Amazon FBA vs Walmart WFS: two fulfilment networks, one fee table
These two platforms copied each other's fee structure so closely that the numbers land within pennies on most items. Which means the decision is not about fees at all — it is about which one has buyers for what you sell, and what the fixed monthly cost adds up to.
The referral fees are nearly identical
Both charge 15% for general merchandise. Amazon's FBA fulfilment for a large-standard unit up to one pound is $4.40 plus a 3.5% fuel surcharge; Walmart's WFS fee for a comparable unit is $4.95 with no surcharge. On a $30 item the two land about 40 cents apart.
Categories diverge more than the headline suggests. Amazon charges 17% on clothing, 20% on jewellery and 8% on electronics. Walmart uses price bands for apparel (5% of the portion under $15, 10% of the portion from $15 to $20, 15% above), which produces a lower effective rate on cheap garments than Amazon's flat 17%.
| Platform | Fees | Fee rate | Net per sale | vs best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon FBA | $9.05 | 30.2% | $10.95 | — |
| Walmart WFS | $9.45 | 31.5% | $10.55 | -$0.40 |
Worked at a $30.00 sale, $10.00 unit cost and $0.00 of shipping you pay, general merchandise. Change any of those and the order can flip — that is what the calculator above is for.
Where the real difference sits
Amazon charges a $39.99 monthly professional selling fee. Walmart charges no monthly fee at all. For a seller doing 20 units a month at $30, that $39.99 is $2 per unit — larger than the entire fulfilment difference between the two networks. At 500 units a month it rounds to nothing.
Against that, Amazon has roughly twenty times Walmart's marketplace traffic and a Prime badge that measurably lifts conversion. Walmart has far fewer competing listings per product, which means a new listing can rank on page one in weeks rather than months. Both of those effects are worth more than $2 a unit, in opposite directions.
How sellers actually split
The pattern that has emerged: launch on Amazon to find out whether the product sells at all, then list the proven winners on Walmart where competition is thinner and the same unit earns a similar margin. Doing it the other way round means guessing at demand on the platform with less data.
One structural caution on Walmart: its price-match and unpublish rules are enforced by algorithm. If the same item is listed cheaper on Amazon, Walmart can unpublish the listing without warning. Sellers who run both usually price Walmart at or above Amazon, not below.
Amazon FBA vs Walmart WFS — FAQ
Is Amazon FBA more expensive than Walmart WFS?
Almost the same on a comparable unit: Amazon charges 15% referral plus $4.40 fulfilment for a large-standard unit up to 1 lb plus a 3.5% fuel surcharge, while Walmart charges 15% referral plus $4.95 for WFS. On a $30 item the total difference is about 40 cents. The larger gap is Amazon's $39.99 monthly professional account, which Walmart does not charge.
Does Walmart charge a monthly seller fee?
No. Walmart Marketplace has no monthly subscription and no listing fees — you pay a referral fee per sale and WFS fulfilment if you use it. Amazon charges $39.99 a month for a professional seller account, which is required for FBA, Buy Box eligibility, advertising and bulk listing.
Which has more traffic, Amazon or Walmart?
Amazon, by a wide margin — its US marketplace traffic is roughly twenty times Walmart's. Walmart compensates with far less competition per listing, so a new product can reach page one much faster. For a brand-new product with no reviews, Walmart is often the easier place to get first sales; for volume, Amazon is where the buyers are.
Can I use FBA and WFS for the same product?
Yes, but you need separate inventory in each network. Neither accepts stock fulfilled by the other, so you ship to Amazon's warehouses and Walmart's separately, and you carry the working capital for both. Most sellers start with one, prove the product, then duplicate the winner rather than splitting a single production run.
Why is my Walmart listing showing a different referral fee?
Walmart assigns a referral fee by contract category, and several categories use price bands rather than one flat rate. Apparel, for example, charges 5% of the portion under $15, 10% of the portion from $15 to $20 and 15% above $20. Jewellery charges 20% up to $250 and 5% of the portion above. Check the category on the item spec sheet, not the department.
Sources & last checked. Rates reflect Amazon's 2026 US FBA schedule (15% referral for general merchandise, $4.40 large-standard fulfilment up to 1 lb, 3.5% fuel surcharge, $39.99 monthly professional account) and Walmart Marketplace's 2026 US referral schedule (15% general merchandise, category bands for apparel and jewellery, WFS fulfilment from $4.95, no monthly fee). Last reviewed October 2026.
Amazon FBA Calculator →
Referral, size-tier fulfilment, fuel surcharge and storage.
Walmart Fee Calculator →
Category bands and marginal rates for apparel, electronics and jewellery.