Selling dietary supplements on Amazon brings good profit, yet it’s undeniable the compliance requirements are strict and competition in the category is fierce.
Before you put a single product on the site, you need to know exactly how much you will spend. The bill is larger than the standard Amazon seller charges because dietary supplements require FDA paperwork, special labels, and third-party lab tests.
This guide lists each cost, from the first monthly Amazon payment to the last lab check, so you see where your money will go at least in the first stages.
Amazon’s Standard Seller Fees that Apply to All Categories
Amazon applies the same core fees across all product categories. These are your baseline costs. Every seller chooses between two plans:
| Plan | When to Use | Cost |
| Individual Plan | For sellers listing fewer than 40 items/month | $0.99 per item sold |
| Professional Plan | For active sellers managing multiple listings | $39.99/month |
Referral Fees
Amazon charges a referral fee on every sale. This is a percentage of your product’s total price, including shipping.
For most health-related products, including supplements, the referral fee falls under “Health & Personal Care” category. So, in this case, you’ll be charged:
- 8% for items priced $10 or less
- 15% for items above $10
Fulfillment and Storage Fees (FBA vs FBM)
If you use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Amazon handles storage, packing, and shipping.
Costs depend on your product’s size and weight.
You’ll also pay monthly storage fees charged per cubic foot:
- January–September: $0.87 per cu ft
- October–December: $2.40 per cu ft
Here’s Amazon’s list of FBA fees:
If you handle Forwarded By Merchant (FBM), you skip these fees but must manage logistics, customer support, and returns.
Category Costs: Supplements
This is where supplements stands apart from other categories:
Category Approval
Supplements are a restricted category on Amazon. You must request approval before listing.
These are Amazon’s requirements for dietary supplements:
About Third-Party Testing and Compliance
In April 2024, Amazon updated its Dietary Supplements Policy. All supplements must now be verified through a third-party Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) via the Manage Your Compliance dashboard. This has to be done at least once a year. Typical costs are:
- $2,000 – $5,000 per ASIN for standard testing
- Up to $15,000 per ASIN for full NSF or UL certification for complex formulas
There’s something you need to consider: these are rough numbers. The overall cost of Third-Party Testing depends on the number of ingredients in your product and how complex they are to analyze.
Why? Base-level safety testing and contaminants is around $1,000 to $2,000. But there’s also the fact they’ll run an ingredient test to verify your products contain the exact amount of ingredients the label claims it does. And for this, a reasonable estimate is that the costs escalate to $400-$500 per ingredient.
These are the verified labs approved by Amazon for Dietary supplements:
Read the BellaVix blog to learn more on how to go through the process of Third-Party Testing.
FDA & Labeling Compliance
All supplement listings must follow FDA’s 21 CFR Part 111 labeling requirements. Don’t stop paying attention to this, as compliance with dietary supplement regulations ensures that every product consistently meets the highest quality standards.
There are a few more things you have to do to be compliant and avoid suspensions:
- Avoid medical claims (“cures,” “prevents,” “treats”)
- Display the Supplement Facts panel clearly on the product image
Non-compliance will most likely result in the removal of the ASIN and the account being flagged as high-risk.
Risk & Suspension Costs
If a listing is flagged or delisted for non-compliance, your costs will rise exponentially. Here are the reasons:
- Lost sales during the suspension period.
- Testing re-submission fees.
- If the suspension is too long, you’ll get additional storage fees for unsellable inventory if you’re on FBA.
A listing suspension can really destroy your sales momentum and visibility. And this is a very high price to pay in such a competitive category like Health & Supplements.
How much does it cost to launch a supplement on Amazon?
In the first stages, most of your money will go towards launch. Here’s an estimate of the cost:
| Cost Item | Estimated Range | Notes |
| Product manufacturing & packaging (first order) | US$5,000 – US$10,000 | Manufacturing initial production for supplements can cost up to $10,000, depending on the formula. Plus, you have to consider whether your manufacturer has a minimum unit order, which is becoming increasingly common nowadays. |
| Third-party testing/compliance (for Amazon listing) | US$1,500 – US$5,000 | It depends on ingredient complexity and other factors. |
| Amazon seller & listing fees (Professional account + listing setup) | US$40/month | Basic Professional plan fee is US$39.99/month. |
| FBA fulfillment & storage for initial inventory | $3 to $5 per unit for fulfillment and storage, depending on size/weight. | |
| Launch advertising and marketing | 15-25% of revenue or a fixed initial budget of $2,000 to $5,000 | PPC campaigns are quite important during the Honeymoon Phase. |
| Contingency / other unforeseen costs | $1,000 to $3,000 | To factor in compliance delays, inventory holding, and listing suspension risk. |
A plain budget to start a supplement on Amazon runs from about $15,000 to $30,000.
The range is that wide because of the factors that push the price up or down. There are a lot of reasons, but it can be boiled down to three:
- Ingredient complexity
- Compliance costs
- Ad campaign budgets
Remember these costs are for launch only. You’ll need to keep investing money on your product until it gets profitable over time… and in some cases, sellers report that the overall investment tends to go up to even higher numbers like $100,000.
Tips to Keep Costs Down
There are a few things you can do to keep costs down:
Take advantage of the Honeymoon Phase
This period lasts for the first few weeks after launch. Here, the Amazon algorithm boosts your organic ranking to learn what your product is really about and who its ideal audience is.
Use this organic boost and support it with competitive PPC campaigns. If you do this, you’ll increase the chances of having a successful launch and earning sales momentum that will last to even when you become profitable.
Avoid Stock-outs
Success means winning the competition and converting more and more. But you have to rise to the occasion.
You have to prepare to when you’ve earned momentum and your sales are increasing every day. If you do not plan your stock-ups weeks before, you’ll run out of products in the worst possible moment. And that’s a hit really hard to recover from.
Track your inventory weekly and maintain clear communication with your providers.
Optimize packaging
Before launching, make sure your packaging covers three main positive aspects:
- It has to carry your product efficiently.
- Your brand message and identity has to be consistent across all elements.
- It has to contribute to a great, customized customer experience.
In the end, smaller packages will always mean lower dimensional-weight fees.
Conclusion
Selling supplements on Amazon can be a solid business, but it’s not cheap or simple. Your first product will need a clear budget and a plan. What really matters is knowing your margins early and run proper testing from the start. This way, your supplement brand can build trust and stay competitive on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need approval to sell supplements on Amazon?
Yes. The dietary supplements category is restricted, which means you must apply for approval through Seller Central.
How much does third-party testing cost?
Testing costs depend on your formula’s complexity and the number of ingredients. On average, expect to pay between $1,500 and $5,000 per product.
What are the Amazon fees for supplements?
You’ll pay a 15% referral fee, fulfillment and storage fees if you use FBA, and a $39.99 monthly subscription under the Professional plan. These fees apply to every seller, not just supplement brands.
How much should I budget to launch my first supplement product?
A realistic launch budget ranges between $15,000 and $30,000, including manufacturing, testing, labeling, inventory, and marketing.
Ready to Launch Your Supplement Brand the Right Way?
Selling supplements on Amazon takes strategy, compliance, and a clear plan to protect your margins. Every move matters.
By filling out the form below, you’ll take the first step toward building a supplement brand that’s profitable, compliant, and ready to grow. Our team specializes in helping sellers understand their real costs, streamline approvals, and scale with confidence.
We’ll review your current setup, walk you through what your margins could look like after fees and testing, and outline a launch strategy that fits your budget.
No hard sell, just clear guidance from people who know Amazon inside out.
Tell us about your supplement business, and let’s start planning your path to growth today.