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The online marketplace for handmade and vintage items, Etsy, has been around since 2005. Through the years, it has become a go-to destination for shoppers looking for unique and one-of-a-kind handmade items. However, as with all things, Etsy is not immune to competition.
With its recent 30% increase in seller fees, you might be among the thousands looking for an alternative e-commerce solution. In this guide, we’ll compare what we consider to be the top five Etsy alternatives and competitors for consideration by Australian-makers.
Note: The below list represents a selection of our top category picks, as chosen by Forbes Advisor Australia’s editors and journalists. The information provided is purely factual and is not intended to imply any recommendation, opinion, or advice about a financial product. Not every product or provider in the marketplace has been reviewed, and the list below is not intended to be exhaustive nor replace your own research or independent financial advice. For more information on how Forbes Advisor ranks and reviews products, including how we identified our top category picks, read the methodology selection below.
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On Wix’s Website
Subscription Fee
$15 AUD to $179 AUD
Custom Domain
Yes
Free Trial
14 days
On Squarespace’s Secure Website
Starting price
$16 AUD
Drag-and-Drop Interface
Yes
Standout Features
Free domain and SSL certificate, no transaction fees, award-winning templates
via IONOS’s Secure Website
Starting price
$US2 ($2.95 AUD) per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Yes, as an add-on
On Shopify’s Secure Website
Pricing
$56 AUD to $575 AUD
Free trial
Free for three days, then $1 for one month
Term lengths
Month-to-month, annual
$15 AUD to $179 AUD
Yes
14 days
Wix is a cloud-based platform that allows users to create websites through the use of drag-and-drop tools, all with no coding or design skills required. It provides users with a wide range of templates and tools that can be used to create a professional-looking website. It does not charge listing fees, and it offers a variety of features that help businesses sell products online.
Get 24/7 customer support, unlimited products, abandoned cart recovery, a free domain name for the first year and ample storage space. Wix has a basic plan, but it has limited storage and you can’t accept online payments. If you need this as an alternative to Etsy, you must use a Business plan. The only time an a basic plan may be suitable is if your ecommerce store only accepts in-person payments upon pick-up for local sales.
Read more: Read our full Wix review.
Starts at $42 AUD per month (first three months for $1 AUD/month)
(paid annually)
For a fee
3 days
Shopify is a Canadian e-commerce company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. Shopify does not impose any listing fees, and instead it charges users a monthly subscription fee as well as a standard credit card processing fee per transaction. However, if you use Shopify Payments, there’s no transaction fee. Shopify will suit businesses that receive orders regularly because you’ll pay the monthly subscription charge whether or not you sell anything.
Users can also use their own domain names on the platform and customise their shop even further by using a free or premium theme. The company offers a three-day free trial and then $1 AUD/month for three months, a full-fledged mobile app and 24/7 customer support.
Read more: Read our full Shopify review.
$16 AUD to $52 AUD per month
(paid annually)
Free
14 days
Squarespace is a good platform to sell handmade goods because it’s easy to use and provides a high degree of customisation. This allows sellers to create a professional-looking online store without needing any coding or design experience. You can offer discounts, create coupons and set up automated shipping options.
Some plans have no transaction fees, making it an especially good option for businesses that process a large volume of transactions. Overall, Squarespace is a flexible, user-friendly platform that can be an ideal solution for selling handmade goods online. It’s important to note you must have a Business plan or higher to sell.
Read more: Read our full Squarespace review.
Free to $30 AUD per month
On paid plans
No, but it has a free plan
Free to $30 AUD per month
On paid plans
No, but it has a free plan
Weebly is an easy-to-use platform for users to create websites through the use of drag-and drop-tools and it offers a wide range of templates to change the look and feel of your site. It features Square and PayPal as payment processors, but there is no native payment gateway.
No matter which plan you choose, you’ll be able to upload unlimited products. There are no listing fees; instead, you pay your monthly subscription fee (unless using the free plan) and whatever your payment processor charges in transaction fees. Get email and phone support, a free domain name for the first year, and SSL encryption.
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing an Etsy alternative, and we’ve looked at all of them in our ranking. Ease of use is important, as you want to be able to list your products quickly and easily without any headaches. Cost and fees are also a key consideration—you don’t want to overspend on listing fees or pay high commission rates.
Customer support is another key factor, as you want to be able to get help if you have any problems with your account. We also looked at features and functionality, as you’ll want to make sure that the platform you choose offers all the features you need to run your business effectively. Finally, we made sure that each of our top picks was available to Australian businesses.
Featured Partners
On Wix’s Website
Subscription Fee
$15 AUD to $179 AUD
Custom Domain
Yes
Free Trial
14 days
On Squarespace’s Secure Website
Starting price
$16 AUD
Drag-and-Drop Interface
Yes
Standout Features
Free domain and SSL certificate, no transaction fees, award-winning templates
via IONOS’s Secure Website
Starting price
$US2 ($2.95 AUD) per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Yes, as an add-on
On Shopify’s Secure Website
Pricing
$56 AUD to $575 AUD
Free trial
Free for three days, then $1 for one month
Term lengths
Month-to-month, annual
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best alternative to Etsy will vary depending on your needs and preferences. However, some of the top alternatives include Wix, Squarespace and Shopify.
All of the services in this guide have some sort of functionality that lends itself well to business-to-business (B2B) selling. However, larger companies may want to look into enterprise-level platforms if they sell to other businesses in large monthly volumes.
In 2017, Shopify acquired Oberlo, which is one of the most popular dropshipping apps. Together, they work seamlessly to import products to your store for customers to purchase.
There are several platforms that offer free plans, including Weebly. However, these platforms typically have restrictions on the number of products you can list or the amount of storage space you get. You may also have to display advertising on your site.
When choosing the best web e-commerce services for your business, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors. The most important include your website’s size, traffic and goals. You’ll also want to consider the type of hosting you need—shared, VPS or dedicated hosting. The extra features you need, such as a domain name or business email, and support in your preferred contact method, such as live chat, phone or email, are also considerations that should influence your decision.
The information provided by Forbes Advisor is general in nature and for educational purposes only. Any information provided does not consider the personal financial circumstances of readers, such as individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Forbes Advisor does not provide financial product advice and the information we provide is not intended to replace or be relied upon as independent financial advice. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. Forbes Advisor encourages readers to seek independent expert advice from an authorised financial adviser in relation to their own financial circumstances and investments before making any financial decisions.
We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Forbes Advisor provides an information service. It is not a product issuer or provider. In giving you information about financial or credit products, Forbes Advisor is not making any suggestion or recommendation to you about a particular product. It is important to check any product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Target Market Determination (TMD) and other applicable product documentation before making a decision to purchase, acquire, invest in or apply for a financial or credit product. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS, TMD and other documentation. Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our partners. For more information, read our Advice Disclaimer here.
Kathy Haan, MBA is a former financial advisor-turned-writer and business coach. For over a decade, she’s helped small business owners make money online. When she’s not trying out the latest tech or travel blogging with her family, you can find her curling up with a good novel.
Cassie is a deputy editor, collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. She is passionate about economic development and is on the board of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town. Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a Content Operations Manager and Copywriting Manager at Fit Small Business.