9 best alternatives to selling on Etsy — digital products, crafts, and more
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For years, Etsy has been the go-to platform for artists, creators, and sellers, providing a space to turn hobbies into profitable businesses. With its vast customer base and feature-rich environment, it’s undeniably popular.
Yet, as an Etsy seller, you might encounter restrictions on branding, customer engagement, and marketing strategies.
If you’re eager to grow your business and stand out from the crowd, it’s time to consider alternatives. To assist you, we’ve compiled a list of top online marketplaces and eCommerce platforms tailored to diverse products and business models.
Among these options, Sellfy stands out by combining three essential aspects of an ideal eCommerce platform: ease of use, versatility for selling various products, and transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
Read on to learn more about Sellfy and other Etsy alternatives.
9 best Etsy alternatives for sellers
Choosing an Etsy alternative tailored to your product and business needs allows you to diversify sales channels and strengthen connections with your audience. Below, we’ll delve into nine top alternatives offering unique features for creators and online sellers.
1. Sellfy – an Etsy alternative for digital products & print-on-demand
Sellfy is the top Etsy alternative for creators and entrepreneurs seeking an easy way to build an online store or sell products on an existing website.
Sellfy, unlike Etsy, offers an all-in-one eCommerce solution. With hosting, customizable store themes, powerful marketing tools, built-in analytics, and third-party app integrations, you have everything needed to start and grow your online business.
Sellfy supports various product types—digital, subscriptions, physical, and print-on-demand merch—all in one place, eliminating the need for external services. Thanks to its effortless setup, you can start selling in under 10 minutes.
Many Sellfy creators have migrated from Etsy and are satisfied with their decision.
Sellfy stands out as the top Etsy alternative for several reasons:
- Professional online store
- Unlimited products, storage, and bandwidth
- Built-in email marketing, upselling, cart abandonment, discounts, coupon codes, etc.
- Store embed options with on-site checkout
- Custom domain integration
- Multiple payment gateways
- Anti-piracy features
- Third-party app and service integration
- 24/7 customer support
- No transaction fees
- Free trial
How much does Sellfy cost?
Sellfy’s pricing is affordable given its features:
- Starter plan: $29/month
- Business plan: $79/month
- Premium plan: $159/month
2. Big Cartel — an eCommerce platform for artists
Like Etsy, Big Cartel is an independent platform tailored for artists to sell their artwork online. However, unlike Etsy, it’s an eCommerce platform enabling you to create your own online store.
Big Cartel has a distinct artistic appeal, making it a great choice for illustrators, graphic designers, and creative entrepreneurs seeking an alternative to Etsy. Its simplicity is a key advantage, with a minimalist and user-friendly platform.
While Big Cartel offers solid eCommerce features and surpasses Etsy in many aspects, it lacks built-in marketing tools like email campaigns, coupon codes, and upselling, unlike Sellfy.
Pricing options include a free plan for up to five products, as well as two paid plans ranging from $9.99/month to $19.99/month. Be sure to explore our detailed comparison of Big Cartel vs Etsy.
3. Gumroad — an eCommerce platform without a subscription fee
Gumroad is popular among artists for selling physical and digital art online because it’s simple and straightforward. It provides a quick way to start without the hassle of creating an online store.
Plus, it’s free to use, with no monthly subscription fees (though there are other fees involved).
Gumroad and Etsy are somewhat similar—they both provide a straightforward way to sell digital or physical products online. Gumroad offers an independent eCommerce platform, while Etsy operates as a digital marketplace.
Gumroad also has its own creative marketplace called Gumroad Discover, which focuses more on digital products. With its simple interface, Gumroad is an ideal Etsy alternative for those seeking an easy way to start selling immediately.
However, this simplicity comes at a cost, with high transaction fees and limited functionality. While Gumroad claims to be free, they charge a steep 10% commission plus a 30¢ fee per transaction once you start selling.
Check out our full comparison of Gumroad vs Etsy.
4. Shopify — a popular Etsy alternative
Shopify ranks at the top of the popularity chart among eCommerce platforms. Like Sellfy, it’s an all-in-one solution, enabling you to transition your business from crowded online marketplaces to your own store.
Shopify’s key advantage lies in its ecosystem, boasting over 3,000 apps and numerous store themes, offering more than just eCommerce functionality.
In essence, with the right apps and customization options, you can tailor your eCommerce site to your exact needs. However, Shopify, touted as an easy Etsy competitor, comes with a learning curve despite not requiring development skills (numerous guides exist to navigate this platform).
Regarding cost, Shopify offers three plans:
- Basic plan: $24/month plus 2.9% + 30¢ in transaction fees
- Shopify plan: $69/month plus 2.6% + 30¢ in transaction fees
- Advanced plan: $289/month plus 2.4% + 30¢ in transaction fees
Additionally, Shopify charges for third-party app integrations on top of the monthly subscription fee. Paid store themes range from $140 to $180, while monthly app fees vary from a few dollars to $100.
