1. Shopify vs Etsy: Product focus

Here’s how selling on Shopify vs Etsy differs regarding products:  

Etsy is a marketplace with clear guidelines on what products can be sold, focusing on handmade goods and craft supplies. While it has expanded its categories, sellers need to follow Etsy’s rules, and violations can lead to account suspension.

Shopify, on the other hand, gives you almost full control. Sell anything within legal limits and build a brand on your own domain without marketplace restrictions.

For sellers who want complete flexibility in what they sell, Shopify has the edge.

2. Etsy or Shopify? Ease of store setup

If you’re wondering whether Etsy or Shopify for beginners is the right choice, both platforms are user-friendly but offer different experiences. 

Shopify walks you through setting up your shop, including inventory management, order tracking, and design customization. While the process is guided, learning how to manage and update everything properly takes some time and technical knowledge.

Etsy is much simpler. Once you create a shop, you just add listings and optimize them for Etsy search. There’s less customization, but it’s quick to start selling.

It all comes down to preference. Etsy is easier upfront, while Shopify offers more control but requires more setup work. A draw.

3. Shopify or Etsy? Design and layout options

A well-designed online store can make or break your sales. 42% of shoppers leave a website because of poor design or functionality. So, how do Etsy and Shopify compare when it comes to design flexibility?

Etsy:

• Simple and uniform – Every Etsy shop has the same layout with limited customization. Sellers can add a logo and organize product collections, but the storefront design stays the same.
• Standing out – The best way to make your Etsy store unique is through high-quality product images and descriptions. Since customization is limited, strong visuals are key.

Shopify:

• More control – There are 13 free and over 227 paid themes, letting you fully customize your Shopify store. Tweak fonts, colors, and layouts to match your brand identity. 
• Designed for growth – Unlike Etsy, Shopify gives creative freedom to build a store that stands out and converts visitors into buyers, with a wide range of customization options and third-party apps.

If you want a simple, ready-made storefront, Etsy works well. If branding and customization matter, Shopify is the better choice.

4. Shopify and Etsy: eCommerce tools

Both Shopify and Etsy offer tools to help sellers manage their online stores, track sales, and market their products, but Shopify provides much more flexibility. 

Shopify has over 8,000 apps, allowing merchants to customize their stores with tools for inventory management, marketing automation, SEO, and customer support. 

Etsy, in contrast, has a much smaller selection of integrations (around 20) focused on social media, analytics, and listing optimization. Many of these require subscriptions, and the Etsy app ecosystem is more limited than Shopify’s expansive app store.

Etsy Payments supports various payment methods, but transaction and payment processing fees can eat into profits. 

For sellers who want full control over their store’s features and growth, Shopify is the better choice. Etsy provides the basics, but Shopify’s app store and customization options make it a much stronger platform for scaling a business.

5. Etsy vs Shopify: SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) means increasing traffic and attracting the most visitors to your store, but Shopify and Etsy handle it differently.

Shopify is a website builder, so you’ll need to drive traffic from search engines like Google. This means researching keywords, optimizing URLs, improving site speed, and structuring your Shopify store properly. Some of these tasks may require paid apps to increase visibility.

Etsy, as a marketplace, has built-in traffic, so Etsy SEO is more straightforward. You mainly need to optimize your product titles, descriptions, tags, and attributes to rank well in Etsy’s search results. The platform handles technical SEO, like site speed and URLs for you.

Etsy has the advantage of ease of use since it requires fewer steps to optimize your store. Shopify SEO is more complex but offers greater control and potential for long-term growth.

6. Shopify vs Etsy: Fees and pricing

Pricing is one of the biggest factors when choosing between Shopify and Etsy, especially for print-on-demand sellers. Shopify charges a monthly subscription fee plus transaction fees, while Etsy has no monthly fee but takes a percentage of each sale.

Shopify offers a three-day trial and a $1 first month, after which sellers can choose from three plans:

• Basic Shopify: $39/month, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, includes two staff accounts and 24/7 support.
• Shopify: $105/month, 2.7% + $0.30 per transaction, includes five staff accounts, lower credit card fees, and additional sales tools.
• Advanced Shopify: $399/month, 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction, includes 15 staff accounts, lower shipping costs, and advanced reporting.

While Shopify Payments helps avoid extra transaction fees, paid apps can increase monthly costs as your store grows.

You don’t have to pay to open a shop, but Etsy charges other fees:

• Subscription fee: Free, or $10/month for Etsy Plus. $15/month for Etsy Pattern (for a separate website).
• Listing fee: $0.20 per item, plus another $0.20 renewal fee per sale.
• Transaction fee: 6.5% of each sale.
• Payment processing fee: 3% + $0.25 per transaction (varies by country).
• Other fees: Etsy may charge additional fees for advertising, currency conversion, shipping, and regulatory costs.

(All the transaction fees can add up to 20-25% of a sale).

