Etsy vs. eBay: Which platform should you choose in 2025?

When it comes to selling one-of-a-kind products, two major platforms often come to mind: Etsy vs. eBay. 

Both have millions of buyers, but they serve different seller types. Which is better when you’re just starting an online business?

In this guide, we break down what it’s like selling on eBay vs. Etsy. Compare fees, shipping costs, seller tools, product fit, and support to decide which platform is better for your online business.

Etsy vs. eBay: An overview

Etsy and eBay are two popular online marketplaces that cater to different types of sellers and shoppers. Here’s a side-by-side snapshot:

Let’s compare Etsy and eBay regarding product fit, fees, shipping, marketing tools, and protection policies. These factors influence your visibility, profitability, and success as an eCommerce store owner.

Etsy vs. eBay: Popular product categories and what you can sell

Before selling online on Etsy or eBay, it helps to know their acceptable product categories and most popular items.

Etsy: Best for handmade, vintage, and creative goods

Etsy is a curated online marketplace and accepts four product types:

• Handmade items: You physically make the item using your own tools, hands, or materials

• Original designs: You create the design, but a production partner like Printful helps make the product, like a custom print-on-demand t-shirt

• Vintage or curated: You source and list vintage goods older than 20 years or one-of-a-kind natural items like crystals and dried flowers

• Craft supplies: Materials for do-it-yourself (DIY) projects or event decoration
  
  

Etsy does not allow generic reselling or dropshipping unless your product meets the criteria above.

Read more: 15 Best things to sell on Etsy in 2025 [+research tips]

eBay: Best for trending, collectible, and mass-market products

eBay has fewer product restrictions than Etsy. It supports new, used, refurbished, collectible, and custom-made items. 

That said, eBay is well-known for secondhand goods, branded products, limited-edition collectibles, and trending items. That makes an eBay store great for resellers, collectors, and sellers looking to reach a broader audience.

Top-performing categories on eBay are vintage and branded clothing, electronics, phone accessories, car parts, trading cards, comics, and action figures.

eBay also supports print-on-demand platforms like Printful, as long as your listings are fixed-price and follow eBay’s listing policies. This makes selling products like custom mugs or posters easy without holding inventory.

Is my product better for selling on eBay vs. Etsy?

Not sure which online marketplace to choose? Check out the table below with examples to help you decide between an Etsy Shop and an eBay store:

Tip: If your products span multiple categories – like custom mugs (POD) and vintage items – you don’t have to choose just one. Many successful sellers use both Etsy and eBay to expand reach and diversify their income. 

Etsy vs. eBay: Fees, costs, and profits

Understanding each platform’s fee structure helps you price products confidently and protect profit margins. Here’s how eBay vs. Etsy fees compare. 

Etsy’s seller fees

There are several Etsy fees you need to understand before selling online:

• Listing fee: Etsy charges $0.20 per product, valid for 4 months or until the item sells. You’ll pay another $0.20 per renewal if the item sells or auto-renews.

• Transaction fee: Etsy takes 6.5% of the product’s price, shipping costs, and any gift wrapping whenever an item sells. This doesn’t apply to sales tax if you’re in the US. 

• Payment processing fee: Etsy Payments charges 3% plus $0.25 per order.
  
  

Most sellers pay around 9-10% per sale in total fees, not including advertising or fulfillment costs.

Read also: Is selling on Etsy worth it?

eBay’s seller fees

eBay’s fee structure has a lot more layers than Etsy’s:

• Listing fees: You get 250 free listings a month. After that, each listing costs $0.35. Be careful when uploading bulk listings to avoid extra costs. 

• Final value fees: For most product categories, the charge is 13.6% of the total sale, including the item price, shipping, and any handling charges. Unlike Etsy, there’s no separate fee to accept payments.

• Order fee: For each sale over $10, you must pay $0.40.

• Reserve price: This lets you set a hidden minimum price on auction listings. If bids don’t reach that minimum, the item won’t sell. eBay will charge a fee – 7.5% of the reserve price, up to a maximum of $250 – even if the item doesn’t sell.
  
  

If you use free product listings, eBay’s selling fees can total 14-15% per sale.

Read also: How to make money on eBay

Profit comparison

Let’s say you run a t-shirt business and sell 100 shirts at $25 each, charging $5 for shipping per order. That’s $30 per sale × 100 orders = $3,000 total revenue. Each shirt costs you $11 to produce and ship, for a total of $1,100.

On Etsy:

• Listing fee: $0.20 × 100 = $20

• Transaction fee: 6.5% of $30 = $1.95 × 100 = $195

• Payment processing fee: 3% of $30 = $0.90 + $0.25 = $1.15 × 100 = $115

• Total Etsy fees: $330
  
  

Your profit:

• Revenue: $3,000

• Costs + fees: $1,100 + $330 = $1,430

• Profit: $3,000 - $1,430 = $1,570

• Profit margin: 52.3%
  
  

On eBay:

• Final value fee: 13.6% of $30 = $4.08 × 100 = $408

• Order fee: $0.40 × 100 = $40

• Listing fee: $0 (within 250 free listings)

• Total eBay fees: $448
  
  

Your profit:

• Revenue: $3,000

• Costs + fees: $1,100 + $448 = $1,548

• Profit: $3,000 - $1,548 = $1,452

• Profit margin: 48.4%
  
  

Takeaway: Etsy gives you a slightly higher profit margin than eBay in this scenario. However, selling on eBay may offer better reach for certain products that Etsy doesn’t allow.

