How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Google Shopping in 2025?

Selling on Google Shopping is mostly free. All you need is a Google Merchant Center account and a product feed. Once set up, your products can show up across Google’s surfaces, including Search, the Shopping tab, Images, YouTube, Maps, Google Lens, and Gemini at no cost.

Free Listings

• No setup fees for Merchant Center or uploading products.
• Products can appear across Google’s free listings.
• Shoppers can click through to your site without charge.
  

Paid Advertising

If you want a wider reach and higher visibility, you can run ads via Performance Max campaigns in Google Ads:

• Costs are pay-per-click (PPC) or per engaged interaction.
• You set daily/monthly budgets and bidding strategies to control spend.
• Ads boost placement and visibility compared to free listings.

By the end, you’ll have complete clarity on what it costs to sell on Google Shopping and how to maximize profits while minimizing unnecessary expenses.

Which Google Shopping Model Delivers Better ROI ?

When calculating Google Shopping costs, it’s important to note that there are no longer any listing fees or commission models. Sellers now operate under two main options:

1. Free Listings via Merchant Center

According to an ROI Revolution study covering 58 domains, free listings delivered a conversion rate of 2.07%, compared to 1.70% for paid ads—an 18% higher CVR.

• Products appear organically across Google’s surfaces (Search, Shopping, Images, YouTube, Maps, Google Lens, Gemini).
• No fees for setup or clicks.
• A great way to capture discovery traffic without ad spend. 

2. Paid Advertising (Performance Max / PPC)

Studies from WordStream show that Google Shopping Ads average a CTR of 0.86%, a conversion rate of 1.91%, and an average CPA of $38.87 across industries

• Sellers run campaigns through Google Ads.
• You pay only when a shopper interacts with your ad (clicks or engaged views).
• Average CPC ranges from $0.11 to $1.00 in most industries, but can reach $3–$5+ in highly competitive categories (finance, electronics, insurance, etc.).
• Benchmarks vary, but industry data shows Google Shopping Ads typically deliver CTRs under 1% and CPAs in the $30–$40 range, depending on competition and optimization.

Research by Bind Media shows that Shopping Ads account for over 85% of all retail ad clicks on Google, underlining their dominance in e-commerce advertising.

Which One Should Sellers Choose?

• Small businesses / new sellers → Start with free listings. They’re risk-free, cost nothing, and can still drive meaningful traffic and sales.
• Established e-commerce brands → Invest in PPC Ads (Performance Max) to scale reach, capture competitive keywords, and optimize for higher ROI.
• Best practice today → Combine free listings + paid ads. Free placements build steady visibility at no cost, while ads give you control over audience targeting, bidding, and growth.

Google Shopping now operates under two cost structures: Free Listings and PPC Ads. The former commission-based Shopping Actions program has been discontinued.

What are the fees for Google Shopping?

A lot of sellers ask: “Is it free to sell on Google Shopping?” The answer: yes — with some optional costs depending on your goals.

1. Google Merchant Center
   

• Free to create and maintain.
• No subscription or account fees.
• Unlimited product uploads at no cost.
  

2. Listing Fees
   

• None. Free listings show across Search, Shopping, Images, YouTube, Maps, Lens, and Gemini.
• Paid promotion only applies if you run Google Ads campaigns.
  

3. Pending Charges
   

• Google may place a temporary $1 hold to verify your payment method.
• It’s refunded automatically and is not a real fee.
  

4. Shipping Costs
   

• Controlled by the seller, not Google.
• You must publish clear shipping policies in Merchant Center.
• Offering competitive or free shipping can improve ad performance, but there are no commission-based discounts anymore.
  

5. Advertising Costs (Google Ads / Performance Max)
   

• This is the main expense for sellers who want to scale.
• Average CPC ranges from $0.11–$1.00 for many industries, rising to $3–$5+ in competitive verticals like finance or electronics.
• Typical monthly ad spend:
  
  • Small sellers: $500–$3,000
    
  • Mid-size retailers: $5,000–$10,000
    
  • Large brands: $10,000+
    
• ROI depends on campaign optimization, product pricing, and competition.

Cost Category	Who Controls It	Type of Cost	Amount / Range
Google Merchant Center	Google	Account setup & maintenance	$0
Product Uploads	Google	Unlimited uploads	$0
Listing Fees	Google	Free listings on Search, Shopping, Images, YouTube, Maps, Lens, Gemini	$0
Paid Promotion (Google Ads)	Google / Seller	Optional	CPC $0.11–$1.00 (avg), $3–$5+ (competitive niches)
Ad Spend – Small Sellers	Seller	Typical monthly	$500–$3,000
Ad Spend – Mid-size Retailers	Seller	Typical monthly	$5,000–$10,000
Ad Spend – Large Brands	Seller	Typical monthly	$10,000+
Pending Charges	Google	Temporary payment hold	$1 (refunded)
Shipping Costs	Seller	Seller-determined	Varies (must publish policy)

Selling on Google Shopping is free by default. The only costs are shipping, which you set, and advertising spend if you choose to run PPC campaigns.

Which Offers Better Value: Google Shopping or Its Competitors?