5. Storenvy — a middle ground between an online marketplace and an eCommerce store
Storenvy is a platform that offers an unusual combination of features, making it a middle ground between a marketplace like Etsy and eCommerce platforms like Sellfy and Shopify.
Storenvy positions itself as a “social marketplace” where customers can like listings, add items to “collections”, and message sellers directly. The main difference from Etsy, however, is that with Storenvy you can actually build your own store that is connected to the main marketplace.
Moreover, Storenvy offers built-in marketing tools and the option to host your store on a custom domain, which isn’t possible with Etsy.
At a glance, Storenvy seems to be very user-friendly and even fully customizable. Its website builder allows you to make CSS and HTML changes, which is great for those looking for more design and technical capabilities.
However, total beginners and those of you who aren’t so familiar with the concept of coding may find Storenvy’s customization possibilities limited in terms of functionality and store control.
How much does Storenvy cost?
Storenvy has a free plan that lets you build a store and sell 20 products. There are also 3 paid plans ranging from $9.99/month to $49.99/month that allow you to sell more products and include more advanced functionality. Storenvy’s marketplace takes a 15% commission from each transaction.
6. Bonanza — an Etsy alternative for selling art and handmade goods
It’s hard to call Bonanza an Etsy alternative. It’s more of an eBay alternative for selling unique products like arts and handmade goods.
Unlike Etsy, Bonanza encourages buyers to make offers to sellers to negotiate prices. Moreover, the platform makes it easy to do so thanks to the feature called “Make an Offer,” which allows buyers to submit an offer to a seller directly from the product listing page. Sellers can then accept, reject, or counter the offer.
Similar to Storenvy, Bonanza is both a marketplace and an eCommerce platform. Therefore, you get to choose how you wish to sell your products.
Firstly, you can set up a Bonanza “booth”, which is similar to an Etsy storefront. One unique thing about Bonanza is that it makes it easy to import items directly from Etsy and other platforms. It also automatically lists your products on Google Shopping, eBay, and Nextag.
The other option is to build a Bonanza Webstore which is an alternative to a standalone eCommerce website. For a flat monthly fee, you get to choose a store theme and adjust your branding. Plus, the Webstore is fully integrated with the Bonanza marketplace.
How much does Banaza cost?
There are no listing fees and no monthly store fees. However, Bonanza does charge you 3.5% of the price at which you sell your product.
Bonanza Websites are priced at $25 per month. It’s not as affordable as Sellfy, but if you compare it to Shopify of Big Commerce, it’s actually more affordable.
7. SendOwl — to sell products from your own website or blog
SendOwl is a perfect alternative for Etsy sellers that have an existing website or a blog (or planning to build one). In essence, it’s a checkout solution that allows you to sell digital and physical products directly from your website by integrating a shopping cart or sharing product links.
SendOwl is a perfect solution for an independent artist testing the waters of eCommerce as it’s incredibly easy to use. Thanks to the simple interface, uploading your products and configuring a checkout module will take just a couple of minutes.
But wait, there’s more!
SendOwl offers a nice set of built-in tools that can help you drive traffic to your store and sell more products:
- Upselling
- Cart abandonment
- Discounts, coupon codes, and vouchers
- Freebies
- Pay what you want pricing
- Affiliate center
But you must remember that SendOwl is not an all-in-one eCommerce platform like Sellfy, meaning that you can’t use it to build a standalone online store for your handmade goods. You can only use it on an existing website.
How much does SendOwl cost?
SendOwl offers three paid plans, all with the same set of features:
- Starter: 3-month free trial, then $9/month + 5% transaction fee
- Growth: $15/month + 0.33 cent per order management fee
- Pro: $39/month + 0.17 cent per order management fee
8. Indiemade — an Etsy alternative for artists and art dealers
IndieMade is an eCommerce platform mainly for artists or people looking to sell art, as it offers some features tailored specifically for artists and art dealers (e.g. accepting commission requests).
Unlike Etsy, Indiemade provides a basic set of eCommerce management tools that allow you to create and manage your own online store. It’s affordable, easy to use, and most importantly it allows you to sell your art outside of the busy Etsy platform.
Speaking of which, Indiemade offers an Etsy integration, so its 30-day free trial lets you test things out first without exerting too much effort by migrating product listings.
However, when compared to platforms like Sellfy or Shopify, IndieMade’s eCommerce functionality can be considered somewhat limited. While you can adjust the overall look and feel of your store, it may not provide the same level of control as other Etsy alternatives.
This makes it function more like an Etsy shop, which may be suitable for some Etsy sellers but those looking for more elaborate branding options may prefer other Etsy alternatives.
How much does Indiemade cost?
IndieMade compensates quite limited eCommerce functionality with very reasonably priced subscription plans:
- Basic: $4.95/month
- Standard: $12.95/month
- Pro: $14.95/month
- Plus: $19.95/month
9. Poshmark — an Etsy alternative for selling clothing and accessories
This list wouldn’t be complete without at least one marketplace Etsy alternative — Poshmark.
