How This Calculation Works
TikTok Shop looks cheap at first glance because there is no listing fee and, in most Western markets, no separate payment processing charge. The cost shows up per order instead: a referral fee on every sale, plus an affiliate commission whenever a creator drives the purchase. Because affiliate rates are often higher than the platform fee itself, it pays to model both before you set a price. This calculator applies every percentage to the price the buyer pays, then subtracts your product cost and fulfilment.
Want the long version with worked examples? Read my guide: How much does TikTok Shop take from each sale?.
Total fees = (Price × Referral %) + (Price × Affiliate %) + Per-order fee + (Price × Tax %)
Net profit = Price − Product cost − Shipping − Total fees
Net margin % = Net profit ÷ Price × 100
Break-even price = (Product cost + Shipping + Per-order fee) ÷ (1 − (Referral % + Affiliate % + Tax %) ÷ 100)
Price for target margin = (Product cost + Shipping + Per-order fee) ÷ (1 − (Referral % + Affiliate % + Tax % + Target margin %) ÷ 100)
If you fill in the optional Ads and returns fields, ad spend per order and a returns allowance (return rate × cost per return) are taken off the profit as well, and they count as money spent in the ROI.
Here is a worked example with this page's defaults. You sell a $25 product that costs $8 and $4 to ship. The 6% referral fee is $1.50 and a creator on a 10% affiliate rate (an example rate) earns $2.50, so total fees are $4.00. Net profit is $25 − $8 − $4 − $4.00 = $9.00, a 36.0% net margin and a 75.0% return on the $12 you spent. Break-even is $12 ÷ 0.84 = $14.29, and a 25% margin needs a price of at least $12 ÷ 0.59 = $20.34. Remove the creator and the same sale keeps $11.50. If your Seller Center shows 8%, type 8 into the referral field to see the difference.
Platform Fee Breakdown Table
This table shows only what I could confirm. The US referral fee comes from TikTok's own US seller page (read 20 October 2026). For other regions, I haven't verified a rate, so check your Seller Center.
| Region / seller type | Referral fee | Other costs |
|---|---|---|
| US, standard seller | 6% per order, 5% to 6% depending on category (TikTok's US seller page, effective 1 April 2024). Some guides report 8% for most non-food categories from August 2026, which I could not confirm. | Creator affiliate commission (you set it for each product). Refund administration fee: 20% of the referral fee, capped at $5 per SKU. |
| US, new seller period | TikTok has run a lower introductory rate. Guides say 3% for 30 days. Check your account for the current terms. | Eligibility and duration vary |
| UK, EU, Southeast Asia and other regions | Not verified. Check your own Seller Center. | VAT or local taxes, affiliate commission, and sometimes separate payment or service fees |
US referral fee checked 20 October 2026. TikTok changes fees often, so confirm in Seller Center. PayoutCalc is not affiliated with TikTok.
How to Protect Your TikTok Shop Margin
- Set affiliate rates from break-even. Work out your break-even price first, then decide how much of the remaining margin you can share with creators.
- Use targeted plans for top creators. Offer a higher rate only to proven creators instead of raising the open rate for everyone.
- Plan for the end of the new-seller rate. Price for the standard referral fee from day one so your margin does not collapse when the introductory period ends.
- Bundle to lift order value. Fulfilment costs barely change when a buyer adds a second unit, so bundles raise profit per order.
- Count samples and ads. Free samples sent to creators and paid promotion are real costs. Spread them across expected orders and add them to product cost.