Who this is for
Sellers deciding whether an eBay store subscription makes financial sense. Whether you're outgrowing your 250 free monthly listings or wondering if the fee discounts justify the cost, this guide breaks down exactly when each tier pays for itself.
Calculate your eBay fees
See final value fees, per-order fees, and your actual take-home.
The goal
Understand the real math behind eBay store subscriptions so you can make a data-driven decision. By the end, you'll know exactly which tier (if any) matches your selling volume—and at what point upgrading becomes profitable.
Quick answer: Is an eBay store worth it?
For most sellers, a Basic Store ($21.95/month) starts paying for itself when you hit roughly $2,500 in monthly sales. At that volume, the 0.9% fee discount alone covers the subscription cost.
If you list more than 250 items per month, even a Starter Store can make sense—you'll avoid the $0.35 insertion fee on each additional listing.
Here's the short version:
| Monthly Sales | Recommended Tier | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under $500 | No store | Fee savings won't cover subscription |
| $500-$2,500 | Starter or Basic | Depends on listing volume |
| $2,500-$10,000 | Basic | Fee discount covers cost |
| $10,000+ | Premium or Anchor | Additional listings + shipping credits |
eBay store subscription tiers and pricing (2026)
eBay offers five store tiers. Annual billing saves 14-38% compared to month-to-month pricing.
| Tier | Monthly (Annual) | Monthly (M-to-M) | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $4.95 | $7.95 | 38% |
| Basic | $21.95 | $27.95 | 21% |
| Premium | $59.95 | $74.95 | 20% |
| Anchor | $299.95 | $349.95 | 14% |
| Enterprise | $2,999.95 | N/A | — |
Important: Enterprise requires annual commitment with no month-to-month option. All other tiers allow monthly billing at higher rates.
What's included with each tier
Starter ($4.95/mo)
- 250 free listings per month
- Basic storefront with customization
- No final value fee discount
- Best for: Casual sellers exceeding free listings occasionally
Basic ($21.95/mo)
- 1,000 fixed-price + 250 auction listings
- 0.9% lower final value fees (13.6% → 12.7% in most categories)
- $25/quarter eBay branded shipping supplies credit
- Terapeak product research (now called Sourcing Insights)
- Best for: Regular sellers with $2,500+/month revenue
Premium ($59.95/mo)
- 10,000 fixed-price + 500 auction listings
- Same 0.9% fee discount as Basic
- $50/quarter shipping supplies credit
- Best for: High-volume sellers listing 1,000+ items monthly
Anchor ($299.95/mo)
- 25,000 fixed-price + 1,000 auction listings
- Same 0.9% fee discount
- $150/quarter shipping supplies credit
- $25/quarter Promoted Listings credit
- Dedicated phone support
- Best for: Full-time resellers and established businesses
Enterprise ($2,999.95/mo)
- 100,000 fixed-price + 2,500 auction listings
- All Anchor benefits
- Dedicated account manager
- Best for: Large-scale operations and multi-million dollar sellers
Calculate your eBay fees
See final value fees, per-order fees, and your actual take-home.
Free listings by store tier
One of the biggest advantages of a store subscription is more free listings. Here's how the allocation breaks down:
| Tier | Fixed-Price | Auction | Total Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Store | 250 | (included) | 250 |
| Starter | 250 | (included) | 250 |
| Basic | 1,000 | 250 | 1,250 |
| Premium | 10,000 | 500 | 10,500 |
| Anchor | 25,000 | 1,000 | 26,000 |
| Enterprise | 100,000 | 2,500 | 102,500 |
Insertion fees when you exceed your allowance
Exceed your free listings? Here's what you'll pay per additional listing:
| Tier | Per Extra Listing |
|---|---|
| No Store | $0.35 |
| Starter | $0.30 |
| Basic | $0.25 |
| Premium | $0.10 |
| Anchor | $0.05 |
| Enterprise | $0.05 |
Example: You have no store and list 400 items in a month.
- First 250: Free
- Next 150: 150 × $0.35 = $52.50 in insertion fees
With a Basic Store, those same 400 listings would cost:
- Subscription: $21.95
- Extra listings: 0 (you have 1,000 free)
- Total: $21.95 — you save $30.55
Final value fee discounts: Store vs no store
The final value fee (FVF) is eBay's main revenue source—a percentage of every sale including shipping. Store subscribers at Basic tier and above get a discount.
