Crafts & DIY

Best Places to Sell Handmade Crafts Online (2027)

Eight places to sell handmade crafts online, compared on per-sale fees, monthly costs and buyer numbers as listed in November 2026.

By Selina GraceNovember 6, 202611 min read
Best Places to Sell Handmade Crafts Online (2027)

You have a shelf of finished pieces, friends who keep asking where they can buy them, and a phone full of product photos. The next question is where to list them so strangers can find your work and pay for it.

That choice decides how much of each sale you keep. On the platforms below, the per-sale cut before payment processing runs from 0% to 15%, and some add a monthly plan on top. Picking the wrong one can cost more than your materials.

Quick answer

Etsy is the best place for most makers to start selling handmade crafts online in 2027. It reported about 88 million active buyers and charges a 6.5% transaction fee plus $0.20 per listing. Amazon Handmade reaches Amazon shoppers at a 15% referral fee, Shopify suits makers ready to run their own site, and Folksy is the pick for UK makers.

Key takeaways

  • Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, a 6.5% transaction fee and 3% + $0.25 processing for US sellers.
  • Amazon Handmade takes 15% per unit ($0.30 minimum) and waives its $39.99 plan fee after month one.
  • eBay's final value fee is 13.6% for most categories, plus $0.30 or $0.40 per order.
  • Big Cartel adds no transaction fee and offers a free plan for up to 5 products.
  • Etsy reported about 88 million active buyers for the 12 months to September 30, 2026.

Our picks at a glance

Pick Best for Price or key number Standout
Etsy Most handmade sellers starting out 6.5% transaction fee + $0.20 per listing About 88 million active buyers
Amazon Handmade Makers who want Amazon’s shoppers 15% referral fee $39.99 plan fee waived after month one
Shopify Makers ready to run their own brand site From $29/month billed yearly No third-party transaction fee with Shopify Payments
eBay One-off and collectible pieces 13.6% final value fee (most categories) 250 free listings a month
Big Cartel Small catalogs on a tight budget Free plan for up to 5 products No Big Cartel transaction fee
Squarespace A portfolio and shop in one site From $19/month billed yearly 0% transaction fee from the Core plan up
Folksy UK makers 6% + VAT commission Built only for UK makers
Ko-fi Makers who already have a following 5% on shop sales (free tier) Shop, tips and commissions on one page

How we chose

We compared each platform’s published fee pages, pricing pages and company reports as listed in November 2026. We did not open shops or sell on any of them for this article. We ranked the picks by:

  • Built-in buyers: whether the platform brings shoppers to you, and how many it reports.
  • Per-sale fee: the percentage taken from each sale before payment processing.
  • Fixed costs: listing fees and monthly plans you pay even in a slow month.
  • Handmade fit: whether the platform is built for makers or treats handmade like any other product.
  • Control: how much of the brand, design and customer list you keep.
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Where is the best place to sell handmade crafts online in 2027?

1. Etsy: Best for most handmade sellers starting out

Etsy is still the default marketplace for handmade goods. In its third-quarter 2026 shareholder letter, Etsy reported about 88 million active buyers over the 12 months to September 30, 2026.

Its Fee Basics page lists a flat $0.20 listing fee and a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrap. Sellers with a US bank account also pay 3% + $0.25 in payment processing.

Pros

  • Shoppers come to Etsy looking for handmade, custom and vintage items.
  • Low fixed cost: $0.20 per listing and no monthly plan required to sell.
  • The largest handmade-focused buyer base on this list, about 88 million active buyers.

Cons

  • Fees stack up: listing, transaction, processing and sometimes Offsite Ads.
  • Offsite Ads take 15% of attributed orders (12% once a shop passes $10,000 in yearly sales), and shops past that mark can’t opt out.
  • Your listing sits beside many similar ones in the same search results.

Key facts: $0.20 per listing; 6.5% transaction fee; 3% + $0.25 US processing; Offsite Ads fee capped at $100 per order.

2. Amazon Handmade: Best for makers who want Amazon’s shoppers

Amazon Handmade is a section of Amazon for items that are handcrafted or hand-altered, and makers apply before they can list. The program page lists a referral fee of 15% or $0.30 per unit, whichever is greater.

Handmade requires a Professional selling plan, which Amazon says typically costs $39.99 a month. After a one-time first-month payment, Amazon waives the ongoing monthly fee for approved Handmade sellers.

Pros

  • Puts your work in front of shoppers who already have Amazon accounts.
  • No ongoing monthly plan fee once you are approved.
  • The application and audit process is meant to keep the section to genuine handmade work.

