 (cubic ft) = $9 | $1.00 (cubic ft) = $12 |
| Labor | — | $0.50 × 1,200 = $600 |
| Total | $3,609 | $6,312 |
In this example, FBA $3,609 vs FBM $6,312, a difference of $2,703 from FBA, using FBA would save you money.
When to Choose Which
- Choose FBA for fast-moving, lightweight SKUs where Amazon’s scale on shipping offsets the fees.
- Choose FBM for slow-moving large items or if you have a logistics model that is already effective and economical.
The decision between using FBA and FBM fundamentally alters the shipping role and cost structure for your operation, or you can even decide to choose between Amazon FBA vs dropshipping.
Additional Service Fees You Might Encounter
Amazon sellers can incur several extra charges beyond standard fees. Below is a short, scannable summary.
Common Extra Fees
- Long-term storage: Items stored for more than 365 days will be charged at $1.50 per cubic foot or $0.15 per item per month, whichever is greater. The age surcharges start after 181 days.
- Unplanned service: These fees get applied when inventory isn’t prepped properly. A missing barcode is a $0.55 charge per item. Polybagging is about $0.70 per item. FBA manual processing is about $0.15 per item for items without box-content information.
- Returns processing: You pay the original fulfillment costs to process eligible free returns.
- Disposal/removal: You will be charged for returning or disposing of unsold stock to avoid long-term storage fees.
- High-volume listing: Monthly, per-SKU fees for catalogs over 1.5M active SKUs.
- Advertising & promotions: Advertising and promotions are optional but typically needed. Unmonitored campaigns and vouchers can lead to unexpected costs.
Quick tip: Use Amazon’s Revenue Calculator, look for a similar product using FBA and self-fulfillment options, and vary the inputs to calculate the true costs.
How to Calculate Your True Amazon Selling Costs
Utilize Amazon’s Revenue Calculator to fairly judge FBA versus self-fulfillment and get a reasonable picture of profit before you invest in inventory.
Steps (Revenue Calculator):
- Search by SKU/ASIN/UPC/title, and select the product.
- Examine Amazon FBA fees and projected profit.
- Input your own fulfillment & storage costs
- Compare FBA versus FBM side by side
First, gather these data:
- Monthly orders
- Items per order
- Average sale price
- Production (COGS)
- Weight & dimensions
If you’re a new seller or working with multiple (new) SKUs, use Define product or Estimate in bulk.
Don’t forget to download a Fee Preview from Seller Central. Don’t forget to consider the project range of all of your variable costs; they’ll pile up and easily bring out your incremental profit.
How to Reduce Your Amazon Fees in 2026
Minimizing fees, increase your sales on Amazon, and small changes add up to this reduction.
Quick Takeaway
Small operational changes add up, even saving money on packaging, managing inventory, and managing programs can materially save your margins.
Packaging & Sizing
By optimally packaging your items, you will save money on Amazon FBA fees, and this is one of the quickest ways to save on fees, but there are more ways to get cheaper FBA fees.
Use lighter and more compact materials, and adjust dimensions to fit a smaller size tier; also, where possible, it’s better to use durable poly bags instead of bulky cardboard boxes, as you will save on both weight and dimensional fees.
Inventory Management
You should always focus on your Inventory Performance Index (IPI) and keep roughly 60–90 days of stock to avoid long-term storage fees. Create focused promotional sales events to reduce slow-moving SKUs before incurring higher fees from them aging.
Cost-saving programs
- Small & Light – lower fulfilment costs for items < $10
- Brand Referral Bonus – reduced referral fee for external traffic
- Partner Carrier – discounted inbound shipping to FBA
Final step
Before purchasing inventory, always cross-shop Amazon’s Revenue Calculator to see if FBA or FBM provides better margins, and make sure to include every little variable cost, because small fees add up quickly.
Final Steps for Lower Amazon FBA Fees
Amazon sellers must understand fees to be successful in 2026, largely because they are important for staying profitable.
FBA suits sellers with large, standardized products with fast turns, while FBM would be better for a seller with slow-moving, bulkier products.
Storing products wisely and managing inventory prevents storage fees. The Amazon Revenue Calculator is a good start to estimating fees.
Sellers get smarter with fees and use them to cut down on costs by optimizing packaging, learning how to get cheaper FBA fees, managing inventory counts, and choosing the right selling plan.
Successful sellers evolve with the fees and take the cost of sales as a competitive advantage. The more sellers know, the more educated decisions they can make to maximize profits.
Amazon FBA Fees FAQs
- Why is my FBA fee so high?
FBA fees may be higher if your product is a large size, heavy weight, has storage costs, or anything else like prepping, labeling, or special handling.
- How to avoid Amazon FBA fees?
To lower your Amazon FBA fees, make your product as small as possible, manage your inventory (if you get long-term storage fees), and look at other fulfillment options (if needed).
- Is FBA more expensive than FBM?
FBA could indeed be more costly than FBM, especially for less expensive products, but there are certainly benefits, such as the ability for the product to be Amazon Prime compliant and the visibility it gets through the Amazon platform.
- Does FBA have a monthly fee?
Sure, with FBA, there will be monthly storage fees (based on how much inventory you have on hand) along with fulfillment fees charged with every unit sold.
