How much does Etsy take from a POD sale?

Roughly 6.5% transaction fee plus payment processing around 3% + $0.25, plus $0.20 listing — about $2–$3 on a $25 shirt.

Is it cheaper to sell POD on my own store?

Per sale yes — Shopify plus Stripe costs less than Etsy fees. But you pay for traffic instead, which usually costs more than the fee gap until you have an audience.

Etsy POD Fees vs Own Store (2026)

Updated September 2026 · 5 min read

You're paying Etsy $2–$3 per shirt and wondering if Shopify would keep more in your pocket. It would — per sale. But that's the wrong math, and it tricks a lot of sellers.

The short answer

Etsy $25 tee: ~$2–$3 in fees, buyer traffic included
Own store $25 tee: ~$1 in processing, but you buy every visitor
Rule: start on Etsy, move winners to your own store

What Etsy really charges

Roughly 6.5% transaction, ~3% + $0.25 processing, $0.20 listing. On a $24.99 shirt that's about $1.62 + $1.00 + $0.20 — call it $2.80. Painful, but that $2.80 buys you placement in front of people already searching “funny nurse shirt.” Your Shopify store charges $0 for placement because there is no placement.

Here's the thing: a Facebook click costs $0.50–$1.50. At a 2% conversion rate you need 50 clicks per sale — that's $25–$75 to replace what Etsy gave you for $2.80. Unless you've got TikTok organic or an email list, your own store is the expensive option.

When to move off Etsy

Once a design sells 100+ units with reviews, clone it to your own store and run traffic straight there. You've proven demand, so ad spend converts. Keep Etsy as the discovery net, your store as the profit keeper. Model both with the POD Profit Calculator by changing the fee percent.

Still deciding on POD at all?

Read is print on demand worth it first — channel choice only matters if the underlying margins work.

The bottom line

Etsy wins for discovery, your store wins per sale. Start where the buyers are, graduate when your bestsellers can fund their own traffic.

Open POD Profit Calculator