Fee comparison by store type
| Category | No Store | Starter | Basic & Above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most categories | 13.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| Books, DVDs, Music | 15.3% | 15.3% | 14.6% |
| Jewelry & Watches | 15.0% | 15.0% | 14.55% |
| Guitars & Basses | 6.7% | 6.7% | 3.5% |
| Heavy Equipment | 3.0% | 3.0% | 2.5% |
Key insight: The discount is approximately 0.9% in most categories. That might not sound like much, but on $10,000 in monthly sales, it's $90 in savings—more than quadruple the Basic Store cost.
Per-order fee (applies to everyone)
All sellers also pay a flat per-order fee regardless of store status:
- $0.30 for orders $10.00 or less
- $0.40 for orders over $10.00
This fee doesn't change with store subscriptions.
When each eBay store tier makes sense
Starter Store: Worth it at 273+ listings/month
The math:
- Starter costs $4.95/month (annual)
- Non-store insertion fee: $0.35 per listing over 250
- Break-even: $4.95 ÷ $0.35 = 14 extra listings
If you list 264+ items monthly, Starter pays for itself. However, you still don't get the fee discount—so sellers doing serious volume should jump straight to Basic.
Basic Store: Worth it at $2,500/month in sales
The math:
- Basic costs $21.95/month (annual)
- Fee savings: 0.9% of total sales
- Break-even: $21.95 ÷ 0.009 = $2,439/month
At $2,500/month in sales, the fee discount alone covers your subscription. You also get 750 additional free listings and the shipping supplies credit ($25/quarter = $8.33/month).
Real example:
- Monthly sales: $3,000
- Fee savings: $3,000 × 0.009 = $27
- Subscription cost: $21.95
- Net savings: $5.05/month (plus free listings + shipping credit)
Premium Store: Worth it at 1,000+ listings/month
The math:
- Premium costs $59.95/month (annual)
- Basic costs $21.95/month
- Difference: $38/month
- Extra free listings: 9,000 (10,000 vs 1,000)
- Break-even on listings: If Basic insertion fee is $0.25, you need 152 extra listings over Basic's 1,000 to justify Premium
When it makes sense: Sellers listing 1,000-10,000 items monthly who want to avoid insertion fees entirely. The $50/quarter shipping credit also helps offset the higher cost.
Anchor Store: Worth it at 25,000+ listings or $100K+/month
Anchor is for established businesses where the dedicated support and massive listing allowance matter more than pure fee math. At $299.95/month, you'd need roughly $33,000 in monthly sales just to break even on fee discounts alone.
Most Anchor subscribers value:
- Priority phone support
- $150/quarter shipping supplies
- The ability to list 25,000+ items without insertion fees
Should I upgrade my eBay store? Calculator
Use this decision framework to find your ideal tier:
Step 1: Count your monthly listings
| Listings/Month | Minimum Tier |
|---|---|
| Under 250 | No store needed |
| 250-500 | Consider Starter |
| 500-1,000 | Basic makes sense |
| 1,000-10,000 | Premium makes sense |
| 10,000+ | Anchor or Enterprise |
Step 2: Calculate your monthly sales revenue
| Monthly Revenue | Fee Savings (0.9%) | vs. Basic Cost ($21.95) |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $9.00 | Loses $12.95 |
| $2,000 | $18.00 | Loses $3.95 |
| $2,500 | $22.50 | Breaks even |
| $3,000 | $27.00 | Saves $5.05 |
| $5,000 | $45.00 | Saves $23.05 |
| $10,000 | $90.00 | Saves $68.05 |
Step 3: Add it up
Your monthly equation:
Fee savings = Monthly sales × 0.009
Listing savings = (Listings over 250) × $0.35
Total savings = Fee savings + Listing savings
Net benefit = Total savings - Subscription cost
Example calculation:
- Monthly sales: $4,000
- Monthly listings: 350
Fee savings: $4,000 × 0.009 = $36.00 Listing savings: 100 × $0.35 = $35.00 Total savings: $71.00 Basic subscription: $21.95 Net benefit: $49.05/month
Quick decision guide
Get a Basic Store if ANY of these apply:
- You sell $2,500+ per month
- You list 300+ items per month
- You want Terapeak/Sourcing Insights access
Get a Premium Store if:
- You sell $10,000+ per month AND list 1,000+ items
- You want the larger shipping supplies credit
Skip the store subscription if:
- You sell under $1,500/month AND list under 250 items
- You're just getting started and testing the platform
What else you get with an eBay store
Beyond fee discounts and free listings, store subscriptions include:
Sourcing Insights (formerly Terapeak)
Available with Basic and above. Provides:
- 90 days of sold item data
- Average selling prices by category
- Demand trends and sell-through rates
- Competitive analysis tools
This data helps you decide what to source and how to price it.
