Live Shopping Platforms Compared: Where to Sell on Stream
By Mira Okonkwo··9 min read
The best live shopping platform depends on what you sell. Whatnot is the pick for live auctions, collectibles and resale. TikTok Shop LIVE suits everyday products and creators who can bring their own audience. YouTube Shopping works if you already have a YouTube audience, and Amazon Live if you are in the Amazon Influencer Program. Facebook and Instagram dropped live shopping, and Twitch and Kick never had it. Fees below are as each platform publishes them, as of November 2026.
Live Shopping Platforms Side by Side
One caution before the table: commission and fee structures change often, and several platforms publish only a starting rate. Treat the table as a map and click through to the source before you price anything.
| Platform | Who can sell | Fees (as of Nov 2026) | Requirements | Selling format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatnot | Anyone 13+ in a supported country can apply to sell | Commission starts at 8% of the item price and drops with sales (4-week tiers, per category and market); payment processing 2.9% + $0.30 in the US | Seller application in the app; many get access within minutes, some are reviewed. Gated categories need extra approval | Live auctions, Buy It Now, giveaways |
| TikTok Shop LIVE | Shop owners, plus Affiliate creators promoting other sellers' products | Affiliate commission is set by the seller (1% to 80% per TikTok's seller guide); sellers pay TikTok's own referral fee, listed in Seller University | US Affiliate creators: 18+, US-based, 1,000 followers (see our TikTok Shop LIVE guide) | Pinned products with a shopping bag, flash deals; not an auction-first format |
| YouTube Shopping (live product tags) | Eligible channels tagging their own or other brands' products | No platform commission is stated on the tagging page. Own-store sales are paid out by the merchant platform; other brands' products pay through their affiliate terms | YouTube Partner Program membership with enough subscribers; kids-content and policy-strike limits | Tagged product shelf, pin one or rotate several (every 60 seconds, desktop only) |
| Amazon Live | Members of the Amazon Influencer Program, via the Amazon Live Creator app | Creators earn commissions on products sold; no seller fee applies to the creator. Rates are in the Associates program terms | Amazon Influencer Program approval | Livestream with a product carousel on amazon.com/live |
| Facebook and Instagram Live | No one: live shopping was removed | Not applicable | Not applicable | Facebook ended Live Shopping on October 1, 2022; Instagram ended it in March 2023 |
| Twitch and Kick | No native shopping checkout | Not applicable | Not applicable | Links in panels, chat commands and third-party tools sending viewers to a store |
Sources: Whatnot's seller fees page, YouTube's tagging help and Shopping overview, Amazon's Amazon Live help, and reporting on Meta's shutdowns from Search Engine Land and TechCrunch.
Auctions vs Pinned Products: Pick the Format First
The platform choice is really a format choice. Auctions (Whatnot) turn a single item into a few minutes of tension: buyers compete, chat reacts, price discovery happens on camera. They suit unique items, such as cards, sneakers and vintage, where nobody knows the price yet. Pinned products (TikTok Shop, YouTube, Amazon) suit repeatable items at a fixed price: you demo, answer questions and point at the buy button. If you sell the same item fifty times, an auction wastes your time. If every item is one of a kind, a fixed-price shelf leaves money on the table.
Discovery differs too. On Whatnot, viewers arrive because they want to buy, so a small seller can be found by category. On TikTok, YouTube and Amazon you mostly sell to an audience you already built, with the platform adding some reach. Read our TikTok Shop LIVE guide for the affiliate requirements and LIVE Manager setup.
TikTok Shop LIVE, YouTube Shopping and Amazon Live in Brief
TikTok Shop LIVE gives you two routes: sell your own products as a shop owner, or join as an Affiliate creator and earn the commission each seller sets. The product bag appears for accounts with Shop selling permissions, and you pin products while live. Full requirements and the PC route are in our TikTok Shop LIVE guide.
YouTube Shopping lets eligible channels tag products in a live stream, either their own store or other brands' products. Viewers tap the Shopping icon to open the list. Pin one product at a time, or on desktop switch on rotation so tagged items cycle every 60 seconds. Set tags at least 30 minutes before you go live because changes mid-stream may not reach people already watching. Your stream setup is covered in our YouTube go-live guide.
Amazon Live is still running: the amazon.com/live page was streaming when we checked on November 14, 2026. Per Amazon's help centre, shoppers buy from a product carousel inside the player, and creators stream through the Amazon Live Creator app, which requires Amazon Influencer Program membership. You earn commission on what you sell rather than running your own store. For other recommendation-style programs, see our affiliate programs for streamers.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and Kick
Facebook ended Live Shopping on October 1, 2022, and Instagram said in February 2023 it would end its live shopping in March 2023 to focus on ads. You can still broadcast on both (see how to go live on Instagram), but without product tags or in-stream checkout. We could not find a Meta help page stating the shutdown, so the dates above come from news coverage.
Twitch and Kick have no native shopping checkout. The workaround is a store link in your panels or a chat command, which is fine for merch but is not live shopping. A common setup is to host the sale on a shopping platform and multistream it for reach. For platform differences beyond shopping, see our livestreaming platforms list.
