That Etsy sale didn't make you what you think it did.
Etsy takes its fees, then HMRC's VAT on those fees, then Printify or Printful takes its cut. See the number you actually keep, in pounds.
Calculate my real profitHow much does Etsy take from a UK sale in 2026?
UK sellers pay about 10.8% of the order total plus £0.36, then 20% VAT on those fees. On a £21 sale that is roughly £3.16, about 15%. If the order came from an Offsite Ad, the cut rises to about 27% to 30%. Your print provider's costs come on top, billed separately.
| Listing fee | – |
| Transaction fee (6.5%) | – |
| Payment processing | – |
| Regulatory operating fee (0.32%) | – |
| Offsite Ads fee (0%) | – |
| VAT on Etsy fees (20%) | – |
| POD base + shipping cost | – |
| Total taken from the sale | – |
Price it right the first time
To hit your 40% target margin, charge:
How much does Etsy actually take from my UK sale?
Four charges on every order, plus a fifth when an ad brings the buyer. On a £21 shirt with free shipping, the standard fees plus VAT take about £3.16, roughly 15% of the sale, before your print provider charges a penny.
| Fee | Rate (UK, 2026) | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | £0.16 | Each item sold or renewed ($0.20 USD) |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | Item price + shipping charged to buyer |
| Payment processing | 4% + £0.20 | Total amount the buyer pays |
| Regulatory operating fee | 0.32% | Total order amount |
| VAT on Etsy fees | 20% | 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 UK sellers misread their margin. The calculator above counts it all. Want the fees only? Use the Etsy fee calculator UK.
What margin keeps a UK POD shop alive?
30% to 50% after everything is the range that survives bad months. With 20% VAT stacked on Etsy's fees, UK margins run thinner than US ones at the same price, so check your numbers after VAT, 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 £2 increase on a £21 shirt usually costs fewer sales than the margin it buys back. The Etsy pricing calculator UK is built for exactly that backwards maths.