Mercari vs. Poshmark: How do they stack up for resellers?

When it comes to Mercari vs. Poshmark, pick Mercari if you’re a reseller who wants minimal upkeep for fast and flexible flips. On the other hand, Poshmark works better for sellers who want social features and cater to fashion lovers. 

But here’s the best part: You can resell on both platforms. Plenty of resellers crosslist on both Mercari and Poshmark to widen their audience and minimize the impact of slow-sale days. 

We’ll cover which items and seller types each platform suits best, how fees compare, and how to manage both platforms using a tool like Nifty.

Mercari vs. Poshmark: A quick look

Mercari and Poshmark cater to distinct buyer types, offer varied fees, and follow separate shipping policies. For example, Poshmark includes social features like livestreaming for promotional events, while Mercari makes it easy to resell used clothing.

Despite these differences, they both offer legit ways to make money reselling in 2025. Here’s how they compare at a glance:

Meet Mercari

Mercari has over 22 million monthly active users in the U.S., selling used clothing and accessories.

• Straightforward listings: Sellers stay visible without needing to share or relist constantly.
  
  
• Flexible shipping: Sellers choose the shipping carrier and decide if they or the buyer will pay. Many sellers prefer Mercari for this flexibility.
  
  
• Low fees, fast payouts: As of 2025, Mercari charges a flat 10% fee and pays sellers within 5 days of confirmed delivery.

Lifehacker rated Mercari 4/5 stars. The review highlighted Mercari’s easy navigation, diverse product types, and quick listing setup. 

However, Lifehacker warns sellers to watch out for scammers on Mercari.

Meet Poshmark

Poshmark hosts over 130 million active users across the U.S. and Canada.

Why it works for fashion-focused resellers:

• Flat-rate shipping: Poshmark offers flat-rate USPS Priority Mail shipping at $8.27 for items up to 5 pounds. 

• Built-in promotion tools: Poshmark includes features like Posh Parties, closet sharing, and bundle discounts.

• Pricey fee structure: Poshmark charges 20% on sales over $15, $2.95 flat under $15, as detailed in this fee breakdown.

If you're asking whether Mercari is better than Poshmark, Lifehacker says no: It gave Poshmark 4.5 out of 5 stars, pointing to Poshmark’s promotional features and simplicity.

What about Nifty?

Sellers using Nifty are scaling across multiple platforms with impressive results. Nifty removes the stressful, manual work and handles the detailed, often frustrating, behind-the-scenes tasks that other tools leave to sellers.

Nifty offers inventory management, crosslisting, and analytics. Inventory management instantly updates quantities across platforms when items sell, eliminating double-selling risks. 

Nifty also supports automated and scheduled offers, bulk relisting to refresh listings before expiration for better search visibility, and profit-focused analytics that factor in costs, shipping, and fees rather than just raw numbers. Whether you're already managing multiple platforms or considering expanding from one to both Mercari and Poshmark, Nifty makes crosslisting scalable and profitable.

Mercari vs. Poshmark: We break it down feature by feature

Here’s our feature-by-feature breakdown for sellers testing sites like Poshmark and Mercari:

Mercari fees

• Mercari takes 10%: Mercari simplifies fee calculations by charging one consistent rate on all sales. It removed payment processing fees in January 2025, so sellers can calculate profits more easily.
  
  
• Mercari has better margins for lower-ticket items: Mercari offers better margins on low-value sales. A $20 item nets you $18 after fees, while the same item on Poshmark leaves you with $16.

Poshmark fees

• Poshmark can pay off at scale: High-volume sellers often accept Poshmark's steeper fees because the platform drives steady traffic to premium listings. Buyers on Poshmark are willing to pay full price for premium and designer items.

• Poshmark charges higher fees: Poshmark’s fee structure affects low and high-value sales differently. Small items under $15 lose nearly 20% to the flat $2.95 fee, while expensive pieces lose 20% to commission.

The verdict

Mercari delivers better margins across most price points with its flat 10% fee. In contrast, Poshmark’s 20% commission cuts earnings on higher-priced items. Mercari’s simplified fee structure helps resellers price competitively and maintain strong margins.

Shipping with Mercari

• Mercari is flexible: Although sellers can choose to ship on their own and set custom rates, Mercari's default and recommended option is prepaid labels with fixed rates based on weight and size. Most sellers use Mercari's prepaid shipping service rather than handling shipping independently.
  
  
• Mercari gives lightweight items an edge: Items under one pound cost less to ship than on flat-rate platforms. Books, jewelry, and phone cases benefit from weight-based pricing that charges buyers only for the actual shipping cost.

