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E-Commerce · head to head

Etsy vs Wish

Etsy logo

Etsy

E-Commerce

Global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique items

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wish logo

Wish

E-Commerce

Discount marketplace connecting buyers to low-cost goods from mostly Chinese sellers, now owned by Qoo10

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Wish 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; Wish the US Federal Trade Commission previously took action against Wish over deceptive claims about product origin, shipping times and reference pricing, and the platform operated for years under the practices that prompted that action.
  • They diverge on capability: Etsy covers Shop setup, Wish covers Discount marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Etsy and Wish actually diverge.

Attributes where Etsy and Wish differ
AttributeEtsyWish
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionFree to browse and use; pay per order
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 Wish

  • Discount marketplace
  • Personalised discovery feed
  • Wish Local pickup (select markets)
  • Price-drop and clearance sections
  • Buyer protection programme
  • Seller ratings

What people use each for

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

Etsy

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

Wish

  • A budget shopper who already has a Wish account from its earlier growth period and wants to compare it against Temunot Etsy
  • Someone in a market with Wish Local pickup wanting to avoid a residential delivery waitnot Etsy
  • A buyer purchasing low-value novelty or accessory items where slow shipping and limited recourse are acceptable trade-offsnot Etsy
  • A shopper comparing seller ratings and buyer protection terms across discount marketplaces 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

Wish

  • The US Federal Trade Commission previously took action against Wish over deceptive claims about product origin, shipping times and reference pricing, and the platform operated for years under the practices that prompted that action.
  • Wish shrank substantially from its mid-2010s peak user base as Temu and Shein captured the same low-cost cross-border shopping demand with more aggressive marketing and larger catalogues.
  • The platform changed ownership in 2024 when ContextLogic sold it to Qoo10, so long-time users are now dealing with a different operating company than the one that built the original reputation, good or bad.
  • As with comparable ultra-low-cost marketplaces, individual sellers vary widely in reliability, and product safety and authenticity cannot be verified by the buyer before an item ships from overseas.
  • Shipping times remain long relative to domestic retailers, commonly one to three weeks, and buyer recourse for delayed or missing orders depends on the buyer protection programme actually being honoured.

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

Wish

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Individual item prices frequently low, similar to Temu and Shein
    • Shipping times commonly one to three weeks
    • 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 Wish if

  • You need discount marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want personalised discovery feed.
Wish review

Questions people ask

Is Etsy or Wish better?
Neither clearly leads. Etsy starts at On request and Wish at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Etsy or Wish?
Wish has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Etsy and Free for Wish.
Does Etsy or Wish run on more platforms?
Etsy runs on Web. Wish runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Wish for free?
Yes. Wish 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 Wish is typically brought in for.
What can Etsy do that Wish cannot?
Etsy covers Shop setup, Product listings, Payment processing, Shop customization. Wish covers Discount marketplace, Personalised discovery feed, Wish Local pickup (select markets), Price-drop and clearance sections.

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
Wish: Is Wish still owned by the company that built it?

No. ContextLogic sold the Wish platform and brand to Qoo10, a Singapore and Korea-based e-commerce group, in a deal completed in 2024.

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
Wish: Did Wish face regulatory action over its practices?

Yes, the US FTC previously took action against Wish over misleading claims regarding shipping times, product origin and pricing, requiring clearer disclosures.

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
Wish: How does Wish compare to Temu today?

Wish is considerably smaller in scale and marketing spend than Temu, though both offer a similar low-cost, long-shipping-time cross-border model.

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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