Break-even price calculator
The naive break-even — just charge what it cost you — loses money on every platform that takes a percentage. This does the correct algebra.
Why you can't just add the fee on top
If an item cost you $20 and the platform takes 10%, charging $22 does not break even. The fee applies to the whole $22, so you pay $2.20 and keep $19.80 — a loss. The correct break-even divides by what you keep: cost ÷ (1 − fee rate). For $20 at 10% that is $22.22, and the gap grows fast as fees rise: at a 20% fee the break-even on a $20 item is $25, not $24.
Fixed per-sale fees (payment processing often adds one) go inside the same formula, which is why cheap items are so hard to profit on — a fixed 45 cents is nothing on a $100 sale and brutal on a $5 one.
Add a target profit and the calculator returns the price that clears it after all fees, which is the number you actually want when deciding whether an item is worth listing at all.
Questions
What fee percentage should I enter?
The total percentage your platform takes on a sale, including payment processing if it is charged separately. The platform calculators on this site show real breakdowns if you are unsure what yours adds up to.
Should shipping be part of my cost?
If you pay for shipping out of your side, yes — treat it like any other cost, along with packaging. If the buyer pays shipping separately, leave it out.
Why is the break-even higher than cost plus fee percent?
Because the fee is charged on the final price, not on your cost. Pricing must divide by what you keep, not multiply what you spent — the difference compounds as the fee percentage grows.