Print-on-Demand Profit Calculator
Profit per sale on a print-on-demand product after the provider base cost, shipping and every marketplace fee (Etsy transaction, payment processing, listing, Offsite Ads, currency conversion) — or the price to charge for a target margin or profit, with an Etsy, eBay, Shopify and own-site comparison and monthly totals.
How it works
Revenue = item price + shipping charged · Fees = transaction % × revenue + processing % × revenue × (1 + tax %) + Offsite Ads % × revenue (max $100) + conversion % × revenue + fixed fees · Profit = revenue − fees − base cost × (1 − discount) − provider shipping − ads − other costs · Margin = profit ÷ revenue × 100 · Price for a target: the lowest price where profit (or margin) reaches the target
Print-on-demand removes inventory risk, but the provider base cost is high relative to the retail price, so margins are thinner than they look. The marketplace then takes several cuts: on Etsy a 6.5% transaction fee on the item and shipping, a payment processing fee (3% + $0.25 in the US) on the whole order including tax, and a $0.20 listing fee each time an item sells; sales from Etsy’s Offsite Ads cost another 15% (12% for larger shops). Every rate is an editable field, so you can enter your country’s processing fee or another platform’s rates, and the comparison table shows the same sale on Etsy, eBay, a Shopify store and your own site. Switch the mode to work backwards to the price that gives a target margin or profit, rounded up to the cent and to the nearest .99 price. Because you only earn the spread between what the buyer pays and the base cost, small changes in the base price or fees have an outsized effect on the profit you keep; the chart shows profit at nearby prices and, with monthly sales and fixed costs, the monthly profit and the sales needed to cover subscriptions.
Worked example
A $24.99 shirt with a $12.50 base cost and free shipping on Etsy in the US: transaction fee 6.5% × $24.99 = $1.62, processing 3% × $24.99 = $0.75, plus $0.25 + $0.20 fixed — $2.82 in fees. Profit is 24.99 − 2.82 − 12.50 = $9.67, a 38.7% margin. For a 40% margin the price would need to be $25.65, or $25.99 as a .99 price. The same shirt on your own site with Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) would pay $1.02 in fees and keep $11.47.
Sources: Etsy Fees & Payments Policy · Etsy Payments Policy (processing fees by country) · eBay selling fees · Shopify pricing
Frequently asked questions
Why is print-on-demand margin lower than traditional retail?
You pay a per-item base cost to print and ship on demand rather than buying wholesale in bulk, so your cost of goods is far higher as a share of the retail price. The trade-off is zero upfront inventory and no unsold stock, at the price of a slimmer margin per sale.
Should shipping be in the base cost or charged separately?
If the provider bundles printing and shipping into one base cost, enter that combined figure and leave provider shipping at 0. If it bills shipping separately, enter it in the provider shipping field. Whatever you charge the buyer for shipping goes in its own field: it is revenue, but Etsy and eBay charge their percentage fees on it too.
What fees does Etsy charge on a print-on-demand sale?
In the US: a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping, a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee on the full order including tax, and the $0.20 listing fee that renews when the item sells. Offsite Ads add 15% (12% once a shop passes $10,000 in yearly sales, capped at $100) on sales they bring, and a 2.5% conversion fee applies if you list in a currency other than your bank account’s. Rates differ outside the US, so all of them are editable.
How do I find the price for a 40% margin?
Choose “Price for a margin” and enter 40. The calculator finds the lowest price at which profit is 40% of what the buyer pays after every fee, because percentage fees grow with the price — adding 40% on top of costs is not enough.
How do I improve print-on-demand profit?
Raise the retail price where the design supports it, choose providers with lower base costs or a discount plan, sell higher-margin product types, and bundle designs to lift the average order value so the fixed per-order fees are spread over more revenue.
Related calculators
Educational estimate, not financial advice. Fee rates and duties change — confirm current figures with the marketplace, carrier or customs authority.