ONDC vs Amazon and Flipkart for Small Sellers: Fees, Demand, Control and Logistics Compared

For most small sellers, ONDC is a supplement to Amazon and Flipkart, not a replacement. ONDC is the Open Network for Digital Commerce, a network that connects separate buyer apps, seller apps and logistics providers. Amazon and Flipkart are single marketplaces with their own shoppers, search and rules. Amazon publishes its fees openly, with referral fees starting at 0%. ONDC fees depend on the app you use. This comparison is as of November 2026.

What is the basic difference?

On Amazon or Flipkart you list in one place. The marketplace brings the shoppers, runs the search, sets the seller rules and takes a fee. On ONDC you list through a seller app, and your products can then appear in several buyer apps. The network sets common technical rules, but each app sets its own commercial terms. Read the glossary entry on ONDC for the vocabulary.

ONDC vs Amazon vs Flipkart at a glance

How do the fees compare?

Amazon's page shows referral fees starting at 0% and varying by category, closing fees starting at ₹2 and varying by price band and channel, weight-handling fees by parcel weight, and GST of 18% on listed fees. Many categories are 0% referral for items priced at ₹1,000 or less. Our explainer on Amazon's zero referral fee covers the detail.

For ONDC, the reported network fee is ₹1.5 per transaction on orders above ₹250, from 1 January 2025. On top of that, the seller app, buyer app, logistics partner and payment service each charge their own way, and there is no single fixed commission. So a low network fee does not mean a low total cost. Our ONDC fees guide goes through each layer.

Flipkart publishes its commission and fee schedule on its seller site. When we opened it, no rates were readable, so we do not quote any. Read the current schedule in Seller Hub, and see Flipkart vs Amazon for sellers.

Which brings more orders?

Marketplaces. Amazon and Flipkart have established shopper traffic and search. ONDC's volume is real but spread across apps. Inc42 reported 14 million transactions in October 2024, up 200% from 4.5 million in October 2023. We have no matching, sourced figure for Amazon or Flipkart to set against it, so we do not rank them by volume on numbers. The practical point is that a marketplace listing with good reviews and ads can get discovered without you finding buyers, while an ONDC listing relies on the app and on local demand. Joining ONDC does not guarantee orders.

Who has more control?

ONDC gives more control in some areas. You pick the seller app and the logistics partner, and you are not locked into one platform's shipping or returns rules. Marketplaces give you less control but more support: dispute handling, buyer protection, fulfilment options and tools such as advertising dashboards.

Control also means more work. On ONDC you need to check each app's terms, handle more of your own customer service and watch for differences between apps.

What about logistics?

On marketplaces you can use the platform's fulfilment or ship yourself. On ONDC you choose from the logistics providers connected to the network. The Department of Posts joined as a logistics provider in January 2026, with a first order delivered on 15 January 2026. Rates and coverage for that service are not confirmed; see India Post on ONDC.

What about returns, payouts and support?

These are the day-to-day differences a seller feels after the first month.

• Returns. Marketplaces set the return window and decide many disputes. On ONDC, return terms depend on the seller app and the buyer app together, so read both sets of terms before you list a product with high return rates, such as fashion.
• Payouts. Amazon states that new sellers at the Standard level are paid seven days after delivery, with deposits every seven days. ONDC payout timing is set by your seller app; ask for it in writing.
• Support. A marketplace gives you one support channel. On ONDC, a problem might sit with the buyer app, the seller app or the courier, and you may need to chase more than one party.

Which should a small seller choose?

• New seller with one product line, wants orders now: start on Amazon or Flipkart. They have the shoppers.
• Artisan, local or regional product with low volume: ONDC is worth a 60-day test, since entry cost is low. Support schemes are reported for micro and small enterprises (see MSME-TEAM).
• Established brand with margin pressure: add ONDC as a second channel and compare cost per order against marketplaces. Do not expect it to replace marketplace sales.
• Brand that cares about its own customer relationship: your own site plus ONDC may fit, because the shopper data sits with the apps you choose.

How do I test ONDC without risk?

1. List your ten best-selling products through one seller app.
2. Get fees in writing: commission, payment charges, logistics rates.
3. Ship at least 30 orders and track orders, returns and payout days.
4. Compare contribution margin per order with the same products on your marketplace.
5. Keep going only if the margin holds after returns.

FAQ

Is ONDC better than Amazon for small sellers? Not in general. ONDC can have a lower entry cost and more control, but Amazon brings established shoppers and publishes its fees. Joining ONDC does not guarantee orders. Most small sellers should test ONDC beside a marketplace.

Is ONDC a marketplace? No. It is a network that connects buyer apps, seller apps and logistics providers. Shoppers use a buyer app, and your catalogue is listed through a seller app.

Are ONDC fees lower than Amazon fees? It depends. ONDC's reported network fee is ₹1.5 per order above ₹250, but app commissions, logistics and payment charges are extra and vary. Compare total cost on your own products.

Can I sell on ONDC and Amazon at the same time? Nothing in the sources we opened says you cannot. Check each platform's current seller terms on pricing and exclusivity, particularly if you run promotions, and keep your prices consistent so one channel does not undercut the other.

How many people shop on ONDC? We have no reliable, sourced buyer count. Inc42 reported 14 million transactions in October 2024, which is dated. Ask your seller app for recent order data in your category.

Does ONDC have advertising like Amazon Ads? Not confirmed. Advertising options depend on each buyer or seller app, and we found no network-wide ad product in the sources we opened. Ask your app what visibility tools it offers.

Pick channels on margin, not hype

Decide with numbers: list the fees, returns and effort for each channel, and keep the ones that earn a margin you can live with. Blooprint's Amazon account management team can help you build that comparison. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.