Selling to ThredUp in 2026: Clean Out payouts, service fees and when it makes sense
ThredUp’s Clean Out pays a share of the selling price that rises with price: 3% at $5, 15% at $20, 30% at $50, 60% at $100 and 80% at $200. A service fee ($34.99 Premium; Standard is listed at $14.99, shown as $0.00 when we checked) is taken from earnings after items sell. ThredUp sets prices, and on average 38% of accepted items do not sell.
Short answer: ThredUp’s Clean Out is consignment. ThredUp prices and sells your items and pays you a share that rises with the price: 3% at $5, 15% at $20, 30% at $50, 60% at $100 and 80% at $200. A service fee comes out of earnings after items sell: $34.99 for Premium; Standard is listed at $14.99, shown reduced to $0.00 when we checked. On average 38% of accepted items do not sell.
ThredUp is not a marketplace you list on. You send a bag and ThredUp does the rest. That makes it a poor way to maximise profit, but a useful way to clear stock you would never list yourself.
How ThredUp pays
From ThredUp’s Clean Out guide, checked 13 September 2026:
| Selling price | Your share | You earn |
|---|---|---|
| $200 | 80% | $160.00 |
| $100 | 60% | $60.00 |
| $50 | 30% | $15.00 |
| $20 | 15% | $3.00 |
| $5 | 3% | $0.15 |
Earnings arrive as ThredUp credit, which you can convert to cash or to credit at partner brands. Final-sale items pay when they ship; everything else pays after the 14-day buyer return window.
Fees and timelines
| Standard | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee (after items sell) | $14.99, shown as $0.00 when we checked | $34.99 |
| Bag | $2.99, shown as $0.00 when we checked | Free |
| Processing | 21–28 days | 14 days |
| Consignment window | 30–45 days | 60–90 days |
| Average items accepted | 60–80% | 80–90% |
| Unlisted items | Reused or recycled | Returned by default |
| Price edits | Raise up to 10% | Raise up to 80% |
Also from ThredUp: the service fee is never more than you earn, reclaiming an unsold item costs $5.99 plus return shipping, and ThredUp gradually lowers prices and offers buyer discounts, which can reduce your payout. For Premium, the effect of buyer discounts is capped at 20%. The whole process takes 10–14 weeks for most Standard Clean Outs and 16–20 weeks for Premium.
Worked example: one Premium bag
Assume ThredUp sells one item at $100, two at $50 and four at $20. Everything else in the bag goes unsold.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| $100 item at 60% | $60.00 |
| 2 × $50 items at 30% | $30.00 |
| 4 × $20 items at 15% | $12.00 |
| Gross earnings | $102.00 |
| Premium service fee | −$34.99 |
| Earnings | $67.01 |
The same items listed yourself would gross $280 before fees. That gap is what you pay ThredUp for photographing, listing, storing and shipping.
What ThredUp does not take
The guide lists exclusions including men’s clothing and accessories, items without size tags (except luxury brands and Lululemon), undergarments and sleepwear, altered or homemade items, work uniforms, and most non-clothing items. All kids’ clothing needs a brand tag. About 5% of brands earn no payout unless the item sells for $20 or more.
When a reseller should use ThredUp
Practitioner guidance, not ThredUp data:
- Clearing slow womenswear inventory that has sat for months and is not worth another relist.
- Mid-brand pieces you would price under $20 yourself, where your own time costs more than the item earns.
- Not for anything a sold comparable says is worth $40 or more. List it yourself; the pricing guide shows how to check.
Editorial note
ThredUp changes its service fees, bag fees and promotions often. The struck-through prices we saw suggest a temporary offer. Use ThredUp’s Earnings Estimator and check the linked guide before sending a bag.
How we checked this
Payout percentages, service fees, consignment windows, acceptance and sell-through averages and exclusions were read from ThredUp’s Clean Out guide on 13 September 2026. The worked bag is an illustration. Advice on when to use ThredUp is practitioner guidance.
- Verified marketplace rule
- Payout table, fees, windows, averages and accepted items link to ThredUp’s Clean Out guide.
- Worked example
- The bag contents and selling prices are assumptions; ThredUp sets and lowers prices.
- Practitioner guidance
- Whether ThredUp beats self-listing is editorial judgement.
Sources
- Clean Out Guide
ThredUp · checked September 13, 2026
The payout table (3% at $5 to 80% at $200), the Standard and Premium service fees, consignment windows, the $5.99 reclaim fee, 60–80% and 80–90% average acceptance, 38% average unsold, and excluded items including men’s clothing.
Frequently asked
- How much does ThredUp pay?
- A percentage of the selling price if the item sells within its consignment window. ThredUp’s published examples are 3% of a $5 sale, 15% of $20, 30% of $50, 60% of $100 and 80% of $200.
- What fees does ThredUp charge?
- No upfront fees. A service fee is deducted from earnings after items sell: $34.99 for Premium and $14.99 for Standard (shown as reduced to $0.00 when we checked). You are never charged more than you earn. Reclaiming an unsold item costs $5.99 plus return shipping.
- Does ThredUp accept men’s clothing?
- No. ThredUp’s Clean Out guide lists men’s clothing and accessories among the items it does not accept.