The Hobby Network · Seller Guide

Price every card with confidence

Two free calculators do the hobby math for you — so you always know exactly what you'll pocket and exactly what to charge before you list, offer, or close a deal.

Start here

Which calculator do I need?

They answer opposite questions. Pick based on what you already know going into the sale.

💰 “What will I actually keep?”

Use the Profit Comparison Tool. Enter a sale price and your cost, and it shows your take-home profit side-by-side for eBay, your website, and cash — fees already subtracted.

🎯 “What do I charge to net $X?”

Use the Simple Fee Calculator. Enter the payout you want to walk away with, and it works backwards to the exact list price or ask for each payment method.


Tool 1 · Free · No login

Profit Comparison Tool

You have a card and a price in mind. This tool compares three ways to sell it — eBay, your own website / credit card, and cash / in-person — and shows the real profit you keep after each one's fees, plus what the buyer pays.

Top menu → Tools → Profit Comparison Tool
1

Fill in the four numbers at the top

Everything updates live as you type — there's no “calculate” button to press. You only need four figures:

☰ Tools ▸ Profit Comparison Tool
Profit Comparison Data
Compare channels to find the most profitable sale.
$10,000
$8,000
$0.00
$50.00
Apply Sales TaxBuyer's State: NY — 8.53% ▾
2

Know what each field means

Two of these trip people up, so here's the plain-English version:

Sale PriceThe price you plan to sell the card for.
Your Cost for ItemWhat you paid to acquire it. This is how it knows your profit vs. a loss.
Shipping Charge (to Buyer)What you add to the buyer's bill for shipping. Leave at 0 for free shipping.
Actual Shipping CostWhat shipping really costs you — the label, box, tracking. Comes out of your profit.
3

Turn Sales Tax on or off, and pick the buyer's state

Flip Apply Sales Tax on to see the buyer's true total including tax for their state. Tax doesn't change your profit — the platform collects and remits it — but it changes what the buyer sees at checkout, which matters when you're negotiating.

4

Read the three columns and compare

Each column is one way to sell. The big green (or red) number is your net profit after that channel's fees. The number below it is what the buyer pays. Here's the same $10,000 card across all three:

☰ Tools ▸ Profit Comparison Tool
eBay Sale
Seller's Payout
Sale Price$10,000
Shipping Revenue+ $0.00
Item Cost– $8,000
Shipping Cost– $50.00
eBay Fee– $505.45
Seller Net Profit
$1,444.55
eBay Fee: 12.35% up to $2,500, 2.35% on the rest, + $0.40.
Website / CC Sale
Seller's Payout
Sale Price$10,000
Shipping Revenue+ $0.00
Item Cost– $8,000
Shipping Cost– $50.00
Credit Card Fee (3%)– $300.00
Seller Net Profit
$1,650.00
Lower fees than eBay on high-value cards.
Cash / In-Person
Seller's Payout
Sale Price$10,000
Shipping Revenue+ $0.00
Item Cost– $8,000
Shipping Cost– $50.00
Platform Fee– $0.00
Seller Net Profit
$1,950.00Most profit
No platform fees at all.
✓

What this example is telling you

Same card, same $10,000 price — but the way you sell it swings your take-home by over $500. The buyer pays the same total either way; the difference is entirely the fees you absorb.

eBay keeps you
$1,444.55
Website / CC
$1,650.00
Cash
$1,950.00

On your phone? The three columns stack into a single scrollable list, so you get the same numbers with a thumb-scroll. Type your figures right into the boxes — the results update instantly below.


Tool 2 · Free · No login

Simple Fee Calculator

This one runs in reverse. You tell it the net payout you want to walk away with, and it calculates the exact price to list or ask so that — after eBay fees, credit-card fees, or nothing at all — you land on that number. Perfect for setting a price or countering an offer.

Top menu → Tools → Simple Fee Calculator
1

Enter the payout you want — and the buyer's state

Just two inputs. Type the amount you want to actually receive, then choose the buyer's state so the sales-tax math is right.

☰ Tools ▸ Simple Fee Calculator
Net Payout Data
Enter the net amount you want to receive to see what the buyer needs to pay.
$1,000
NY — 8.53%
2

Read the two scenarios side-by-side

The left card assumes the buyer pays sales tax; the right assumes a tax-free deal. Within each, you get the price to list for three payment methods — and your payout stays locked at the amount you asked for.

☰ Tools ▸ Simple Fee Calculator
With Sales Tax (8.53%)
eBay Sale
Required Listing Price$1,160.34
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,259.31
Credit Card / PayPal G&S
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,118.87
Cash / PayPal F&F
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,085.30
Sales Tax Free
eBay Sale
Required Listing Price$1,145.94
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,145.94
Credit Card / PayPal G&S
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,030.93
Cash / PayPal F&F
Seller Payout (Net)$1,000.00
Buyer Cost (Total)$1,000.00
3

Use the Negotiation Summary to talk numbers

Below the scenarios, a plain-language summary spells out the buyer's total for each option — ready to paste into a message when you're working out a deal.

To ensure the seller receives $1,000.00, the buyer's total cost will be:

eBay (with tax)
$1,259.31
Credit Card (with tax)
$1,118.87
Cash (with tax)
$1,085.30

On your phone? The two scenario cards stack top-to-bottom. Enter your payout once and scroll to compare — the numbers recalculate the instant you change the amount or state.


Get more out of them

Tips & common questions

They're always liveNo “submit” button. Every number recalculates the moment you type — try a few prices in seconds.
Both are free and open to everyoneNo account needed for either calculator. Bookmark them and use them anytime.
Green means profit, red means lossIn the Profit Comparison Tool, if your cost is higher than the price nets out, the figure turns red instantly.
Tax is the buyer's, not yoursSales tax changes the buyer's total, never your payout — it's collected and remitted for you.
Which tool should I open first?
If you already have a price and want to know your take-home, use the Profit Comparison Tool. If you have a target payout and need to know what to charge, use the Simple Fee Calculator.
Why does eBay cost me more than my website on big cards?
eBay's fee is 12.35% up to $2,500 plus 2.35% on everything above that, plus $0.40. On a high-value card that's more than a flat 3% credit-card fee — which is exactly what the comparison makes visible.
Does the buyer really pay the same on eBay and cash?
In the example, yes — the buyer's total is driven by the price and tax, not the channel. What changes is the fee the seller absorbs, which is why cash leaves you the most.
Do I need to save or submit anything?
No. These are instant calculators — nothing is stored or sent. Type your numbers, read the result, and you're done.
Is there a version tied to my own cards?
Yes — logged-in members also have a Member Deal Calculator under Tools that pulls a card straight from your collection by its cert number. That one has its own guide.