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E-Commerce · head to head

Etsy vs Temu

Etsy logo

Etsy

E-Commerce

Global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique items

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Temu logo

Temu

E-Commerce

Ultra-low-cost general merchandise marketplace owned by PDD Holdings, parent of Pinduoduo

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Temu has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Etsy transaction fees at 6.5% of sale price; Temu temu is owned by PDD Holdings, the same corporate group behind Chinese app Pinduoduo, and security researchers and app reviewers have raised documented concerns about the scope of data and device permissions the apps in this family request.
  • They diverge on capability: Etsy covers Shop setup, Temu covers General merchandise marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Etsy and Temu actually diverge.

Attributes where Etsy and Temu differ
AttributeEtsyTemu
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionFree to browse and use; pay per order, heavy promotional discounting
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web
Founded2005Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Etsy

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

Only in Temu

  • General merchandise marketplace
  • Direct-from-manufacturer shipping
  • Gamified discounts and referrals
  • Free returns window
  • Aggressive coupon stacking
  • Temu app-only pricing

What people use each for

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

Etsy

  • Selling handmade crafts and unique itemsnot Temu
  • Reselling vintage goods and collectiblesnot Temu
  • Marketing handpicked curated productsnot Temu
  • Operating storefront with secured payment processingnot Temu

Temu

  • A budget shopper buying low-cost, non-critical goods where a long shipping wait is acceptablenot Etsy
  • Someone comparing Temu against Shein and Amazon Shopping on price for a specific item categorynot Etsy
  • A buyer who has reviewed the documented data permission and product safety concerns and decided price still outweighs themnot Etsy
  • A shopper in a market where changing customs thresholds mean checking for added duty before orderingnot Etsy

Where each one falls short

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

Etsy

  • Transaction fees at 6.5% of sale price
  • Payment processing fee of 3% plus $0.25 per transaction
  • 15% offsite ads fee for sales from Etsy external advertising
  • No monthly subscription covers fees - all fees per transaction

Temu

  • Temu is owned by PDD Holdings, the same corporate group behind Chinese app Pinduoduo, and security researchers and app reviewers have raised documented concerns about the scope of data and device permissions the apps in this family request.
  • Consumer safety testing by regulators and watchdog groups has flagged some products sold on Temu for exceeding legal limits on substances such as lead in specific items, similar to findings on other ultra-low-cost marketplaces.
  • Regulators in the EU and US have investigated or fined Temu over misleading discount claims and dark pattern design, including inflated reference prices used to make discounts look larger than they are.
  • Shipping times are long by mainstream e-commerce standards, commonly one to two weeks or more, and buyer recourse for a delayed, missing or damaged order is limited compared with domestic retailers.
  • Changes to duty-free import thresholds in the US and EU have added customs fees to some orders, eroding the headline low price advertised at checkout.

Pricing, plan by plan

Etsy

On request
  • Seller Fees$0.2/listing
    • Listing fee per item for 4 months
  • Transaction Fee$6.5/percent
    • 6.5% of sale price including shipping
  • Payment Processing Fee$3/percent
    • 3% of sale price plus $0.25 per transaction
  • Offsite Ads Fee$15/percent
    • 15% of sale price when sale results from Etsy external advertising

Temu

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Individual item prices frequently under 10 USD before discounts
    • Standard shipping typically 7 to 15 days
    • Customs duties may apply depending on destination country and order value

Which should you pick?

Choose Etsy if

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

Choose Temu if

  • You need general merchandise marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want direct-from-manufacturer shipping.
Temu review

Questions people ask

Is Etsy or Temu better?
Neither clearly leads. Etsy starts at On request and Temu at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Etsy or Temu?
Temu has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Etsy and Free for Temu.
Does Etsy or Temu run on more platforms?
Etsy runs on Web. Temu runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Temu for free?
Yes. Temu has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Etsy starts at On request.
What is Etsy best used for?
Etsy is most often used for selling handmade crafts and unique items, reselling vintage goods and collectibles, marketing handpicked curated products, operating storefront with secured payment processing. Of those, selling handmade crafts and unique items and reselling vintage goods and collectibles are not what Temu is typically brought in for.
What can Etsy do that Temu cannot?
Etsy covers Shop setup, Product listings, Payment processing, Shop customization. Temu covers General merchandise marketplace, Direct-from-manufacturer shipping, Gamified discounts and referrals, Free returns window.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Etsy: What is the listing fee on Etsy?

Each listing costs $0.20 and is active for 4 months. You only pay transaction and payment processing fees when you make a sale.

Source
Temu: Who owns Temu?

Temu is operated by Whaleco Inc., a subsidiary of PDD Holdings, the parent company of the Chinese shopping app Pinduoduo.

Etsy: What are Etsy's transaction and payment fees?

Etsy charges 6.5% transaction fee on the sale price including shipping, plus 3% and $0.25 for payment processing per transaction. If a sale results from Etsy's external advertising, an additional 15% offsite ads fee applies.

Source
Temu: Is Temu safe to use in terms of data privacy?

Security researchers have flagged the scope of permissions requested by Temu and related PDD Holdings apps as a documented concern; the company disputes characterisations of its apps as malicious.

Etsy: Are there monthly subscription costs?

No, Etsy does not require a monthly subscription. You pay per listing ($0.20) and transaction-based fees when you make sales.

Source
Temu: Are Temu products safe?

Consumer safety testing has found some specific products exceeding legal limits for substances such as lead, similar to findings reported on other ultra-low-cost marketplaces; safety varies by product.

Etsy: What types of items can I sell on Etsy?

Etsy allows items you made, designed, handpicked, or sourced that meet Creativity Standards. The marketplace focuses on unique, handmade, or vintage goods rather than mass-produced items.

Source
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