When deciding where to sell, many retailers compare Google Shopping with Amazon, eBay, and Walmart Marketplace. Each platform has its own cost structure:

• Google Shopping → Free listings via Merchant Center, optional paid ads (PPC). No listing fees, no commissions.

According to ROI Revolution, Google Shopping’s free listings (via Merchant Center / Surfaces Across Google) achieved an average conversion rate of 2.07%, compared to 1.70% for paid Shopping ads. This shows free listings often deliver stronger ROI per click since there are no ad costs attached.

• Amazon → Monthly subscription ($39.99 for professional sellers) + referral fees (8–15% per sale) + fulfillment/storage fees if using FBA.

According to Emplicit’s fee-comparison report, Amazon’s referral (commission) fees span about 8%–45% depending on category, while Walmart’s referral fees are generally lower—around 6%–15%. This suggests that for many product categories, Walmart Marketplace offers lower selling fees than Amazon.

• eBay → Limited free listings per month, then insertion fees + final value fees (~10–15% of the sale).

According to Webgility’s 2025 marketplace fees analysis, eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and Walmart have distinct fee structures: for example, Amazon’s professional plan vs individual plan, vs final value / referral fees vs listing/subscription costs. This shows that the cost burdens differ significantly depending on volume and category.

• Walmart Marketplace → No monthly subscription, but referral fees (6–15% depending on category).

According to Linnworks’ comparative analysis, Walmart’s referral fees in some categories are lower than Amazon’s; for example, in Walmart, electronics/PC category referral fees may be closer to the lower end (~6%), while Amazon, in many categories, has referral + fulfillment + storage, etc., that add up. 

Google Shopping offers the lowest barrier to entry (no upfront fees, no commissions). Competitors charge either monthly subscriptions or sales-based fees, but may provide built-in checkout and fulfillment options.

What’s the Best Way to Calculate Google Shopping Selling Costs?

The actual cost of selling on Google Shopping depends on whether you stick with free listings or invest in paid ads (PPC via Google Ads). Since the commission-based Shopping Actions program is retired, sellers now calculate costs mainly around ad spend.

Example 1: Free Listings

• Merchant Center setup = Free
• Product listings = Free
• Clicks from organic placements = Free
• Cost = $0 (other than your own shipping/product costs)
  

Example 2: PPC (Pay-Per-Click Model)

• Product: Wireless headphones
• Average CPC = $0.65
• Monthly budget = $500
• Approx. 770 clicks generated
• Conversion rate = 2% → 15 sales
• Cost per acquisition (CPA) = $33.33
  

Example 3: Scaling With Higher Ad Spend

• Ad budget = $2,000/month
• CPC = $0.50 average
• 4,000 clicks generated
• Conversion rate = 2% → 80 sales
• CPA = $25
• ROI depends on product margin and repeat purchases.

In short, the best way to calculate your Google Shopping costs is by breaking them down into CPC, conversion rate, and CPA, then weighing those against your product margins. 

Whether you rely on free listings or scale with PPC campaigns, closely monitoring these metrics will help you maximize ROI and make smarter decisions about your ad spend.

How to Reduce Google Shopping Costs?

Selling on Google Shopping can be cost-effective if you know how to optimize your campaigns and keep up with the latest Merchant Center policies. Here are some proven strategies:

• Optimize your product feed: Use high-quality titles, descriptions, and images while following the latest attribute rules (e.g., using [loyalty_program] instead of [sale_price] for member discounts).
• Leverage Automatic Item Updates: These are now on by default and help keep prices and availability accurate, preventing wasted clicks and disapprovals.
• Monitor feed health: Stay on top of disapprovals or warnings, as poor product data can increase costs by reducing visibility or wasting ad spend.
• Refine targeting & bidding: Adjust bids based on performance, focus spend on top-performing products, and use negative keywords to cut irrelevant clicks.
• Improve seller performance: Fast shipping, competitive pricing, and strong customer reviews boost visibility in both free and paid listings.

With smart optimization, compliance with new feed requirements, and strong seller performance, you can reduce Google Shopping costs and maximize ROI.

What are the Key Takeaways on Google Shopping Costs?

• Listing products via Google Merchant Center and “Surfaces across Google” still generally has no subscription or upfront listing fee in most regions. Costs are largely driven by your choices for advertising (Google Ads / Shopping Ads).
• Commission-based “checkout through Google” / “Buy on Google” programs that used to take a percentage per sale have been retired or heavily restricted in many markets; you’ll need to check whether they apply in your country.
• If such commission models are still available, historical ranges were often 5-15%, with an average of ~12%, depending on product category and seller performance. But these are not universal.
• Advertising costs (CPC) vary widely; while it’s possible to start with very low costs per click, for many product categories and markets, CPCs are substantially higher. Effectively optimizing your campaigns is critical.
• Improving seller performance (fast shipping, accurate product data, strong return policy, good reviews) still helps—reducing disapprovals, improving quality metrics, and thus lowering wasted spend (even if direct “commission discounts” are no longer broadly in effect).

The Bottom Line

Selling on Google Shopping in 2025 can be completely free through Merchant Center listings or scaled with PPC ads, depending on your goals. Unlike Amazon or eBay, there are no commissions or listing fees; your only costs are optional ad spend and shipping. 

For most sellers, the best approach is to begin with free listings and then incorporate paid campaigns to boost visibility and ROI.