With our upcoming move to Canada, SWAPD is implementing some necessary changes to our fee structure. After thorough discussions with our team, we recognize that these adjustments are essential to maintaining profitability and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our platform. Below, we break down the reasoning behind these changes and what they mean for you.
Why Are We Changing the Fees?
SWAPD’s success is partly measured by the number of open transactions on our platform. Over the past year, we have seen a significant increase in transaction volume, jumping from 250 open tickets at any given time to 500. However, despite this growth, our earnings have remained stagnant. We’re doing double the work while earnings stay the same. The primary reasons for this include:
- An influx of low-value transactions ($50-$200) – These have surged, leading to increased workload while generating minimal revenue.
- Poor service providers – Many new sellers struggle to deliver on their promises, leading to a surge in refunds.
- Rising refunds – We are processing an average of 200-400 refunds per month, which adds to operational costs and inefficiencies.
To put this into perspective, our January 2025 numbers:
- Roughly 1,200 total tickets
- Around 750 completed transactions
- 211 transactions under $200, yielding only $4,000 in earnings despite representing nearly one-third of all completed transactions
- And around 250 refunds processed
What we’ve observed is that lower-value transactions tend to require significantly more customer support, increasing our operational strain. Rather than continuing to operate at this unsustainable level, we are making strategic fee adjustments to prioritize quality over quantity and allow us to enhance our services.
What Are the New Fee Changes?
- Minimum transaction fee increase – The minimum transaction fee will rise from $20 to $35.
- New fees for transactions under $200 – All transactions below $200 will now have a flat $35 minimum fee.
- 1% refund fee – Refunds will now incur a 1% fee, deducted from the buyer’s end. Buyers will have the option to ask the seller to cover this fee at their discretion. Basically, the same set up as we have now. But instead of the 1% going to CoinPayments, the funds will go to our company (because CoinPayments will be abandoned soon).
- 5% Dispute Fee: Starting soon, any ticket that enters dispute status will have a 5% dispute fee, charged to the losing party. Why? Because handling disputes isn’t just a headache—it takes hours of work per single transaction, and for the past eight years, we’ve been doing it for free. All we get in return is one side being furious at us. At the same time, this new policy will combat low quality users, forcing them to quit SWAPD once the fees pile up.
This change ensures fairness, compensates for the time spent resolving conflicts, and encourages smoother transactions.
Previously, we had planned to remove CoinPayments to save users 1% per transaction. However, due to our increased workload, we must maintain this fee structure. Given that most users have already adapted to CoinPayments’ 1% fee and very few buyers opt for compensation, we expect this change to be minimally disruptive while helping offset our rising operational costs. You can consider the fee a Buyer’s Protection fee. Sometimes we have to go through hundreds of responses in tickets, only to be yelled at and then not get paid for our time.
What Stays the Same?
Aside from these key changes, the rest of our fee structure remains intact and unchanged from previous years.
How Do We Compare to Competitors?
To provide transparency, here’s how our fees stack up against other platforms:
- EmpireFlippers – Charges 15%, dropping to 12.5% for 7-figure sales
- SocialTradia – 10% flat rate
- Flippa – 3%, but requires a $49 listing fee for basic listings
- FameSwap – Estimated at 5%, but users need a monthly subscription to access most features
Virtually every freelance middleman charges a flat 10%, no matter the amount. Our fees are progressive, the more you sell the less you will pay.
Final Thoughts
These changes will help us maintain a high-quality marketplace while allowing us to expand and improve our services. We appreciate your support and understanding as we adapt to ensure SWAPD remains the best place for secure transactions.
Thank you for being part of our community!
