Shopify vs Etsy for Beginners: Simple Math on Hidden Fees

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Fees checked on Etsy’s and Shopify’s official pages on October 14, 2026.

Quick answer: On a $25 sale, Etsy takes about $2.83 in fees (11.3%), or about $6.58 if the sale came through Etsy’s Offsite Ads. Shopify Basic takes about $1.03 per order through Shopify Payments, plus a $39 monthly plan fee ($29 if billed yearly). That makes Shopify cheaper once you sell around 22 orders a month on monthly billing, or 17 orders a month on yearly billing. Below that, Etsy is cheaper, and it also brings you buyers, which Shopify does not.

This guide is for beginners and side hustlers choosing their first place to sell, especially makers, crafters and print-on-demand sellers in the US.

Key takeaways

• Etsy rents you an audience; Shopify gives you a brand you own but no shoppers.
• Offsite Ads can more than double Etsy’s cut on the sales they bring in.
• Traffic costs are the hidden variable: ad spend can wipe out Shopify’s fee savings.
• You don’t have to pick one forever. Many makers start on Etsy and add Shopify later.

Shopify vs Etsy at a glance

Sources: Etsy’s fee policy, Etsy Payments policy and Shopify’s pricing page.

How much does Etsy take from a $25 sale?

Let’s use one simple example: a $25 product, shipping built into the price, a US seller with a US bank account, and no sales tax in the math.

Two things beginners often miss. First, Etsy’s payment processing fee is charged on the full order, including shipping and tax, so the real figure is a little higher when tax applies. Second, Offsite Ads are mandatory once your shop passes $10,000 in sales over 365 days; below that you can opt out in your settings.

There’s also a one-time shop setup fee. Etsy used to charge a flat $15, but its fee page no longer lists an amount, and sellers have reported being shown different amounts at signup, so check what Etsy shows you before you open your shop.

How much does Shopify take from a $25 sale?

On the Basic plan with Shopify Payments, an online card sale costs 2.9% + 30¢:

• 2.9% × $25 = $0.73
• plus $0.30
• = about $1.03 per order (4.1%)

There is no extra transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments. If you use a third-party payment provider instead, Shopify adds 2% on Basic.

The catch is the plan itself: $39 a month on monthly billing, or $29 a month if you pay yearly. You’ll also want a custom domain (paid yearly), and many stores add a paid theme or apps. Those are optional, so I’ve left them out of the math, but budget for them.

Want the step-by-step version? Here’s how to launch your first Shopify store for $1/month and use those three low-cost months well.

At how many orders does Shopify become cheaper than Etsy?

Shopify saves you about $1.80 per $25 order on fees ($2.83 on Etsy minus $1.03 on Shopify). The plan fee has to be covered by those savings:

• Monthly billing: $39 ÷ $1.80 ≈ 21.7, so 22 orders a month
• Yearly billing: $29 ÷ $1.80 ≈ 16.1, so 17 orders a month

Here’s the total monthly fee bill at different volumes:

If some of your Etsy sales come through Offsite Ads, Etsy gets more expensive and Shopify breaks even sooner.

But fees are only half the story. Those 22 Shopify orders don’t arrive by themselves. On Etsy, shoppers already search the marketplace. On Shopify, every visitor comes from you: social media, SEO, email or paid ads. If you’d spend $100 on ads to get 22 Shopify sales, Etsy is still the better deal for now.

If you’ve decided Shopify fits, you can compare Shopify’s plans and check the current prices for yourself.

When should a beginner choose Etsy?

Choose Etsy if:

• you make handmade, vintage or craft items, or sell digital downloads Etsy buyers already search for
• you have no audience yet and don’t want to run ads
• you want to test whether a product sells before spending on a website

Etsy’s limits: you’re renting space on someone else’s marketplace. Your shop sits next to competitors, Etsy controls the rules and fees, and building a customer list or brand is harder.

When should a beginner choose Shopify?

Choose Shopify if:

• you already have some audience (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, an email list)
• you sell products Etsy doesn’t allow or doesn’t suit, like dropshipping or a general store
• you want your own brand, domain and customer emails
• your average order is well above $25, which makes Etsy’s percentage fees bite harder

I build Shopify stores for clients, and the owners who do best show up with a way to reach buyers already in place, not just a polished theme.

Can you use Shopify and Etsy together?

Yes. A common path: sell on Etsy while you’re small, put a card with your own website in every package, and move repeat buyers to Shopify, where they no longer cost you the 6.5% transaction fee.

One thing to know: Shopify’s own Marketplace Connect app syncs Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Target Plus, but not Etsy, as of October 2026. To sync Etsy inventory you’ll need a third-party app from the Shopify App Store. Compare the app’s monthly cost before you add it to your break-even math.

My recommendation

• Under ~20 orders a month and no audience: start on Etsy.
• Over ~20 orders a month, or you already have traffic: move to (or add) Shopify.
• Unsure: start on Etsy now, and use Shopify’s low-cost intro months to build your own store alongside it.

Ready to build your own store? Start Shopify for $1/month for your first 3 months.

Who should skip both?

If you only sell a handful of items to friends and local customers, you may not need either. A simple payment link or in-person sales can work until demand grows. And if you sell print-on-demand only, compare your POD app’s own fees first, since they stack on top of either platform.

FAQ

Is Etsy or Shopify better for beginners?

Etsy, for most beginners without an audience. Shopify, once you can bring your own visitors.

How much does Etsy take per sale in 2026?

About 11.3% on a $25 sale for a US seller ($2.83), before any Offsite Ads fee.

Does Shopify charge transaction fees?

Not with Shopify Payments. With a third-party processor, Basic adds 2% per sale.

Can I sell the same products on Etsy and Shopify?

Yes, using a third-party sync app or by managing inventory by hand.

Sources

• Etsy fee policy (last updated Oct 5, 2026)
• Etsy Payments policy (last updated Jul 31, 2026)
• Shopify pricing (checked Oct 14, 2026)
• Shopify Marketplace Connect on the Shopify App Store (checked Oct 14, 2026)
• Value Added Resource on Etsy’s variable setup fee

Fees change; confirm them on the official pages before you decide.

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Written by Abdisalat Mohamed

Abdi (Abdisalat Mohamed) helps beginners start and grow online businesses. He builds Shopify stores, sells an online course on Thinkific, and writes about the ecommerce and business tools he actually uses. More about me →