For years, Amazon’s FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) has been the standard for online sellers who want fast shipping and convenience. You send your stock to Amazon, and they take care of everything — storage, picking, packing, delivery, and even returns.
It’s a system that works brilliantly for some. But for others, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make it work profitably.
Between rising fees, changing storage limits, and less control over inventory, many sellers are starting to look at Amazon FBA alternatives — options that offer more flexibility, better margins, and greater independence from Amazon’s fulfilment network.
How Amazon FBA Works
Even when exploring alternatives, it’s useful to understand the baseline: how FBA operates and what services it provides. If you want a full breakdown, check out our in-depth guide: What is Amazon FBA and How Does It Work for E-commerce Sellers.
Here’s a quick summary:
With FBA, you ship your inventory to Amazon’s fulfilment centres.
Amazon stores, picks, packs, ships, and handles returns and customer support for those orders.
Products fulfilled by Amazon become Prime eligible, which often improves visibility and conversions.
You’re charged for storage (monthly and long-term), fulfilment (per unit), and additional services (labelling, removal, returns).
Having that clear picture helps when you compare FBA with its alternatives — so you can see exactly where you might benefit (or lose) by choosing something different.a\
Why Sellers Are Looking Beyond FBA
FBA still has obvious advantages — access to Prime customers, simplified fulfilment, and Amazon’s customer service support — but for growing businesses, those benefits often come with major trade-offs.
Here’s what’s driving more sellers to explore alternatives in 2025:
Constant fee increases – Amazon updates its FBA pricing multiple times a year. Even a small rise in fulfilment or storage costs can quickly eat into profits.
Storage restrictions – Restock limits can make it difficult to send enough inventory during key sales periods like Q4.
Hidden or unpredictable charges – Between long-term storage, removals, and returns, the true cost is often higher than expected.
Reduced control – Once stock is inside Amazon’s network, sellers lose oversight of how it’s stored, packed, or handled.
For some businesses, FBA still makes sense — especially for high-volume items with fast turnover. But for many others, the costs and limitations are no longer worth it.
The Real Cost of FBA Fees in 2025
Before exploring alternatives, it’s important to understand where the money actually goes.
Typical FBA Costs in 2025
Fulfilment Fees (per unit)
0–500g: £2.58
500g–1kg: £3.37
1kg+: £6.28+
Storage Fees (per cubic foot per month)
January–September: £0.42
October–December: £1.01
Long-term storage (over 365 days): £4.30
Additional Charges
Returns processing (especially in apparel or consumer goods)
Label and prep fees (for unready stock)
Removal or disposal fees for unsold inventory
When combined, these can easily remove 25–40% of your profit margin.
To see how these costs break down in more detail, read our guide on Amazon FBA Fees.
The Best Amazon FBA Alternatives in 2025
If you’re tired of rising fees or want to take more control of your logistics, there are several strong Amazon FBA alternatives to consider. Each has its pros and cons depending on your business type and capacity.
1. Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)
Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) is often the first alternative sellers explore. It lets you keep the Prime badge — one of the biggest drivers of conversions on Amazon — without using FBA.
You handle your own fulfilment (either in-house or through a third-party warehouse), while Amazon still guarantees fast shipping to the customer.
Why sellers choose SFP:
No FBA storage or removal fees.
Full visibility over inventory and packaging.
More predictable and stable costs.
Maintain Prime eligibility and visibility.
What to consider:
Amazon’s shipping standards are strict — SFP sellers must maintain on-time delivery and performance metrics.
You’ll need a reliable courier network or fulfilment partner to meet those standards.
Switching from FBA to SFP isn’t for everyone. Amazon requires fast shipping, on-time deliveries, and excellent customer service to stay in the program. You’ll need to either handle fulfillment yourself or work with a reliable 3PL (like PackPro, a trusted 3PL Fulfilment Warehouse that also supports SFP sellers). Want to know if SFP is truly worth it for your business? Read this in-depth blog ‘Is Seller Fulfilled Prime Worth it For your Business?‘.
2. Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)
Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) gives you full control over your fulfilment process. You manage storage, packing, and dispatch entirely yourself or through a logistics partner.
While you won’t get the Prime badge, you gain flexibility and independence — no long-term storage fees, no inbound restrictions, and full authority over how your products are handled.
Why sellers choose FBM:
Lower overall costs for low-volume or bulky products.
No dependency on Amazon’s warehousing system.
Ability to use custom packaging, couriers, and branding.
Ideal for products with steady but manageable order volumes.
FBM takes more hands-on effort but offers a clearer understanding of your true operating costs — something many FBA sellers lose track of over time.
How Does FBM Compare to Amazon FBA?
The main difference between FBM and FBA comes down to control and cost. With FBA, Amazon manages storage, packing, and delivery, but fees can quickly add up and stock limits often apply. With FBM, fulfilment is handled by you or a logistics partner, offering more flexibility, transparent pricing, and freedom from Amazon’s warehousing restrictions.