Etsy has the lead with lower upfront costs, making it more affordable for beginners. However, as sales increase, Etsy’s transaction fees can take a significant cut of your profits. Shopify’s monthly subscription is higher, but lower fees per sale can make it more cost-effective for high-volume sellers looking to scale their business profitably. 

7. Shopify vs Etsy: Analytics

Both Shopify and Etsy provide analytics to help sellers track sales and optimize their online stores, but Shopify offers more in-depth reporting.

Shopify Analytics varies by plan. Basic reports include finance tracking and product performance, while higher-tier plans unlock detailed reports on sales, profits, customer behavior, and acquisition trends.

Advanced Shopify and Shopify Plus allow custom reporting, giving sellers insights into revenue per order, top sales channels, and discount performance. These tools help businesses make data-driven decisions and improve digital marketing strategies.

Etsy’s analytics tools are more simple. Etsy Stats shows traffic sources, conversions, and ad performance, helping sellers understand how many sales they generate and where their traffic comes from. Etsy Search Analytics tracks keyword performance and visibility. 

Integrated with Google Analytics 4, Etsy’s reporting is straightforward and easy to use, making it accessible for beginners.

If you need basic insights, Etsy works well, but for detailed reporting and business growth, Shopify is the better choice.

8. Shopify vs Etsy: Marketing tools

With Shopify, you handle all marketing efforts – driving traffic through SEO, social media, email campaigns, and content marketing. The platform offers over 1,500 marketing apps for ads, automation, SMS marketing, and analytics.

Etsy, on the other hand, has built-in traffic. It helps sellers reach potential customers through Etsy ads, which promote listings across search results and other key pages. Combined with social media integrations and SEO, this makes it easier to attract buyers without external marketing efforts.

Another draw. For beginners, Etsy’s marketing tools are simple but effective. For sellers who want control and advanced strategies, Shopify provides more flexibility.

9. Shopify vs Etsy: Customer support

Good customer support makes running an online store much easier, especially when unexpected issues pop up. 

Shopify provides faster, more direct assistance. Sellers can contact 24/7 phone, live chat, and email support or get help from the Shopify Help Center, experts, forums, and online communities. 

Etsy, on the other hand, relies more on self-service options, including the Etsy Help Center, Seller Handbook, community forums, and newsletters. Email support is available, but responses can take time.

While both platforms provide useful documentation, Shopify wins for offering round-the-clock support and expert guidance, making it easier for sellers to get quick help when they need it.

10. Shopify vs Etsy: Scalability

As you grow your online store, choosing a platform that can scale with you is key. 

Etsy is a good starting point since it provides a built-in audience and unlimited product listings. However, scaling can be tough due to listing fees and competition. You have few options to customize the storefront besides a Pattern subscription, and if you don’t master Etsy SEO, your products might get lost in the marketplace. 

However, Shopify is built for growth. You have great control over your store design, product range, and branding, with thousands of apps to help scale your entire business beyond just an online shop. There are no extra fees for adding more products, and you don’t compete directly with other sellers on the same platform.  

However, Shopify requires more upfront investment, and since it doesn’t have a built-in audience, you’ll need to focus on marketing and SEO to drive traffic.

It’s a draw. Etsy is easier to start with but limits long-term growth, while Shopify offers more scalability but requires effort and investment to succeed.

11. Shopify vs Etsy: Selling internationally

If you plan to sell worldwide, Shopify offers tools to help businesses expand globally. Set market-specific pricing, accept local payment processing methods, and create region-specific storefronts with automatic currency conversion. 

Shopify also allows merchants to customize their store’s language settings and display region-based content, ensuring a more personalized shopping experience for international buyers. Additionally, sellers can calculate duties and taxes at checkout, helping customers avoid unexpected fees.

Etsy, on the other hand, makes it easy to sell internationally by allowing sellers to set up global shipping profiles. Your listings will automatically appear to potential customers worldwide, and Etsy Payments supports transactions in multiple currencies. However, Etsy’s international selling features focus more on shipping logistics rather than creating a localized shopping experience. Sellers must manually research and set international shipping rates, and Etsy doesn’t provide built-in tax calculations for global orders. 

For merchants looking to scale internationally with a customizable online store,Shopify is the better choice due to its advanced localization tools, currency settings, and tax automation.

What types of businesses are best for Shopify?

As a dedicated platform for building your own website, Shopify is ideal for any business selling products while looking to establish a unique brand identity and maintaining full control over its online store. It’s optimal for:​

• Scalable retailers: Businesses planning to expand their product range and scale operations.​
• Custom branding: Those seeking to create a distinct online presence with customizable templates.
• Diverse products: Sellers offering various products, including manufactured goods.​

While Shopify requires proactive marketing efforts to drive traffic, it offers lower transaction fees and supports different payment processing options, including Shopify Payments. This platform is perfect for businesses ready to invest in building their brand and managing their own website. ​

What types of businesses are best for Etsy?

