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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 Marginory team · Online sellers with hands-on experience across Etsy, Shopify & PODUpdated Fee data verified against official platform documentation

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: https://www.shopify.com/pricing · Last verified: 2026-07-02

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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.