Shopify vs Etsy: Is Shopify or Etsy Better in 2024?

If you are seeking an eCommerce solution for your first time selling online, you might find yourself stuck between several online marketplaces and eCommerce platform options like Shopify vs Etsy.

So, what do these top choices compare together? And what works better for your business? LitExtension, the #1 Shopping Migration Service, will address these concerns in the following lines. 

Keep reading to get:

• An overview comparison of Etsy vs Shopify;
• A full-feature differentiation between Shopify and Etsy;
• Which is the best solution for your business, Shopify or Etsy?
• Can you sell on both platforms?

Without any delay, let's get straight away to it! 

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Shopify vs Etsy – An Overview

Shopify is a SaaS (Software as a Service) eCommerce solution founded in 2006 and has evolved to become one of the greatest eCommerce platforms ever since.

As of this writing, Shopify has powered 4,8+ million online stores worldwide (Source: BuiltWith). This platform is chosen by many corporations across various industries, including Gymshark and ColourPop Cosmetics (Fashion & Apparel), Brooklinen (Home & Living), Glossier (Health & Beauty), and many others.

It has been easy to use and very helpful in creating an effective online presence for my business. The platform is intuitive, allowing me to quickly create pages, customize designs, add products, manage payments and shipping options, as well as track analytics. – Patrick L., UK. 

Here's a brief look at Shopify pros and cons:

Let's quickly move to Etsy! Some might wonder, “Is Etsy popular?” or “Is Etsy an eCommerce platform?”

Since its inception in 2005, Etsy has been a trendy marketplace. As of the first quarter of 2024, there are 91.6 million active buyers globally (Source: Statista). Did you know that Etsy is a treasure trove of unique and creative products?

There are so many talented Etsy sellers catering to various niches such as CaitlynMinimalist and MinimalVSBoho for jewelry, TheWhimsicalDoor for home decor, TheYarnKitchen for art & collectibles, and so much more. Etsy is an amazing place to find one-of-a-kind items!

In late 2016, Etsy Pattern, the website platform version of Etsy, was introduced. It allows customers to sell unique things on their own standalone websites. There are fewer product restrictions with Etsy Pattern than with the Etsy marketplace, and it's free to use for the first 30 days.

Etsy is like my creative haven! It's not just a platform; it's a warm community that celebrates uniqueness. The easy-to-use setup made it a breeze to share my creations with the world – John, US. 

Here's a brief look at Etsy pros and cons:

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Shopify vs Etsy – A Head-to-Head Comparison

If you are an intuitive learner, take a look at the short comparison table and see how Shopify vs Etsy compete with each other. 

Pricing – It's a Draw

Price is the most important factor when considering an eCommerce solution for your business, and the same is true when comparing Shopify vs Etsy. Is Shopify cheaper than Etsy? We'll find out in the following lines. 

Before we start, it's worth noting that prices and fees are completely different in our Shopify vs Etsy comparison.

• Prices refer to the amount a merchant is willing to pay for the service (Shopify plans or Etsy packages)
• Fees imply the costs incurred during the sales process (listing fees, transaction fees, etc.) 

Shopify pricing

There are five Shopify pricing plans to choose from: Starter, Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Shopify Plus. The higher the plan, the more features you'll have access to. 

In addition to the monthly subscription costs, Shopify charges transaction fees for each payment made in your store. These costs vary greatly depending on your Shopify pricing plan and your chosen payment method. 

If you wish to use your familiar payment option, Shopify provides pre-integration to over 100 payment gateways, such as PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Stripe, and others. However, you will be charged transaction fees based on your subscription plan.

Here's in details:

• Basic Shopify plan: 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction
• Shopify plan: 2.6% + 30¢ per online transaction
• Advanced Shopify plan: 2.4% + 30¢ per online transaction

Or else, you can choose Shopify Payment, the platform's in-house payment processor, which charges no transaction fees.

Etsy pricing

Unlike Shopify, Etsy only features 2 subscription packages:

• Standard: default for all sellers with no additional monthly cost.
• Etsy Plus: USD $10/month.

When you sign up for an Etsy account, you will automatically subscribe to Etsy Standard. It is a suite of selling tools and capabilities that comes with no Etsy price at all.

On the contrary, Etsy Plus is completely optional. If one wonders, “Is Etsy Plus worth it?“, it's definitely a Yes.

Compared to signing up for separate services on the Etsy Standard package, paying the $10 Etsy Plus cost is much more valuable when you get: 

• Monthly credits for listings and Etsy Ads;
• Access to discounted custom web address for your Etsy shop;
• Restock requests for sold-out items;
• Advanced shop customization options;
• Discounts on custom packaging and promotional materials (boxes, business cards, signage).

However, you need to consider the other fees that apply for each product and transaction. 

