Amazon FBA Fee Breakdown 2026: Every Fee Explained with Examples

Amazon FBA Fees 2026: The Complete Breakdown

Amazon FBA fees in 2026 include referral fees, fulfilment fees, storage fees, and several other charges that can be confusing for new sellers. Whether you sell on Amazon US, UK, Germany, or any other marketplace, the fee structure follows the same pattern — referral fee plus fulfilment fee plus storage — though exact amounts differ by country. Understanding how much Amazon FBA costs is essential before sourcing any product — these fees typically consume 28-35% of your sale price.

This guide breaks down every fee category, explains how each is calculated, and provides examples so you can estimate the costs for your specific product.

1. Referral Fees

The referral fee is Amazon's commission on every sale. It's charged as a percentage of the total sale price, which includes the item price and any delivery charges paid by the customer.

Referral Fee Rates by Category (2026)

Referral fee percentages are broadly similar across Amazon US, UK, and EU marketplaces. The rates below are representative — always check your specific marketplace for exact figures.

Minimum referral fee: $0.30 per unit (Amazon charges the greater of the percentage fee or the minimum).

Example

A kitchen utensil set selling for $29.99:

• Category: Home & Kitchen (15%)
• Referral fee: $29.99 × 15% = $4.50

A Bluetooth speaker selling for $49.99:

• Category: Consumer Electronics (8%)
• Referral fee: $49.99 × 8% = $4.00

Note how the electronics seller pays a lower percentage despite a higher price. Category selection matters significantly for your margins.

2. FBA Fulfilment Fees

The FBA fulfilment fee covers Amazon picking the product from the shelf, packing it, and shipping it to the customer. It's determined by the product's size tier and shipping weight.

Size Tiers

Amazon classifies products into size tiers based on their dimensions and weight:

Small Standard Size:

• Longest side ≤ 35cm
• Median side ≤ 25cm
• Shortest side ≤ 12cm
• Weight ≤ 460g

Standard Size:

• Longest side ≤ 45cm
• Median side ≤ 34cm
• Shortest side ≤ 26cm
• Weight ≤ 12kg

Small Oversize:

• Longest side ≤ 61cm
• Median side ≤ 46cm
• Shortest side ≤ 46cm
• Weight ≤ 27kg

Standard Oversize:

• Longest side ≤ 120cm
• Median side ≤ 60cm
• Shortest side ≤ 60cm
• Weight ≤ 27kg

Large Oversize:

• Any side > 120cm, or weight > 27kg (up to 150cm longest side and 30kg)

FBA Fulfilment Fee Rates (2026 Approximate)

These rates are representative examples in USD. Amazon publishes marketplace-specific fee schedules for the US, UK, EU, and other regions — always consult the fee schedule for the marketplace where you sell.

Note: These are approximate figures. Amazon updates fees periodically and exact rates may differ. Always check Amazon Seller Central for current rates.

Shipping Weight Calculation

Amazon uses shipping weight, which is the greater of:

• Actual weight: The physical weight of the product plus packaging
• Dimensional weight: Calculated as (Length × Width × Height in cm) / 5,000

This means a light but bulky product will be charged based on its size, not its actual weight.

Example

A yoga mat in a carrying bag:

• Dimensions: 65cm × 15cm × 15cm
• Actual weight: 1.2kg
• Dimensional weight: (65 × 15 × 15) / 5,000 = 2.93kg
• Shipping weight: 2.93kg (dimensional is higher)
• Size tier: Small Oversize (longest side > 45cm)
• Fulfilment fee: approximately $7.37-8.25

Versus a phone case:

• Dimensions: 18cm × 10cm × 2cm
• Actual weight: 45g
• Dimensional weight: (18 × 10 × 2) / 5,000 = 0.07kg
• Shipping weight: 0.045kg (actual is higher)
• Size tier: Small Standard
• Fulfilment fee: approximately $2.16

The difference is dramatic. Product selection should always factor in fulfilment fees — small, light products have a significant cost advantage.

3. Monthly Inventory Storage Fees

Amazon charges for the warehouse space your inventory occupies, calculated per cubic foot per month.

Storage Fee Rates (2026 Approximate)

Storage rates vary by Amazon marketplace. The figures below are representative in USD.

Q4 storage fees are roughly double the standard rate, reflecting the higher demand for warehouse space during the Christmas season.

How to Calculate Storage Volume

Amazon calculates volume based on the product's unit dimensions (including packaging), not the carton it ships in.

Volume per unit (cubic feet) = (Length × Width × Height in inches) / 1,728

Or in metric:

Volume per unit (cubic feet) = (Length × Width × Height in cm) / 28,317

Example

A kitchen scale: 25cm × 20cm × 5cm

• Volume: (25 × 20 × 5) / 28,317 = 0.088 cubic feet
• Monthly storage (Jan-Sep): 0.088 × $0.89 = $0.08 per month
• Monthly storage (Oct-Dec): 0.088 × $2.16 = $0.19 per month

If this product sits for 3 months before selling (say August to October):

• 2 months at $0.08 = $0.16
• 1 month at $0.19 = $0.19
• Total storage: $0.35 per unit

Storage costs seem small per unit but add up quickly. 2,000 units of this product stored for 3 months costs $700.