As a specialized online marketplace for artisans, crafters, and vintage sellers, Etsy is ideal for:​

• Customized or personalized items: Etsy is a top choice for businesses offering custom products, such as personalized gifts, engraved jewelry, and made-to-order apparel.
• Handmade goods: If you create unique, handcrafted items, Etsy’s audience appreciates and seeks out such products.​
• Vintage items: Sellers offering vintage products can find a dedicated customer base on Etsy.​
• Craft supplies: Sellers providing materials for crafting can also thrive here.​

Etsy’s built-in audience means less effort in driving traffic, allowing creators to focus on their craft. However, be mindful of listing and transaction fees, which can quickly add up. ​

Shopify store overview

Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform. Sellers use it to manage their own websites, including setting up product pages, contact forms, and payment processing. 

Unlike eBay, Shopify stores give you full control over the store’s design, branding, and product pricing. Shopify’s App Store adds even more customization opportunities.

eBay store overview

eBay is among the oldest eCommerce selling platforms operating as an online marketplace where sellers list products to immediately reach millions of buyers. 

Unlike Shopify, eBay handles traffic and search visibility, so you only need to focus on selling. However, eBay store owners face a lot of competition and must follow strict platform rules and guidelines.

Ease of use

Both Shopify and eBay offer beginner-friendly platforms but cater to different seller experiences. Shopify requires more setup but provides greater flexibility, while eBay lets you sell immediately.

Shopify comes with a structured store builder and customizable templates. It works for both beginners with no coding skills and developers who want to build their own website line by line. 

The clean interface offers built-in tools to handle store pages, inventory, payments, customer data, and analytics. What it lacks in a quick setup, it makes up in management tools.

eBay offers a fast way to start selling with no prior eCommerce experience. With a simple sign-up and listing process, anyone can add products in minutes and publish them to millions of active buyers. 

Sellers who register for an eBay Store subscription gain additional benefits like discounted fees, expanded inventory space, and better seller tools.

Pricing

You can sell one-off items on eBay for free. For long-term sellers, Shopify and eBay offer multiple pricing tiers with different cost structures. 

Shopify charges a flat monthly subscription fee, while eBay’s costs are based on sales fees and optional subscriptions.

Shopify’s pricing structure provides a free three-day trial, after which sellers choose a subscription plan based on their business needs. Here are the prices based on yearly payment.

• Shopify Starter ($5/month): Sell through social media, messaging apps, or a simple online store.
• Basic Shopify ($29/month): Best for newcomers with occasional in-person sales.
• Shopify ($79/month): Designed for growing businesses selling online and in person.
• Advanced Shopify ($299/month): Includes exclusive reports and lower transaction fees.
• Shopify Plus ($2,300/month): Enterprise solution for large-scale businesses.

eBay’s pricing structure lets sellers list products without a subscription. However, it offers five eBay Store plans for additional benefits, like lower selling fees and more support. Here are the costs for an annual subscription.

• Starter Store ($4.95/month): Ideal for beginners promoting their brand.
• Basic Store ($21.95/month): Includes discounts on fees and coupons.
• Premium Store ($59.95/month): Zero insertion fee listings for larger inventories.
• Anchor Store ($299.95/month): Advanced support for high-volume sellers.
• Enterprise Store ($2,999.95/month): For businesses with extensive inventory and high sales.

Fees

The fee structures of Shopify vs eBay differ significantly. Aside from subscriptions, Shopify’s costs mainly come from transaction fees, which can be avoided with Shopify Payments.

Meanwhile, eBay sellers face insertion fees, final value fees, and optional advertising costs.

Customization options

Want to curate a brand and build customer loyalty? A well-designed store can make a lasting impression. Shopify sellers enjoy full design flexibility, while eBay offers a more standardized look with limited customization options.

Shopify provides over 70 customizable themes and third-party apps, letting sellers create their own branded online store seamlessly. Modify layouts, colors, fonts, and product pages with compatibility across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

eBay stores follow a fixed template with limited branding customization. You can tweak the logo, banner, and store description, but overall store designs remain uniform across the eBay website. 

For eBay listings, sellers can customize titles, descriptions, images, sizes, and colors.

Marketing tools

Shopify provides both built-in and third-party tools for brand promotion, while eBay stores rely on marketplace-driven visibility and seller tools. Each offers its own benefits for attracting and retaining customers across different channels.

Shopify’s suite of marketing features includes email campaigns, social media integrations, discount codes, and SEO tools. Sellers can create custom promotions, run targeted ads, and optimize their online stores for better search rankings. 

With a Shopify account, merchants can also access the Shopify App Store for additional marketing tools.

eBay, in contrast, relies on its marketplace traffic. You can increase visibility with Promoted Listings, run eBay-exclusive discounts, and create email newsletters. 