Cons

  • 15% is the highest per-sale cut on this list.
  • You pay the first month’s $39.99 plan fee.
  • Approval is required, so you can’t start selling the same day.

Key facts: 15% referral fee ($0.30 minimum per unit); $39.99 Professional plan for the first month, then waived for approved makers; application required.

3. Shopify: Best for makers ready to run their own brand site

Shopify gives you your own online store instead of a stall in someone else’s market. On its pricing page, the Basic plan is $29 a month billed yearly or $39 billed monthly, with online card rates from 2.9% + 30¢.

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Shopify’s Help Center says there are no third-party transaction fees when Shopify Payments is your only payment provider. Using another provider adds a 2% fee on Basic.

Pros

  • You own the domain, design and customer list.
  • No per-sale platform commission when you use Shopify Payments.
  • New stores can try it for 3 days, then pay $1 a month for 3 months.

Cons

  • No built-in shoppers: you bring all of the traffic yourself.
  • You pay the monthly plan even when nothing sells.
  • More setup work than listing an item on a marketplace.

Key facts: Basic $29/month billed yearly or $39 monthly; 2.9% + 30¢ online card rate on Basic; 2% fee on Basic if you use a third-party payment provider.

4. eBay: Best for one-off and collectible pieces

eBay works for makers who sell single pieces, take bids, or make items collectors search for by name. Its selling fees page lists a 13.6% final value fee for most categories on sales up to $7,500 for sellers without a store, plus $0.30 per order of $10 or less and $0.40 above that.

Sellers get 250 free listings a month. eBay reported 147 million active buyers for the quarter ended September 30, 2026.

Pros

  • A very large buyer base.
  • 250 free listings a month keeps fixed costs low.
  • Auctions help you price one-of-a-kind work.

Cons

  • The 13.6% fee is more than double Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee.
  • It is not a handmade marketplace, so your work sits beside mass-produced goods.
  • The per-order fee bites on low-priced items.

Key facts: 13.6% final value fee for most categories (no store); $0.30 or $0.40 per order; 250 free listings a month.

5. Big Cartel: Best for small catalogs on a tight budget

Big Cartel is a simple store builder for artists and makers; its homepage names jewelry makers, printmakers, ceramicists and painters among its users. Its pricing page shows a free Gold plan, Platinum at $15 a month after a 7-day free trial, and Diamond at $30 a month.

A Style Factory review updated in August 2026 says Big Cartel charges no transaction fees and caps the plans at 5, 50 and 500 products. Stripe or PayPal still charge their own processing fees.

Pros

  • A free plan to test demand with a few products.
  • No Big Cartel transaction fee on sales.

Cons

  • No marketplace traffic, so buyers have to come from you.
  • The free Gold plan is capped at 5 products.
  • Fewer tools than Shopify; abandoned cart recovery is a Diamond feature.

Key facts: Gold free (5 products); Platinum $15/month (50 products); Diamond $30/month (500 products); payment processor fees apply.

6. Squarespace: Best for a portfolio and shop in one site

Squarespace suits makers whose website doubles as a portfolio, such as furniture makers or ceramicists who also take commissions. On its pricing page, the Basic plan costs $19 a month billed yearly ($25 monthly) and charges a 2% online store transaction fee.

The Core plan, at $29 a month billed yearly, drops that fee to 0%.

Pros

  • Design templates built for showing visual work.
  • 0% transaction fee from the Core plan up.

Cons

  • No built-in shoppers.
  • The Basic plan takes 2% of each online sale.
  • You pay the plan every month whether or not you sell.

Key facts: Basic $19/month yearly ($25 monthly) with a 2% transaction fee; Core $29/month yearly with 0%.

7. Folksy: Best for UK makers

Folksy describes itself as a marketplace for UK makers selling handmade, designed or small-batch products. Basic sellers pay 15p + VAT per listing and a 6% + VAT commission; the Plus plan costs £7.50 a month or £75 a year and makes listings free.

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Folksy says it has 10,000+ makers and 2M+ items sold.

Pros

  • Every seller is a UK maker, so shoppers know what they are getting.
  • A 6% commission is among the lowest marketplace cuts here.
  • The Plus plan removes listing fees for makers with large catalogs.

Cons

  • Only open to UK makers.
  • Much smaller than Etsy.
  • VAT is added on top of the listing fee and commission.

Key facts: 15p + VAT per listing (Basic); 6% + VAT commission; Plus £7.50/month or £75/year.

8. Ko-fi: Best for makers who already have a following

Ko-fi started as a tip page for creators and now includes a shop and commissions. Its pricing page lists a 5% service fee on shop sales for the free tier, and Ko-fi Gold removes it for $12 a month. Card processing fees apply on either plan.

