That Etsy sale didn't make you what you think it did.
Etsy takes its fees, then 18% GST on those fees, then Printify or Printful takes its cut. See the number you actually keep, in rupees.
Calculate my real profitHow much does Etsy take from an Indian sale in 2026?
Indian sellers pay about 11.8% of the order total plus ₹42, then 18% GST on those fees. On a ₹2,250 sale that is roughly ₹362.58, about 16.1%. If the order came from an Offsite Ad, the cut rises to about 30% to 34%. Your print provider's costs come on top, billed separately.
| Listing fee | – |
| Transaction fee (6.5%) | – |
| Payment processing | – |
| Regulatory operating fee (0.29%) | – |
| Offsite Ads fee (0%) | – |
| GST on Etsy fees (18%) | – |
| POD base + shipping cost | – |
| Total taken from the sale | – |
Price it right the first time
To hit your 40% target margin, charge:
Includes 18% GST on Etsy fees and the 0.29% regulatory operating fee. Listing fee is billed as $0.20 USD.
How much does Etsy actually take from my Indian sale?
Four charges on every order, plus GST on top, plus a fifth when an ad brings the buyer. On a ₹2,250 shirt with free shipping, the standard fees plus GST take about ₹362.58, roughly 16.1% of the sale, before your print provider charges anything.
| Fee | Rate (India, 2026) | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | ₹17.00 | Each item sold or renewed ($0.20 USD) |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | Item price + shipping charged to buyer |
| Payment processing | 5% + ₹25.00 | Total amount the buyer pays |
| Regulatory operating fee | 0.29% | Total order amount |
| GST on Etsy fees | 18% | All Etsy fees above |
| Offsite Ads (conditional) | 12% / 15% | Total order amount, ad-attributed orders only |
Then Printify or Printful bills your card separately for the base cost and their shipping. That money never passes through your Etsy payout at all, which is why so many sellers misread their margin. The calculator above counts it all. Want the fees only? Use the Etsy fee calculator for India.
What margin keeps an Indian POD shop alive?
30% to 50% after everything is the range that survives bad months. With 5% + ₹25 processing and 18% GST on fees, Indian fee stacks run heavier than US ones at the same price, so check your numbers after GST, not before.
If your margin is thin, raise the price until the solver's number is covered. Etsy buyers comparison-shop far less than Amazon buyers, and a ₹200 increase on a ₹2,250 shirt usually costs fewer sales than the margin it buys back. The Etsy pricing calculator for India is built for exactly that backwards maths.