Etsy alternatives for handmade sellers
Most makers don't leave Etsy in one go. They add channels that cost less and that they control, until Etsy is one shop among several. Here are the usual ones, what each is good for, and the catch. We run one of them, so we've said where the others are the better fit.
Why makers look elsewhere
- Fees that keep climbing: a listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee and payment processing on every sale, plus Offsite Ads that larger shops can't opt out of.
- Search that's hard to predict, and sales that can vanish overnight with a change you can't see.
- Handmade work competing with resold, drop-shipped and AI-pictured listings.
- Customers who belong to the platform: you can't easily keep in touch with the people who bought from you.
Work out what Etsy takes from your own prices with the Etsy fee calculator.
The options
Other sites' costs were checked in October 2026. They change, so check each site before you decide.
ByHand
A directory of reviewed handmade shops
- Best for
- Being found by shoppers looking for real handmade, without paying per sale. Works alongside wherever you already sell, Etsy included.
- What it costs
- Free to list, no cut of sales. A featured stall or fast-track review are optional extras.
- Watch out for
- There's no checkout: shoppers buy on your own site or shop, so you need one somewhere. Every shop is reviewed first, so it isn't instant.
Your own website
Shopify, Squarespace, Big Cartel, WooCommerce and others
- Best for
- Owning your brand, your customer list and your prices. Nobody can change the rules on you.
- What it costs
- A monthly plan plus card fees, varying by provider and plan.
- Watch out for
- You have to bring every visitor yourself, which is the hard part. Directories, markets and a mailing list help.
Open a Shopify shop (affiliate link)
Folksy
A handmade-only marketplace
- Best for
- UK makers who want a marketplace with a checkout and no resellers.
- What it costs
- 15p plus VAT a listing, or Folksy Plus at £7.50 a month, plus 6% plus VAT a sale and payment fees, at the time of writing.
- Watch out for
- Only for makers based in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, and a smaller audience than the big marketplaces.
Amazon Handmade
Amazon's handmade section
- Best for
- Reaching Amazon's huge audience, with Amazon handling the checkout and, if you like, the delivery.
- What it costs
- Free to list; a 15% referral fee a sale in the US and Canada, at the time of writing. The selling plan's monthly fee is waived for approved makers after the first month.
- Watch out for
- Your work sits beside mass-made lookalikes, and the customer is Amazon's, not yours.
Not On The High Street
A curated gift marketplace
- Best for
- Gift-led businesses in the UK and Ireland who want to be part of big seasonal campaigns.
- What it costs
- A one-off joining fee and about 25% commission a sale, as reported at the time of writing.
- Watch out for
- By invitation, and the commission is one of the highest around.
Faire
A wholesale marketplace
- Best for
- Selling to independent shops and galleries in bulk, rather than one piece at a time.
- What it costs
- A commission on wholesale orders, varying by how the shop found you.
- Watch out for
- Wholesale prices are roughly half of retail, so it suits work you can make in batches.
Craft fairs and markets
Selling in person
- Best for
- Meeting customers, getting feedback and building a following you can sell to online later.
- What it costs
- A pitch fee per day, from free to hundreds for big Christmas fairs.
- Watch out for
- A long day for an uncertain take. Make sure people can find you again afterwards.
A mix that works
A shop of your own, a mailing list, a free listing on ByHand pointing at it, and a few markets a year. Keep Etsy as long as it pays its way. Our guide to moving off Etsy a step at a time walks through it, and when you start a ByHand listing you can paste your Etsy address to fill the form in for you.
List your shop for free