Redbubble vs Shopify: 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.
| Redbubble | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3 | 4✓ |
| Monthly cost | $0✓ | $39 |
| Category | Online selling platform | Online selling platform |
| Pros | No inventory: Redbubble prints and ships every order; Built-in marketplace with its own shoppers; Upload once and sell on many product types; You set your own artist margin | Your own branded store, not a shared marketplace; Easy store builder with thousands of apps and themes; Free trial to get started; Handles payments, shipping and inventory |
| Cons | Account fees are taken from your monthly earnings; Standard accounts pay a much higher fee than Premium accounts; Very crowded marketplace; Low earnings per sale | Basic plan costs $39 a month, more on higher plans; You have to bring your own traffic; Apps and themes can add extra monthly costs; Takes time to set up products and marketing |
| Verdict | Redbubble is an easy, no-inventory way to sell your designs. Its account fees cut deeply into small earnings, so read the current fee rules before you put in a lot of time. | Shopify is the go-to choice if you want your own online store with your own brand. Unlike a marketplace, buyers won't find you on their own, so plan how you'll get visitors. |
Choose Redbubble if you want to upload designs to a marketplace that prints and ships for you. Choose Shopify if you want your own branded store and have a plan to bring visitors.
Redbubble
A print on demand marketplace where artists upload designs and Redbubble prints and ships products like shirts, stickers and mugs.
Shopify
A popular platform for building your own online store, with plans from $39 a month and a free trial.
What I chose for my family
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