4. Aged Inventory Surcharge (Long-Term Storage)

If your inventory sits in Amazon's warehouses for too long, you'll face escalating surcharges:

These surcharges are designed to discourage sellers from using Amazon's warehouses as long-term storage. The over-365-day fee can easily exceed the product's value for bulky, low-cost items.

Prevention strategies:

• Monitor your inventory age regularly via the Inventory Age report
• Create removal orders before inventory hits the 271-day mark
• Run promotions or reduce prices to clear slow-moving stock
• Send smaller, more frequent shipments rather than one large batch

5. Removal and Disposal Fees

If you need to remove unsold or unfulfillable inventory from Amazon's warehouse:

These fees apply per unit. If you need to remove 500 units of a product that isn't selling, the removal cost alone could be $320-510 plus the return shipping to your warehouse.

6. Returns Processing Fees

For categories where Amazon offers free customer returns, you'll be charged a returns processing fee when a customer sends a product back. This fee is typically equivalent to the fulfilment fee for that item.

Categories where returns processing fees commonly apply:

• Clothing & Accessories
• Shoes & Bags
• Jewellery
• Watches

For other categories, the customer may be charged for the return, so the impact on you as a seller is typically just the lost sale and any refunded fees.

What Happens to Returned Products

Returned products fall into two categories:

• Sellable: The product is unopened or in original condition. It goes back into your sellable inventory at no extra charge.
• Unfulfillable: The product is opened, damaged, or defective. You can request it be returned to you (at the removal fee) or disposed of.

For some categories, return rates of 5-15% are normal. Factor this into your cost modelling.

7. Other Fees to Know

FBA Inbound Placement Fee

When you send inventory to Amazon, they may distribute it across multiple fulfilment centres. If you want to send everything to a single centre (simpler for you), Amazon charges an inbound placement fee of approximately $0.13-0.38 per unit depending on the size tier.

Multi-Channel Fulfilment Fees

If you use FBA to fulfil orders from your own website (not Amazon.co.uk), the fulfilment fees are higher — typically 15-30% more than standard FBA fees.

High-Volume Listing Fee

If you have more than 2 million active ASINs, Amazon charges $0.0005 per eligible ASIN per month. This only affects very large catalogue sellers.

Selling Plan Fees

• Individual plan: $0.99 per item sold (no monthly subscription)
• Professional plan: $39.99 per month (no per-item fee)

The Professional plan is necessary for most sellers and becomes cheaper than the Individual plan once you sell more than 40 items per month. Note that selling plan fees differ by marketplace — Amazon UK charges in GBP, Amazon EU in EUR, etc.

Calculating Total Fees for Your Product

Let's put it all together with a step-by-step example.

Product: Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle

• Selling price: $23.99
• Dimensions: 27cm × 8cm × 8cm
• Weight: 380g
• Category: Kitchen & Dining
• Average time in warehouse: 45 days

Fee Calculation

On a $23.99 product, Amazon takes approximately $6.86 — over a quarter of the sale price — before you've accounted for your product cost, shipping, duty, or advertising. These percentages are broadly consistent across Amazon US, UK, and EU marketplaces.

How Fee Changes Affect Your Business

Amazon updates its fee structure at least once a year, typically in February-April. Common changes include:

• Fulfilment fee increases: Usually 2-5% annually, reflecting inflation and wage increases
• Storage fee increases: Particularly Q4 peak rates
• New fee categories: Amazon has introduced new surcharges over the years (e.g., inbound placement fees)
• Size tier adjustments: Occasionally, the boundaries between size tiers change, which can shift products into higher fee brackets

Protect your business:

• Recalculate your margins whenever Amazon announces fee changes
• Build a 5-10% buffer into your pricing to absorb small fee increases
• Monitor Amazon Seller Central announcements and industry news

Calculate Your Amazon FBA Fees Before Sourcing

Understanding Amazon's fee structure is essential before you commit to a product. A product that looks profitable at first glance may have slim margins once all fees are factored in.

Use our FBA Calculator to model the complete fee structure for your specific product. Enter your product dimensions, weight, category, and selling price to see exactly what Amazon will charge.

For a complete picture of import costs plus Amazon fees, combine the FBA Calculator with our Import Calculator to understand your full cost stack from factory to customer. Our guide on how much it costs to sell imported products on Amazon FBA walks through a complete worked example. If you are deciding between FBA and self-fulfilment, the FBA vs FBM comparison covers when each option delivers better margins. For pricing strategy, see how to price imported products on Amazon UK.

Key Takeaways: Amazon FBA Fees 2026

• Referral fees are 8-15% for most categories, charged on the total sale price
• Fulfilment fees depend on size tier and weight — small, light products have a major advantage
• Storage fees double during Q4 (October-December) — manage inventory levels carefully
• Aged inventory surcharges can exceed the product's value — clear slow stock before 271 days
• Total Amazon fees typically consume 28-35% of the sale price
• Always calculate fees before sourcing — they can make or break your product's viability
• Size tier boundaries matter — a product that's 1cm too large can jump to a significantly more expensive fee tier