Etsy vs Shopify: fees and which one fits

Short answer: Etsy charges per listing and takes a cut of each sale, but it hands you buyers already searching for handmade and vintage goods. Shopify charges a monthly fee and no commission, but you have to bring your own traffic. Many sellers use Etsy to get found and Shopify to build a brand they own, and run both side by side.

Facts last checked on October 18, 2026, against the sources linked below.

How Etsy and Shopify fees compare

Etsy and Shopify charge sellers in different ways, so a straight dollar comparison depends on your sales volume. The table below shows the shape of each, not the exact rates. Fees change often, so we only state a number once we've read it on the company's own current page.

Etsy's listing fee is $0.20 per item, charged whether or not it sells. Its transaction fee is 6.5% of the item price plus shipping (and gift wrap, if you charge for it), according to Etsy's fee basics page. On top of that, US sellers pay a payment processing fee of 3% plus $0.25 per order, per Etsy's payment processing fees page. Our Etsy fees calculator works out what you will actually keep from a sale once all of these are added up.

On the Shopify side, the plans go from a basic tier up to more advanced ones, each cheaper as you climb in percentage terms on card processing. If you use an outside payment provider instead of Shopify's own Shopify Payments, Shopify adds an extra fee. This fee drops from 2% on the cheapest plan down to 0.2% on its top plan. See Shopify's pricing page for the full breakdown by plan. If you use Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, or Shop Pay Installments, that extra fee doesn't apply at all, per Shopify's help center. Shopify's pricing page shows monthly plan prices in your local currency based on where you're browsing from. Check the US pricing page directly for the dollar amount that applies to you, rather than trusting a number from somewhere else.

For a fuller fee breakdown with your own numbers plugged in, use the calculator above or check Etsy's fee basics page directly.

Who Etsy suits

Etsy works best for sellers who want buyers without building an audience first. People open the Etsy app already looking to buy something handmade, vintage, or a craft supply, and Etsy's search puts your listing in front of them. That's worth more than a lower fee if you're starting from zero traffic.

Etsy also fits categories Shopify doesn't help with on its own. It only allows handmade goods, vintage items over 20 years old, and craft supplies, so its whole site is built around buyers who want exactly that. A new seller with low volume and no marketing budget often starts here, since there's no monthly fee to pay before you've made a sale.

Who Shopify suits

Shopify suits sellers who want their own storefront, built around their own brand and customer list. You pick the design, the domain name, and how checkout looks. Nobody else's competing listings show up next to yours.

The tradeoff is traffic. Shopify doesn't send you buyers. You pay a monthly fee whether you sell anything or not, and you're responsible for ads, social media, email, or search traffic that brings people to your store. This suits sellers who already have some audience, or who are ready to spend time or money getting one.

Once you have your own site, you can also add things a marketplace won't let you build. These include a returns page written in your own words, an email list, or a chatbot that answers visitor questions straight from your pages. Chatbait is one free option currently in beta, though it doesn't look up orders or collect emails yet.

Can you sell on Etsy and Shopify at the same time

Yes, and a lot of sellers do. The common setup is the same products listed on Etsy for discovery, plus a Shopify store that's fully yours. Etsy brings in people searching the marketplace. Shopify is where you build repeat customers, your email list, and a brand that doesn't depend on one platform's rules.

Running both isn't free in effort, even if the fees are separate. A few things to plan for:

• Inventory: if the same item sells on both, you need to update stock in both places, or use a tool that syncs them, so you don't sell something twice.
• Where you send ads: if you're paying for ads, decide whether they point to your Etsy listing or your Shopify store. Etsy ads inside Etsy only point at your Etsy shop. Ads you run yourself (social, search) usually make more sense pointing at your own Shopify store, since you keep the customer relationship and skip Etsy's commission.
• Linking out from Etsy: Etsy has rules about what sellers can put in a shop's bio, listing descriptions, and reviews, including limits on sending buyers to an outside store. These rules change, so read Etsy's current seller policies on etsy.com before adding any link to your Shopify site from your Etsy shop.

This isn't tax advice. If you're selling the same inventory through two platforms, talk to an accountant about how to track cost of goods and income across both.

Frequently asked questions

Is Etsy or Shopify cheaper?

It depends on your sales volume and whether you already have buyers. Etsy has no monthly fee but takes a cut of each sale through its listing, transaction, and payment processing fees (see Etsy's fee basics page). Shopify charges a monthly fee no matter what you sell, but keeps more of each sale once you're past that fixed cost.

Can I use the same photos and listings on both platforms?

Yes. Nothing stops you from listing the same product on Etsy and your Shopify store. You'll just need to update stock in both places when something sells, by hand or with a syncing tool.

Do I have to pick one platform?

No. Many small sellers run both: Etsy for people searching the marketplace, Shopify for a store they fully control. Start with whichever matches where your first buyers are likely to come from.

Can I link my Shopify store from my Etsy shop?

Etsy has rules about this that change over time, including what you can put in your bio, listings, and reviews. Check Etsy's current seller policies on etsy.com before adding a link, rather than assuming it's allowed.

Does Shopify charge extra if I don't use Shopify Payments?

Yes, on most plans. Shopify adds an extra fee for using an outside payment provider, and that fee is lower on its higher plans. Using Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, or Shop Pay Installments avoids this extra fee, according to Shopify's help center.