Comparing Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS fees isn’t as simple as lining up two numbers, because the fee structures aren’t built the same way.
Amazon layers more fee types onto a mature, high-competition marketplace.
Walmart runs a simpler structure that’s still catching up in seller volume.
Both are worth modeling against your actual catalog before choosing where , or whether , to fulfill through each.
Summary:
- Amazon FBA charges a monthly Professional plan fee, referral fees of roughly 8–17% (higher for some categories), per-unit fulfillment fees based on size and weight, and monthly storage fees that rise during Q4.
- Walmart WFS has no monthly subscription fee, charges referral fees of roughly 6–15%, and bills fulfillment based on shipping weight starting around $3.45 per unit, plus storage based on cubic footage.
Fee Structure Overview
| Fee Type | Amazon FBA | Walmart WFS |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly account fee | $39.99/month (Professional plan) | $0 |
| Referral fee | Roughly 8–17% of sale price, up to 45% for some categories | Roughly 6–15% of sale price |
| Fulfillment fee | Per unit, based on size tier and weight | Per unit, based on shipping weight (greater of unit or dimensional weight) |
| Storage fee | Monthly, based on cubic footage, higher in Q4 peak | Monthly, based on cubic footage, higher during Oct–Dec peak |
| Long-term storage surcharge | Applies to aged inventory, roughly 12+ months | Applies to aged inventory, escalating tiers introduced in 2026 |
| Category surcharges | Aged inventory, low-inventory-level, inbound placement, returns processing | Apparel, hazmat, low retail price (under $10), oversize tiers |
Amazon FBA Fee Breakdown
Amazon’s Professional selling plan runs $39.99 per month, on top of which every sale carries a referral fee. Most categories fall between roughly 8% and 17%, though Amazon device accessories can reach as high as 45% , the often-cited “15% flat fee” is really just a rough average across categories, not a universal rate.
FBA fulfillment fees are charged per unit and depend on size tier (Small Standard, Large Standard, Large Bulky, Extra-Large) and shipping weight. In 2026, Amazon raised fulfillment fees by roughly $0.08 per unit on average in January, then added a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge across US and Canada fulfillment fees in April. Some categories saw reductions , Extra-Large items, for instance, saw fulfillment fees decrease on average, while standard-size items priced above $50 saw modest increases.
Beyond the core fulfillment fee, Amazon layers on several conditional charges: an aged inventory surcharge for stock sitting in fulfillment centers beyond a set threshold, an inbound placement fee (avoidable by routing shipments through Amazon’s Partnered Carrier Program or AWD), a low-inventory-level fee tied to how many days of supply you’re carrying, and a returns processing fee that only activates for products exceeding a category-specific return-rate threshold.
Walmart WFS Fee Breakdown
Walmart’s fee structure is comparatively simple: no monthly subscription, no signup fee, and no minimum volume requirement. Every sale carries a referral fee ranging roughly from 6% to 15% depending on category, deducted before payment regardless of fulfillment method.
WFS fulfillment fees start around $3.45 per unit for items at or under 1 lb, scaling up based on the greater of actual unit weight or dimensional weight. Storage fees run roughly $0.75 per cubic foot per month during standard months, with higher rates during Walmart’s October–December peak season. In 2026, Walmart also introduced escalating long-term storage tiers for aged inventory , sellers should verify the current bands directly in Seller Center, since third-party sources report different thresholds and this is one of the more actively changing parts of Walmart’s fee schedule.
Standard WFS items can pick up additional surcharges on top of the base fulfillment fee: roughly $0.50 for apparel, $0.50 for hazmat classification, $1.00 for items retailing under $10, and $3.00 to $20.00 for items in oversize tiers.
Where the Two Programs Diverge Most
- Barrier to entry: Walmart’s $0 monthly fee and lower average referral rate make it comparatively cheaper to test a new catalog before committing to volume. Amazon’s $39.99 monthly Professional plan fee is a fixed cost regardless of sales volume.
- Fulfillment fee predictability: Amazon’s fee schedule has grown more complex over recent years, with more conditional surcharges (aged inventory, low-inventory-level, inbound placement) layered on top of the base fulfillment fee. Walmart’s structure currently has fewer conditional fee types, though its long-term storage tiers were actively evolving through 2026.
- Prep cost exposure: Since Amazon ended its own FBA prep services in January 2026, any packaging or labeling error now shows up as an inbound defect fee with no in-house correction option. Walmart still offers Prep Services as a paid fallback, which changes the risk calculation for sellers deciding how much to invest in getting prep right in-house versus a specialist prep center and 3PL provider like Elite Prep Center.
- Marketplace maturity and competition: Amazon’s referral fees and marketplace competition are generally higher, reflecting its larger buyer base and search volume. Walmart’s lower average fees can mean better net margins per sale, though often against a smaller pool of potential buyers.
A Practical Example
A seller with a $25 standard-size home goods item weighing 1.5 lbs might pay roughly a 15% Amazon referral fee ($3.75) plus a per-unit FBA fulfillment fee in the $4–5 range, plus monthly storage , landing total fulfillment-related costs somewhere around $8–9 per unit before advertising and product cost. The same item sold through Walmart WFS might carry a similar referral percentage but a lower base fulfillment fee starting near $3.45 and scaling with weight, plus a comparable but generally lower storage rate , often landing a dollar or two lower in total fulfillment cost per unit, though the gap narrows or reverses depending on the specific size tier, category surcharges, and season.
The right move for most sellers isn’t necessarily choosing one platform exclusively , it’s modeling both fee schedules against a specific SKU’s dimensions, weight, and price point, since the cheaper option can flip depending on those inputs. Selling through both, with fulfillment prep handled by a provider experienced in both platforms’ requirements, is increasingly the default for sellers who don’t want to concentrate all their fee exposure , or all their platform risk , in one place.
Because both fee schedules change multiple times a year, sellers should treat the numbers in this article as a planning reference and verify current rates in Amazon Seller Central and Walmart Seller Center before finalizing pricing decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walmart WFS cheaper than Amazon FBA?
It depends on the product. Walmart has no monthly account fee and a generally lower starting fulfillment fee, but the actual comparison depends on the item’s size, weight, price, and category surcharges , it’s not consistently cheaper across every product type.
What is Amazon’s referral fee in 2026?
Most categories fall between roughly 8% and 17% of the sale price, though some categories, like Amazon device accessories, can reach as high as 45%. The commonly cited 15% is an average, not a fixed rate.
Does Walmart charge a monthly seller fee?
No. Walmart Marketplace has no monthly subscription fee, unlike Amazon’s $39.99/month Professional selling plan.
How are Walmart WFS fulfillment fees calculated?
WFS fulfillment fees are based on the greater of the item’s actual weight or its dimensional weight, starting around $3.45 per unit for items at or under 1 lb and scaling up from there.
Do both platforms charge storage fees?
Yes. Both charge monthly storage fees based on cubic footage, with higher rates during peak season (October–December for both platforms) and escalating surcharges for aged, slow-moving inventory.
Did Amazon FBA fees increase in 2026?
Yes. Amazon raised fulfillment fees by roughly $0.08 per unit on average in January 2026 and added a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge in April 2026, though some size tiers saw fee reductions.
Can I sell the same product through both Amazon FBA and Walmart WFS?
Yes, and many sellers do specifically to diversify fee exposure and reduce dependence on a single marketplace’s fee schedule or policy changes.
