How to sell trading cards online: fees compared (2026)
The big US card marketplaces charge the most: eBay ~14–15% and TCGplayer ~13.5–14% all-in on a typical single. Whatnot (~11–12%) and Mercari (flat 10%) sit lower. Cardmarket (~5%) is cheapest but EU-only, and Facebook local pickup is free but cash-and-in-person. PathBinder's 6–8% is the low-fee option for US sellers who also want their collection tracked in the same app. Fees aren't everything — the big marketplaces have far more buyers.
Sell & track in one app →Seller fees, compared
| Platform | Seller fee | All-in, typical single | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PathBinder | 6–8% by plan | 6–8% | Processing shown to the buyer, not taken from your payout. Multi-TCG collection tracker built in. |
| Cardmarket | ~5% (private) | ~5% | EU only, priced in EUR. Excludes shipping; caps at €100/article. |
| Facebook Marketplace | 0% local · 10% shipped | 0–10% | Local pickup = cash, no buyer protection, higher scam risk. |
| Mercari | flat 10% | ~10% | Simple flat rate, no per-order fee. Smaller card audience. |
| Whatnot | 8% + 2.9% + $0.30 | ~11–12% | Live auctions and breaks. 0% commission on the portion of an order over $1,500 in select categories. |
| TCGplayer | 10.75% + 2.5% + $0.30 | ~13.5–14% | Largest US TCG marketplace. Commission capped at $75/item. Requires seller verification. |
| eBay | 13.25% + $0.30–0.40 | ~14–15% | Biggest overall audience. Fee charged on item + shipping + tax; lower % on high-value cards. |
Figures current as of September 2026 and simplified for a typical $20–50 single. Fees change often and vary by category, seller level, subscription, and promotions — always confirm a platform's current published rates before you price against them. Flat per-order fees make cheap cards proportionally more expensive; percentage caps and high-value waivers make expensive cards proportionally cheaper.
The real trade-off: fees vs. audience
Lowest fee isn't automatically best net proceeds. eBay and TCGplayer take ~13–15%, but they put your card in front of the most buyers, which often means it sells faster and sometimes for more. A lower-fee or newer platform lets you keep more of each sale but may take longer to find a buyer. The honest way to choose:
- Need it sold fast, or it's a hot/high-demand card? The big marketplaces' audience can outweigh their fee.
- Selling steadily, running a shop, or moving volume? The fee gap compounds — a few points on every sale adds up to real money, which is where low-fee platforms win.
- Selling locally? Facebook/in-person pickup is the only 0% route, at the cost of protection and reach.
Where PathBinder fits
PathBinder is built for the collector or shop that wants to track and sell in the same place. You scan cards into your collection, watch their value, and list the ones you want to sell without re-entering anything — at a 6–8% seller fee (Shop 6%, Vendor 7%, Enthusiast 8%). Card processing is shown to the buyer as a separate line, so it isn't skimmed from your payout: on a $100 sale you keep about $92–94. Payments and payouts run through Stripe on its standard schedule, and buyers are covered by Stripe's normal dispute process.
The honest caveat: PathBinder is newer, so it doesn't have eBay's or TCGplayer's buyer volume yet. Plenty of sellers do both — list high-velocity singles where the buyers already are, and use PathBinder to track everything, run their shop, and sell at a lower fee.
A simple workflow
- Scan your cards into a collection tracker so you know what you have and what it's worth.
- Split by goal: fast-movers and high-demand cards → the big marketplaces; the rest → a low-fee platform where the margin matters.
- Price from live comps, and remember the platform's fee when you set your ask.
- Track what sells so your collection value and inventory stay accurate across channels.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest platform to sell trading cards online?
For US sellers, PathBinder (6–8% seller fee) and local Facebook Marketplace pickup (0%, cash and in person) are the cheapest. Cardmarket is cheaper (~5%) but EU-only. eBay (~14–15% all-in) and TCGplayer (~13.5–14%) charge the most but have the largest audiences.
Does eBay or TCGplayer have lower fees for cards?
They're close. TCGplayer is about 13.25% plus a per-order fee (10.75% commission + 2.5% + $0.30), and eBay's Trading Cards fee is 13.25% plus $0.30–0.40 per order, which works out to roughly 14–15% all-in on a typical single because of the flat fee. Both are far higher than PathBinder's 6–8%.
How much does it cost to sell on PathBinder?
The seller fee is 6% to 8% depending on your plan (Shop 6%, Vendor 7%, Enthusiast 8%). Card processing is shown to the buyer as a separate line item, not deducted from your payout, so on a $100 sale you keep about $92–94. Payouts go to your bank on Stripe's standard schedule.
Where do trading cards sell fastest?
eBay and TCGplayer have the largest buyer audiences, so cards generally sell fastest there despite the higher fees. Whatnot is strong for live auctions and breaks. Lower-fee or newer platforms trade some audience size for keeping more of each sale.
Are there any free ways to sell trading cards?
Local Facebook Marketplace pickup charges 0% (cash, in person), but there's no buyer protection and higher scam risk. Every shipped-order platform charges a fee to cover payment processing and protection. The lowest shipped fees are Cardmarket (EU) and PathBinder.
Track and sell in one place
PathBinder's free tier tracks your whole collection with no card cap; when you're ready to sell, the seller fee is 6–8% and the cards you list come straight from your binder.
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