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E-Commerce · head to head

Depop vs Shein

Depop logo

Depop

E-Commerce

Fashion resale marketplace popular with younger sellers, owned by Etsy, with a per-item plus percentage fee

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shein logo

Shein

E-Commerce

Ultra-fast-fashion e-commerce app shipping low-cost apparel direct from Chinese manufacturers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Depop the 2024 shift away from a flat 10 percent fee increased the effective cost per sale for sellers moving high volumes of low-priced items, a group that was previously well served by the app.; Shein independent investigations and regulatory actions have documented labour law violations, including excessive working hours, at factories supplying Shein, and the company's scale makes independent verification of its full supply chain difficult.
  • They diverge on capability: Depop covers Curated seller shops, Shein covers On-demand micro-manufacturing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Depop and Shein actually diverge.

Attributes where Depop and Shein differ
AttributeDepopShein
Pricing modelFree to list; percentage plus per-order seller fee, separate payment processing feeFree to browse and use; pay per order, optional paid loyalty tier

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (iOS, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Depop

  • Curated seller shops
  • Social discovery feed
  • Per-order seller fee
  • Depop Payments
  • Offers and bundles
  • Boost and promoted listings

Only in Shein

  • On-demand micro-manufacturing
  • Direct international shipping
  • In-app trend and influencer marketing
  • Shein Club loyalty programme
  • Frequent flash sales and coupons
  • Size and fit guidance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Depop

  • A younger seller building a curated vintage or streetwear shop with a distinct aesthetic identitynot Shein
  • A buyer who discovers items through a social-style feed rather than direct searchnot Shein
  • A seller moving higher-priced individual pieces where the current fee structure is more favourable than the old flat ratenot Shein
  • Someone who wants social features like likes and follows as part of the buying and selling experiencenot Shein

Shein

  • A budget-conscious shopper buying trend-driven clothing they expect to wear only brieflynot Depop
  • Someone comparing Shein against Temu and Amazon on price for a specific category of goodsnot Depop
  • A shopper who has read the documented labour and safety concerns and decided price still outweighs them for this purchasenot Depop
  • A buyer in a market where Shein ships duty-inclusive and wants to avoid a surprise customs charge on deliverynot Depop

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Depop

  • The 2024 shift away from a flat 10 percent fee increased the effective cost per sale for sellers moving high volumes of low-priced items, a group that was previously well served by the app.
  • Payment processing is a separate fee on top of the per-order seller fee, so the total deduction from a sale is not fully captured by the headline percentage alone.
  • Discovery leans heavily on an algorithmic social feed, so newer sellers without an existing following can find it harder to get visibility without paying for Boost promotion.
  • As an Etsy subsidiary since 2021, Depop's roadmap and fee decisions are set within a larger public company strategy rather than independently, and past fee changes reflect that broader commercial pressure.
  • Buyer protection and dispute resolution for item condition or authenticity issues rely on Depop's own policies, which are less standardised than the seller-rating-driven trust systems on some competitors.

Shein

  • Independent investigations and regulatory actions have documented labour law violations, including excessive working hours, at factories supplying Shein, and the company's scale makes independent verification of its full supply chain difficult.
  • Regulators and consumer safety groups in multiple markets have found banned or excessive chemical substances, including lead and phthalates, in specific products sold on the platform, resulting in recalls and fines.
  • Shein has faced allegations and investigations regarding forced labour in cotton supply chains; the company states it prohibits Xinjiang cotton but independent verification at its production volume is limited.
  • The ultra-fast-fashion production model, generating very large volumes of low-cost, short-lifecycle clothing, has drawn sustained criticism from environmental organisations over textile waste and carbon emissions.
  • Changes to duty-free import thresholds in the US and EU have led to added customs fees and price increases on some orders, and the previously advertised low delivered price is not guaranteed to stay that way.

Pricing, plan by plan

Depop

Free
  • SellingFree
    • Percentage-based fee on sale price plus a small fixed per-order fee
    • Separate payment processing fee applies on top
    • Sellers should check current published rates, as the fee structure changed from a flat 10 percent in 2024

Shein

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Individual item prices, frequently under 10 to 20 USD
    • Shipping fee below a minimum order threshold
    • Customs duties may apply depending on destination country and order value
  • Shein ClubFree
    • Free shipping on qualifying orders, threshold varies by market
    • Points and exclusive discount access
    • Membership typically earned through spend rather than a flat fee in most markets

Which should you pick?

Choose Depop if

  • You need curated seller shops.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want social discovery feed.
Depop review

Choose Shein if

  • You need on-demand micro-manufacturing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want direct international shipping.
Shein review

Questions people ask

Is Depop or Shein better?
Neither clearly leads. Depop starts at Free and Shein at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Depop or Shein?
Depop starts at Free and Shein at Free.
Does Depop or Shein run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Depop for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Depop best used for?
Depop is most often used for a younger seller building a curated vintage or streetwear shop with a distinct aesthetic identity, a buyer who discovers items through a social-style feed rather than direct search, a seller moving higher-priced individual pieces where the current fee structure is more favourable than the old flat rate, someone who wants social features like likes and follows as part of the buying and selling experience. Of those, a younger seller building a curated vintage or streetwear shop with a distinct aesthetic identity and a buyer who discovers items through a social-style feed rather than direct search are not what Shein is typically brought in for.
What can Depop do that Shein cannot?
Depop covers Curated seller shops, Social discovery feed, Per-order seller fee, Depop Payments. Shein covers On-demand micro-manufacturing, Direct international shipping, In-app trend and influencer marketing, Shein Club loyalty programme.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depop: Is Depop seller fee still a flat 10 percent?

No, Depop moved to a percentage plus small fixed per-order fee structure in 2024, replacing the earlier flat 10 percent rate.

Shein: Are Shein products safe?

Testing by regulators and consumer groups has found some products exceeding legal limits for substances such as lead and phthalates, leading to recalls in specific markets; document safety varies by product and has been an ongoing area of scrutiny.

Depop: Who owns Depop?

Etsy, which acquired Depop in 2021 for 1.625 billion dollars.

Shein: Does Shein use forced labour?

The company states it prohibits Xinjiang cotton and forced labour in its supply chain, but independent investigations and journalists have raised documented concerns about labour conditions at supplier factories, and full independent verification at its scale is difficult.

Depop: Does Depop charge for payment processing separately?

Yes, Depop Payments carries its own fee in addition to the per-order seller fee.

Shein: Will I pay customs duty on a Shein order?

It depends on your country and the order value; changes to duty-free import thresholds in markets including the US and EU have increased the likelihood of added fees on some orders.

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