Shopify vs Etsy
Shopify and Etsy solve the same goal in opposite ways: Shopify is a store builder where you own the site and the customer relationship, while Etsy is a marketplace that brings its own shoppers but keeps them on Etsy. That's a category difference, so the real question is whether you want built-in traffic or full control of your brand.
Quick answer
Choose Etsy if you want fast access to buyers already searching for handmade, vintage or craft goods and don't want to drive your own traffic. Choose Shopify if you want a branded store you fully control and plan to market it yourself. Both charge selling fees and neither lets you keep 100% of a sale — a free all-in-one like OneSol lets you sell from one link straight into your own Stripe and keep 100% (only Stripe's standard fee applies).
Shopify vs Etsy at a glance
| Feature | Shopify | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Free to start | Trial only | Free to join |
| Built-in shoppers | No | Yes |
| Own branded store | Yes | Limited |
| Listing / selling fees | Yes | Yes |
| Keeps 100% of sale | No | No |
| Payouts | Own gateway | Via Etsy |
| Best for | Scaling a brand | Handmade / craft |
Competitor features and pricing can change — check their current plans before deciding.
1. Who Shopify is for
Shopify suits sellers who want a fully branded store, control over the customer relationship, and room to scale into a serious catalog. The trade-off is that Shopify sends you no traffic — you're responsible for marketing, ads and SEO to get anyone to the store. Costs also stack up through the subscription, apps and payment fees, which is easy to underestimate at the start.
2. Who Etsy is for
Etsy is ideal for makers of handmade, vintage or craft items who want buyers already browsing for those things without building an audience first. The convenience is real, but you're a tenant on someone else's platform: listing and transaction fees add up, and shoppers belong to Etsy, not to you. It's a great starting point rather than a long-term brand home.
3. The cost that's easy to miss
On Etsy, per-listing and per-sale fees quietly eat into thin margins, and optional ads deepen the cut. On Shopify, the monthly plan plus paid apps plus extra transaction fees (if you don't use Shopify Payments) can outrun a small store's revenue. On both, you never keep the full value of a sale — always check current pricing before committing.
The verdict
If you want the reach of Etsy and the ownership of Shopify without the fees or the tech setup, OneSol is a free all-in-one alternative. Sell digital products, downloads, merch, tickets and bookings from one link, take payment straight into your own Stripe, and keep 100% of every sale (only Stripe's standard fee applies) — no monthly plan, no platform cut.
FAQ
Is Etsy or Shopify cheaper to start?
Etsy is free to join and you pay per listing and per sale, which is lower risk at low volume. Shopify has no free plan (a trial only) plus a monthly subscription, so it costs more upfront but can be cheaper per sale at scale.
Can I use Shopify and Etsy together?
Yes — many sellers list on Etsy for discovery and run a Shopify store for branding and repeat customers. The downside is paying two sets of fees and syncing inventory across both.
Do I keep all my money on either platform?
No. Etsy takes listing and transaction fees, and Shopify charges a subscription plus payment (and sometimes extra transaction) fees. A free all-in-one like OneSol pays straight into your own Stripe and takes no cut — you keep 100% of each sale minus Stripe's standard processing fee.
Which is better for handmade products?
Etsy has the built-in audience specifically hunting for handmade and vintage, so it's the faster path to first sales. Shopify is better once you have your own following and want to own the brand and customer list.