FBA vs FBM break-even
Compare DB_FBA vs DB_FBM and find break-even shipping: at what FBM shipping cost does FBA become better?
Note: results are not made indexable via URL parameters. Canonical: https://tools.snapsoft.de/en/tools/fba-vs-fbm
Who is this for?
- Amazon sellers comparing FBA vs FBM on a per-unit basis
- Ops/finance teams doing quick guardrail checks on shipping & fulfillment costs
- Teams that need a robust rule-of-thumb before switching (or going hybrid)
FBA or FBM? Compare unit DB — incl. break-even
FBA reduces operational work, but charges per unit (fulfillment fee). FBM is flexible, but shipping/handling can be expensive. This calculator compares both models on unit contribution (DB).
Enter selling price, referral fee %, FBA fulfillment fee, FBM shipping/handling and purchase price. Optionally include a return rate as an expected cost block. Everything runs locally in your browser (no login).
Calculator
Max 6 inputs, clear outputs. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Inputs
Advanced options
Result
How it works
Referral fee € = selling price × referral fee %.
Returns cost (optional) = selling price × return rate % (expected value per sale).
DB_FBA = price − purchase − referral − FBA fee − returns; DB_FBM = price − purchase − referral − FBM shipping/handling − returns. Break-even: once FBM shipping/handling = FBA fee, FBA becomes better.
Traffic light: green if DB_FBA is clearly better (delta > max(€0.50, 1% of price)). Yellow if close (delta ≤ max(€0.50, 1% of price)). Red if FBM is clearly better or both DBs are negative.
Quick conclusion
- Use DB_FBA vs DB_FBM as a fast unit-economics check.
- Break-even is a simple guardrail number: FBM shipping/handling > break-even ⇒ FBA is better (in this model).
- If both DBs are close, decide based on ops factors (Prime, handling effort, SLA, returns handling).
Sources & notes
Disclaimer: assumptions, fees and policies can vary and change. Always verify critical values in official sources (marketplace, supplier, payment provider).
FAQ
What does “break-even shipping cost” mean here?
It’s the FBM shipping/handling amount where DB_FBA equals DB_FBM. If your FBM costs are above it, FBA is better (in this model).
Why doesn’t break-even depend on referral fees or purchase price?
Because these blocks are subtracted in both variants and cancel out in the comparison. What remains is the difference between the FBA fee and FBM shipping/handling.
Which costs are missing in this quickcheck?
E.g. storage/long-term storage fees, prep/packaging, return processing, fixed costs/overhead, or price/Buy Box effects. This tool is intentionally a quick unit check.
Should I calculate with net or gross prices?
Either works — consistency is what matters. This tool uses your entered selling price as the base. Make sure purchase/fees/shipping are modeled in the same system (net vs gross).
Do you store inputs?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Turn it into a repricing rule in SnapTrade
If you want FBA/FBM cost guardrails to become persistent pricing rules: SnapTrade can automate and monitor that logic.