Shipping supplies credit
| Tier | Quarterly Credit | Annual Value |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $25 | $100 |
| Premium | $50 | $200 |
| Anchor | $150 | $600 |
Redeemable for eBay-branded boxes, tape, and packaging through the eBay store.
Promoted Listings credit (Anchor only)
Anchor subscribers get $25/quarter in Promoted Listings Standard credits—effectively free advertising.
Customizable storefront
All tiers get a customizable storefront URL (ebay.com/str/YourStoreName) with:
- Custom logo and banner
- Category organization
- Store policies page
- Markdown Manager for sales
Vacation mode
Pause your listings while away without ending them. Available to all store subscribers.
Common mistakes when choosing a store tier
Mistake 1: Starting too high
New sellers often jump to Premium or Anchor before they have the volume to justify it. Start with Basic (or no store) and upgrade when the math makes sense.
Mistake 2: Forgetting GTC renewals
Good 'Til Cancelled listings renew monthly, using a free listing (or charging insertion fees) each time. If you have 300 GTC listings, you need 300 free listings every month—not just once.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the annual vs monthly difference
A Basic Store costs $21.95/month with annual billing but $27.95/month with monthly billing. That's $72/year wasted if you commit anyway.
Mistake 4: Not counting ALL your listings
Multi-category listings count once per category. A listing in two categories uses two free listings. Factor this into your math.
FAQ
How much does an eBay store subscription cost?
eBay store subscriptions range from $4.95/month (Starter, annual) to $2,999.95/month (Enterprise). Basic costs $21.95/month with annual billing, which is the most popular tier for regular sellers. Month-to-month billing costs 14-38% more depending on tier.
Does an eBay store reduce my selling fees?
Yes, but only at Basic tier and above. Store subscribers with Basic, Premium, Anchor, or Enterprise get approximately 0.9% lower final value fees in most categories. Starter tier does not include fee discounts—only extra free listings.
Is an eBay store worth it for a small seller?
It depends on your volume. If you sell under $2,500/month and list fewer than 250 items, a store subscription probably won't pay for itself. The break-even point for Basic is roughly $2,500 in monthly sales or 300+ listings per month.
What's the difference between eBay store tiers?
The main differences are free listing allowances, subscription cost, and additional perks. All tiers from Basic and up share the same 0.9% fee discount. Higher tiers get more free listings (1,000 to 100,000), larger shipping supply credits, and better support options.
Can I change my eBay store tier?
Yes. You can upgrade at any time, and the new rate takes effect immediately. Downgrading is allowed at the end of your billing cycle. If you're on annual billing, downgrading forfeits the remaining prepaid months—so time changes carefully.
Do I lose my fee discount if I exceed my free listings?
No. The final value fee discount applies to all your sales regardless of whether you've exceeded your free listing allowance. You'll pay insertion fees on extra listings, but your FVF rate stays at the discounted level.
What happens to my listings if I cancel my eBay store?
Your listings stay active, but you lose the fee discount immediately. If you have more active listings than the no-store allowance (250), excess listings will incur insertion fees at the next renewal cycle.
Is the annual eBay store subscription refundable?
Partial refunds are available if you cancel mid-year, but eBay prorates based on the monthly rate—not the annual rate. You'll lose some of the discount you received. Check eBay's current cancellation policy before committing to annual billing.
How much are eBay store fees?
eBay store fees include your subscription ($4.95-$2,999.95/month depending on tier) plus standard selling fees on each sale. The key benefit: Basic and above get 0.9% lower final value fees (12.7% vs 13.6% in most categories). You still pay per-order fees ($0.30-$0.40) and any optional fees like promoted listings. See our complete eBay fees guide for all seller costs.
What are eBay store costs per month?
Monthly eBay store costs range from $4.95 (Starter, annual billing) to $2,999.95 (Enterprise). The most popular tier is Basic at $21.95/month (annual) or $27.95/month (monthly billing). Annual billing saves 14-38% depending on tier. Beyond the subscription, you pay the same selling fees as all eBay sellers — but with a 0.9% discount at Basic tier and above.
Next steps
- Calculate your current fees with our eBay Fee Calculator
- Understand all eBay costs in our eBay Fees Explained guide
- Start selling with our How to Sell on eBay beginner's guide
- Optimize your listings with our eBay Title Optimization guide
Calculate your eBay fees
See final value fees, per-order fees, and your actual take-home.
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