Walmart WFS vs FBA for Manufacturers: Fees and Ads Guide
Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) charges by shipping weight, starting at $3.45 for items up to 1 pound, and has flat storage pricing for most of the year. Amazon FBA fees depend on size and season. For a manufacturer, WFS is often the cheaper way to open a second channel, and Walmart Sponsored Search is how you gain visibility there.
Key takeaways
- Walmart referral fees range from 6% to 20% by category, and several categories are tiered by price, per Feedvisor's March 2026 guide. Most home, kitchen, pet, toy and tool products sit at 15%.
- WFS fulfillment starts at $3.45 for up to 1 pound and $4.95 for up to 2 pounds. Items priced under $10 add $1.00, and apparel or hazmat adds $0.50.
- Storage is $0.75 per cubic foot from January to September on both WFS and FBA (FBA is $0.78). In October to December, Feedvisor lists WFS at $0.75 under 30 days and $1.50 after, against $2.40 for FBA.
- Walmart's 2026 New Seller Savings program discounts referral fees by 20% to 40% by sales tier, per Feedvisor. WFS users get further discounts.
- Walmart Sponsored Search is cost per click. Ecom Circles suggests starting at a $0.50 bid and a $20 daily budget, which are one agency's suggestions, not Walmart rules.
What is Walmart Fulfillment Services?
WFS is Walmart's fulfillment program for Marketplace sellers. You send inventory to Walmart fulfillment centers, and Walmart stores, picks, packs and ships orders and handles returns. It is the Walmart counterpart of Fulfillment by Amazon.
Walmart's onboarding page says a seller needs a B2C US warehouse with returns capability, or use of WFS. For a manufacturer with no spare warehouse capacity, WFS is the simpler way to meet that requirement.
Walmart WFS vs Amazon FBA: fee comparison
Fee figures below come from Feedvisor (updated March 20, 2026) and Nova Analytics (reviewed October 14, 2026). Both are vendors with something to sell, and Nova's article cites no schedule for its numbers. Check Walmart's and Amazon's current fee pages before you model a decision.
| Item | Walmart WFS | Amazon FBA |
|---|---|---|
| Referral fee (most categories) | 6% to 15% | 8% to 15% |
| Standard-size fulfillment | $3.45 to $7.50+ per unit | $3.06 to $6.92+ per unit |
| Storage, January to September | $0.75 per cubic foot | $0.78 per cubic foot |
| Storage, October to December | $0.75 under 30 days, $1.50 after | $2.40 per cubic foot |
| Long-term storage (365+ days) | $2.25 per cubic foot | $6.90 per cubic foot or $0.15 per unit |
| Inbound placement fee | No, per Nova | Yes, since 2024, per Nova |
On these figures WFS fulfillment can cost slightly more per unit, while storage is cheaper, especially in the fourth quarter. A manufacturer with slow-moving inventory feels the storage difference most.
WFS fulfillment fees by weight
| Shipping weight | WFS fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 lb | $3.45 |
| Up to 2 lb | $4.95 |
| Up to 3 lb | $5.45 |
| 4 to 20 lb | $5.75 plus $0.40 per lb over 4 |
| 21 to 30 lb | $15.55 plus $0.40 per lb over 21 |
| 31 to 50 lb | $14.55 plus $0.40 per lb over 31 |
| 51+ lb | $17.55 plus $0.40 per lb over 51 |
Feedvisor publishes the 31 to 50 lb base fee as lower than the 21 to 30 lb base fee, which looks odd. Treat that row with caution and confirm it with Walmart. These rates are listed as effective April 2025.
Walmart Marketplace referral fees by category
| Category | Referral fee |
|---|---|
| Personal Computers | 6% |
| Consumer Electronics, Camera and Photo, Video Game Consoles | 8% |
| Plumbing and HVAC, Tires and Wheels | 10% |
| Automotive, Power Tools, Industrial and Scientific, Musical Instruments | 12% |
| Home and Kitchen, Pet Supplies, Toys and Games, Tools, Books | 15% |
| Apparel and Accessories | 5% up to $15, 10% from $15 to $20, 15% above $20 |
| Beauty and Health | 8% up to $10, 15% above $10 |
| Electronics Accessories | 15% up to $100, 8% above $100 |
Weigh your category against Amazon's table, which lists 15% for many categories and 8% to 12% for others. In several categories the two platforms charge a similar referral fee, so the savings come more from storage and promotions than from the headline rate.
A worked example for a manufacturer
The example is illustrative and uses the rates above. A 2 pound pet product sells for $30 on Walmart in a category with a 15% referral fee.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $30.00 |
| Referral fee (15%) | $4.50 |
| WFS fulfillment (up to 2 lb) | $4.95 |
| Total fees before storage and ads | $9.45 |
| Left before product cost, storage and ads | $20.55 |
Add storage by cubic foot and your Sponsored Search spend, then compare the result with the same product's contribution margin on Amazon. Do the same math with your own sizes and weights.
New Seller Savings and other costs
Feedvisor describes a 2026 New Seller Savings program: 20% off base referral fees on the first $50,000 in GMV, 30% on $50,000 to $500,000, and 40% above $500,000, up to $72,000 in total savings. WFS users also get 25% off fulfillment and 50% off storage. The page notes that the tiers have changed from year to year, so check the current terms.
The same page's example says a $200,000 first-year GMV at a 15% referral rate saves roughly $9,000. Applying the tiers as described gives about $8,250 (20% off on the first $50,000 and 30% on the next $150,000). The terms may be applied differently, so verify with Walmart.
