Quick answer
No winner yet. Shopify and Etsy differ most in architecture and intended operating model. Use this researched comparison to decide which deserves a hands-on pilot—not as a substitute for one.
At a glance
| Decision factor | Shopify | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly platform fee | $39 Basic ($29 yearly) up to $2,300+ Plus | None (Etsy Plus optional at $10) |
| Per-sale fees (US) | 2.9% + 30¢ online card rate on Basic | 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing |
| Listing fee | None | $0.20 per item, renews every four months or after each sale |
| Advertising fee on sales | None from Shopify | Offsite Ads: 15% or 12% of attributed orders, capped at $100 |
| Traffic | You bring it (search, social, email, ads) | Etsy search and Etsy's own ads reach marketplace shoppers |
| Customer contact | Your own customer list with built-in email | Buyer emails only for Etsy-related messages; mailing lists need consent |
| What you can sell | Most legal products | Made, designed, handpicked or sourced by the seller |
Architecture and target user
Shopify
A hosted commerce platform for running your own online store on your own domain. You pay a monthly plan, and card payments through Shopify Payments carry a per-transaction rate that falls on higher plans.
Worth investigating for sellers who want their own brand, checkout and customer list, and who can bring their own traffic through search, social, email or ads.
Etsy
A marketplace for handmade, vintage and craft-supply items. Your shop sits inside Etsy, buyers find you through Etsy search and Etsy's ads, and Etsy charges per listing and per sale instead of a monthly plan.
Worth investigating for makers and small sellers who want access to an existing pool of shoppers without paying a monthly platform fee.
Ease and implementation considerations
Shopify
Pick a plan, choose a theme, add products and set up Shopify Payments. Shopify lists a free 3-day trial, then $1 a month for the first 3 months on most plans, and no setup fees.
Etsy
Open a shop, list items and set up Etsy Payments. Etsy says a one-time shop set-up fee may apply and shows the amount before you finish setup. Items must be made, designed, handpicked or sourced by the seller.
These are research observations, not timing or usability test results. Implementation depends on catalog, data migration, design, channels, integrations, internal skills, and partner scope.
Ecosystem and integrations
Shopify
Email and SMS marketing, customer segments, discount codes, gift cards and shipping labels are built in. The Shopify App Store adds more, including third-party apps that sync listings to Etsy.
Etsy
Etsy Ads, Offsite Ads, discounted shipping labels, a seller app and Pattern (a separate website for $15/month after a 30-day trial). Etsy Plus is an optional $10/month subscription.
Pricing approach
Shopify: Basic $39/month ($29 billed yearly), Grow $105 ($79 yearly), Advanced $399 ($299 yearly), Plus from $2,300/month. Shopify Payments online standard card rates: 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow, 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced, 2.25% + 30¢ on Plus. Premium cards cost more (3.5% + 30¢ on Basic) and international cards add 1%. Using another payment provider adds a 2%, 1%, 0.6% or 0.2% fee by plan. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Current Shopify pricingEtsy: US rates: $0.20 listing fee per item, active for four months or until it sells. 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrap. Etsy Payments processing of 3% + $0.25 per order on the total including shipping and tax. Offsite Ads fee on attributed orders: 15%, or 12% once a shop passes $10,000 in sales over 365 days, capped at $100 per order. 2.5% currency conversion fee if the listing currency differs from your payment account. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Current Etsy pricingEditorial summary of Shopify's pricing page and Etsy's Fees & Payments and Etsy Payments policies, checked Oct 10, 2026. US rates only. Shopify's card rates are the online standard rates; premium and international cards cost more. Etsy's processing fee is charged on the full order, including shipping and sales tax. Neither total includes apps, themes, domains, shipping labels or paid ads you buy yourself.
Build a scenario-based total-cost model. Include implementation, ongoing labor, extensions, communications or payments, support, and migration—not only the published base price.
Worked example
Monthly fees at $2,000 and $10,000 in sales
A US seller with a $40 average order: 50 orders a month at $2,000 and 250 at $10,000. Each order is one item, prices include shipping, and there is no sales tax. The Offsite Ads row is a stated scenario, not a forecast: we assume 10% of sales come from Offsite Ads, charged at the 12% rate.
