Amazon.ca FBA vs FBM: which nets more?
Amazon charges the same referral fee either way. The decision comes down to one number: the FBA fulfilment fee against what it costs you to ship the same item yourself. Enter your figures and see both nets per unit — and the ship cost at which self-fulfilment stops winning.
Worked example, default numbers: a CAD $34.99 Home and Kitchen item costing CAD $11.50. Referral fee 15% = CAD $5.25. FBA standard fulfilment CAD $5.92 leaves CAD $12.32 net. Self-shipping at CAD $9.20 leaves CAD $9.04 — FBA wins by CAD $3.28 per unit. Every extra CAD $1 of shipping cost widens FBA's lead by CAD $1.
The fee lines the comparison rests on
| Line | Amazon.ca figure (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Referral fee | 8–45% of total sales price by category; minimum CAD $0.40 in most categories |
| FBA envelope, first 100 g | CAD $4.46 |
| FBA standard, first 100 g | CAD $5.92 |
| FBA small oversize, first 500 g | CAD $15.43 |
| FBA medium oversize, first 500 g | CAD $37.78 |
| FBA large oversize, first 500 g | CAD $82.20 |
| FBA special oversize, first 500 g | CAD $150.78 |
| Lithium-battery / dangerous-goods surcharge | CAD $0.11 per unit, on top of the FBA fee |
| Monthly storage (Jan–Sep) | CAD $40.00 per m³ |
| Monthly storage (Oct–Dec) | CAD $77.00 per m³ |
Figures read from Amazon.ca's own pricing pages on 6 November 2026. Fees change; confirm in Seller Central before pricing a listing.
What the comparison deliberately leaves out
- Storage. FBA adds a monthly storage charge per cubic metre; FBM stores in your own space. On a slow-moving item that can erase the fulfilment-fee advantage.
- Returns handling. FBA processes returns for you; FBM means you receive, inspect and relist each one yourself.
- Time. Self-fulfilment costs hours per week in packing and carrier drop-offs. That is real cost even when it is not an invoice.
- The referral fee is identical either way. This is the part sellers most often get wrong: FBA does not change the commission, only who ships the box.
Run this per listing before it goes live
The number that matters is not the referral rate. It is the fulfilment fee against your own ship cost. If FBM wins by less than CAD $2 a unit, the storage and returns work usually eats the difference.
The spreadsheet version: per-SKU fee and margin tracking across Amazon.ca, Etsy, eBay and Walmart Canada, with the fee bases already built in. Use code LAUNCH40 for 40% off.
Related free tools
- The full Amazon.ca referral schedule in CAD
- Amazon FBA profit calculator
- Individual vs Professional plan crossover
- Etsy vs eBay vs Amazon vs Walmart vs TikTok Shop
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