Amazon · US
Amazon FBM vs FBA: compare the full order cost
A worked FBM and FBA order explains referral fees, 2026 size and weight rates, fuel surcharge, seasonal storage and selling plan allocation.
Start with four separate cost decisions
An Amazon order has a referral category, a selling plan, a fulfillment method and your own product economics. Changing one does not erase the others. FBA adds fulfillment and inventory costs; it does not replace the referral fee. FBM uses your outbound postage and labor instead.
Use the fee category recorded in Seller Central. A storefront category name is not enough to establish the applicable rate. Some categories have marginal tiers and others switch the rate for the entire order at a price threshold. A low-rate band should not be applied to a product in a different category.
Referral revenue includes item price after discounts, charged shipping and gift wrap. This guide excludes buyer tax collected through Amazon tax calculation services from referral revenue and profit. For a different tax arrangement, use the account invoice to check the base. Fee scope and official sources.
Worked orders: FBM costs and a $30 FBA comparison
The calculator opens with a $100 item, $0 charged shipping or gift wrap, $6 buyer tax, a $40 product cost and $5 actual outbound shipping. With the home-and-kitchen category and Individual plan, the referral fee is $15.00 and the per-item plan fee is $0.99. Entered ads, packaging and other costs are $0: $100 − $15 − $0.99 − $40 − $5 = $39.01 profit. Buyer tax is excluded from both referral revenue and profit in this tax arrangement.
A $30 order: compare FBM and standard-size FBA
This hypothetical home-and-kitchen item sells for $30 with $0 charged shipping or gift wrap, $1.80 buyer tax and a $10 product cost. Use the Professional plan with 100 items sold per month. Ads, packaging/prep and other charges are $0. A real order needs those entered when applicable.
For FBM, enter $5 actual outbound shipping. For FBA, the packaged item is 10 × 6 × 1 inches and weighs 8 oz. Enter $0.50 per-unit inbound shipping plus placement and one month of basic October–December storage. This example has no dangerous-goods classification or SIPP discount.
Referral: $30 × 15% = $4.50
Professional allocation: $39.99 ÷ 100 items → $0.40
Dimensional weight: 60 cubic inches ÷ 139 × 16 = about 6.91 oz. The larger 8 oz unit weight applies. The 1-inch shortest side makes this large standard.
Current non-peak FBA: $3.95 base + $0.14 fuel = $4.09
Basic storage: 60 ÷ 1,728 cubic feet × $2.40 × 1 month → $0.08
| Per order | FBM | FBA |
|---|---|---|
| Referral fee | $4.50 | $4.50 |
| Professional plan allocation | $0.40 | $0.40 |
| Outbound shipping / fulfillment | $5.00 | $4.09 |
| Basic storage | $0.00 | $0.08 |
| Inbound shipping + placement | $0.00 | $0.50 |
| Product cost | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| Profit after entered costs | $10.10 | $10.43 |
FBA leaves $0.33 more in this particular example. That is a result of the entered shipping and inventory costs, not proof FBA is better for the product. Higher placement, storage, returns or prep costs can reverse the result. Likewise, entering FBM labor would change that scenario.
Fulfillment peak and storage peak start on different dates
The automatic estimate uses the published 2026 standard-size tables. Shipments leaving FBA April 17–October 14 use non-peak rates plus a 3.5% fulfillment surcharge. From October 15, 2026 through January 14, 2027, the published peak table applies and the surcharge still applies. The shipment departure date matters, including an order placed before the boundary but shipped afterward.
With the example inputs and the peak shipment period, fulfillment becomes $4.36 and estimated profit becomes $10.16. This changes the fulfillment component only. Basic standard-size storage is already at its October–December rate from October 1. Do not assume both seasonal fees start together.
For January 15–April 16, 2026, the calculator offers non-peak rates before the fuel surcharge. It does not invent a future fee schedule after the published window.
Check the fees that a package cannot tell you
Dimensions and weight can estimate the supported fulfillment tier. They cannot determine your inventory history, placement option, return experience or account adjustments. Add actual per-unit costs for those conditions before treating the result as a price target.
- Inbound: allocate inbound transportation and placement once.
- Storage: the automatic value is basic standard-size storage at one seasonal rate. Mixed seasons, utilization surcharges, aged inventory or dangerous goods need actual allocations.
- Other Amazon charges: use the separate field for applicable low-inventory, returns processing, removals or other costs not already calculated.
- Product and preparation: include materials or purchase price, labeling, prep and any direct labor you want covered.
For bulky, extra-large or hazardous items, choose manual FBA and enter the fulfillment amount from Seller Central, including fuel and peak adjustments. The tool does not add 3.5% again. Enter actual allocated storage in its separate field.
Sources and scope
Sources and formulas checked 2026-10-04. These are hypothetical examples and estimates using the entered costs, not invoices, typical margins or forecasts of sales or income. The site is independent of Amazon, Shopify, eBay and Etsy. Review your account terms for adjustments that apply to you.
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