What are the five fees in every Etsy sale?

Every Etsy sale can trigger up to five fees: (1) $0.20 listing fee per item published or renewed, (2) 6.5% transaction fee on item price plus shipping, (3) payment processing fee varying by country (3% + $0.25 in the US), (4) Offsite Ads fee of 12% or 15% on ad-attributed orders only, and (5) regulatory operating fee for non-US sellers ranging from 0.29% to 2.27% depending on country.

How much does Etsy take on a $30 sale in 2026?

On a $30 sale (US seller, $25 item + $5 shipping, no Offsite Ads): listing fee $0.20 + transaction fee $1.95 (6.5% of $30) + payment processing $1.15 (3% + $0.25) = $3.30 total, an 11% effective rate. If the sale is attributed to Offsite Ads at 15%, add $4.50 more, bringing total fees to $7.80 and the effective rate to 26%.

Why do small Etsy orders have higher effective fee rates?

The $0.20 listing fee and the $0.25 flat payment processing component do not scale down with lower sale prices. On a $6 sticker the effective rate is about 17%, versus 11% on a $30 order. The flat components represent a larger proportion of revenue as order value decreases.

Is Etsy or Shopify cheaper for sellers in 2026?

Etsy is cheaper at low sales volumes because there is no mandatory monthly fee. Shopify becomes cheaper at roughly $500-700 per month in sales because its flat subscription plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing beats Etsy's stacked fees of 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing + $0.20 listing. Once Etsy's mandatory Offsite Ads kick in at $10K+ annual revenue, Shopify is more cost-effective at virtually any volume.

What are Shopify's fees in 2026?

Shopify Basic costs $29/month. Payment processing with Shopify Payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. There are no listing fees and no transaction fees if you use Shopify Payments. The Shopify plan is $79/month (2.6% processing) and Advanced is $299/month (2.4% processing).

What is the breakeven point between Etsy and Shopify?

For a typical seller with $25-$30 average order value, the breakeven is roughly $500-700 per month in sales. Below that, Etsy's no-subscription model costs less overall. Above that, Shopify's lower per-transaction fees outweigh the monthly subscription cost. Use the Etsy fee calculator above to model your specific numbers.

What is a good profit margin for Etsy sellers?

Most experienced Etsy sellers target 30-50% net margin after all fees and material costs. Below 20% is considered a loss risk because there is no buffer for returns, discounts, Etsy Ads spend, or slow seasons. Price assuming Offsite Ads will apply eventually (12% fee) even if you are currently under the $10K threshold.

Should I include shipping in my Etsy price?

Etsy's algorithm favors free shipping listings. If you offer free shipping, build the label cost into your item price — and also build in the Etsy fees on that higher item price, since the 6.5% transaction fee and 3% processing fee both apply to the full order value. The etsyfeecalc pricing calculator handles this math automatically.

How do I price for Offsite Ads on Etsy?

If your shop earns $10,000+ in trailing 12-month revenue, the 12% Offsite Ads fee is mandatory on attributed sales. Price all products as if every sale will carry this fee. For sellers under $10K who have opted out, price with a buffer — the lock-in is permanent once you cross the threshold.

Guide · Updated June 2026

Etsy vs Shopify Fees 2026: Which Costs Less for Your Shop?

Quick answerEtsy is cheaper below about $1,000-2,500/month in sales; Shopify becomes cheaper above that. Etsy has no monthly fee but charges 6.5% per sale plus 3% + $0.25 processing and $0.20 per listing. Shopify charges $39/month plus 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with no listing or marketplace fees. The crossover point depends on your sales volume and how much traffic you can drive yourself.

Last verified June 2026 · Figures are estimates, verify against official platform documentation

The Etsy versus Shopify decision comes down to one question most comparisons get wrong: it is not about which platform is "cheaper" in the abstract, it is about your sales volume and whether you can bring your own traffic.

The core fee difference

Cost	Etsy	Shopify (Basic)
Monthly fee	$0	$39
Transaction fee	6.5%	$0 with Shopify Payments
Payment processing	3% + $0.25	2.9% + $0.30
Listing fee	$0.20 per item	$0
Built-in traffic	Yes	No

Etsy's headline cost is the 6.5% transaction fee on top of processing. Shopify's is the $39 monthly subscription. The math flips depending on volume.

The crossover point

For sellers under roughly $1,000-2,500 per month, Etsy is usually cheaper because there is no monthly subscription to cover. Above that volume, Shopify's lower per-transaction fees more than offset the $39/month, making it significantly more cost-effective. On a $1,000 single sale, Etsy takes about $65 in transaction fees alone; Shopify with Payments takes none beyond processing.

The hidden cost most comparisons ignore

Traffic. Etsy's 6.5% fee buys you something real: built-in marketplace traffic. Millions of buyers browse Etsy directly. Shopify gives you a store but zero visitors, so you must drive every click yourself through SEO, ads, or social. For many sellers, Etsy's fee is effectively a customer-acquisition cost that Shopify replaces with ad spend that often exceeds 6.5%.

Shopify also carries app costs. Most Shopify sellers pay $80-200/month for essential apps, which does not scale down with sales.

Which should you choose?

Start on Etsy if you are under ~$2,000/month, sell handmade or unique items, or cannot yet drive your own traffic. Move to or add Shopify if you are above that volume, have a brand customers seek out directly, or sell high-ticket items where the 6.5% transaction fee is painful. Many successful sellers do both: Etsy for discovery, Shopify for repeat customers.

Run your own numbers

Calculate your exact Etsy fees per sale and see what you actually keep.

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Frequently asked questions

Etsy is cheaper below about $1,000-2,500/month in sales because it has no monthly fee. Shopify becomes cheaper above that volume because its lower per-transaction fees offset the $39/month subscription. The exact crossover depends on your average order value.

Shopify charges no transaction fee if you use Shopify Payments, only the 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee. If you use a third-party payment gateway, Shopify adds an extra fee of 0.5-2%.

Etsy takes 6.5% transaction fee on the total (item plus shipping), plus 3% + $0.25 payment processing in the US, plus $0.20 per listing. Combined, that is roughly 9.5% plus about $0.45 per sale.

It is worth it once your sales volume is high enough that Shopify total fees fall below Etsy total fees, generally above $1,000-2,500/month. Below that, the monthly fee is hard to justify versus Etsy free account.

Yes, and many sellers do. Etsy provides discovery and built-in traffic; Shopify provides a branded store with lower per-sale fees for repeat customers. Running both lets you capture marketplace browsers and build a direct customer base.