Software · head to head
Sellfy vs AliExpress
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Sellfy every plan caps annual sales volume: $10k on Starter, $50k on Business and $200k on Premium; AliExpress aliExpress publishes no platform-wide pricing; each individual seller sets item price, shipping cost and return policy on the marketplace (archived homepage, 31 Dec 2023).
- They diverge on capability: Sellfy covers Physical & digital products, AliExpress covers Product catalog.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Sellfy and AliExpress actually diverge.
| Attribute | Sellfy | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | transaction |
| Founded | 2013 | 2010 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Sellfy
- Physical & digital products
- Membership/subscription sales
- Email marketing
- Marketing automation
- Affiliate program
- Analytics
- Mobile app
- Multi-currency support
Only in AliExpress
- Product catalog
- Supplier network
- Competitive pricing
- Quality control
- Dispute resolution
- Shipping options
- Payment methods
- Buyer protection
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Sellfy
- Selling digital downloads, subscriptions or print on demand goods from a hosted storefrontnot AliExpress
- Running a small creator store without building a sitenot AliExpress
AliExpress
No use cases recorded yet. See the AliExpress review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Sellfy
- Every plan caps annual sales volume: $10k on Starter, $50k on Business and $200k on Premium
- Exceeding the cap forces a plan upgrade rather than an overage charge, so growth is a step change in cost
- Maximum file size per digital product is tied to the plan, at 10 GB, 15 GB and 20 GB
- Email marketing credits are metered per plan, from 2,000 to 50,000
- Cart abandonment, upselling and the affiliate programme all require the Business plan
- Payment processing fees from PayPal or Stripe are charged on top of the subscription
AliExpress
- AliExpress publishes no platform-wide pricing; each individual seller sets item price, shipping cost and return policy on the marketplace (archived homepage, 31 Dec 2023).
Pricing, plan by plan
Sellfy
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited products
- Basic store
- Email support
- Pro$29/month
- All Free features
- Custom domain
- Email marketing
AliExpress
Free- BuyerFree
- Browse products
- Purchase items
- Buyer protection
Which should you pick?
Choose Sellfy if
- You need physical & digital products.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want membership/subscription sales.
Choose AliExpress if
- You need product catalog.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want supplier network.
Questions people ask
- Is Sellfy or AliExpress better?
- Neither clearly leads. Sellfy starts at Free and AliExpress at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Sellfy or AliExpress?
- Sellfy starts at Free and AliExpress at Free.
- Does Sellfy or AliExpress run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Sellfy for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Sellfy best used for?
- Sellfy is most often used for selling digital downloads, subscriptions or print on demand goods from a hosted storefront, running a small creator store without building a site. Of those, selling digital downloads, subscriptions or print on demand goods from a hosted storefront and running a small creator store without building a site are not what AliExpress is typically brought in for.
- What can Sellfy do that AliExpress cannot?
- Sellfy covers Physical & digital products, Membership/subscription sales, Email marketing, Marketing automation. AliExpress covers Product catalog, Supplier network, Competitive pricing, Quality control.