Etsy Offsite Ads profit: compare 12% and 15% charges
An attributed advertising fee can turn an otherwise comfortable order into a much tighter sale. Compare the order with and without that charge before deciding whether its current price works.
Open the Etsy Fee & Profit Calculator →Start with the order that was actually attributed
Check the order statement to establish whether an Offsite Ads charge applies. Etsy's ordinary on-platform advertising budget and an attributed Offsite Ads order are different costs. Enter the charge relevant to the order rather than adding an Offsite Ads percentage to every sale by default.
The published percentage depends on the programme conditions. Use the applicable 12% or 15% assumption and read the official policy if you need to establish participation or attribution. Clear Takings models an entered rate; it does not check a shop account or decide whether an order should be attributed.
Keep the ordinary fee lines in the comparison
Offsite Ads adds to the other applicable seller charges. Keep transaction, payment processing, listing and any relevant additional fees in the order before assessing the advertising effect. Then include your product, packaging, postage and labour costs.
Use the actual buyer total and appropriate country fee base. Buyer shipping can be part of the advertising charge even when you spend that payment on postage. Separately collected US sales tax has different treatment under the published policy and the US preset, so do not fold it into product revenue.
Compare three clearly labelled order scenarios
For illustration, a US seller has $30 item price and $5 buyer shipping. Product cost is $8, packaging $1 and seller postage $5. With 6.5% transaction, 3% + $0.25 processing and $0.20 listing, ordinary fees round to $3.78 and contribution is $17.22. This example has no entered tax, labour, other advertising or wider overhead.
At 12%, the additional charge on $35 is $4.20 and contribution falls to $13.02. At 15%, the charge is $5.25 and contribution falls to $11.97. The comparison is useful because the costs are identical except for the attributed rate; it is not a universal result for Etsy products.
| Illustrative US order | Offsite Ads cost | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary sale | $0 | $17.22 |
| 12% attributed order | $4.20 | $13.02 |
| 15% attributed order | $5.25 | $11.97 |
Handle the cap and currency without guessing
The published Offsite Ads cap is USD 100 for one attributed order. The percentage field does not automatically apply a currency-converted cap. For an order affected by it, enter the actual capped marketplace amount and set Offsite Ads percentage to zero, otherwise the charge is counted twice.
A UK calculation needs the actual applicable GBP amount. Do not assume a remembered conversion value is the correct charge. Check whether your exact manual amount is tax-inclusive before applying fee VAT again, and use the recovery assumption established for your circumstances.
Use the result to review the price
Compare ordinary and attributed contribution before choosing a price or promotion. If an attributed sale leaves too little, test a price, cost or offer change using the same scenario. Include any discount actually given; the advertising fee is only one part of the order.
Keep the assumptions with the product so future reviews can explain the difference. A positive contribution from an attributed order still has to help cover wider business costs. The calculation is a pricing aid, not a demand forecast or advice on programme eligibility.
A worked example
In the illustrative US scenario below, a $35 buyer total contributes $17.22 before Offsite Ads, $13.02 at 12%, or $11.97 at 15%, after the costs listed.
Before you use the result
- Confirm that the charge applies to the order.
- Use the relevant country and fee bases.
- Keep ordinary fees and product costs in the comparison.
- Use the actual capped amount where applicable.
- Check fee VAT and manual-input tax basis.
- Compare any real discount or shipping offer.
Common questions
Is the 12% or 15% rate charged on every Etsy sale?
Offsite Ads relates to attributed orders under Etsy's programme policy. Check the actual order and relevant conditions; do not apply it to every sale automatically.
Should I add Etsy Ads spend as well?
Enter the actual costs that apply without counting an advertising charge twice. The two programmes have their own rules. Use current statements and the official policy to establish the relevant order costs.
Put the numbers into practice
Etsy Fee & Profit Calculator →Etsy fees explained: UK and US seller profit inputs →VAT on Etsy and marketplace seller fees: pricing assumptions →How many extra sales does a discount need? →Fee and tax-source information checked 13 October 2026. Read the official source.
A practical calculation guide, not professional accounting, legal or tax advice. Examples are illustrative unless identified as official. Calculation methodology and limitations.