Pros

  • Shop, tips, memberships and commissions on one page.
  • Free to start.
  • Gold drops the platform fee to 0% for busier sellers.

Cons

  • Works best when you send your own followers there.
  • 5% fee on shop sales unless you pay for Gold.
  • Gold costs $12 a month even in slow months.

Key facts: 5% on shop sales (free tier); Gold $12/month with 0% platform fee; card processing extra.

How much does each platform take from a $50 sale?

Here is the platform’s own cut on a $50 item with no shipping charge, using the standard US rates each site listed in November 2026. Payment processing and monthly plans are shown separately because they vary.

Platform Platform fee on $50 Also budget for
Etsy $3.45 ($0.20 listing + 6.5%) $1.75 US processing (3% + $0.25)
Amazon Handmade $7.50 (15%) $39.99 plan fee in month one
eBay $7.20 (13.6% + $0.40 per order) Optional store or promoted listing costs
Ko-fi (free tier) $2.50 (5%) Card processing
Squarespace Basic $1.00 (2%) $19/month plan, card processing
Shopify Basic $0 with Shopify Payments $1.75 card rate (2.9% + 30¢), $29/month plan
Big Cartel $0 Stripe or PayPal processing, plan fee above 5 products

A $29 monthly plan costs more than Etsy’s fees until your sales climb, and a store with no traffic earns nothing. Fees change often, so check each platform’s page before you list. For questions about taxes on craft income, talk to an accountant.

Should you sell crafts on a marketplace or your own website?

A marketplace rents you its shoppers. Your own website gives you control but no foot traffic.

  • Choose a marketplace (Etsy, Amazon Handmade, eBay, Folksy) if you have no audience yet and want buyers who are already searching.
  • Choose your own site (Shopify, Squarespace, Big Cartel) if you already sell at markets or on social media and want to keep the customer list.
  • Choose a creator page (Ko-fi) if people already follow your work and you sell a small range alongside commissions.

Whichever you pick, getting your work seen still matters. Our list of places where makers and crafters can share projects and get featured covers outlets that can send new buyers your way.

Which platform should you start with?

  • Brand new and testing what sells: start on Etsy. The $0.20 listing fee keeps the risk low.
  • Already selling well on Etsy: apply to Amazon Handmade for a second set of shoppers.
  • Selling at markets with a mailing list: build a Shopify or Big Cartel store and send your regulars there.
  • Selling commissioned or large pieces: Squarespace lets the portfolio do the selling.
  • Based in the UK: list on Folksy alongside Etsy.
  • Still building up stock: our guides to getting started with pottery and knitting your first scarf are good places to begin.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Etsy still worth it for handmade sellers in 2027?

For most new makers, yes. Etsy reported about 88 million active buyers for the 12 months to September 30, 2026, and its fees are a $0.20 listing fee plus a 6.5% transaction fee and payment processing. The main downside is that Offsite Ads can take 15% of attributed orders, or 12% for larger shops.

What is the cheapest place to sell handmade crafts online?

Big Cartel's free Gold plan charges no Big Cartel transaction fee for up to 5 products, and Shopify charges no third-party transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments. Neither brings you shoppers, though. Among marketplaces with built-in buyers, Folksy (6% + VAT, UK only) and Etsy (6.5%) have the lowest commissions.

How much does Etsy take from a sale?

Etsy charges $0.20 per listing and a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrap. Sellers with a US bank account also pay 3% + $0.25 in payment processing. On a $50 item with no shipping, that is about $5.20 in total.

Is Amazon Handmade better than Etsy?

Amazon Handmade puts your work in front of Amazon shoppers, but its 15% referral fee is more than double Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee. You also need approval and pay a $39.99 plan fee for the first month. Many makers start on Etsy and add Amazon Handmade once their products sell steadily.

Can I sell handmade crafts online without a monthly fee?

Yes. Etsy, eBay and Folksy's Basic plan have no monthly plan fee, Big Cartel has a free plan for up to 5 products, and Ko-fi's free tier charges 5% on shop sales instead of a monthly fee. Amazon Handmade waives its monthly fee for approved makers after the first month.

What is the best Etsy alternative in the UK?

Folksy is built for UK makers selling handmade, designed or small-batch products. It charges 15p + VAT per listing and 6% + VAT commission on its Basic plan, and its Plus plan costs £7.50 a month or £75 a year with free listings.

Do I need my own website to sell crafts?

No, but it helps once you have regular buyers. A marketplace like Etsy brings shoppers to you, while your own site on Shopify, Squarespace or Big Cartel lets you keep the customer list and avoid marketplace commissions. Many makers run both.

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