An official eBay Shop gives additional branding opportunities, such as seller coupons. Plus, it’s easy to print shipping labels directly from your eBay account to streamline order fulfillment.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for increasing web page rankings based on user search trends, improving visibility and attracting customers.

Since Shopify stores operate as a standalone website, sellers are responsible for driving traffic. It offers built-in SEO tools like custom URLs, meta titles, descriptions, alt tags, and redirects.

Run content marketing strategies through blogs and integrate Shopify Apps and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for additional promotion.

eBay, as an online marketplace, automatically provides traffic through its internal search engine. Sellers can optimize product titles, descriptions, and images with relevant keywords. 

It includes basic social media sharing and newsletter options for eBay Store subscribers, but optimization beyond that is minimal.

Analytics

Shopify provides detailed analytics tools that monitor traffic, sales, and customer behavior, while eBay offers basic reports focused on listing performance and sales trends.

Shopify’s built-in analytics dashboard has various tools to monitor your online store’s sales performance.

• Overview dashboard: Tracks total sales, orders, and visitor activity.
• Sales reports: Breaks down revenue by product, channel, and customer type.
• Customer reports: Analyzes purchase behavior, repeat customers, and conversion rates.
• Marketing reports: Tracks ad campaigns and traffic sources.
• Third-party integrations: Connects to tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel for deeper insights.

eBay’s Seller Hub has a reporting tool focusing on key features below.

• Traffic reports: Lists views, impressions, and conversion rates for each listing.
• Sales reports: Tracks revenue, order history, and buyer trends.
• Promoted Listings insights: Monitors ad performance and ROI for paid promotions.
• Competitive analysis: Compares pricing, demand, and performance against similar products.

eCommerce tools and features

Between Shopify vs eBay, Shopify is more focused on store management, branding, and growth. On the other hand, eBay prioritizes listing management and marketplace selling.

Shopify’s business tools provide various features for streamlining your online store operations.

• Inventory management: Tracks stock levels and updates product availability.
• Shopify shipping: Provides shipping labels, carrier rates, and real-time tracking.
• Burst: A free stock photo library for enhancing product pages and marketing materials.
• Image resizer: Opimizes images for consistency across all devices.
• Finance calculators: Breaks down ad costs, profit margins, and other metrics.
• The Shopify app: Lets sellers manage their Shopify account and store from anywhere.
• Shopify App Store: Offers over 13,000 third-party apps for additional features.

eBay’s seller tools equip merchants with the resources to manage their eBay shop efficiently.

• The eBay app: A mobile-friendly platform for managing listings, orders, and payments on the go.
• Seller Hub: A centralized dashboard for handling listings, payouts, and account management.
• Promotions manager: Lets sellers set up discounts, sale events, and promotions.
• Selling templates: Offers reusable templates for faster and more consistent listings.
• Selling manager tools: Helps with inventory tracking, relisting, and sales reports.

Customer support

Reliable customer support makes a big difference when selling online. Shopify has 24/7 support for all merchants, while eBay’s support varies by subscription level.

Shopify store owners get round-the-clock support through live chat, email, and phone. Plus, the Shopify Help Center has a ton of resources, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides for common issues. 

eBay sellers rely on the self-service Seller Help resource, but Anchor subscribers receive dedicated support. The platform also has an invite-only eBay Concierge program, which provides faster response times and personalized assistance. 

All sellers, regardless of subscription, have access to the eBay Help Center, which covers FAQs, store setup, and shipping costs.

Scalability

Both the Shopify and eBay platforms are scalable solutions for growing your online store, but they require different approaches.

Shopify lets businesses expand by adding new sales channels, upgrading plans, and integrating advanced tools through the Shopify App Store. Customize your business account, automate inventory, and use international shipping options to reach global customers.

The eBay marketplace makes scaling easy by providing access to millions of buyers worldwide. Sellers can list more products, subscribe to a higher-tier eBay Store plan, and use tools like Promoted Listings to increase visibility.

Security

Both Shopify and eBay prioritize security to protect sellers and buyers with robust systems.

Shopify provides built-in SSL encryption for all stores to secure customer data. It also has fraud detection tools, giving store owners real-time alerts into suspicious transactions. 

Account protection features include secure payment processing, chargeback protection, and PCI DSS compliance to safeguard financial information.

eBay has its own fraud prevention system and buyer protection policies. The platform’s  Money Back Guarantee helps build trust with customers, but sellers are covered in cases like false item-not-received claims or returns of damaged goods. 

The platform monitors transactions and flags unusual activity, but individual sellers have limited control over security settings.

Payment gateways

Shopify and eBay support multiple payment methods to sell online. Shopify gives more flexibility in choosing payment systems, while eBay standardizes payments across its platform.

1. Etsy

Etsy started as an online marketplace focused on handmade or vintage items, but now, it allows sellers to offer everything from custom apparel to printables and downloadables.  

