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E-Commerce · head to head

Poshmark vs Temu

Poshmark logo

Poshmark

E-Commerce

Social resale marketplace with a flat fee on low-value sales and a percentage cut above that

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Poshmark the flat 2.95 dollar fee on sales under 15 dollars takes a large proportional bite out of cheap items, making Poshmark a poor fit for offloading low-value pieces compared with a flat percentage competitor.; 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: Poshmark covers Social sharing feed, Temu covers General merchandise marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Poshmark and Temu actually diverge.

Attributes where Poshmark and Temu differ
AttributePoshmarkTemu
Pricing modelFree to list; tiered seller commission by sale priceFree to browse and use; pay per order, heavy promotional discounting

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 Poshmark

  • Social sharing feed
  • Posh Shows live selling
  • Tiered seller commission
  • Prepaid shipping labels
  • Posh Protect buyer guarantee
  • Bundle and offer tools

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.

Poshmark

  • A seller with a wardrobe of mid-value branded clothing who wants social discovery features to drive salesnot Temu
  • Someone willing to invest time sharing and engaging to keep listings visible in the feed algorithmnot Temu
  • A buyer who enjoys live-hosted Posh Shows as a shopping format rather than static browsingnot Temu
  • A seller who wants shipping cost handled through a fixed-rate prepaid label rather than arranging it themselvesnot Temu

Temu

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

Where each one falls short

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

Poshmark

  • The flat 2.95 dollar fee on sales under 15 dollars takes a large proportional bite out of cheap items, making Poshmark a poor fit for offloading low-value pieces compared with a flat percentage competitor.
  • The 20 percent commission on higher-value sales is above Mercari flat 10 percent rate, so a seller moving pricier items pays materially more per sale unless the social discovery features generate enough extra volume to compensate.
  • Visibility in the app depends heavily on active sharing and engagement, so a seller who lists items and does not regularly promote them tends to see far fewer sales than one who does, turning selling into ongoing work.
  • Naver ownership since 2023 means Poshmark now reports as part of a larger Korean internet conglomerate rather than as an independent company, which can affect roadmap priorities and regional focus.
  • Buyer protection through Posh Protect requires timely reporting and photo evidence, and disputes over item condition still rely on subjective judgement between buyer and seller.

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

Poshmark

Free
  • SellingFree
    • Flat 2.95 dollar fee on sales under 15 dollars
    • 20 percent commission on sales of 15 dollars or more
    • Shipping label cost typically passed to the buyer at a fixed rate

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 Poshmark if

  • You need social sharing feed.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want posh shows live selling.
Poshmark 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 Poshmark or Temu better?
Neither clearly leads. Poshmark starts at Free and Temu at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Poshmark or Temu?
Poshmark starts at Free and Temu at Free.
Does Poshmark or Temu run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Poshmark for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Poshmark best used for?
Poshmark is most often used for a seller with a wardrobe of mid-value branded clothing who wants social discovery features to drive sales, someone willing to invest time sharing and engaging to keep listings visible in the feed algorithm, a buyer who enjoys live-hosted posh shows as a shopping format rather than static browsing, a seller who wants shipping cost handled through a fixed-rate prepaid label rather than arranging it themselves. Of those, a seller with a wardrobe of mid-value branded clothing who wants social discovery features to drive sales and someone willing to invest time sharing and engaging to keep listings visible in the feed algorithm are not what Temu is typically brought in for.
What can Poshmark do that Temu cannot?
Poshmark covers Social sharing feed, Posh Shows live selling, Tiered seller commission, Prepaid shipping labels. Temu covers General merchandise marketplace, Direct-from-manufacturer shipping, Gamified discounts and referrals, Free returns window.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Poshmark: How much does Poshmark charge sellers?

A flat 2.95 dollar fee on sales under 15 dollars, and a 20 percent commission on sales of 15 dollars or more.

Temu: Who owns Temu?

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

Poshmark: Who owns Poshmark?

Naver, the South Korean internet and search company, acquired Poshmark in 2023.

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.

Poshmark: Do I have to actively promote my listings?

Not strictly, but the app visibility algorithm favours accounts that regularly share and engage, so passive listing tends to sell more slowly.

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.

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