Shipping with Poshmark

• One-size-fits-most: Poshmark provides prepaid USPS Priority labels for all packages under 5 pounds at a fixed $8.27 rate. Heavier items cost more to ship, reducing profits when sellers don’t account for upgrade fees.
  
  
• Works best for heavier goods: Heavy items like coats, boots, and bags benefit from the flat rate since real shipping costs exceed $8.27. A 4-pound jacket ships for the same price as a scarf, making it more cost-effective to sell bulky items or bundles under the 5-pound limit.

The verdict

Mercari lets sellers control rates and shipping methods without mandatory platform-specific labels, but those are available if necessary. On the other hand, Poshmark offers flat-rate shipping and standardized processes. Overall, Mercari offers more control, but Poshmark saves time.

Mercari social features

• Mercari doesn’t require much engagement: The platform emphasizes product discovery over social features. Mercari has no requirement to engage with buyers or share listings. User ratings and reviews try to foster communities on Mercari, and sellers do chat with buyers and send them offers; however, user engagement is still relatively low compared to Poshmark.
  
  
• Mercari suits batch listers: Sellers post items in batches and move on without messaging or engagement. The platform keeps listings visible through search. Buyers find listings through search, so sellers don’t need to promote daily. This setup works well for resellers managing high inventory volume who want to post in bulk.

Poshmark social features

• Poshmark has built-in community selling tools: The Poshmark algorithm favors active sellers who share listings multiple times daily. Sellers build followings and can create themed sales events, like live events called Posh Parties. It encourages repeat purchases from engaged buyers, but requires consistent activity for success.
  
  
• Poshmark rewards consistency: Successful sellers increase visibility by sharing thousands of listings daily. This system benefits dedicated sellers but can overwhelm casual resellers who can’t commit to daily sharing

The verdict

Poshmark excels for sellers who prefer engaging buyers, while Mercari suits those who prefer low-effort, search-based selling. Both models can be profitable, but they demand different time commitments and selling styles.

Poshmark rewards sellers who share daily, build communities, and engage through parties, shares, and direct interaction. Mercari favors sellers who list items and rely on search algorithms. 

Mercari listing and selling experience

• Mercari keeps listing simple: Sellers can 12 upload photos (no videos), choose categories from dropdowns, and write descriptions (max 1000 characters) without complex formatting. Mercari sellers can also create and offer bundles. Listings appear in search right after posting. 

• Mercari listings stay visible without manual updates: The platform keeps items searchable without requiring daily activity or social engagement.

Poshmark listing and selling experience

• Poshmark offers several listing tools: Sellers can upload up to 16 photos per listing and add videos to show items clearly. They can write descriptions of up to 1,000 characters and create custom bundles per listing.
  

• Poshmark requires constant activity for visibility: Its algorithm prioritizes recently shared listings, with the default being “Just Shared”. This system pushes inactive listings to the bottom. Sellers must share items multiple times a day to stay visible and drive consistent sales.

The verdict

Mercari suits sellers who prefer easy posting and optimizing listings for the search engine. Poshmark fits resellers who enjoy socializing and want more control over presentation and engagement. Each platform suits a different seller personality. However, sellers can use platforms both to apply different selling tactics and reach more buyers.

Mercari payout and return policies

• Mercari pays instantly or within days: Mercari automatically rates transactions within 72 hours of carrier-confirmed delivery, releasing funds to sellers. Instant Pay costs $3 for immediate access, while standard direct deposits are free but take a few business days to process.

• Mercari’s return policy: Buyers have 72 hours after delivery to request returns for damaged or substantially misrepresented items. Mercari provides pre-paid return labels for items under 50 pounds.
  
  For approved returns, sellers keep their items but lose the 10% selling fee, while buyers receive full refunds to their original payment method. (Mercari may deliver returns on low-value items as credits.) Mercari favors buyers in disputes, so sellers must be extra careful and post accurate descriptions. 

Poshmark payout and return policies

• Poshmark pays after 3 days, or buyer approval: The platform releases funds three days after delivery or sooner if buyers approve through the app. Standard direct deposits are free, which works well for sellers who don’t need instant cash.

• Poshmark limits returns to specific cases: Buyers may return items only when sellers send damaged or inaccurately described products. Fit, color, or personal preference aren’t valid reasons for a return on Poshmark.

The verdict

Both Mercari and Poshmark limit returns to damaged or misrepresented items. Poshmark processes payments within 3 days of delivery, and Mercari can take 5 to 7 days after rating.   