Sellers on Etsy can use Etsy Pattern to expand to their own site for more customization options, which helps differentiate their stores from competitors. By offering unique products with appealing listings, sellers can better attract the platform’s large, engaged audience. However, Etsy sellers pay high transaction fees, so it’s important to stay on top of any changes and calculate your prices to factor these costs in.

Etsy fees

• Listing fee: $0.20 per item, renewed every four months
• Transaction fee: 6.5% on each sale
• Payment processing fee: 3% +$0.25 per transaction in the US (up to around 6.5% + $0.30 depending on the country)
• Etsy Plus subscription: $10/month for added customization options and marketing tools
• Etsy Pattern: $15/month for a standalone website integrated with your Etsy shop plus variable charges for a domain name with Tucows. 

2. eBay

The first online auction site, eBay, is a pioneer in eCommerce and is considered by many as the most popular place to sell online. It provides access to millions of buyers worldwide, giving your online business a super wide reach.

Use the marketplace to sell both auction-style listings or fixed-price products. Sellers can also source print-on-demand (POD) items from Printify. eBay’s most popular product categories include electronics, collectibles, and second-hand goods.Sellers can maximize their profits by experimenting with different selling strategies and using Store subscriptions to reduce fees.

eBay fees

• Insertion fee: 250 free listings/month for non-subscribers. After that, $0.35 per listing. Store subscribers get more free listings based on their plan.
• Final value fee: 13.25% of the final sale price (including shipping costs) for amounts up to $7,500 and 2.35% for amounts over that. $0.40 per order for sales over $10.
• Optional upgrades: Bold text costs $2. Subtitles range from $1.50 to $6.
• Advertising fees: Promoted Listings charges a percentage only when the item sells.
• International fees: 1.65% fee on the total sale when selling internationally, plus an additional 2.5%-3.5% currency conversion fee.

3. Amazon

Amazon is an eCommerce giant that offers sellers unmatched access to a global audience and a platform trusted by millions of customers.

The online marketplace has nearly every product category, making it a top choice for sellers worldwide to make money. Amazon’s success is largely driven by its commitment to customer satisfaction and its use of innovative technologies, including AI, robotic warehouses, and even drone delivery in some locations.For sellers, Amazon’s tools and fulfillment options, such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), simplify logistics and customer service. However, sellers must carefully calculate FBA costs and consider using Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) for more control over shipping and returns.

Amazon fees

• Individual plan: $0.99 per item sold. Ideal for smaller sellers with fewer than 40 sales per month.
• Professional plan: $39.99/month. Suitable for sellers expecting to sell more than 40 items monthly, offering additional seller tools and insights.
• Referral fees: A percentage of the total sales price (including shipping). Fees range from 8% to 15%, depending on the product categories.
  • Example: 15% for most items in clothing and accessories, and 8% for electronics​.
• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees:
  • Fulfillment fee: Starts at $2.50 for small standard items, with higher rates for oversized items.
  • Storage fee: Ranges from $0.75 to $2.40 per cubic foot, depending on the season (higher fees from October to December)​.

4. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is one of the best websites to sell stuff locally. It offers sellers access to thousands of shoppers through one of the world’s largest social media platforms. Its easy-to-use interface and broad reach make it an ideal choice for those looking for places to sell everything, from clothing, fashion, and lifestyle products to furniture and even vehicles.

There are no listing fees for most items. However, Facebook users like to haggle a bit, so be prepared to bargain and set up an initial selling price with some leeway. The platform is primarily for selling stuff online locally and lacks advanced eCommerce tools compared to other online marketplaces.

Facebook Marketplace fees

• For listings where local buyers pay in person, you wont pay fees. However, if shipping and payments are processed through Facebook, a 10% fee or a flat $0.80 fee on sales under $8 applies​.

5. Shopify

Shopify is the go-to platform for building an online business from the ground up. It provides all the tools necessary to set up your website, manage inventory, process payments, and integrate with different sales channels. 

Its user-friendly interface and huge selection of apps make it easy to scale your business as it grows, provide customer support, perfect your search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing techniques, and make more money on Shopify. The platform has a built-in system called Shopify Payments, eliminating processing fees from third-party gateways.

Shopify fees

• Basic plan: $29/month (if paid yearly), $39/month (if paid monthly)
• Shopify plan: $79/month (paid yearly), $105/month (paid monthly)
• Advanced plan: $299/month (paid yearly), $399/month (paid monthly)

6. Wix

Wix is a great website builder that doubles as a versatile eCommerce platform. The easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder even lets beginners create stunning online stores. 

The wide range of customizable templates guarantees there’s something for every business, providing flexibility and a professional look with no coding skills required.Wix is particularly appealing to small businesses thanks to its affordable pricing and built-in marketing tools, including search engine optimization (SEO) and email campaigns. Although it may lack some advanced eCommerce features, it’s perfect for businesses that want to set up quickly with a sleek, professional-looking store.

