Shopify vs Etsy: Fees Compared
Compare the fee structures of Shopify and Etsy side by side to find which platform gives you better margins.
Shopify vs Etsy: What's Different?
Shopify and Etsy serve overlapping audiences — creative entrepreneurs and small brands — but with very different models. Shopify charges a monthly subscription ($39-$399) plus payment processing (2.6-2.9% + $0.30 with Shopify Payments). Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, 6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing, and potentially 15% Offsite Ads fees.
For a seller doing $5,000/month in revenue, Shopify costs approximately $39 + $145-175 in processing = ~$184-214/month total. The same seller on Etsy pays roughly $325 in transaction fees + $150 in processing + listing fees = ~$480+/month, and potentially more with Offsite Ads. At this scale, Shopify is significantly cheaper in platform fees. However, the Shopify seller must independently drive all traffic, which could cost hundreds to thousands in advertising.
The fundamental trade-off is traffic vs. control. Etsy provides a built-in marketplace with 90+ million active buyers searching for handmade and unique products. Shopify provides no built-in traffic but gives you a fully customizable storefront, complete brand control, and ownership of your customer email list. Many successful creative sellers start on Etsy to validate their products and build a following, then expand to Shopify for higher margins and brand building.
Compare Fees on the Same Product
Enter your product details once, see how fees compare on both platforms
Enter Product Details (same product, both platforms)
Shopify
Lower feesProfit
$16.82
56.1% margin
Etsy
Profit
$14.69
49.0% margin
Shopify saves you $2.13 in fees per sale
Fee Structure Comparison
Which Is Better For...
Best for new sellers with no existing audience
Etsy's marketplace brings buyers to you. New sellers can list products and start getting views from Etsy's search and recommendation engine immediately. Building traffic to a brand-new Shopify store from scratch requires marketing expertise and budget that most new sellers don't have yet.
Best for established brands scaling up
Once you have a proven product line and marketing channels, Shopify's lower per-transaction costs and unlimited customization help you scale profitably. You own your customer data, can run sophisticated email marketing, and aren't subject to Etsy's policy changes or fee increases.
Best for sellers wanting the lowest platform fees
Shopify's flat monthly fee plus ~2.9% processing is cheaper than Etsy's 6.5% + 3% + listing fees at almost any meaningful revenue level. Sellers doing $3,000+/month in revenue will typically pay less in total platform fees on Shopify, even before considering Etsy's Offsite Ads surcharge.