Vinted generates revenue through buyer protection fees, shipping margins, promoted listings, and advertising collaborations. This second-hand clothing marketplace has grown to 105 million users in more than 20 countries. Their revenue model brought in nearly €600 million in 2023—an impressive 61% jump from the previous year.
The global resale apparel market has welcomed Vinted as a revolutionary force. The market reached $20 billion in 2023 and experts predict it will hit $40 billion by 2028. Vinted stands out from its competition with a unique approach.
They don't charge sellers any fees. Instead, buyers pay a fixed amount between 30p and 80p, plus 3-8% of the item's price. This strategy has propelled Vinted to a €5 billion valuation in 2024, making it a dominant player in the second-hand clothing market.
Let's get into how Vinted's revenue model works in 2025. We'll look at each revenue stream and explore why this platform continues to succeed while facing competition from eBay and Depop.
How Vinted Makes Money in 2025: A Quick Overview
Vinted Group's impressive financial performance in 2024 showed the platform's exact revenue generation methods. The company's combined revenue reached €813.4 million, up 36% from 2023, and net profit jumped 330% to €76.7 million.
Their unique business model proved to be a soaring win. Let's take a closer look at the five main ways Vinted makes money in 2025.
Buyer protection fees
Vinted's biggest money maker comes from buyer protection fees on every transaction.
The fee structure works like this:
- For orders under £500: A fixed fee between 30p-80p plus 3-8% of the purchase price
- For orders over £500: A flat 3% of the sale price including VAT
These mandatory fees support the platform's resilient infrastructure for payment processing, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution. This strategy helps Vinted keep its promise of no selling fees while earning from each transaction.
Shipping margins
The company makes smart profits on shipping even though buyers pay all shipping costs. Vinted partners with major carriers in each country (like Royal Mail and DPD in the UK) and gets bulk shipping discounts. Users get these discounted rates while Vinted keeps a small margin on each shipping label.
Vinted Go expanded the company's shipping operations in 2024 with affordable shipping through locker and pick-up-drop-off networks. The service grew beyond France and Benelux into Spain and Portugal in 2025.
Promoted listings and bumps
Sellers can boost their visibility by buying "Bumps" that move listings to the top of search results. Prices start at £0.95 and change based on item value and bump duration (3 or 7 days). A three-day bump for a women's dress costs about £0.95 including VAT.
This optional promotion system brings in steady revenue without breaking Vinted's free-to-list promise. Sellers say bumping works best with high-demand or trending items.
Closet Spotlight and Vinted Pro
UK sellers pay £6.95 for the Wardrobe Spotlight feature that shows their entire collection to targeted buyers based on their priorities and catalog filters. Power sellers can move their inventory faster this way.
Vinted Pro serves businesses that sell many items. Registered businesses, sole traders, and non-profit organizations can list unlimited second-hand items at no cost. Pro sellers must follow stricter terms and let buyers return items within 14 days.
Advertising and affiliate revenue
The platform earns extra money through advertising deals with brands that target its fashion-conscious audience. Vinted also makes commissions when users click partner links and buy items.
The company launched Vinted Ventures in 2025 to expand its revenue potential. This investment arm funds other second-hand retail startups with investments from €500,000 to €10 million.
This mix of money-making methods lets Vinted keep its main appeal—free listings for sellers—while building multiple eco-friendly revenue streams around its fast-growing marketplace.
How Vinted Works: The Foundation of Its Revenue Model
Vinted's business model relies on four core principles that help the platform generate substantial revenue without charging sellers anything. The platform's success comes from its unique approach to marketplace economics. It propels development by prioritizing seller acquisition over immediate transaction fees.
Free listings for sellers
Vinted's model stands on a "zero commission" approach for sellers. Traditional competitors charge 10-15% per sale. Vinted lets users list unlimited items for free. This gives them an edge over platforms like Etsy that charge listing fees plus a 6.5% transaction fee.
Sellers can list items by completing a questionnaire about the item, noting any faults, setting a price, and uploading quality photographs. This simple process has attracted millions of active listings, building the inventory depth needed for success.
Buyer-focused fee structure
Vinted moves costs to buyers through a mandatory protection fee on purchases instead of charging sellers.
The fee structure works like this:
- A fixed amount between 30p-80p
- Plus 3-8% of the item's purchase price (excluding shipping costs)
- Orders over £500 have a flat 3% fee
A £30 purchase might cost £32 plus shipping, with a 50p fixed fee and a 5% variable fee of £1.50. This smart flip of the traditional marketplace model pays for reliable infrastructure, payment processing, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution while keeping listings free.
Escrow-style payment system
Second-hand transactions need security. Vinted uses an escrow-style payment system to protect both parties. Buyer funds move to a separate account under Vinted's control. The money stays there until the transaction shows as "Completed" on the platform. Then it goes to the seller's Vinted Wallet.