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Ease of Use – Etsy is Better

Shopify easy of use

Shopify is regarded as the most user-friendly and straightforward hosted platform. Creating and setting up a Shopify store takes only a few minutes. All you need to do is sign up for a Shopify account and answer simple questions about your business. Then, the Shopify dashboard will appear right before you. 

Next, you can customize your store by following the detailed checklist with simple instructions provided by Shopify. The three main phases are adding products, designing your store, and configuring settings.

We’ve created a tutorial to set up Shopify fast for beginners; you can have a look here:

Etsy ease of use

With Etsy, things are much easier. All you have to do is register an account, choose a store name, upload your products, enter billing details, and then you're good to go!

Uploading products is perhaps the most time-consuming step because it demands a lot of information. It's also the most important part since it decides whether your product stands out on Etsy (and steals customer attraction) or not. 

Still, Etsy will guide you through the process and even give you suggested options for a store name. You don't need to build an entire store to start on Etsy. With a lot of workloads taken away, you can be an Etsy seller within hours.  

See more: Shopify vs Custom-built Websites: Which one is suitable for you? 

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Design Flexibility – Shopify is Better

Shopify themes

With Shopify, you will have access to 200+ themes, both free and paid, on the Shopify themes store. Paid Shopify themes range in price from $150 to $480.

Depending on your business type, you can filter the industry and find the most suitable for your website. 

All Shopify themes are optimized for SEO and mobile usage. Theme switching is seamless; however, certain themes may require content reformatting.

You can customize your eCommerce website's design using a Template editor, which requires no HTML or CSS knowledge. You can also turn your HTML and CSS into a beautiful eCommerce website appearance using Shopify Liquid.

Etsy design flexibility

In contrast to Shopify, Etsy provides a streamlined and hassle-free approach to store design. Your shop will seamlessly integrate into Etsy's established layout and aesthetic. This lack of design interference can be a significant advantage, allowing you to focus on crafting and curating your products without the added burden of complex website design.

However, this convenience comes at the cost of customization.

Etsy's branding options are limited to your store name, logo, product images, and descriptions. While this streamlined approach ensures a consistent look and feel across the platform, it may not be ideal for sellers who want to create a truly unique and distinctive brand identity.

Very clear that, with these few options on Etsy, it’s hard to make your store the center of attention in terms of design.

See more: Shopify vs WordPress: Which Should You Use? 

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Selling Online Features – Shopify is Better

The availability of eCommerce features is necessary while deciding between selling on Shopify vs Etsy. It determines whether or not you will be able to manage your business and generate sales.

Shopify eCommerce features

Even under Shopify's basic plan, the abundance of capabilities this all-in-one solution provides retailers is amazing.

Here's a rundown of some of the features that come included with each Shopify plan:

• Gift cards;
• Discount codes;
• Shopify POS;
• Multichannel selling;
• Abandoned cart recovery;
• SSL certificate;
• Dropshipping;
• Finance report;
• Fraud analysis;
• Blogging;
• Inventory and order management;
• Unlimited bandwidth and online storage;
• Shopify Mobile app.

Multi-channel selling is one of the most significant elements that can assist you in broadening your exposure to potential consumers.

Customers who had almost completed a transaction but left the checkout page (for unknown reasons) are reminded through abandoned cart recovery. This ensures that no sales slip through the cracks in your wallet.

You'll need an SSL certificate for safe transactions on your website. This will develop trust and credibility with prospects. Every package you choose will include SSL certificate authentication as a default.

Etsy eCommerce features

Etsy does a fantastic job at this point by providing you with toolkits to assist you in running your business efficiently.

You can manage orders, edit items, and respond to clients while on the road using the “Sell on Etsy app.” Etsy also offers marketing tools to help you increase traffic, expand your consumer base, and promote your brand.

Another features is performance analysis. It's critical for any business, and Etsy is a master at it. In fact, Etsy includes the analytics report function with every plan by default, which displays thorough details on performance trends and traffic sources.

See more: 

• Shopify vs Amazon: Which Is Best For Selling Online?
• Shopify vs eBay – Comparing Key Features And Differences
• Shopify vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud: A Detailed Comparison

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Marketing Tools – Shopify is Better

Once you've taken stunning product photos and written appealing product descriptions, it's time to drive traffic to your store and show customers what you've got. 

Shopify marketing tools

Selling on an eCommerce platform like Shopify means attracting a steady stream of traffic to your online store. It's possible to promote your online business on Google and social media channels or, alternatively, harness the power of organic traffic through SEO techniques. 

As luck would have it, Shopify offers numerous effective solutions. If to talk about what Shopify impresses me the most, I would say: 

• Shopify Email to create and send professional email campaigns to subscribers with customizable templates and automation features.
• Shopify Inbox to manage customer conversations across multiple channels (email, chat, social media).
• Marketing Automations to automate repetitive marketing tasks like abandoned cart recovery, welcome emails, and customer segmentation.

