Albion Market Tax Explained
Two fees eat every market trade. Knowing exactly how much is the difference between a profitable flip and an expensive lesson.
Quick answer
Every completed sale pays a sales tax of 4% - halved to 2% with Premium. Placing a buy or sell order additionally costs a 2.5% setup fee, charged up front and never refunded, even if the order expires or is cancelled. Instant-selling into an existing buy order avoids the setup fee entirely; instant-buying from existing sell orders avoids it on the buy side.
The two fees
| Fee | Rate | When it bites | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 4% / 2%¹ | On every completed sale | - |
| Order setup fee | 2.5% | Placing a buy or sell order (per item on buy orders) | No - kept even on cancel or expiry |
| Order edit fee | small | Editing a placed order | No |
¹ 2% with Premium - Premium halves the sales tax. Structure per the official wiki (archived) and community-verified worked examples; last verified October 2026.
What a round trip actually costs
Most strategies pay the tax twice - once buying (indirectly), once selling. Here is the total market friction for common combinations on a 10,000-silver turnover:
| Strategy | Fees paid | Cost per 10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Instant buy → instant sell (no Premium) | 4% | 400 |
| Instant buy → instant sell (Premium) | 2% | 200 |
| Buy order → instant sell (no Premium) | 2.5% + 4% | 650 |
| Instant buy → sell order (no Premium) | 4% + 2.5% | 650 |
| Buy order → sell order (no Premium) | 2.5% + 4% + 2.5% | 900 |
| Buy order → sell order (Premium) | 2.5% + 2% + 2.5% | 700 |
When a sell order beats instant selling
A sell order only wins when the higher price you expect covers the extra 2.5% setup fee plus your time and the risk the order doesn't fill. Sell at least ~2.6% higher than the best instant-sell price just to break even on the fee - realistically, demand a 5%+ gap.
How the calculators handle it
Every AlbionForge calculator has a Premium toggle and an instant-sell / sell-order switch, applying exactly the structure above. The transport calculator also prices the buy-order setup fee on the origin side - the fee traders forget most.