Wix subscriptions

• Core:  $14.50/month (paid yearly), $36/month (paid monthly)
• Business plan: $18/month (paid yearly), $43/month (paid monthly)
• Business Elite:$79.50/month (paid yearly), $172/month (paid monthly)

7. Squarespace

Squarespace is known for its modern design templates, making it a favorite online selling site among artists, creatives, and small businesses focused on aesthetics.

Its integrations and tools for blogging, SEO, and social media are thoughtfully curated yet limited and tightly controlled by the platform.Squarespace is an excellent choice for selling digitalproducts or services, but its limitations in terms of advanced features and customization can pose a challenge for those looking to scale larger.

Squarespace plans

• Business: $23/month (paid yearly),  $36/month (paid monthly). 3% transaction fee on online store transactions
• Commerce basic: $28/month (paid yearly),  $40/month (paid monthly). No transaction fees on online store transactions. 
• Commerce advanced:  $52/month (paid yearly), $72/month (paid monthly)

8. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce plugin for WordPress, making it a highly customizable option – perfect for sellers who want complete control over their store. It’s free to use, though you’ll need hosting and a domain to get started. 

WooCommerce has plugins for features like inventory management, payment gateways, and marketing tools.It’s perfect for businesses looking for a completely customizable solution for selling things online, but it requires technical expertise to set up and maintain. Sellers must handle hosting, security, and updates on their own or hire developers to manage more complex customizations. The costs for hosting and plugins can also add up.

Woo fees

• Free, but hosting costs vary depending on the provider. 
• Hosting varies from $3 to $10/month; it starts from $2.99/month at Hostinger.

9. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is a free, open-source eCommerce platform similar to WooCommerce but designed for businesses with larger inventories and more complex needs.

It provides full control over every aspect of your store, from design to product listings, and offers multi-language and multi-currency support, making it ideal for merchants looking to scale globally.PrestaShop requires technical expertise to set up and maintain. Businesses must invest in hosting, security, and development, which can become costly over time. Support is limited to community forums unless you hire a professional developer.

PrestaShop fees

• Free to download and use
• Hosting costs: Range from $3 to $10/month depending on the hosting provider; starting at $2.99/month at Hostinger.
• Premium add-ons: Costs for templates, modules, and professional support vary depending on your needs.
• Hosted plan: €24/month (paid yearly), €29/month (paid monthly), excl. VAT/month

10. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is built for scalability. Merchants can manage multiple stores, host extensive product catalogs, sell in several regions, use multiple integrations, leverage advanced SEO features, and use omnichannel selling options across multiple platforms like Amazon, eBay, and social media.

BigCommerce’s standout feature is that it has no transaction fees, even when using third-party payment gateways. The platform’s starting price is higher than some competitors because it can support businesses looking to grow rapidly. However, businesses should be prepared for the learning curve that comes with its advanced tools. Some find the platform’s aesthetics outdated, with few theme options that all look pretty similar.

BigCommerce fees

• Standard plan: $29/month if paid yearly, $39/month if paid monthly
• Plus plan: $79/month (yearly), $105/month (monthly)
• Pro plan: $299/month (yearly), $399/month (monthly)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

1. TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop lets users sell products directly through the app using the power of social media content. With TikTok’s massive, highly engaged user base, sellers can use viral trends and influencer marketing to drive sales.The platform is becoming one of the best sites to sell online in the US, especially appealing to content creators, influencers, and brands that want to reach younger audiences.

TikTok Shop fees

• Transaction fees: 3.78%
• Commission fees: From 2.70%-10.26%, depending on the category.
• Other fees and charges, such as a shipping fee adjustment, warehouse services, or platform penalties.

2. Printify Pop-Up store

The Printify Pop-Up Store is a user-friendly platform that lets you easily create and launch your own online store, specializing in custom print-on-demand products. With Printify, you don’t need to worry about inventory, production, or shipping – everything is handled for you. Printify Pop-up even takes care of customer support and provides a free URL with a printify.me domain.

Printify fees

• Free for the basic plan.
• Premium plan: $29/month, which includes discounts on products and shipping.

1. Sign up

Create a free Printify account.

2. Decide what to sell

Browse our Catalog full of over 1,000 popular products. Choose from product categories such as clothing and lifestyle accessories, home decor, and more. 

Then, after picking the right product, choose a Print Provider and click Start designing.

3. Design your products

Use Printify’s Product Creator which lets you upload your designs or create your own with AI tools, a pattern maker, a text editor, and other great features. Preview how they’ll look on different products and adjust until it’s just the way you like. Then, move forward to creating a listing.