The system protects buyers by returning funds if sellers don't ship items or if items don't match descriptions. Buyers get 48 hours after delivery to report issues. A support team reviews both sides and decides about refunds or returns.
Shipping integration and automation
Vinted makes shipping simple. Sellers get ready-to-print shipping labels after each sale. This optimized process makes shipping easy for casual sellers.
The platform works directly with major carriers in each country, like Royal Mail and Hermes in the UK, to get bulk shipping discounts. Buyers cover shipping costs, but Vinted keeps a small margin on each label. This creates extra revenue without breaking the "free for sellers" promise.
Vinted Pro gives business sellers advanced options. Their API lets Pro sellers sync their shops with Vinted accounts, get shipping labels automatically, and handle large inventories. This tech solution targets designer and luxury fashion businesses selling in volume.
Vinted's model works because it removes barriers for sellers while making money from each transaction. This creates a cycle where more inventory brings more buyers.
Breaking Down Vinted’s Revenue Streams
Let's explore the financial mechanics that drive Vinted's success. Vinted earns its impressive revenue through five main channels, and buyer protection fees make up the biggest portion of its earnings.
1. Buyer protection and service fees
The life-blood of how Vinted makes money lies in its buyer protection fee structure.
Every transaction includes this mandatory fee that follows a tiered approach:
- For purchases under £500: A fixed fee (30p-80p) plus a percentage (3-8%) of the item price
- For items over £500: A flat 3% fee applies
These fees serve two purposes: they generate revenue and fund vital marketplace functions like payment processing, dispute resolution, and fraud prevention. This approach helps Vinted keep its zero-commission promise to sellers while earning from each transaction.
2. Shipping label margins
Vinted's shipping model creates a clever second revenue stream. The company negotiates bulk discounts with major carriers in each market and offers these shipping rates to users while keeping a small margin on each label.
Carriers get guaranteed volume, sellers get easier shipping, and Vinted earns on every transaction without directly charging sellers.
Vinted's launch of its own shipping network (Vinted Go) has boosted this revenue stream by offering cheaper shipping through locker networks under partial company control.
3. Paid promotions: Bumps and Spotlight
Sellers can buy visibility boosts to speed up their sales. Bumps (starting at £0.95) move items to the top of search results for 3 or 7 days. Wardrobe Spotlight (£6.95 in the UK) shows a seller's entire collection to targeted buyers based on their priorities.
These optional promotional tools work alongside the no-fee selling promise and generate substantial revenue without putting off casual sellers. Power sellers often report great returns from strategic bumping of popular items.
4. Vinted Pro subscriptions
Vinted Pro lets business sellers list unlimited second-hand items and access API integrations for inventory management and shipping automation. Pro accounts keep the zero listing fee promise but must follow stricter terms including 14-day returns.
This service creates a clear line between casual and professional sellers and opens new revenue opportunities in the circular economy.
5. Brand partnerships and ads
Vinted adds to its transaction-based revenue through mutually beneficial alliances with fashion brands targeting its style-conscious audience. The platform also earns affiliate marketing commissions when users make purchases through partner links.
Vinted Ventures—the company's investment arm launched in 2025—now funds other circular economy startups with investments from €500,000 to €10 million. This could create new revenue streams through equity growth.
Why Vinted’s Model Works: Strategic Advantages
Vinted's revenue model shows brilliant design choices that give it powerful marketplace advantages. A close look at how Vinted makes money shows a well-balanced system where smart revenue meets user-friendly policies. These advantages help Vinted stay ahead of its competitors in the second-hand clothing market.
No seller fees = more inventory
Vinted's zero-fee policy for sellers creates a key advantage that drives its entire ecosystem. The platform attracts many more sellers than its competitors by removing listing costs.
This approach creates a virtuous cycle:
- Sellers flock to the platform because it's free
- More items mean better choices for buyers
- Better selection brings even more sellers
This strategy tackles the classic "chicken and egg" marketplace problem head-on. Vinted puts inventory growth before immediate seller revenue, which builds the marketplace depth needed for lasting success.
Trust-building through buyer protection
Vinted's buyer protection fees do more than generate revenue. The platform acts as a neutral party that ensures transaction safety by charging buyers instead of sellers.
This builds trust through:
- Money back for items that don't match descriptions
- Safety from sellers who don't ship
- Full dispute handling systems
Buyers feel confident buying from sellers they don't know, which leads to thousands of peer-to-peer sales that might not happen otherwise due to safety worries.
Scalable across markets
Vinted's model works beautifully across different countries and markets. The main revenue sources—buyer fees, shipping margins, and promotional features—need just simple currency changes for new markets.
This easy scaling explains how Vinted grew from Lithuania to more than 20 countries without changing its core business model.
