eBay vs Etsy: Honest Comparison
Two options, side by side, with the real costs and the honest downsides. No hype, just what I'd want my own family to know before they choose.
| eBay | Etsy | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4 | 4 |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $0 |
| Category | Online selling platform | Online selling platform |
| Pros | First 250 listings each month are free; Huge audience of buyers already searching; Great for selling things around the house to get started; Optional eBay Store plans for bigger sellers | No monthly fee to open a shop; Huge built-in audience of shoppers; Great for crafts, art, vintage and digital downloads; Simple to set up and start listing |
| Cons | Final value fee of about 13.6% on most sales; Listings past 250 a month cost $0.35 each; Lots of competition on popular items; Shipping, returns and customer questions take time | $0.20 listing fee per item, renewed every 4 months; 6.5% transaction fee on each sale, plus payment processing; Offsite Ads can take an extra 12% to 15% on some sales; Crowded marketplace with lots of competition |
| Verdict | eBay is one of the easiest ways to make your first dollar online. Start with things you already own. Fees take a real bite, so price your items with them in mind. | Etsy is one of the easiest ways to start selling creative products from home, with buyers already searching the site every day. Fees add up, so price your items with listing, transaction and processing fees in mind. |
Choose eBay if you want to start by selling things you already own, with 250 free listings a month. Choose Etsy if you make handmade, vintage or digital creative products.
eBay
One of the biggest online marketplaces, where anyone can sell new and used items by auction or fixed price.
Etsy
An online marketplace, founded in 2005, where people sell handmade goods, vintage items, craft supplies and digital downloads.
What I chose for my family
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