How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Enter your item's sale price
Type the total price a customer pays for your product, including any shipping fees. The calculator runs instantly on the default $100 value.
- 2
Review platform fees side by side
The results show each platform's total fee, net payout, and which platform is cheaper. The Insights card breaks down Etsy's three fee components and Shopify's single processing fee.
- 3
Check the break-even analysis
The Insights card shows how many monthly sales at your price point you'd need to justify Shopify's $39/month Basic plan with the per-transaction savings.
Example Calculation
An online seller wants to compare fees for a $100 item on Etsy versus Shopify.
Sale Price
$100
Results
Cheaper Platform
Shopify Payments
Fee Savings
$6.75
Etsy Fee
$9.95 (9.9%)
Shopify Fee
$3.20 (3.2%)
Etsy Net
$90.05
Shopify Net
$96.80
Insights card shows fee breakdown bars and break-even analysis for Shopify's $39/month plan.
Tips
Factor In Shopify's Monthly Subscription
Shopify's Basic plan costs $39/month (2026 pricing). For a $100 item, you'd need about 6 sales/month just to cover the subscription with per-transaction savings. Include this fixed cost in your profitability analysis.
Evaluate Built-In Marketplace Traffic
Etsy provides a built-in marketplace audience, while Shopify requires sellers to drive their own traffic via paid ads or SEO. Factor the cost and effort of marketing into your platform choice, beyond just transaction fees.
Scale Favors Shopify
For high-volume sellers exceeding 15-20 sales/month at moderate prices, Shopify's lower per-transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30 vs. 9.5% + $0.45) quickly offset the monthly subscription, making it more cost-effective.
Choosing the Right E-commerce Platform: Etsy vs. Shopify Fees
The Etsy vs. Shopify Fee Comparison Calculator provides a direct side-by-side analysis of the transaction costs for a single sale, pitting Etsy's combined 9.5% + $0.45 (transaction, payment processing, and listing) against Shopify Payments' typical 2.9% + $0.30.
This tool is invaluable for online sellers deciding where to establish or expand their digital storefront.
For example, on a $100 sale, Etsy's fees total $9.95, while Shopify's are $3.20 -- a $6.75 difference per transaction in 2026.
Why a Fee Comparison is Crucial for Online Sellers
For online entrepreneurs, the choice of e-commerce platform profoundly impacts profitability.
Fees, both fixed and variable, can quickly erode margins if not carefully considered.
A direct fee comparison like this helps sellers understand the immediate financial implications of each transaction on platforms like Etsy and Shopify.
This insight is crucial for setting competitive prices, forecasting revenue, and ultimately deciding which platform best aligns with their business model, sales volume, and growth aspirations.
Comparing Etsy's and Shopify's Transaction Fees
This calculator determines the total fees for a given sale amount on both Etsy and Shopify (using Shopify Payments) and highlights the difference.
For Etsy, the combined fee includes:
etsy fees = (sale price × 0.065) + (sale price × 0.03 + 0.25) + 0.20etsy fees = sale price × 0.095 + 0.45
For Shopify Payments, the fee includes:
shopify fees = sale price × 0.029 + 0.30
The sale price in both cases refers to the total amount collected from the buyer, including any shipping.
Illustrative Comparison: A $100 Sale
Let's compare the fees for a $100 item sold on both Etsy and Shopify, assuming a standard Shopify Payments rate and that the $0.20 Etsy listing fee applies.
Etsy Fees:
- 6.5% Transaction Fee: $100 × 0.065 = $6.50
- 3% + $0.25 Payment Processing Fee: ($100 × 0.03) + $0.25 = $3.00 + $0.25 = $3.25
- $0.20 Listing Fee: $0.20
- Total Etsy Fees: $6.50 + $3.25 + $0.20 = $9.95
Shopify Payments Fees:
- 2.9% + $0.30 Payment Processing Fee: ($100 × 0.029) + $0.30 = $2.90 + $0.30 = $3.20
- Total Shopify Fees: $3.20
In this example, Shopify's direct transaction fees are $6.75 lower -- $3.20 compared to Etsy's $9.95 for a $100 sale.
The Etsy fee represents 9.9% of the sale price versus Shopify's 3.2%.
Strategic Platform Choice for Online Sellers
Choosing between platforms like Etsy and Shopify involves a strategic decision that extends beyond just per-transaction fees.
While Etsy offers a ready-made marketplace with inherent traffic, making it ideal for niche craft sellers or those starting out, it comes with a higher combined fee percentage (around 9.5-10% of total sale value plus fixed fees).
Shopify, conversely, requires sellers to drive their own traffic and incurs a monthly subscription cost (e.g., $39 for the Basic plan in 2026), but offers much lower per-transaction payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30).
For a $100 item, a seller would need roughly 6 sales per month for Shopify's per-transaction savings ($6.75 each) to offset the $39 subscription.
For businesses exceeding that threshold, Shopify's total cost of ownership drops below Etsy's.
Limitations of a Simple Fee Comparison
While this calculator provides a clear comparison of Etsy and Shopify's transaction fees, it's crucial to understand its limitations.
This tool does not account for several other critical factors that influence the overall cost and success of an online store.
These include Shopify's monthly subscription fees ($39-$399+ in 2026), the cost of apps and themes for Shopify, marketing expenses required to drive traffic to a standalone Shopify store versus Etsy's built-in audience, and the time investment in platform management.
Furthermore, it doesn't consider currency conversion fees for international sales, which can add an extra 2.5% on Etsy.
A holistic business decision requires weighing these additional costs and benefits alongside the direct transaction fee comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the core fee differences between Etsy and Shopify?
Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee, and a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee -- totaling about 9.5% + $0.45 per sale. Shopify, using Shopify Payments, charges only 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction but requires a monthly subscription ($39/month for Basic in 2026). On a $100 sale, Etsy's fees are $9.95 vs. Shopify's $3.20.
When is Etsy generally cheaper than Shopify?
Etsy is more cost-effective for sellers with low sales volumes. For a $100 item, the per-transaction savings on Shopify are $6.75, meaning you'd need about 6 sales per month to offset Shopify's $39/month Basic plan. Sellers making fewer than 5-6 sales per month at this price point save money on Etsy since there's no monthly subscription.
When does Shopify become more cost-effective than Etsy?
Shopify becomes cheaper once your monthly sales volume generates enough per-transaction savings to cover the subscription. For a $100 item (saving $6.75 per sale), that break-even is roughly 6 sales/month. At 20 sales/month, you'd save about $96 net ($135 in fee savings minus $39 subscription). The higher your volume, the bigger the advantage.
Does this calculator include Shopify's monthly subscription fee?
No. This calculator compares only per-transaction fees. Shopify's Basic plan costs $39/month (2026 pricing). The Insights section shows a break-even analysis so you can see how many sales at your price point would offset the subscription cost through per-transaction savings.
What fees does Etsy charge that aren't in Shopify?
Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee and a $0.20 listing fee that Shopify doesn't have. Etsy also charges a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee. Shopify only charges 2.9% + $0.30 for payment processing (when using Shopify Payments). Additionally, Etsy charges 15% on Offsite Ads conversions and 2.5% for currency conversion on international sales, neither of which are included in this comparison.