Essentially, Poshmark and Etsy are somewhat similar apart from the fact that they cater to different audiences. I’ll even date to say that Poshmark is an Etsy alternative for Gen Z. Mostly because it resembles a social media platform, with features such as likes, comments, and the ability to follow other users.
Another difference is that Poshmark is mainly focused on fashion and accessories. Sure, you can sell almost anything there, including your art, vintage goods, or a handmade product. But you must keep in mind that clothing and fashion items are the hottest products in this marketplace.
How much does Poshmark cost?
One thing that most sellers love about Poshmark is the simplicity of its fee structure. Listing is free and you will only get charged on Poshmark if your item gets sold. If you sell an item under $15, the listing fee is a flat rate of $2.95. For sales above $15, the fee is 20% and you keep 80%.
Online store vs marketplace?
Essentially, there are just two ways to start selling your physical, digital, print-on-demand, and other handmade goods online:
- List them on an online marketplace like Etsy.
- Build your own online store or website.
But, the question remains:
Which one is the winner when it comes to selling products online?
Let’s compare both ways and see which of the Etsy alternatives should pick and use either.
Key differences
Etsy is a creative marketplace boasting thousands of handmade goods (jewelry, wedding items, embroidery, vintage clothing, arts and crafts), with over 4 million vendors catering to 80 million customers globally.
An eCommerce platform is an all-in-one solution enabling you to build and fully own your online store, giving you control over every aspect of the selling process.
What is an all-in-one eCommerce platform?
By subscribing to an all-in-one eCommerce platform you automatically get access to the ecosystem of tools necessary to start and grow your small business, including hosting, online storefront, customization possibilities, payment processing methods, marketing tools, technical support, etc.
One of the best examples of such a platform is Sellfy—an easy-to-use service that allows you to build an online store for your handmade goods in less than 10 minutes.
Reasons for switching to an Etsy alternative
Before we start, it’s important to note that Etsy can still be a great option for creators looking to sell arts and handmade goods. But, while it may seem an exciting way to start a small business for some people it still has a few noticeable drawbacks.
One thing that can’t be forgotten is the insane competition that comes hand in hand with seemingly quick access to a huge customer base. This might seriously impede your long-term success.
In addition to that, there are several reasons why Etsy isn’t the best platform for starting an online business (e.g. unnecessary added costs).
Just because Etsy is free to start and there’s no monthly fee doesn’t automatically make it a more affordable solution. In the long run, Etsy’s fees can (and will) bite off a significant chunk of your revenue.
Etsy takes an insane 6.5% fee of the total order amount, plus a flat rate charge of $0.20 per listed product. And don’t forget about the checkout fee of 3% + $0.25 per transaction.
Sure, it doesn’t seem like a big deal at the beginning. However, the more you can sell online the more you’ll have to pay in fees. For example, if you list an eBook for $15, you will pay $1.4 for each copy sold. Sell twenty copies in a month and say goodbye to $28.
Customization and branding options
Etsy has one clear advantage over many other solutions — its simplicity, as getting started is really a matter of minutes. But what no one ever talks about is that such simplicity comes at a cost as there is almost no way you can make your Etsy shop stand out in a marketplace of identical storefronts.
To succeed in selling products like digital downloads, you need your customer to focus on YOUR product. The last thing you need is your potential buyers getting distracted by similar products offered by other sellers.
On the other hand, if you choose an eCommerce solution like Sellfy, it’s not only as easy to set up but also allows you to put together a professional-grade store that establishes a degree of trust with potential customers.
Building a marketing strategy
Fact:
Marketing and customer retention are vital when it comes to selling any type of digital product.
Another fact:
It requires extra effort to come up with a successful marketing strategy if you’re selling products on an anonymous digital marketplace like Etsy.
Here’s an example:
A few days ago I bought a couple of Excel spreadsheet templates on Etsy. While I find them really useful, I immediately forgot the name of the store I bought them from as I was looking through so many of them. So, who are we kidding here — what are the chances that I will come back for more?
This simple example proves that it’s almost impossible to make an Etsy store stand out in a marketplace of identical storefronts.
Plus, unlike most eCommerce platforms, Etsy has no built-in marketing features like coupon codes, pay-what-you-want pricing, upselling, list-building, abandoned cart emails, or email marketing. Moreover, Etsy is not built to integrate any of these features through 3rd party apps.
Etsy alternatives: FAQ
What is the best alternative to selling on Etsy?
Consider Sellfy as the top alternative to Etsy for creating an online store. With its user-friendly interface and feature-rich platform, Sellfy empowers creators and artists to sell digital products and handmade goods effortlessly. Customize your storefront to reflect your brand and start selling in minutes.
Is it better to sell products on Etsy or on your own website?
Selling on your own website is often preferred over Etsy. Etsy charges commissions, restricts branding, and manages customer communication. Your own website offers more control, strengthens branding, and retains all profits.
Is Etsy worth it in 2024?
Etsy’s listing and transaction fees, competition, and limited branding options may not make it the ideal choice. While there are no subscription fees, Etsy charges a 5% transaction fee in addition to listing fees. With rising competition and constraints on branding and customization, selling on Etsy may not be worthwhile.
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