How this calculator works
Most supported categories use a 6% referral fee. The five premium jewelry categories use 5%. Collectibles use 6% on the first $10,000 and 3% on the portion above; pre-owned uses 5% on the first $10,000 and 3% above.
- Seller item revenue = selling price − seller-funded discount. A TikTok-funded platform discount does not reduce the seller's fee baseline.
- Referral fee = the selected category rate or graduated tier × seller item revenue. Buyer tax and buyer-paid shipping are excluded from the referral basis used here.
- Creator or affiliate commission = user-entered commission rate × seller item revenue. It is not defaulted because creator agreements differ.
- Estimated payout = seller revenue − referral fee − entered creator commission. Advertising and operating costs reduce profit separately.
Worked example
Example: TikTok's published 6% baseline
TikTok's official fee explanation gives a baseline of Buyer Paid + Platform Discount − Tax. Using $102 buyer-paid, $5 TikTok-funded discount, and $2 tax produces a $105 referral-fee basis.
- Referral baseline: $102 + $5 − $2 = $105.00.
- Standard referral fee: 6% × $105.00 = $6.30.
- Entered in this calculator as $105 seller item revenue, estimated marketplace payout is $98.70 before creator commission.
- With a $50 item cost and no other costs, estimated profit is $48.70.
A 10% creator commission would add $10.50 and reduce profit to $38.20. That commission remains editable because TikTok does not publish one universal creator rate.
Important exceptions
- Creator and affiliate commission depends on the campaign and agreement; it is never assumed from the referral fee.
- Collectibles and pre-owned categories use a lower 3% rate only on the portion above $10,000, not the entire order.
- Refund administration, shipping programs, sample costs, platform-funded promotions, and account-specific incentives are outside this completed-sale estimate.
- The seller must distinguish a seller-funded discount, which reduces seller revenue, from a TikTok-funded platform discount, which does not.
Assumptions used
- The seller and order are in the United States and denominated in USD.
- The selected TikTok Shop category is accurate and the transaction is a completed sale.
- Selling price after the entered seller discount represents the amount credited to the seller for the item.
- Buyer sales tax is excluded from seller revenue and the referral fee shown here.
Sources and verification
Marketplace defaults come from the sources below. We do not use blog summaries as fee authority. User-specific or unverifiable charges stay editable.
Frequently asked questions
Is TikTok Shop's creator commission included in the referral fee?
No. Referral fees and creator commissions are separate. Enter the commission in the calculator because the amount depends on the seller's creator agreement or campaign.
Does a TikTok-funded discount reduce the referral-fee basis?
No. TikTok's formula adds the platform discount back to Buyer Paid before subtracting tax. Enter only seller-funded discounts in the discount field.
How is a $12,000 collectible charged?
The first $10,000 uses 6% and only the $2,000 portion above the threshold uses 3%, producing a $660 referral fee before other costs.
Does the referral fee include buyer shipping and tax?
The official US fee materials used here exclude shipping fees and tax from the referral-fee baseline. Tax is also excluded from seller revenue.
Fee-change history
Standard 6% schedule effective date
TikTok Shop's US standard referral fee is represented at 6% for most categories. Official source.
Category tiers reverified
Premium jewelry, collectibles, pre-owned, and high-value portion rules were checked against TikTok Shop Academy.
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