TikTok Shop Fees (US) 2026: Referral Fee + Affiliate Commission
Estimate TikTok Shop referral (commission) fees, refund admin fees, and net profit per order using the official US formula.
Quick answer: TikTok Shop referral fee (platform commission) is referral fee rate × (Customer Payment + Platform Discount − Tax). Creator/affiliate commission is separate and reduces profit on top of platform fees.
Batch mode: import CSV (up to 100 SKUs) and export a profit statement.
Latest official references (expand) · Updated Jan 13, 2026
- Referral fee formula: Rate % × (Customer Payment + Platform Discount - Tax).
- Standard referral fee rate: 6% per order (effective Apr 1, 2024).
- Jewelry premium sub-categories lowered to 5% (effective Oct 31, 2024).
- Refund admin fee: 20% of referral fee, capped at $5 per SKU (effective May 15, 2025).
- New seller promo: 3% for 30 days after first sale (effective Apr 1, 2025).
FAQ
What is the TikTok Shop referral fee (US)?
In the US, TikTok Shop charges sellers a referral fee on qualified transactions. The standard referral fee rate may differ from promotional rates for eligible new sellers.
How do promotional referral fee plans work?
New-seller promotions can apply a lower referral fee rate for a limited period. Your calculator should include a toggle for standard vs promo rate.
What is the referral fee calculated on?
Referral fee formulas commonly use customer payment and platform discounts, with taxes treated separately per policy. Keep a fee base explanation visible on the page.
More questions (7)
How do refunds affect referral fees?
If an order is refunded, TikTok Shop can return the referral fee minus a refund administration fee (policy-defined) to cover processing costs.
How should I model affiliate/creator commission?
Treat creator/affiliate commission as a separate percentage of revenue (or fixed amount) on sales attributed to affiliates, in addition to platform fees.
Are TikTok Shop fees different by country?
Yes. Fee rules vary by market (US/UK/SEA). Create separate landing pages per region or clearly label the calculator as region-specific.
Does free shipping change profit a lot?
Yes. Free shipping is a cost you absorb. Always subtract seller-paid shipping from net profit after platform fees.
How do I compute break-even price on TikTok Shop?
Break-even = COGS + shipping you pay + platform referral fee + creator commission + other costs. Solve for sale price where net profit is zero.
What's the fastest way to price for a target margin?
Price ~= (COGS + shipping + fixed costs) / (1 - platform fee rate - creator commission rate - target margin).
TikTok Shop vs Shopify-what's the core difference in fees?
TikTok Shop is a marketplace-style model (referral fees + affiliate costs). Shopify is typically subscription + payment processing; marketing costs vary by channel.
Guides, snippets & country pages
Keep this collapsed by default to reduce noise in the calculator workflow.
Fee snippet
- Formula: Referral fee = rate × (Customer Payment + Platform Discount − Tax) + optional affiliate/creator commission + refund admin fee on refunds (20% of referral fee, capped per SKU).
- Fee base: Customer Payment + Platform Discount − Tax (per TikTok Shop US policy).
- Includes: Referral fee and refund administration fee (when refunds apply), plus optional affiliate/creator commission you set on attributed sales (model as an extra cost).