Comparison · sneakers
GOAT vs StockX
Which marketplace has lower fees for resellers — and when does each one win?
The authenticated sneaker duopoly. Both offer verification, both target sneaker resellers, but the fee math differs.
Net payout at common sale prices
| Sale price | GOAT fees | GOAT net | StockX fees | StockX net | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25.00 | −$8.11 · 32.4% | $16.89 | −$5.00 · 20.0% | $20.00 | +$3.11 |
| $50.00 | −$11.20 · 22.4% | $38.80 | −$6.00 · 12.0% | $44.00 | +$5.20 |
| $100.00 | −$17.40 · 17.4% | $82.60 | −$12.00 · 12.0% | $88.00 | +$5.40 |
| $250.00 | −$36.00 · 14.4% | $214.00 | −$30.00 · 12.0% | $220.00 | +$6.00 |
| $500.00 | −$67.00 · 13.4% | $433.00 | −$60.00 · 12.0% | $440.00 | +$7.00 |
| $1,000.00 | −$129.00 · 12.9% | $871.00 | −$120.00 · 12.0% | $880.00 | +$9.00 |
Net payout = sale price + shipping charged − platform fees. Both platforms calculated with default options and no shipping charged to buyer.
Fee structure
GOAT
Open calculator →Authenticated marketplace for sneakers, apparel, and luxury
- Commission is 9.5% for a seller in good standing — and every new seller starts there, at a seller rating of 90. It is not a tier you earn.
- Commission RISES with cancellations, it doesn't start high: each seller cancellation costs 10 rating points and each successful sale adds 2. Rating 70–89 pays 15%, 50–69 pays 20%, and below 50 you're suspended with sales still charged 25%. Canadian rates run higher throughout (12.4% in good standing).
- A per-sale seller fee applies on top of commission and depends how you hand the item over: $0 if you drop off in the US, $5 if you use a prepaid label. It varies widely by country — Germany and the UK drop-off are $2, and 'other' markets reach $30.
- Cashing out costs 2.9% of the amount withdrawn (3.1% for some locations and currencies); Canadian sellers are exempt. This is a percentage, not the flat fee often quoted — batching payouts does not reduce it.
StockX
Open calculator →Authenticated marketplace for sneakers, streetwear, and collectibles
- Transaction fee starts at 9% at Level 1 and drops 0.5% per level to 7% at Level 5 — but the levels are based on QUARTERLY volume, not lifetime trades, and reset each quarter. Level 5 needs 800 sales and $100,000 in a single quarter.
- Payment processing is a flat 3% applied to the item price only (StockX handles buyer shipping separately).
- A $5.00 minimum seller fee applies in the US. On low-priced sales the percentage math is irrelevant — anything under about $42 at Level 1 hits the $5 floor instead.
- StockX has launched a separate Listings Marketplace that currently charges sellers no selling, processing or shipping fee — buyers cover those instead. It is limited to select sellers via a waitlist, so it is not yet the rate most sellers get. The rates here are the Verified Marketplace.
Audience & fit
GOAT's headline 9.5% is only the commission. Add the $5 per-sale seller fee on a prepaid label and the 2.9% cash-out and a US seller actually pays about 17% on a $100 pair, 14% at $250 and 13% at $500 — more than StockX's flat 12% at Level 1. GOAT only undercuts StockX if you drop the item off in person (no seller fee) and spend the balance on GOAT rather than cashing out, which strips it back to the bare 9.5%. StockX reaches 10% only at Level 5, which needs 800 sales and $100,000 in a quarter. StockX has the larger US buyer pool and faster sales for in-demand releases; GOAT has stronger international reach and better margins on apparel.
The bottom line
The fee comparison here is the most misread in sneaker resale. GOAT's 9.5% looks decisively cheaper than StockX's 12%, and for most sellers it isn't cheaper at all. GOAT charges 9.5% commission, then a $5 seller fee on every sale shipped with a prepaid label, then 2.9% again when you move money to your bank. A US seller doing all three keeps about 83% of a $100 pair and 87% of a $500 one — worse than StockX's flat 12% at both ends.
GOAT wins on one specific path: drop the item off in person, which waives the $5, and leave your balance on GOAT to buy more inventory, which avoids the 2.9%. Do both and you pay the bare 9.5%, genuinely the cheapest authenticated rate available. That path is real but narrow — it needs a drop-off location near you and a reason to keep money in the platform. StockX's 12% has no such conditions, and its Level 5 10% is effectively unreachable: 800 sales and $100,000 in a single quarter, every quarter.
So: if you can drop off and reinvest, GOAT is the cheapest place to sell an authenticated pair. If you ship with labels and cash out — which is most sellers — StockX is cheaper and has the larger, faster US buyer pool. GOAT keeps the edge on international reach and apparel margins, and it punishes cancellations brutally: rating 70-89 pays 15%, 50-69 pays 20%.
Frequently asked
What is GOAT's commission rate?
GOAT charges 9.5% commission on the item price for a seller in good standing — and every new seller starts in good standing, at a seller rating of 90. On top of that there's a per-sale seller fee ($0 if you drop the item off in the US, $5 for a prepaid label) and a 2.9% fee when you cash out your balance. All in, a US seller using a prepaid label keeps roughly 87-88% of the sale price.
Do new GOAT sellers pay a higher commission?
No — this is widely stated and it's backwards. Every seller begins at a seller rating of 90, which is the minimum 9.5% commission. The rate goes UP only if you cancel orders: each cancellation costs 10 rating points and each successful sale adds 2. A rating of 70-89 pays 15%, 50-69 pays 20%, and below 50 you're suspended with any remaining sales charged 25%. Canadian sellers pay more at every tier, starting at 12.4%.
How do StockX seller levels work?
StockX uses a 5-level seller system. Level 1 (new sellers) pays a 9% transaction fee. Each level up shaves 0.5% off the transaction fee: Level 2 is 8.5%, Level 3 is 8%, Level 4 is 7.5%, Level 5 is 7%. Levels are earned by completing verified trades — typically 1, 3, 8, and 30+ trades respectively, plus consistent activity and volume.
Is authentication included in StockX fees?
Yes. StockX's 9% transaction fee (or lower at higher seller levels) plus 3% payment processing includes authentication at one of their verification centers. There's no separate authentication fee — it's bundled into the standard cost of selling.
More comparisons
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