Here are some best practices for listings:

• Use relevant keywords in product titles and descriptions. Our AI tools will speed up the process.
• Set competitive prices and choose popular shipping methods. 
• Save your product and proceed to connect a sales channel.   

4. Pick a sales channel

Choose one of the several online selling sites we integrate with, such as Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, or a Printify Pop-up store. 

• Connect Printify seamlessly with your own online store. 
• Publish your products. We’ll sync them automatically with your store. 
• Share the link to your online selling site and merch on social media. 

5. Let us do the rest

Start selling in your own online store while our network handles the rest. When customers place orders, the printing company takes care of production, packaging, and shipping directly to your buyers, so you get to focus on growing your business.

eBay

With approximately 132 million active buyers, eBay has grown into one of the largest and most diverse eCommerce platforms in the world.

Although you can find vintage items on this online marketplace, eBay offers a large range of products from electronics and fashion to collectibles and sports equipment.

Easily link your store with Printify through the help of our automated sales channel integrations.

1. Ease of use

Both Etsy and eBay offer an easy way to sell products and connect with your target audience. Ease of use goes a bit beyond just your seller experience – it’s also the experience of your customers.

Etsy: It’s user-friendly interface is clear and easy to navigate for both new and experienced business sellers, as well as Etsy shoppers.

Etsy offers curated product categories, making shopping a breeze for anyone that wants to buy specific goods. 

eBay: Creating an account and setting up shop is easy, but online selling is a bit more complex.

The downside of providing a higher number of features and options is that it can make it harder to navigate eBay for both the seller and buyer.

Winner

Etsy. The platform’s user interface and Shop Manager are easier to navigate.
The website and mobile app have a clean layout, highlighting text and featured products.

2. Product focus

What you plan to sell determines the best online marketplace for your online business.

Etsy and eBay place a different emphasis on the types of items they feature, catering to a variety of sellers and buyers across different niches.

Etsy: The clear focus is placed on vintage items, handmade goods, and craft supplies, primarily catering to artistic and creative buyers and art collectors.

Take a look at our guide on things to sell and the best selling items on Etsy to gather some useful insights.

eBay: A large variety of products, both new and used. Everything from electronics and car parts to fashion and vintage goods, appealing to a broad range of buyers.

Winner

It’s a tie. The best platform depends on the type of products you’ll be selling. Clothing and accessories work on either platform, but electronics sell better on eBay.

3. Pricing

From payment processing to final value fees, there are many mandatory and optional payments to keep in mind.

Refer to our Etsy vs eBay fee comparison table for a detailed overview of the fees you’ll encounter on each platform:

Winner

Etsy is the overall winner, as it generally has the lowest fees, but eBay is an easier platform to start on due to its zero insertion fees.

4. Design features

A visually appealing and well-branded storefront can make a significant difference in attracting and retaining customers.

Etsy and eBay both provide tools to enhance the design of your online shop.

Etsy: Allows you to customize your storefront with a shop icon, page banner, description, featured items, and a detailed About section.

Etsy Plus enables you to add a Carousel or Collage store banner, and more Featured Items customization options.

Set up with Pattern to build a separate, personalized website for your online business.

Keep in mind that your Etsy Pattern store will have your Etsy inventory and you’ll be able to manage it through the Shop Manager, but it won’t show up through Etsy’s search bar.

eBay: Lets you organize your eBay listings in product categories, add a store banner, and customize a section of Featured Items.

The eBay Store subscription offers a separate eBay page with your own URL and customized storefront.

Winner

eBay, because nothing beats a separate storefront that can be found on a popular marketplace search engine.

5. Analytics

Detailed and accurate store analytics is at the core of every successful eCommerce business.

Both Etsy and eBay offer tools that give insights into sales, customer behavior, and more.

Etsy: The platform simplifies this process by offering straightforward figures on metrics like store traffic, total revenue, and profit margins.

Etsy users have access to a CSV spreadsheet which presents your store transactions in a reader-friendly format.

eBay: This marketplace provides a variety of features that simplify both store and order management.

The Reports page on the eBay Seller Hub allows you to create and update product listings in bulk, fulfill and mark orders as shipped, generate reports, and manage customer feedback.

Winner

Etsy is the winner for starting businesses, while eBay’s features are great for high volume sellers.

6. Marketing tools

Promoting your products effectively is key to driving sales and growing your business.

Both Etsy and eBay offer marketing tools to help you reach your target audience.

Etsy: Aside from offering detailed marketing and advertising guides through the Seller Handbook, Etsy also gives you an option to run onsite and offsite ads that turn clicks into sales.

eBay: Use eBay templates to create and customize store newsletters to notify customers about new listings and share your brand story.

The Social page on allows you to link up your Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest social media pages. Etsy will use the right text, images, and hashtags to help you gain new and returning customers.

If you’re an eBay Store subscriber, you can use the Promotions Manager to easily run promotions, as well as offer coupons and discounts to your customers.