The two fulfilment methods suit different types of sellers and business models, as outlined in our detailed FBA vs FBM comparison.
3. Hybrid Fulfilment (FBA + SFP + FBM)
One of the most effective approaches for growing sellers is the hybrid model — combining multiple fulfilment options depending on your products.
For example:
Use FBA for your fastest-moving products where the Prime badge has the biggest impact.
Use SFP for moderate-volume items that still benefit from Prime shipping.
Use FBM for oversized, slow-moving, or seasonal items that don’t justify high FBA costs.
A hybrid setup offers flexibility and cost control. It’s especially useful during peak periods when FBA restock limits or price surges can cause disruptions.
4. How a 3PL Can Help You Transition Away from FBA:
While a third-party logistics provider (3PL) isn’t an Amazon FBA alternative in itself, it can play a key role in helping sellers move away from FBA smoothly.
A 3PL can handle your storage, order fulfilment, and courier integrations — allowing you to run models like SFP, FBM, or even multi-channel fulfilment (Shopify, eBay, Etsy) without managing it all in-house.
In other words, if you decide to move beyond FBA, a 3PL makes that transition faster and far more manageable.
Looking for Amazon Alternatives Altogether?
For some brands, it’s not just FBA they’re moving away from — it’s Amazon itself. Increasing competition, heavy fee structures, and limited brand control have pushed many sellers to diversify across other eCommerce platforms.
Here are some of the most popular options in 2025:
Shopify
Perfect for building your own branded online store. Shopify gives you full ownership of your sales channel, complete pricing control, and direct access to your customer base. It’s ideal for businesses looking to scale and create a long-term brand presence.
eBay
Still one of the most trusted online marketplaces, eBay remains strong for both new and refurbished goods. Its flexible listing model and global customer base make it a great choice for sellers with diverse inventory or high stock turnover.
Etsy
A favourite for creative and niche brands. Etsy’s community-driven marketplace focuses on handmade, vintage, and personalised products. While it’s smaller than Amazon, it offers loyal customers and less competition in specific product categories.
By expanding across platforms, sellers can reduce risk, reach new audiences, and build more stable revenue streams. Multi-channel fulfilment tools and 3PL support now make it much easier to manage operations across Amazon, Shopify, eBay, and Etsy simultaneously.
Final Thoughts
Amazon FBA still has its place, but it’s no longer the only option — or even the best one — for every seller. Whether it’s SFP, FBM, or expanding into Shopify, eBay, and Etsy, there are now more ways than ever to run a profitable, flexible eCommerce business that isn’t limited by Amazon’s rules.
If you’re still planning to move forward with FBA, or you’d like to explore a different fulfilment setup, PackPro can take care of your fulfilment regardless of which marketplace or model you use.
FAQs - Amazon FBA Alternatives
What are the best Amazon FBA alternatives in 2025?
Some of the best alternatives to Amazon FBA include Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP), Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), and hybrid fulfilment models that combine multiple options. Many sellers are also branching out to platforms like Shopify, eBay, and Etsy for more control and lower fees.
Is Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) better than Amazon FBA?
Seller Fulfilled Prime can be better than FBA for sellers who want Prime visibility without high storage and fulfilment fees. You’ll still need to meet Amazon’s strict delivery and performance standards, but SFP gives you more control over inventory, packaging, and pricing.
What’s the difference between FBA and FBM on Amazon?
With Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon handles storage, picking, packing, and shipping — but charges for each service. With Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), the seller manages fulfilment independently or through a 3PL, allowing lower costs and more control, but without the Prime badge.
Can I still get the Prime badge without using FBA?
Yes. You can keep the Prime badge through the Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) programme. SFP lets you ship directly from your own warehouse or a fulfilment partner’s facility, as long as you meet Amazon’s Prime delivery targets.
How do I switch from Amazon FBA to another fulfilment model?
To switch from FBA, start by analysing your products and order volumes. You can then move to SFP for Prime eligibility, FBM for full control, or even sell on Shopify, eBay, or Etsy to reduce dependency on Amazon. Many sellers use a 3PL to manage this transition smoothly.
Are there cheaper alternatives to Amazon FBA?
Yes. Both FBM and SFP can be cheaper than FBA, depending on your order volume and storage needs. Using your own fulfilment setup or a 3PL often reduces costs because you only pay for the storage and services you use.
Is it worth leaving Amazon FBA?
Leaving FBA can make sense if rising fees or inventory limits are hurting your profits. Many sellers now run hybrid or multi-channel operations, mixing FBA with other fulfilment options to maintain flexibility and protect margins.
What’s the best way to compare Amazon FBA fees to alternatives?
To accurately compare costs, calculate your total FBA expenses — including fulfilment, storage, long-term, and returns fees — and then compare them against external fulfilment pricing. You can learn more in our full guide: Amazon FBA Fees Explained.