| Monthly | Shopify Basic | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 sales: platform | $39 plan | $10 listing renewals (50 × $0.20) |
| $2,000 sales: per-sale | $73 (2.9% × $2,000 + 50 × $0.30) | $202.50 ($130 transaction + $72.50 processing) |
| $2,000 total | $112 (5.6%) | $212.50 (10.6%) |
| $2,000 with Offsite Ads scenario | $112 | $236.50 (+ $24) |
| $10,000 sales: platform | $39 plan | $50 listing renewals (250 × $0.20) |
| $10,000 sales: per-sale | $365 (2.9% × $10,000 + 250 × $0.30) | $1,012.50 ($650 transaction + $362.50 processing) |
| $10,000 total | $404 (4.0%) | $1,062.50 (10.6%) |
| $10,000 with Offsite Ads scenario | $404 | $1,182.50 (+ $120) |
Published US list rates, checked Oct 10, 2026. Shopify Basic on monthly billing at the 2.9% + 30¢ online standard card rate; yearly billing cuts $10. On Grow, $10,000 costs $105 + 2.7% × $10,000 + 250 × $0.30 = $450, so Basic is lower at both volumes. Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 per order processing, and a $0.20 renewal after each sale of a multi-quantity listing; first listings and four-month renewals are extra. Offsite Ads scenario (assumed): 10% of sales attributed, at 12%: $200 × 12% = $24 and $1,000 × 12% = $120. A shop below $10,000 in yearly sales pays 15% instead. Excludes Shopify apps, themes and domain, premium and international card surcharges, and the cost of buying your own traffic.
What decides it. On list rates alone, Etsy costs about two to two and a half times as much per dollar of sales. That gap is the price of Etsy's marketplace traffic. A Shopify store has lower fees but no built-in shoppers, so compare Etsy's extra $100 to $660 a month against what you would spend on ads, content or email to get the same orders. See the Shopify review and the Etsy review for more.
Contract and limits
Terms that cost sellers money
Offsite Ads can become mandatory. Shops under $10,000 in sales over the prior 365 days can opt out. Once a shop reaches $10,000, Etsy says it must take part at 12% for the life of the shop, even if sales later drop. A prior opt-out stops applying.
Etsy fees are not refunded on protected refunds. When Etsy covers a full refund through its protection program, Etsy says the processing, transaction and Offsite Ads fees are not credited back. Listing fees are non-refundable even if Etsy removes a listing.
Etsy can hold your money. Etsy may place a reserve on a share of your balance, or delay deposits by up to 180 days, based on its risk review.
Customer data stays limited on Etsy. Etsy's Seller Policy says buyer email addresses may only be used for Etsy-related messages, and you can't add buyers to a mailing list without consent. Moving a sale off Etsy is prohibited.
Shopify's costs grow with add-ons. Using a payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds 2% on Basic. Shopify Messaging includes 10,000 emails a month, then $1 per 1,000. Plus terms run 1 or 3 years and can be cancelled only when the term ends. Shopify's Marketplace Connect app charges 1% per synced order after 50 a month, capped at $99. See storefront platforms and marketplaces for other options.
Which businesses should investigate each
Investigate Shopify if…
- You want to own the customer relationship and email buyers directly.
- You already have, or plan to build, your own traffic sources.
- Your monthly sales are high enough that a flat plan fee costs less than a per-sale commission.
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Investigate Etsy if…
- You sell handmade, vintage or craft-supply items that fit Etsy's rules.
- You need buyers now and don't yet have your own traffic.
- Your sales are low or uneven, so paying only when you sell matters more than the rate.
Buyer checklist
What to check in a side-by-side trial
- Price your real order mix on both: average order value, shipping charged and how many orders include sales tax.
- Decide what share of sales Etsy's Offsite Ads might attribute, and run the math at 12% and 15%.
- Estimate what it would cost to bring the same number of orders to a Shopify store through ads or email.
- Check whether your products meet Etsy's rules on what can be sold.
- If you plan to run both, price a listing-sync app from the Shopify App Store and check how it handles inventory.
BestStorefront does not name a winner. Run these checks against your own catalog and volumes.
Decision support
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify cheaper than Etsy?
On published US fees, yes, in our example. At a $40 average order, Shopify Basic came to about $112 a month at $2,000 in sales and $404 at $10,000. Etsy came to about $212.50 and $1,062.50 before any Offsite Ads fees. Shopify's total does not include the cost of finding customers.
Can I opt out of Etsy Offsite Ads?
Only while your shop has less than $10,000 in sales over the prior 365 days. After that, Etsy says participation is required at a 12% fee for the life of the shop. The fee per order is capped at $100.
Can I email my Etsy customers?
Only for Etsy-related messages about their order. Etsy's Seller Policy says you need the buyer's consent to add them to your mailing list. On Shopify, customers who buy from your store are in your own customer list.
Has BestStorefront tested either product?
No. This comparison is built from each vendor's published pricing and documentation, not hands-on testing.