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Software · head to head

Etsy vs Printful

Etsy logo

Etsy

Software

Global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique items

From
$0.2/per-listing
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Printful logo

Printful

Software

Print on demand dropshipping service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Printful has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Etsy etsy charges a $0.20 USD listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on sale price plus shipping, a 3% plus $0.25 USD payment processing fee, and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when shop and payment currencies differ; Printful the Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales
  • They diverge on capability: Etsy covers Shop setup, Printful covers Print on demand.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Etsy and Printful actually diverge.

Attributes where Etsy and Printful differ
AttributeEtsyPrintful
Starting price$0.2/per-listingFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20052013

Identical on both: pricing model (transaction), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Etsy

  • Shop setup
  • Product listings
  • Payment processing
  • Shop customization
  • Order management
  • Shipping labels
  • Reviews & ratings
  • Shipping protection

Only in Printful

  • Print on demand
  • Custom products
  • Dropshipping
  • Automated fulfillment
  • Quality control
  • Inventory sync
  • Bulk orders
  • Designer tool

What people use each for

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

Etsy

No use cases recorded yet. See the Etsy review.

Printful

  • Print on demand fulfilment for apparel and merchandisenot Etsy
  • Attaching a fulfilment backend to an existing online storenot Etsy

Where each one falls short

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

Etsy

  • Etsy charges a $0.20 USD listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on sale price plus shipping, a 3% plus $0.25 USD payment processing fee, and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when shop and payment currencies differ

Printful

  • The Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales
  • Product discounts of up to 33% are tied to that paid plan, so the lowest unit costs are unavailable to small sellers
  • The free plan allows one sample order a month, capped at 3 items
  • Shipping and taxes are calculated separately from the quoted product price

Pricing, plan by plan

Etsy

$0.2/per-listing
  • Standard Shop$0.2/per-listing-plus-commission
    • Listing fees
    • Transaction fees
    • Payment processing

Printful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited integrations
    • Basic dashboard
    • Order fulfillment

Which should you pick?

Choose Etsy if

  • You need shop setup.
  • You also want product listings.
Etsy review

Choose Printful if

  • You need print on demand.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want custom products.
Printful review

Questions people ask

Is Etsy or Printful better?
Neither clearly leads. Etsy starts at $0.2/per-listing and Printful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Etsy or Printful?
Printful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.2/per-listing for Etsy and Free for Printful.
Does Etsy or Printful run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Printful for free?
Yes. Printful has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Etsy starts at $0.2/per-listing.
What can Etsy do that Printful cannot?
Etsy covers Shop setup, Product listings, Payment processing, Shop customization. Printful covers Print on demand, Custom products, Dropshipping, Automated fulfillment.
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