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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 Content reviewed

Shopify plan

$
$
$
EtsyShopify basic
Platform fees per order$3.30$1.17
Net profit per order$10.65$12.78
Profit margin35.5%42.6%
Monthly plan cost$0$39/mo
Monthly profit (50 orders)$532.55$600.01

Which is better?

Per-order profit differenceShopify earns $2.13 more per order
Break-even monthly orders for Shopify19 orders/mo

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

Etsy fees = Sale price × 9.5% + $0.45 (US, approximate)
Shopify fees = Sale price × 2.90% + $0.30
Monthly Shopify profit = (Per-order profit × Orders) − Monthly plan cost
Break-even orders = Monthly plan cost / (Shopify profit per order − Etsy profit per order)

Assumptions

  • Etsy: US seller using Etsy Payments. Listing fee $0.20 per sale.
  • Shopify: basic plan ($39/mo), using Shopify Payments
  • Free shipping to buyer (shipping cost absorbed in product price)
  • No Etsy Offsite Ads, no Shopify additional transaction fee

Source: shopify.com/pricing · Last verified: 2026-10-11

Worked example: monthly POD profit by volume

$29.99 shirt, $16.30 reference cost, no ads on either side. Shopify includes the Basic plan.

10 orders/mo50 orders/mo200 orders/mo
Etsy$103.91$519.55$2,078.19
Shopify (before ads)$86.20$587.01$2,465.06

Shopify looks better as volume grows, but its orders still need traffic. Subtract ad cost per order × orders from the Shopify row before deciding.

Review the market, fee bases and exclusions shown with this tool. Published rates and illustrative cost inputs have different certainty. Compare your breakdown with an actual order statement. Sources and methodology.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shopify more profitable than Etsy for POD sellers?
Per order, usually yes — Shopify avoids Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee, so the platform fee is lower on every sale. But Shopify adds a fixed monthly plan cost (US Basic reference: $39), so it only wins overall once your per-order savings exceed that monthly cost. Calculate the crossover with your order value, acquisition cost, and local plan price.
What's the break-even order volume where Shopify beats Etsy?
It depends on your sale price and plan, but the formula is: monthly plan cost ÷ (Shopify profit per order − Etsy profit per order). Below that volume, Etsy's no-monthly-fee structure wins even with its higher per-order fees; above it, Shopify's lower per-order fee structure pulls ahead.
Should a brand-new POD seller start on Etsy or Shopify?
Etsy, in most cases. It has 90M+ active buyers already searching, no monthly fee, and low risk while you're testing designs and pricing. Shopify requires you to drive your own traffic (ads, SEO, social) — worth it once you have proven demand and enough order volume to clear the plan cost.
Does this comparison include Etsy's Offsite Ads fee?
No — the calculator assumes no Offsite Ads (12–15% additional fee that applies to some sales). If Offsite Ads applies to your orders, Etsy's real per-order fee is higher than shown here, which shifts the break-even point in Shopify's favor at a lower order volume.