How to get approved to sell on Walmart Marketplace
Walmart Marketplace Learn lists these requirements:
- A copy of a personal ID
- A business tax ID or business license number. SSNs are not accepted.
- Business entity classification and documents that verify your business name and address
- A history of marketplace or ecommerce success
- Products with GTIN or UPC numbers from the GS1 company prefix
- A catalog that complies with Walmart's Prohibited Products Policy
- A US B2C warehouse with returns capability, or use of WFS
Signing up is free, and a referral fee applies to each item sold. Enter business details exactly as they appear on your documents to avoid EIN validation errors. Nova Analytics says review takes two to four weeks, but Walmart's page gives no timeline.
Walmart Sponsored Search: how it works
Walmart Sponsored Search lets sellers pay to show a product in search results. According to Ecom Circles, you pay only when a shopper clicks, and ads appear labeled Sponsored for the keywords you bid on, in the top positions if your bid is competitive. Walmart pauses ads when the daily budget is spent.
Match types and bidding
- Broad shows for similar keywords. It brings reach and some irrelevant clicks.
- Exact shows only for the exact keyword. It is more precise with lower volume.
- Phrase shows when your keyword appears inside a longer search. Ecom Circles recommends it for beginners.
- Manual bidding sets bids by keyword. Automatic bidding lets Walmart set bids to maximize conversions within budget. Ecom Circles suggests moving to automatic only after you know your ROAS.
Starting points from one agency's guide
These are suggestions from Ecom Circles, not Walmart rules. Treat them as test values.
| Ad group | Suggested bid |
|---|---|
| Brand keywords | $0.80 to $1.50 |
| Competitor keywords | $0.60 to $1.20 |
| Category keywords | $0.40 to $0.80 |
| Long-tail keywords | $0.20 to $0.40 |
The same guide suggests a starting bid of $0.50, a cap of $2 during early tests, a $20 daily budget to begin, $50 to $100 a day once profitable, and at least 50 clicks before judging a keyword over two to four weeks.
Walmart ads vs Amazon ads
Cost comparisons are unsourced in the pages we found. Ecom Circles states Walmart CPC of $0.30 to $1.00 against $0.50 to $3.00 on Amazon, and Nova Analytics gives $0.40 to $1.20 for Walmart against $0.80 to $2.50 for Amazon Sponsored Products. Both say Walmart is cheaper per click, but neither names a data source, so test with your own account.
What Sponsored Search management covers
- Campaign structure by product and intent
- Keyword research, including long-tail terms
- Bid and budget changes based on ROAS and conversion data
- Search term reports and negative keyword work
- Listing fixes so ads send traffic to pages that convert
- Reporting that ties ad spend to total Walmart sales
Should a manufacturer use WFS?
WFS fits when you have no US warehouse capacity for B2C returns, when your products move steadily, or when storage costs on Amazon are cutting into margin. Self-fulfillment fits when you already run a warehouse with returns handling and need to keep inventory under your own control. Many manufacturers start with WFS for their best sellers and keep slower items out of Walmart's warehouses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Walmart WFS cheaper than Amazon FBA?
It depends on the product. Third-party figures show similar or slightly higher WFS per-unit fulfillment fees and lower storage costs, especially in the fourth quarter. Run your own product through both fee calculators.
What are Walmart Marketplace referral fees?
They range from 6% to 20% by category in Feedvisor's March 2026 guide, and some categories use price tiers. Most home, kitchen, pet and toy products are 15%.
Can a manufacturer sell on Walmart Marketplace?
Yes. Walmart's requirements include a business tax ID, entity documents, GTINs and a US warehouse or WFS. Marketplace or ecommerce experience is also listed.
How does Walmart Sponsored Search pricing work?
It is cost per click. You bid on keywords and pay when a shopper clicks. Ads stop when the daily budget runs out.
Is Walmart advertising cheaper than Amazon advertising?
Sources we reviewed say Walmart CPCs run lower, but they cite no data. Compare your own cost per click and ROAS on each platform.
How long does Walmart seller approval take?
Walmart's page gives no timeline. One vendor article says two to four weeks. Prepare your documents in advance and match your business details exactly.
Bottom line
Walmart is worth a test for manufacturers with products that sell steadily and weigh little. WFS can lower storage costs, referral fees are comparable in many categories, and Sponsored Search is a cheaper place to learn than a crowded Amazon account. Model your own products before you commit inventory.
If you want help comparing channels, Schedule a free strategy call with 595 Agency. We will model your fees on Amazon and Walmart and plan a launch and ads structure.
Sources
- Feedvisor: Walmart Seller Fees, updated March 20, 2026
- Nova Analytics: Amazon vs Walmart Marketplace 2026
- Ecom Circles: Walmart Advertising 101
- Walmart Marketplace Learn: Before you start selling
- Amazon: Selling plans and referral fees
- Worked example: 595 Agency, from the figures above
Last updated: October 18, 2026
Related resources
Walmart vs Amazon Marketplace Comparison — full platform comparison beyond fulfillment
Amazon FBA vs FBM — choosing the right Amazon fulfillment method
Amazon Seller Fees: Complete Breakdown 2026 — every FBA fee explained
Amazon for Manufacturers: Complete Guide — multi-channel strategy for US manufacturers
Our Walmart Marketplace Service — WFS setup, advertising and optimization
595 Agency Pricing — bundled pricing for Amazon + Walmart management