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 & POD
Shopify plan
$
$
$
| Etsy | Shopify basic | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fees per order | $3.30 | $0.90 |
| Net profit per order | $10.65 | $13.05 |
| Profit margin | 35.5% | 43.5% |
| Monthly plan cost | $0 | $39/mo |
| Monthly profit (50 orders) | $532.55 | $613.51 |
Which is better?
Per-order profit differenceShopify earns $2.40 more per order
Break-even monthly orders for Shopifyⓘ17 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 × 2.00% + $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: https://www.shopify.com/pricing · Last verified: 2025-06-01