Facebook Marketplace vs eBay: 0% against 14%, and the cost of a no-show
Facebook Marketplace is the cheapest place on the internet to sell something: nothing for a local cash sale, 5% for a shipped one. eBay takes about 14%. The gap is real, and it is partly paid for in no-shows, messages and meetups in car parks.
Two fee regimes on the same platform
Facebook Marketplace has no listing fee and no subscription. A local sale paid in cash, Venmo or Zelle costs nothing at all — Facebook takes no cut because it does not process the payment. A shipped sale through Facebook checkout costs 5% of the item price with a $0.40 minimum, and that 5% includes processing, buyer protection and fraud screening.
eBay charges 13.6% final value fee, 0.35% regulatory fee and a $0.40 per-order fee, on a base that includes shipping. The calculator below models the shipped case, because that is the conservative comparison — a local sale is strictly better than what you see here.
| Platform | Fees | Fee rate | Net per sale | vs best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Marketplace | $6.00 | 5.0% | $66.00 | — |
| eBay | $17.14 | 14.3% | $54.86 | -$11.14 |
Worked at a $120.00 sale, $40.00 unit cost and $8.00 of shipping you pay, general merchandise. Change any of those and the order can flip — that is what the calculator above is for.
The gap is a fee, and then it is a cost
On a $120 item the fee difference is about $11, and it rises to $17 if you sell locally. What eats it is time. A local sale takes 30–45 minutes of messages, scheduling and driving; at $30 an hour that is $15–$22 of your time, which is exactly the size of the saving. On a $400 item the saving is $56 and the time cost is the same, which is why Marketplace works for furniture and appliances and not for $20 DVDs.
No-shows are the other tax. Estimates put agreed meetups that fall through at 20–40%, and each one costs you the slot rather than the item. Sellers who make it work confirm an hour before, batch meetups in the same part of town, and use police-station exchange zones for anything over a few hundred dollars.
Where each one actually wins
Facebook wins on anything heavy, bulky or collection-only: sofas, treadmills, wardrobes, bikes, car parts. Shipping those is either impossible or destroys the margin, and a local buyer who collects removes the largest cost in the transaction.
eBay wins on anything small, specific or searchable — a replacement lens cap, a discontinued model train, a book. The buyer exists but is not in your city, and eBay's search is the only thing that finds them. Most resellers run both: bulky items on Marketplace, everything that fits in a jiffy bag on eBay.
Facebook Marketplace vs eBay — FAQ
Does Facebook Marketplace charge a fee?
Only on shipped orders paid through Facebook checkout, where it takes 5% of the item price with a $0.40 minimum. Local pickup paid in cash, Venmo or Zelle costs nothing — Facebook does not process the payment and takes no commission. There are no listing fees or subscriptions either way.
Is Facebook Marketplace cheaper than eBay?
Yes, by a wide margin: 5% shipped and 0% local against eBay's roughly 14%. On a $120 item that is about $11 shipped and $17 locally. Whether it is better depends on whether you can find a local buyer and whether your time is worth the difference.
How do I avoid no-shows on Facebook Marketplace?
Confirm the meeting an hour before, agree a specific public location rather than a vague area, and ask for a small deposit through Facebook Pay on high-value items. Batching several meetups in one part of town on one day also means a no-show costs an hour rather than an afternoon.
Can I ship on Facebook Marketplace?
Yes, in eligible categories. Facebook provides prepaid labels at checkout — typically $3.49–$5.99 for items under a pound — or you can ship on your own. The 5% fee applies to the item price either way, and payouts are released when tracking shows delivery.
Which is better for furniture?
Facebook Marketplace, decisively. Shipping a sofa or wardrobe is either impossible or costs more than the item, so eBay removes most of the buyer pool. On Marketplace a local buyer collects, the fee is zero, and the item sells for what someone in your city will pay.
Sources & last checked. Rates reflect Facebook Marketplace's 2026 US terms (0% on local pickup, 5% on shipped orders through Facebook checkout with a $0.40 minimum, no listing or subscription fees) and eBay's 2026 US business-seller fees. Last reviewed October 2026.
eBay Fee Calculator →
What the 13.6% costs once fees stack.
Mercari Fee Calculator →
The middle option: 10% flat with prepaid labels.