Shopify vs Etsy 2026: Fees and Which to Choose

Choose Etsy for marketplace discovery and Shopify for a store you control. For a US seller, Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, 6.5% per sale and 3% plus $0.25 for Etsy Payments. Shopify Basic is $39 a month on monthly billing, plus 2.9% and $0.30 for a standard online card payment. Neither fee schedule guarantees sales. Prices checked on October 28, 2026 against Etsy's seller fee page and Shopify's pricing page.

Toolradar data: In the software directory we run, Shopify's Toolradar profile is listed as an alternative to 70 other tools, placing second among 110 ecommerce platforms in that catalog snapshot as of October 25, 2026. This is a count of catalog relationships, not a ranking of sales or customer satisfaction.

Shopify vs Etsy at a glance

The Shopify pricing page distinguishes standard, premium and international card rates. The standard domestic rate above is an example, not a quote for every buyer. Etsy's payment policy varies by seller bank country. Both prices can change, so confirm the checkout and payment settings for your own shop.

What do 5, 14 or 25 orders cost?

We calculated the table for a US seller receiving one standard domestic card payment per order. Each order contains one $40 item, with no separate shipping, gift wrap or tax. We assign one new $0.20 Etsy listing to each sale, assume no Offsite Ads attribution, and use Shopify Basic at $39 billed monthly. The listing charge is incurred when an item is listed or renewed, even when it does not sell; this one-listing-per-order assumption is only for comparison. The table excludes setup charges, advertising, apps, domain costs, fulfillment, refunds and any taxes.

For 25 orders, Etsy's modeled bill is $5.00 in listings, $65.00 in transaction fees and $36.25 in processing fees. Shopify's modeled bill is $39.00 for the plan plus $36.50 in processing. Those totals describe the stated scenario, not the total cost of acquiring customers. You can check the ingredients against Etsy's seller fee page and Shopify's plan table.

At this order value and fee mix, the calculation crosses at 14 orders on monthly Shopify billing. An annual commitment changes the fixed amount: at the advertised $29 monthly equivalent, the same calculation crosses at 11 orders. Annual billing is a commitment, not a $29 month-to-month plan. Higher shipping charges, different order values, listing renewals without a sale, premium cards or ad-attributed orders change the answer. See our separate Etsy seller fees and Shopify pricing breakdowns before budgeting.

Which platform brings shoppers?

Etsy is a marketplace. A listing can be discovered by a shopper already searching there, but appearing in search does not guarantee placement, visits or orders. The shop competes alongside other listings and must follow Etsy's marketplace rules. Etsy can also charge for an order attributed to its Offsite Ads. The fees policy explains when those charges apply.

Shopify provides a storefront and selling tools. The seller still needs a plan for reaching customers, whether through existing followers, search, paid ads, events or another channel. A lower modeled platform fee is not a win if acquiring those customers costs more than the fee difference. Compare your own acquisition cost and conversion rate rather than assuming marketplace traffic will transfer.

What can you sell and how much control do you get?

Etsy's creativity standards define eligible items as made, designed, handpicked or sourced under its rules. Seller-designed items made by a production partner need the appropriate disclosure. A general reseller should check the specific category rules before listing. Our guide to starting print on demand and the Etsy print-on-demand comparison cover related decisions.

Shopify is a storefront platform with themes and its own store address. Merchants still need to follow Shopify's terms and any laws or payment-provider restrictions that apply to their products. It is the more direct fit when controlling the store's presentation is central to the business. Our Shopify review explains the store setup, and Shopify alternatives offers other storefront options.

How do Offsite Ads and other charges change the calculation?

Etsy says an attributed order can incur a 15% Offsite Ads fee, reduced to 12% once a shop has reached $10,000 in sales in any consecutive 365-day period. The fee is capped at $100 per order. Shops that have never reached the threshold can opt out. Once a shop reaches it, the 12% rate and mandatory participation apply for the lifetime of the shop, even if sales later fall. Check the Offsite Ads policy for eligibility and attribution details. None of the orders in our table is attributed to those ads.

On Shopify, the entry subscription and card fees are only a starting point. Apps, a domain and a paid theme can add costs, and using an outside payment provider can add a third-party transaction fee. Shopify lists 2% on Basic for a third-party provider, in addition to the provider's own charges. Its payment fee guidance also describes circumstances in which Shopify Payments rates change when used alongside another provider. Our table assumes Shopify Payments is the sole provider.

Neither table includes the effort of managing inventory, handling returns or supporting customers. The Etsy seller tools, Shopify apps and shipping software for Etsy sellers guides help estimate the tools you may need. Compare actual invoices before treating an estimated saving as profit.

How should you compare alternatives?

A marketplace is not the only way to make a sale outside your own store. An existing audience, email list or physical event may be useful, but each channel needs its own cost and fulfillment plan. If an independent store is the goal, Shopify vs WooCommerce compares another store-building route. BigCommerce's Toolradar profile is another platform in our directory; compare its current plan, payment terms and the work of moving your catalog before making a switch.

A seller with only a few products should also consider the value of time. Maintaining two descriptions and stock counts for every product can be a meaningful task. List the specific systems you plan to use for stock and customer messages, then budget any fees for those systems separately from the amounts in our order table.

Can you sell on both Shopify and Etsy?

Yes, a merchant can operate a Shopify store and an Etsy shop, provided each listing meets the applicable rules. A store order and an Etsy marketplace order still follow their respective fee schedules. Using both does not remove Etsy marketplace charges on an Etsy order. Consider how you will keep product quantities, shipping commitments and returns consistent before adding a second channel.

A solo maker testing demand might start with Etsy's marketplace and add an independent storefront when they can sustain its fixed cost and traffic. A seller with an established audience may prefer to launch their store first and use Etsy as another discovery channel for eligible products. Track each channel separately: revenue, processing fees, listing spend, advertising and repeat orders. The result will be more useful than a generic platform winner.

FAQ

Is Shopify cheaper than Etsy?

It depends on orders, card types and acquisition costs. In our $40 order scenario with one new Etsy listing per order and Shopify Basic billed monthly, modeled Shopify fees first become lower at 14 orders. This is not a general sales threshold.

Does Etsy charge a monthly fee?

A standard Etsy shop does not require a monthly subscription, but listing, transaction and payment processing charges apply. Etsy may also charge a one-time setup fee shown during onboarding. Optional services can add costs.

Does Shopify take a percentage of each sale?

Shopify Payments charges a card processing rate that depends on the plan, market and payment type. Shopify also lists a separate transaction fee for third-party payment providers; check the provider's own fees too.

Is Etsy better for a beginner?

Etsy may suit a new maker who qualifies for its marketplace and wants a place where shoppers search. Shopify may suit a seller who already has an audience and wants an independent store. Neither choice ensures traffic or sales.

Can I use Shopify and Etsy at the same time?

Yes. Keep stock and fulfillment accurate in both places, and account for the fees of the channel where each order is placed.

What is the main difference between Shopify and Etsy?

Shopify supplies an independent storefront. Etsy hosts individual shops inside a marketplace with its own eligibility and listing rules. Compare reach, control and total costs together.

Methodology and bottom line

Retailpresso compared the public US pricing and policy pages linked above on October 28, 2026. We calculated the examples from their published rates; we did not run merchant accounts or measure conversion on either platform. Fees and features differ by country and can change. Choose Etsy for eligible products and marketplace exposure, Shopify for independent store control, or both when the additional work is justified by your own results.

Cite this: Retailpresso, "Shopify vs Etsy 2026: Fees and Which to Choose," prices checked October 28, 2026.

Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.