eBay Buyer Protection fee UK: how it is calculated
The eBay Buyer Protection fee is paid by the buyer, not the seller. As of 10 November 2026, on items from UK private sellers it is 10p, plus 7% of the price up to £20, plus 4% of the part from £20 to £300, plus 2% of the part from £300 to £4,000. A £50 item carries a fee of £2.70. To run your own price through it, use the eBay fee calculator.
What the Buyer Protection fee is and who pays it
The buyer pays the fee to eBay. eBay's own page says it is "paid by the buyer to eBay on UK-based private seller listings" (eBay UK, Buyer Protection, read 10 November 2026).
It is the charge for eBay's Buyer Protection on the purchase. The seller does not pay it and it does not reduce what the seller receives.
It started in February 2025. The reporting site Value Added Resource says eBay planned 4 February 2025, then rolled it out by category over about a month. eBay's own page gives no start date. On 17 July 2025 eBay changed the formula: the flat part fell from 75p to 10p, and a 7% tier on the first £20 was added (Value Added Resource).
How the fee is calculated
The fee is a flat 10p per item plus three percentage tiers that apply to slices of the price. The rates below come from eBay UK's Buyer Protection fee page, read 10 November 2026.
| Slice of the item price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Per item (flat) | 10p |
| First £20 | 7% |
| £20 to £300 | 4% |
| £300 to £4,000 | 2% |
| Above £4,000 | nothing extra |
Each rate applies only to its own slice, like income tax bands. The flat 10p is charged once, even if a buyer takes several of the same listing.
Three worked examples
The fee grows with the price, but it falls as a share of the price. Here are three sums, each checked.
A £15 item. The first £20 is charged at 7%, so 7% of £15 is £1.05. Add the flat 10p. The fee is £1.15 and the buyer pays £16.15.
A £50 item. 7% of the first £20 is £1.40. 4% of the next £30 is £1.20. Add 10p. The fee is £2.70 and the buyer pays £52.70.
A £350 item. 7% of the first £20 is £1.40. 4% of the next £280 (£20 to £300) is £11.20. 2% of the last £50 (£300 to £350) is £1.00. Add 10p. The fee is £13.70 and the buyer pays £363.70.
That is 7.7% on the £15 item, 5.4% on the £50 item and 3.9% on the £350 item.
What it means for a private seller's pricing and offers
You keep your full sale price, but the buyer sees a higher total. eBay says that while you list, "a Buyer Protection fee will be added to the listing price", and that the price shown on auctions and offers "will always include" the fee (eBay UK, read 10 November 2026).
A buyer comparing your £50 item with another seller's £52 item sees £52.70 against £54.78. The fee is part of the price they judge.
Private sellers also pay no selling fees on eBay UK in all categories except Vehicles, per eBay's page. There is no final value fee to take off. Your costs are what you paid and the postage. For the wider picture, read how much eBay takes from a sale.
When you answer an offer, check the amount on the offer screen before you accept. Then work out what you will receive. If you price by comparing to other listings, use sold prices, not asking prices.
Business sellers
Buyers pay no Buyer Protection fee on items from business sellers. eBay says it "is included at no cost when purchasing from business sellers" (eBay UK, read 10 November 2026). The fee applies to UK-based private seller listings only.
The business seller pays instead through final value fees and the other charges on the sale. The Buyer Protection fee therefore shows only on private listings. Selling stock you bought to resell is trading, so eBay expects a business account. See eBay vs Vinted vs Depop for how the three platforms compare, and Vinted fees for sellers for the Vinted equivalent.
The fee does not apply to Cars, Motorcycles and Vehicles, Classified Ads or Property.
Common questions
Is there an eBay Buyer Protection fee calculator?
Yes. The Paragn eBay fee calculator shows the fee for any price on a UK private sale, and your profit. You can also work it out by hand with the table above.
Do sellers pay the Buyer Protection fee?
No. The buyer pays it on top of the item price. It does not come out of a private seller's money.
Can you avoid the Buyer Protection fee?
Not as a buyer on a private listing. It is not optional. It does not apply to items from business sellers, but those prices are set by the seller and may be higher.
Is the fee the same on every item?
The formula is the same. The amount changes with the price. Vehicles, Classified Ads and Property are excluded.
Is the fee charged again for each quantity?
Not for the flat part. eBay says the 10p is charged once when a buyer buys several of the same item. The percentages apply to the item price.