How to Sell on Whatnot, Step by Step
Whatnot is the biggest query in this space, so here is the full route using the steps in Whatnot's own help centre: the application guide, the listing guide and the shipping setup page.
- 1Apply in the app. Open the Whatnot app, tap + Sell, then Get Started. You agree to the community guidelines, pick a primary seller category, describe your selling experience and enter a return address. Many sellers get seller access within minutes; applications that need review get an email.
- 2Choose a category that matches what you sell. The show category sets your commission rate and where buyers find you. Whatnot treats listing in the wrong category to get a lower rate as fee avoidance. A few categories, such as Luxury Bags & Accessories and Wholesale, need extra approval after you have seller access.
- 3Create listings and pick a format. In Seller Hub, create Buy It Now listings (fixed price), auctions (you set a starting bid; duration is chosen when you start the auction in the show) or giveaways (you cover shipping). Add clear photos, an accurate condition and a shipping profile with the packed weight.
- 4Set up shipping before you go live. Buyers pay shipping by default, but you can cover it. Set shipping profiles for products, defaults in Seller Hub and per-show overrides. Weigh the item with its packaging: a weight that is too low leaves your label underpaid and can mean extra postage.
- 5Schedule and run your first show. Follow the in-app checklist to schedule a show, assign listings to it, and start items one at a time. Start small and short, and test your lighting and audio before the first auction.
- 6Ship, then read your fee breakdown. Ship each order after the sale. Every order shows its exact commission and processing fee under Orders, so check one early to learn your real take-home.
What Whatnot charges
| Fee | As published (Nov 2026) | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | Starts at 8%; falls with sales in 4-week tiers, varies by category and market | Item price only, not shipping or tax |
| Payment processing (US) | 2.9% + $0.30 per order | Total order value, including shipping and tax |
Source: Whatnot seller fees and whatnot.com/seller/fees. Whatnot may also charge sales tax on its fees depending on your location, and the 3% headline rate is a custom rate for its highest-volume sellers, not something you can apply for. Your exact category rates are in Seller Hub.
First-show tips
- Do the shipping setup first. An underpaid label comes out of your pocket.
- Sell what you know. The category is your discoverability and your commission rate.
- Mix formats: auctions for the headline items, Buy It Now for the rest, a giveaway to hold the room.
- Keep the first show short and stay in the category you applied under.
- Looking for the audience-building side? Our multistreaming guide covers taking the same show to more places.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best live shopping platform for sellers?
It depends on what you sell. Whatnot is built for live selling and auctions, so collectibles, cards and resale fit best. TikTok Shop LIVE fits low-priced consumer products and creators who can pull in new viewers. YouTube Shopping suits an existing YouTube audience that already trusts you. Amazon Live suits creators who recommend Amazon products and are accepted into the Influencer Program.
How do I sell on Whatnot?
Open the Whatnot app, tap + Sell, then Get Started, and complete the seller application: community guidelines, seller category, selling experience and return address. Once approved, create listings in Seller Hub, set up shipping profiles, schedule a show and run it. You must be at least 13, and 13 to 17 year olds need a parent or guardian's permission.
How much does Whatnot take from sellers?
As of November 2026, Whatnot's fees page says commission starts at 8% of the item price and falls as your sales grow in four-week periods, with rates varying by category and market. A separate payment processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per order applies in the US and is charged on the total order value. Rates as low as 3% are custom rates for the highest-volume sellers. Check Seller Hub for your own rate card.
Whatnot vs TikTok Shop: which is better?
Whatnot is a marketplace where buyers come to shop live, with auctions as a core format, so discovery is inside the app. TikTok Shop LIVE sells through pinned products to a broader entertainment audience, and creators can also earn commission promoting other sellers' products. If you sell collectibles, Whatnot is the usual starting point; for everyday products with a hook, TikTok is worth testing. Many sellers run both.
Does YouTube have live shopping?
Yes. Eligible channels can tag their own or other brands' products during a live stream, and viewers open a shopping list from the Shopping icon. You can pin one product at a time, or on desktop turn on rotation so tagged products cycle every 60 seconds. YouTube recommends finishing tagging at least 30 minutes before the stream starts.
Is Amazon Live still available?
Yes. Amazon Live is still running at amazon.com/live as of November 2026, and Amazon's help centre describes the Amazon Live Creator app. Streaming through the app requires membership in the Amazon Influencer Program. Amazon has shut other social-shopping features, so check the program page before building a plan on it.
Does Instagram or Facebook still have live shopping?
No. Meta ended Facebook Live Shopping on October 1, 2022, and Instagram said it would end its live shopping feature in March 2023. You can still go live on both, but there are no product tags or checkout during the broadcast. For a live-selling setup you need another platform. See our Instagram and YouTube go-live guides for the streaming side.
Can I sell on Twitch or Kick?
Neither has a native shopping checkout. Streamers send viewers to a store with a link in the panels or a chat command, or use a third-party extension. That works for merch, but it is not live shopping in the Whatnot sense, with a pinned item and one-tap purchase inside the stream. You can also multistream a shopping show to Twitch or Kick for reach.