1️⃣ Monthly Costs Breakdown
| Cost | Etsy (without ads) | Etsy (with ads) | Shopify Basic Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing Fees | $0.20 per item | $0.20 per item | ❌ $0 (No listing fees) |
| Transaction Fee | 6.5% per sale | 6.5% per sale | ❌ $0 (No transaction fee) |
| Payment Processing Fee | ~3% + $0.25 per order | ~3% + $0.25 per order | 2.9% + $0.30 per order |
| Ads | ❌ No ads | ✅ Etsy Ads (5-15%) | ❌ No mandatory ads |
| Monthly Subscription | ❌ Free (Standard) / $10 (Etsy Plus) | ❌ Free (Standard) / $10 (Etsy Plus) | ✅ $29/month |
| Total Estimated Cost (before sales) | $0 (basic) / $10+ (Etsy Plus) | $50-$150 with ads | $29 (flat) |
🔹 Etsy forces you to compete with thousands of sellers, pushing you to spend on ads to stay visible.
🔹 Shopify gives you full control over your brand and customer data—no competing listings, no surprise fees.
2️⃣ How Much You Keep Per Sale
Let’s assume you sell a $30 item, and we compare how much you take home:
| Sale Price | Etsy (No Ads) | Etsy (With Ads - 10%) | Shopify |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 |
| Etsy Listing Fee | -$0.20 | -$0.20 | ❌ $0 |
| Etsy Transaction Fee (6.5%) | -$1.95 | -$1.95 | ❌ $0 |
| Etsy Payment Processing (~3% + $0.25) | -$1.15 | -$1.15 | -$1.17 |
| Etsy Ads (10% avg.) | ❌ $0 | -$3.00 | ❌ $0 |
| Profit Per Sale | $26.70 | $23.70 | $28.83 |
🔹 With Etsy Ads: You lose 21% of every sale just to fees!
🔹 On Shopify: You keep more profit per order, even after the Shopify monthly fee.
3️⃣ Monthly Profit Comparison
Assuming you sell 50 items per month at $30 each:
| Sales per Month | Etsy (No Ads) | Etsy (With Ads) | Shopify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales Revenue | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Etsy Listing Fees | -$10 | -$10 | ❌ $0 |
| Etsy Transaction Fees (6.5%) | -$97.50 | -$97.50 | ❌ $0 |
| Etsy Payment Processing Fees | -$57.50 | -$57.50 | -$58.50 |
| Etsy Ads (10% avg.) | ❌ $0 | -$150 | ❌ $0 |
| Shopify Monthly Fee | ❌ $0 | ❌ $0 | -$29 |
| Total Profit | $1,335 | $1,185 | $1,412 |
🔹 You make $227 more per month on Shopify vs. Etsy with ads.
🔹 Even without ads, Shopify still puts more profit in your pocket.
4️⃣ What About Traffic?
🟢 Etsy: Gives instant traffic but makes you compete with other sellers. You pay for visibility through Etsy Ads.
🟢 Shopify: No built-in traffic, but you own your customer base and use:
✅ Google Shopping (free listings)
✅ SEO (ranks over time)
✅ Facebook/Instagram Shops
✅ Pinterest (huge for handmade sellers)
✅ Email marketing (once a customer buys, you keep them forever!)
🚀 Conclusion: Why Shopify Wins
1️⃣ You keep more profit per sale – No hidden Etsy fees.
2️⃣ No forced ads to get seen – Etsy forces ad spend, Shopify lets you market smarter.
3️⃣ You own your customer list – Etsy doesn’t let you email past buyers.
4️⃣ No competition distractions – On Etsy, customers see other shops. On Shopify, it’s all you.
5️⃣ Tax automation like Etsy – Shopify calculates & charges sales tax like Etsy, so that’s covered!
💡 Would you like to see a real Shopify store in action so you can visualize the difference? 🚀
