SuanSupply
This guide includes affiliate links. If you sign up through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools that fit the job.
The short version
- Etsy brings the buyers (about 87 million active buyers) but takes a cut of every sale: roughly 11% of a typical US order once listing, transaction and payment fees are added.
- Shopify charges a monthly plan (Basic is US$39, or US$29 a month paid yearly) plus card fees of about 3%, but you have to bring every visitor yourself.
- On a US$30 order, Etsy costs about US$2.13 more per sale than Shopify Basic. At about 14 to 18 orders a month, the Shopify plan pays for itself, if those buyers find your store.
- Most small sellers do best starting on Etsy and adding their own store once repeat customers, social followers or an email list can send traffic.
Etsy vs Shopify: what's the difference?
Etsy is a marketplace: shoppers already search there, and Etsy takes a share of each sale. Shopify is software to run your own online store: you pay a monthly fee, keep more of each sale, and find your own customers.
| Etsy | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A marketplace with its own buyers | Your own store on your own domain |
| Monthly cost | None required (Etsy Plus is optional at US$10) | Basic US$39, or US$29 a month billed yearly (Canada CA$49 or CA$37) |
| Per-sale fees | US$0.20 listing + 6.5% transaction + 3% + US$0.25 payment processing | 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment on Basic (2.8% + 30¢ in Canada) |
| Advertising fee | Offsite Ads: 15% of attributed sales (12% once you pass US$10,000 a year), capped at US$100 per order | None; you pay for your own ads |
| Traffic | Built in: buyers search Etsy | You bring it: social media, search, email, ads |
| Branding and data | Etsy's rules, Etsy's checkout, limited customer data | Your design, your checkout, your customer list |
| What you can sell | Handmade, vintage, craft supplies and original digital items | Almost anything legal |
Fees from Etsy's Fees & Payments Policy (updated October 5, 2026) and Shopify's pricing pages, checked October 5, 2026. US sellers; Canadian sellers also pay Etsy's 0.5% regulatory operating fee.
Is Etsy or Shopify cheaper?
Shopify is cheaper per sale, Etsy is cheaper when you sell little. Here's a worked example for a US seller with a US$25 item and US$5 shipping (US$30 order, sales tax left out for simplicity):
| Fee | Etsy | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | US$0.20 | US$0 |
| Transaction fee (6.5% of US$30) | US$1.95 | US$0 |
| Payment processing | US$1.15 (3% + US$0.25) | US$1.17 (2.9% + 30¢) |
| Fees per order | US$3.30 | US$1.17 |
| Monthly plan | US$0 | US$29 to 39 |
Illustrative example. Offsite Ads, currency conversion (2.5%) and Shopify apps or a theme would add to these numbers.
Etsy costs US$2.13 more per order, so the Shopify Basic plan covers itself at about 14 orders a month on the yearly plan (US$29 ÷ US$2.13) or 18 on the monthly plan. Below that, Etsy is cheaper. Above it, Shopify keeps more money per sale, but only if your store gets those orders without paying more in ads than you save. Check your own numbers with our Etsy fee calculator.
Shopify's current offer is a 3-day free trial, then US$1 a month for the first 3 months on a monthly plan. Enough time to set up a store and test it alongside Etsy.
Try ShopifyWhich brings more sales for a new seller?
For most new sellers, Etsy. An Etsy listing can be found by people already searching for what you make on day one. A new Shopify store starts with zero visitors: your sales depend on the audience you can bring from social media, search engines, an email list or paid ads. We found no reliable data comparing conversion on Etsy with independent stores, so treat any claim that one “converts better” with care. The real question is where your buyers are.
If you stay on Etsy, ranking matters more than anything else. Our Etsy SEO guide covers titles and tags, and a keyword tool helps you find the terms buyers type.
Find Etsy keywords with eRank (free plan) →
Can you sell on Etsy and Shopify at the same time?
Yes, and many sellers do: Etsy for discovery, their own store for repeat customers and higher margins. Shopify's own Marketplace Connect app covers Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Target Plus but not Etsy, so sellers use third-party apps to sync listings and stock between the two. Keep Etsy's rules in mind: you can't send Etsy buyers to buy outside Etsy, through messages, packaging inserts or codes in your listings. Grow your own store's audience on your own channels.
Etsy or Shopify: how to choose
- Choose Etsy if you're starting out, sell handmade, vintage or original digital products, and don't have an audience yet.
- Choose Shopify if you already have followers or an email list, sell products Etsy doesn't allow, or sell enough that per-sale fees cost more than a plan.
- Use both once you have steady Etsy sales and want a place to send repeat customers and social traffic.
Run your shop with simple tools
Order and profit tracking, pricing and inventory for Etsy and online sellers. Pay once, no subscription, and your data stays on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to sell on Etsy or Shopify?
For new sellers without an audience, Etsy is usually better because shoppers already search there. Shopify is better once you can bring your own traffic, because it takes less from each sale.
How much does Etsy take from a sale?
For a US seller, US$0.20 per listing, 6.5% of the item price plus shipping, and 3% + US$0.25 for payment processing, about 11% of a US$30 order. Offsite Ads add 15% (or 12%) on sales they bring in.
How much does Shopify cost per month?
Shopify Basic costs US$39 a month, or US$29 a month billed yearly. In Canada it's CA$49, or CA$37 billed yearly. Card payments cost 2.9% + 30¢ in the US on Basic.
Can I link my Etsy shop to Shopify?
Not with Shopify's own Marketplace Connect app, which doesn't support Etsy. Third-party apps from the Shopify App Store can sync listings and inventory between the two.
Do I need a business license to sell on Etsy or Shopify?
It depends on where you live, not the platform. Many places require registration once you sell regularly. See our guide on how to start a small business.
Can I move my Etsy customers to my Shopify store?
Not by messaging them or adding inserts that send them off Etsy: Etsy's off-platform rules forbid it. You can build your own audience through your own social media and website.
Tools we recommend
Some of these are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
General information as of October 6, 2026. Fees and offers change; check Etsy's and Shopify's current pricing before you decide. Not affiliated with Etsy, Inc.