Appeals to eco-conscious users
Unlike traditional retail, Vinted's second-hand focus naturally draws environmentally conscious shoppers.
The platform matches growing sustainability trends by:
- Making clothes last longer
- Cutting down textile waste
- Offering alternatives to fast fashion
This approach attracts more environmentally aware shoppers, especially younger people who want sustainable shopping options. Fashion's environmental effects face more scrutiny now, which makes Vinted's circular economy model more appealing to shoppers who want responsible choices.
Challenges and Risks in Vinted’s Monetization Strategy
Vinted's revenue model works well, but the platform faces several problems that could hurt its future profits. The way how Vinted makes money looks simple on paper, but putting it into practice comes with some of the most important challenges.
Buyer fee transparency issues
Users often complain about Vinted's fee structure and call it "hidden" or misleading. The platform tells sellers they can list for free, but buyers get shocked at checkout when they see extra costs added to the listed price.
This unclear approach to fees leads to bad reviews and breaks trust. New users who don't know about Vinted's buyer-pays system feel particularly frustrated.
Platform leakage and off-app deals
Vinted loses money when users skip the platform to make deals directly. Buyers and sellers share contact details through item descriptions or messages and then pay each other through bank transfers or other payment apps.
These side deals cut into Vinted's buyer protection fee revenue. The platform tries to block messages with phone numbers or payment details, but savvy users always find new ways around these rules.
Customer support dependency
The buyer protection system means Vinted needs lots of customer support staff to solve disputes. This becomes more expensive as the platform gets bigger. Someone needs to review disputed transactions in the escrow system.
The company struggles to provide quality support in different languages and time zones. Growth in revenue ended up making operational costs rise even faster.
Competition from eBay and Depop
Big marketplaces are the most important threat to Vinted's success. eBay sells similar used clothes and everyone knows their brand. They also have millions of users. Depop goes after the same young, fashion-loving crowd as Vinted but offers better social features and influencer connections.
Both these competitors have noticed Vinted's success. They've changed their fees and improved their secondhand clothing sections to compete in this faster growing market.
Conclusion
Vinted makes money through a clever mix of buyer protection fees, shipping margins, promoted listings, and advertising partnerships. The platform keeps its core promise of zero seller fees. This approach has without doubt accelerated the platform's growth to over 105 million users and a €5 billion valuation in 2025.
This piece shows how Vinted's smart move to transfer fees from sellers to buyers creates a win-win situation. Free listings bring more sellers, which builds deeper inventory and draws more buyers to the platform. Mandatory buyer protection fees generate solid revenue without pushing away sellers who are vital to the marketplace.
On top of that, Vinted's other money streams make its financial position stronger. These include shipping margins, promotional features like Bumps and Closet Spotlight, Vinted Pro accounts, and mutually beneficial alliances. Vinted Ventures launch shows the company's steadfast dedication to growing in the circular economy.
In spite of that, Vinted faces its biggest problems ahead. Platform leakage happens when users take deals off-app. Other issues include fee transparency worries, customer support that doesn't scale well, and tough competition from 2-year old marketplaces like eBay and Depop.
These threats could slow down growth. Vinted's current revenue model works great, but these challenges need solutions to keep its market lead.
Vinted's approach teaches valuable lessons to other marketplace businesses. The platform builds trust through buyer protections and puts inventory growth before seller profits. This creates an eco-friendly business model that matches growing consumer interest in second-hand fashion.
Vinted's success shows how fresh revenue models can shake up old industries. The platform earned nearly €813 million in 2024 while keeping seller-friendly policies. Sometimes, charging those who get immediate value – buyers instead of sellers – works best to make money.
FAQs
Q1. How does Vinted generate revenue?
Vinted primarily makes money through buyer protection fees, shipping margins, promoted listings, and advertising partnerships. They also offer paid features like "Bumps" and "Closet Spotlight" for sellers to increase visibility.
Q2. Are there any fees for sellers on Vinted?
No, Vinted maintains a zero-fee policy for sellers. This allows users to list an unlimited number of items completely free of charge, which is a key factor in attracting more sellers and inventory to the platform.
Q3. What is Vinted's buyer protection fee?
Vinted charges a mandatory buyer protection fee on every purchase. For orders under £500, it includes a fixed fee between 30p-80p plus 3-8% of the purchase price. For orders over £500, a flat 3% fee applies.
Q4. How does Vinted's shipping model work?
Buyers cover all shipping costs, but Vinted earns a margin on each transaction. The platform negotiates bulk shipping discounts with major carriers and offers these discounted rates to users while keeping a small margin on each shipping label.
Q5. What challenges does Vinted face in its business model?
Vinted faces several challenges, including issues with fee transparency, users circumventing the platform for direct deals, heavy reliance on customer support for dispute resolution, and competition from established marketplaces like eBay and Depop.
