Etsy vs Shopify for POD — Platform Comparison
Compare profit per order between Etsy and Shopify for print-on-demand sellers. Includes monthly plan cost in the Shopify calculation and shows when Shopify becomes more profitable.
By Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & PODUpdated Fee data verified against official platform documentation
Shopify plan
| Etsy | Shopify basic | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fees per order | $3.30 | $1.17 |
| Net profit per order | $10.65 | $12.78 |
| Profit margin | 35.5% | 42.6% |
| Monthly plan cost | $0 | $25/mo |
| Monthly profit (50 orders) | $532.55 | $614.01 |
Which is better?
When to choose each platform
Etsy: Best for new sellers who need built-in traffic. No monthly fee — lower risk. But 6.5% tx fee + listing fees eat margin on low-priced items.
Shopify: Better per-order margin (no 6.5% tx fee), but you must drive your own traffic. Only worth it when monthly profit advantage exceeds plan cost — roughly 30–50+ orders/month for Basic.
How this is calculated
Assumptions:
- Etsy: US seller using Etsy Payments. Listing fee $0.20 per sale.
- Shopify: basic plan ($25/mo), using Shopify Payments
- Free shipping to buyer (shipping cost absorbed in product price)
- No Etsy Offsite Ads, no Shopify additional transaction fee
Source: https://www.shopify.com/pricing · Last verified: 2026-07-02