Mercari charges $3 for instant transfers, whereas Poshmark offers free standard deposits. Both platforms reject returns based on fit or preference, so payout timing is the key difference.

What real users are saying

We combed through hundreds of verified Trustpilot reviews for Poshmark and Mercari to find out what buyers and sellers experienced. The good, the bad, and what could be better. 

Mercari pros

Plenty of long-time users say it’s the best resale app they’ve ever used:

• A Mercari buyer says that out of 616 purchases, they’ve only received faulty items three times. (May 6, 2025)
• A seller on Mercari praises the platform for always sending payments promptly. (June 14, 2024)

Mercari cons

• In July 2025, one frustrated Mercari user complained that the platform didn’t refund their payment, despite the products not shipping.

• A Mercari seller said that the platform threatened to close their account because of an alleged copyright violation. (July 30, 2025)

Poshmark pros

• One seller praises Poshmark for being fair to both buyers and sellers. (July 18, 2025)

• A Poshmark buyer stated that they’ve only had one bad experience after purchasing 100 products. (July 1, 2025)

Poshmark cons

• A seller stated that they received messages from scammers asking for their credit card information after they posted listings. (July 29, 2025)

• Another seller had problems reaching customer service after a buyer had filed a complaint about one of their products. (July 28, 2025) 

The verdict

So, is Mercari or Poshmark better? It’s too close to call. Both platforms have superfans and horror stories. Poshmark gets props for community and consistency, while Mercari earns loyalty with better fees and more freedom. Your experience will depend on what you’re selling and how much chaos you’re willing to deal with.

Final checklist

Poshmark appeals to sellers who value community engagement and steady visibility, whereas Mercari suits sellers who want lower fees and a hands-off approach. Consider these preferences to make your choice:

1. If you want social features and prefer to interact with buyers directly, go with Poshmark. You’ll tap into an engaged buyer community and benefit from strong mobile features. Poshmark also lets you use seller tools like Closet Clear Out, Offer to Likers, and host livestreamed Posh Parties.
   
   
2. If you care more about flexibility and margins: Try Mercari. You’ll get fewer restrictions, lower fees, and a broader range of products, especially if you're selling more than just clothes.

3. If you’re aiming for the most possible sales: Use both Poshmark and Mercari with Nifty. Crosslist, automate, and manage sales across Poshmark, Mercari, Etsy, Depop, and eBay.
   

With the proper setup and tool like Nifty, reselling doesn’t have to be an either/or game. Stack your platforms and let bulk tools and automation do the heavy lifting.

How Nifty helps you win on both Mercari & Poshmark

Manually managing your store across platforms like Mercari vs. Poshmark works … until it doesn’t. Crossposting, delisting, price edits, and stale inventory all eat time you could spend actually making sales, and that’s where Nifty takes over.

Why top resellers use Nifty:

• Snap, list, complete: Just upload a photo, and Nifty’s AI creates professional listings. You’ll get SEO-optimized titles, compelling descriptions, trending hashtags, and every dropdown already filled out for you.

• Go live on several platforms: Post your listings to Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, and Etsy in just a couple of clicks. Your inventory updates automatically, so you never sell the same item twice. (More platforms on the way!)

• Automate the busywork: Share and relist daily without lifting a finger. Update or discount dozens of items at once. You can even schedule drafts to go live while you sleep.

• Analytics and profits: Track every sale, fee, top seller, and slow mover in one clean interface, so you can get clarity on what’s working and where to grow.

Start your 7-day free trial now and see how Nifty makes selling across Mercari vs. Poshmark feel like cheating (but it’s not).

FAQs

1. Is it better to sell on Mercari or Poshmark?

It’s better to sell on Mercari if you want lower fees and flexible shipping, while Poshmark works better for fashion sellers who build communities. Mercari offers 10% fees and hands-off selling with promotions sent to likers, while Poshmark charges 20% with powerful promotional tools like Posh Parties. 

Smart resellers use both platforms with Nifty to maximize sales opportunities and reach different buyer demographics.

2. What are the seller fees on Mercari vs. Poshmark?

Seller fees for Mercari are a flat 10% fee on all transactions, whereas Poshmark takes a 20% fee on sales over $15 and charges a flat $2.95 fee on items under $15. Mercari offers better profit margins across most price points, while Poshmark's higher fees reduce earnings on expensive items.

3. Can I use the same listing on both platforms?

Yes, you can use the same listing on both platforms — this process is called “crosslisting.” But, manual crosslisting requires separate uploads and description writing, which takes substantial time. Nifty automates this by creating optimized listings for multiple platforms simultaneously, and Nifty auto-delists sold items to prevent double sales.