Although it requires much effort and work, you'll have full control over how your brand connects with customers and creates effective marketing campaigns. 

Etsy marketing tools 

On the other hand, Etsy is a popular marketplace with about 90 million buyers each month, most of whom are repeat customers looking for vintage items or handmade products. This is why many eCommerce beginners choose to start with Etsy.

Etsy's marketing tools primarily focus on promoting your products within the Etsy marketplace to its existing audience. However, it's important to note that buyers don't search for your products specifically; instead, they search within Etsy's platform, which features around 100 million products.

Therefore, it's crucial to consider how to make your products stand out from the competition on your own.

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Scalability – It's a Draw

Shopify scalability

When your business grows bigger, you can easily upgrade your Shopify plan to Shopify Plus. This option will provide you with tons of superb features to scale up and flourish.

Click on the provided link for some key features of Shopify Plus in comparison with Shopify. 

Etsy scalability

If you want extra tools to help your shop grow, you can pay for Etsy Plus, an upgraded version of Etsy.

Also, Etsy is an online marketplace, so you can sell your products both on your own website and on Etsy. This can help your business grow faster. If you use both Etsy and your own website, you can use a tool to connect them. This makes it easier to manage your products and orders.

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Security – Etsy is Better 

Shopify security features

So, as a hosted solution, Shopify offers essential security features like SSL certificates, Two-factor authentication (2FA), and Fraud analysis tools, as well as regular security audits and updates. 

But as a Shopify store owner, you have some responsibility for maintaining the security of your store, such as:

• Choosing strong passwords and enabling 2FA.
• Keeping your Shopify software and apps updated.
• Implementing additional security measures like firewalls or security plugins.

That said, you still need to pick the right solution to control your Shopify store security. 

Etsy security features 

One thing that I really like is that Etsy takes care of all the techy security stuff like server maintenance, payment security, and fraud detection. This means sellers don't have to worry about this complicated stuff or spend extra money on security measures.

Another awesome thing is that Etsy has seller protection policies which cover things like unauthorized transactions, non-delivery of goods, and fraud. This gives sellers peace of mind in case they have any issues with buyers.

Lastly, unlike Shopify, Etsy handles most of the sensitive data and security stuff, so sellers are less likely to be affected by security breaches. This lowers the risk of losing customer data or having their shop compromised.

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Help & Support – Shopify is Better

Shopify help & support

Basically, Shopify offer essential yet dedicated support methods for users:

• 24/7 phone support;
• Social media support;
• 24/7 live chat support;
• Community forum;
• Email support;
• Help Center;
• Video tutorials;
• Advanced specialist support.

Etsy help & support

With Etsy, the options are less diverse. You can find answers to your problems at the Help Center, where information is displayed very cleanly and clearly.

Etsy provides an active forum for engaging in discussions and receiving valuable advice from fellow users. While email and direct phone contact are available for support, it's important to note that sellers have encountered poor customer service in recent years.

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Can You Have Both Shopify and Etsy?

Absolutely! Using both Shopify and Etsy for your business is a fantastic way to create a powerful synergy. It's super effective for expanding your online presence and reaching a wider audience through Etsy's popular marketplace.

With the Etsy Marketplace Integration app, you can easily integrate the Etsy marketplace with your Shopify store. What's the best part? You can try it out for free for the first seven days, and then it's just a small monthly fee.

Related Posts: Shopify Competitors: Comparing Top Alternatives for Ecommerce

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Shopify vs Etsy: FAQs

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Etsy vs Shopify: Final Verdict

With the above-mentioned differentiation pointed out and explained, we still can't give a one-size-fits-all answer to the question, “Is Shopify or Etsy better?” The answer mostly depends on how you want your online business to be.

If you want to build a unique and strong brand identity or expand your business to other sales channels, Shopify is the optional option. 

On the contrary, Etsy is a perfect choice if you are on a tight budget. Anyone who registers for an Etsy account will automatically subscribe to Etsy's default plan, Etsy Standard, and pay no fee at all. Merchants with crafts, art, or handmade goods will also find Etsy a more suitable option for their business.

It’s not by chance they have earned such eradicating reputations after all these years. Shopify and Etsy shine in their own ways, but they are definitely not one-fit-all-size solutions. Therefore, there's time you want to switch to other platforms for the better sake of your business. And that’s when you can rely on LitExtension – #1 The World Shopping Cart Migration Expert.

Up to now, we have successfully migrated 280,000+ stores with 150,000+ customers worldwide. At LitExtension, we offer an advanced automated tool that transfers all your data securely and flawlessly from Etsy to Shopify.

For more information about how we can support your migration, feel free to contact our support team anytime you like, on a 24/7 basis. 

You can also check out our LitExtension blog and join our community for more helpful eCommerce information.

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