Short answer: Amazon FBA charges three fee types: a referral fee (8% to 17% of sale price, usually 15%), an FBA fulfillment fee ($3.06 to $6.00+ per unit by size and weight), and monthly storage ($0.87 to $2.40 per cubic foot off-peak, much higher Q4). Long-term storage fees and aged-inventory surcharges apply after 181 days. Fee schedules are published in Seller Central and updated periodically.
Amazon FBA fees are the #1 reason new sellers overestimate their margins. Understanding the complete FBA fee structure for 2026 — including hidden fees most Amazon seller guides skip — is essential before you source your first product. Most people account for the referral fee and fulfillment fee, then get surprised by storage fees, long-term storage surcharges, removal fees, and return processing. Here's every Amazon FBA fee broken down, what it actually costs, and how to calculate your real profit per unit.
Amazon charges a percentage of every sale as their commission for access to 300+ million active buyers. The rate depends on your product category:
| Category | Referral fee |
|---|---|
| Most categories (home, kitchen, toys, beauty, etc.) | 15% |
| Clothing & accessories | 17% |
| Electronics | 8% |
| Grocery & gourmet | 8-15% |
| Jewelry | 20% (first $250), 5% (above) |
| Amazon device accessories | 45% |
On a $25 product in the Home category, the referral fee is $3.75.
This is what you pay Amazon to store, pack, and ship your product to the customer. It depends on size and weight:
| Size tier | Weight | Fulfillment fee |
|---|---|---|
| Small standard | 6 oz or less | $3.06 |
| Small standard | 6-12 oz | $3.15 |
| Large standard | 12 oz - 1.5 lb | $4.47 |
| Large standard | 1.5 - 3 lb | $5.44 |
| Small oversize | up to 70 lb | $9.73 + $0.42/lb above 1st lb |
| Large oversize | up to 150 lb | $89.98 + $0.83/lb above 90 lb |
Rates are approximate 2025/2026 figures. Amazon adjusts annually — check Seller Central for current rates.
Amazon charges for warehouse space by the cubic foot:
A product measuring 10"×8"×4" takes 0.185 cubic feet. Monthly cost: $0.16 in normal months, $0.44 in Q4. Seems trivial — until you have 2,000 units sitting for 4 months.
Amazon's 10-K filings show warehouse and fulfillment costs as one of its largest operating expense lines, which is why inventory sitting in Amazon's warehouse for over 181 days gets hit with a surcharge of $6.90 per cubic foot or $0.15 per unit (whichever is greater), charged monthly. Inventory over 365 days is even worse.
This is the fee that destroys new sellers who overorder. If you send 2,000 units and only sell 500 in 6 months, the remaining 1,500 start accumulating surcharges that eat your entire margin.
New sellers often order 1,000+ units to get a lower per-unit cost from their supplier, then can't sell through fast enough. The long-term storage fees wipe out the manufacturing savings. Start with 300-500 units. Reorder when you have 30 days of inventory left.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Selling price | $25.00 |
| Referral fee (15%) | −$3.75 |
| FBA fulfillment (12 oz item) | −$3.15 |
| Monthly storage (avg) | −$0.20 |
| Product cost (landed from China) | −$4.50 |
| PPC advertising (~15% of revenue) | −$3.75 |
| Photography/listing (amortized) | −$0.30 |
| Net profit | $9.35 (37.4%) |
That's a healthy margin. But if your product costs $8 landed instead of $4.50, or your PPC is 25% instead of 15%, profit drops to $3-4 per unit. Always run the numbers before sourcing. Our step-by-step FBA profit calculator guide walks through the math on a real product.
Use Amazon's Revenue Calculator for exact fees on any ASIN, or track actual fees automatically with Sellerboard. For a deeper analysis of your true margins, see our Amazon profit calculator guide or learn 9 proven ways to reduce your FBA fees. If you're still validating your product idea, our product research guide walks through finding niches where these fees still leave healthy margins.
If you're comparing FBA with self-fulfillment, our FBA vs FBM comparison breaks down the real cost difference with examples. Many sellers also benefit from using AI-powered tools to optimize their listings — check out the best AI writing tools for generating keyword-rich bullet points and descriptions. And don't overlook the tax side: online seller tax deductions from CeoCult covers expenses you can write off against those FBA fees.
Know Exactly What You'll Keep After Fees
Run your product numbers through the Reseller Profit Calculator before you place an order.
Try the Calculator →Sellerboard shows real-time profit per unit after ALL Amazon fees. Free 1-month trial, no credit card.
Read Our Sellerboard Review →Amazon FBA fees typically consume 30-35% of your selling price on a standard-size product. The referral fee (usually 15%) and fulfillment fee ($3 to $7 for standard items) are unavoidable, but you can minimize storage fees by maintaining lean inventory and avoiding long-term storage surcharges. Always calculate your true net margin per unit before sourcing.