Set up with Terapeak to access additional advanced marketing tools for market analysis.

Create promoted listings and even try Etsy’s Offsite Ads BETA to help shoppers find your store.

Winner

eBay, since it offers a much greater variety of built-in marketing tools.

7. SEO

Search engine optimization is one of the best ways to ensure your target audience finds you.

Understanding the SEO practices of these two marketplaces will allow you to optimize your listings for maximum visibility.

Etsy: If you use the right keywords on your Etsy listings, the platform’s algorithms will make your products easy to find through Etsy’s search bar.

All Etsy Sellers are also encouraged to use descriptive and relevant product titles to ensure seamless product discoverability.

The Etsy guide on understanding Google SEO helps you optimize your Etsy listings.

eBay: The Cassini internal search engine takes your eBay shop ad compliance, seller performance, return policy, and various other factors into account, when generating quality search results for customers

Use the Terapeak analytics service for keyword research and remember to only add keywords that directly relate to your eBay listings.

Winner

It’s a tie, because you can reach store success by using SEO on either platform.

8. eCommerce tools

Both eBay and Etsy sellers have access to various features and seller tools that will help you simplify and automate your online store operations.

Etsy: 

• Etsy app is the perfect mobile tool for selling on the go.
  Manage and track orders, add videos and photos to your product listings and even receive a notification if you get a repeat buyer.
• Seller Handbook. A treasure trove of knowledge that lets you gain valuable insights on how to use the Etsy Marketplace.
  Learn how to add product listings, sell vintage items, understand Etsy ads, navigate seller fees, and start selling on Etsy.
• Community Forums. Etsy encourages sellers to support and interact with other Etsy sellers.
  Engage with the community by reading and sharing tips, tricks, and constructive feedback.
• Calculated shipping. Simplify the shipping process and transparency with your customers.
  It’s available for sellers in the US and Canada who use USPS, Global Postal Shipping, or Canada Post shipping labels.
• Integrations. Use third party tools to manage social media presence, monitor and analyze store analytics, or optimize product listings and your store.
  It’s also your way to connect a print-on-demand service like Printify to fulfill customer orders.

eBay: 

• eBay app. Create and edit listings, adjust shipping costs, and get an instant notification whenever an item sells.
  It’s your way to never miss out on a sale, no matter where you are.
• Shipping calculator. eBay sellers have the option to calculate the exact cost of sending items through various shipping carriers.
  Use the shipping calculator to set the shipping cost to vary by buyer location, making sure you don’t lose a part of your profit to shipping costs.
• Seller Hub. Manage listings, monitor and analyze your store performance and daily sales trends to identify your top performers.
  Gain insights on your competition and how your buyers find your products.
• Selling templates. Create reusable templates to streamline the process of listing products on the eBay online marketplace.
  It’s easy to edit, rename, or delete them, and a great way to ensure consistency across your online store.
• Promotions Manager. It’s one of the top features available for eBay Store subscribers.
  The Promotions Manager enables you to create promotions, offer product and shipping discounts, drive repeat purchases, and attract new customers.
• Third party providers. Use additional software and services to automate store operations.
  Try solutions for order and inventory management, listing optimization, as well as order fulfillment and shipping – check out Printify’s  eBay integration.

Winner

eBay, because of a wider selection of tools to help you manage, automate, and grow your online business.

9. Customer support

Having access to reliable customer support is an absolute necessity for resolving issues and a smooth selling experience.

Etsy and eBay provide customer support resources, though their approaches differ.

Etsy: Although it is technically possible to reach Etsy’s customer support, they are not easily accessible.

Your first point of contact will be the Help Center, which can aid with some basic concerns, but it won’t always provide the best answers to your specific questions.

If you can’t find the information you need and still need assistance, select a category that’s thematically related to your concern and press the grey “I still need help” button at the bottom of the page.

This will redirect you to an email form, but neither chat nor phone options are currently available.

Thankfully, there are also Etsy Community Forums, where you can connect with other sellers or search for answers to similar questions.

eBay: The eBay automated assistant is available at the bottom of the Help page.

It will answer most generic questions, or enter a queue to speak to a human support agent.

The Help page offers the option to email your questions to Etsy’s support team.

There’s also an option to bring your questions to the eBay Community.

Winner

eBay is the clear winner in this category because you can reach them much easier and faster.

10. Scalability

As your business grows, the scalability of online marketplaces becomes essential.

Both the Etsy and eBay platforms offer different ways to grow your business, regardless of whether you’re selling handmade items or mass-produced goods.

Etsy: The platform is best suited for small to medium-size businesses that sell handmade and customized goods.

Scalability options are limited to expanding product range and establishing a loyal customer base.

eBay: Ideal for small sellers to larger retailers, because it offers necessary tools for market analysis and promotion to a large segment of potential customers.

Winner

eBay, as it offers more ways to promote your business and make bulk product edits.