Etsy vs. eBay: Shipping and fulfillment

The shipping process affects reviews, returns, and repeat buyers. Below, we break down how Etsy vs. eBay handles shipping, plus what the upcoming de minimis exemption change means for your online store.

Etsy’s shipping and fulfillment

Shipping options

The Etsy Seller Dashboard lets you buy shipping labels for USPS, UPS, FedEx, and more. You’ll get tracking automatically, and the label doubles as a customs form for international orders.

Check out Etsy’s shipping calculator to estimate shipping rates.

Delivery expectations and free shipping

To maintain strong reviews and qualify for seller protections like the Star Seller badge, you must:

• Set accurate processing times

• Ship orders by your stated dispatch date

• Upload a valid tracking number

• Ship to the exact address provided at checkout
  
  

Etsy also highlights stores offering free shipping (on US orders of $35 or more) in their search results. To protect your margins, use the smart pricing tool on the Etsy app or website to adjust product prices and include shipping costs.

International shipping and de minimis changes

Etsy pre-fills fields when buying international labels, but checking the details is still your job.

Starting August 29, 2025, the US will end its $800 de minimis exemption, so even low-cost imports may be taxed. To avoid surprise costs for buyers, Etsy recommends offering Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping.

eBay’s shipping and fulfillment

Shipping options

Use eBay Seller Hub to buy discounted shipping labels from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and more. Go to eBay’s Shipping Calculator to estimate shipping rates.

Unlike Etsy, eBay lets you set up custom rate tables based on location, offer free or flat-rate shipping, or allow local pickup.

Delivery expectations and free shipping

eBay recommends setting a handling time of 1-2 days to stay competitive and maintain a strong seller rating. This suits sellers with ready-to-ship or high-volume inventory. 

In contrast, Etsy allows sellers to set their own processing times, which works for custom or made-to-order products that need extra time to create.

Free shipping on eBay highlights delivery dates in your listings, which builds buyer trust, boosts conversions, and can improve search placement.

International shipping and tariffs

For sellers who frequently handle international orders, eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP) streamlines the process. 

Simply ship to a US hub – the eBay Global Shipping Program will manage all customs, returns, and delivery. This makes eBay much more friendly for international orders than Etsy.  Check the eligibility criteria to see how you qualify for this initiative. 

If you fulfill international orders yourself, you must handle all customs paperwork and buyer communication. If you don’t use GSP, eBay also adds a 1.65% international fee.

Like Etsy, eBay is preparing for the end of the de minimis rule. If you use GSP and ship on time, eBay protects you from negative feedback or late delivery penalties – even if customs delays the package.

Automate fulfillment with Printful hassle-free

Fulfillment doesn’t have to slow down your business. Especially using a print-on-demand service like Printful. Whether you sell on eBay, Etsy, or other online marketplaces, Printful automatically fulfills and ships orders under your brand to optimize the selling process.

Ready to start selling? Connect your Etsy shop or eBay store with Printful to automate fulfillment and grow without holding inventory. Use resources like the Etsy Seller Handbook or eBay selling tools, like sales reports or discount manager (formerly eBay Promotions Manager)​​, to improve your store as you scale.

Etsy vs. eBay: Built-in marketing tools

One of the biggest factors in growing your online store is how well you market your products. Let’s compare the marketing features of Etsy and eBay.

Etsy’s marketing tools

• Offsite ads: Etsy promotes your listings on platforms like Google and Pinterest. You only pay if someone clicks and buys within 30 days. The fee is 15% for Etsy Shops making under $10,000 in the past year, and 12% for sellers making more.  

• Etsy Ads: Run pay-per-click ads directly in Etsy’s search results and category pages. Budgets start at $1/day. By default, Etsy will advertise all of your product listings. 

• Targeted offers: Send automatic discounts to people who Favorite your items, abandon their cart, or have ordered previously.

• Social sharing: Publish listings and Shop updates directly from the Etsy platform to Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

• Etsy Plus: For $10/month, this subscription unlocks ad credits, extra listing features, and a custom web address via a third-party partner.
  
  

Read also: Etsy SEO: Strategies every Etsy store needs for top rankings

eBay’s marketing tools

• Promoted listings: Advertise your products with pay-per-sale or pay-per-click to gain control over keywords, bids, and where your ads appear.

• Offsite ads: eBay promotes your products on platforms like Google using a cost-per-click model. Budgets adjust based on your category and competition.

• eBay Store subscription: Starting at $4.95/month, it includes storefront customization, featured listings, and advanced tools to manage sales promotions.

• Social sharing: Publish your eBay listings to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and other platforms.
  
  

Both Etsy and eBay offer strong built-in marketing tools, including offsite ads, promoted listings, and social sharing. But the experience of using them is different.

Etsy’s tools are simpler and more automated. You set an Etsy Ads budget or enable features like targeted offers, and the platform handles the targeting and delivery. This is great for sellers who want to focus on product creation without getting bogged down in ad management.

eBay’s tools offer greater customization and control, especially for advertising. Choose how you pay to promote listings and fine-tune campaigns with targeting, bidding, and placement options. 

Etsy vs. eBay: Seller protection

Both Etsy and eBay offer seller protections, but their programs differ in scope, requirements, and the responsibility shared between the buyer and seller.

Etsy’s seller protection

Etsy’s Purchase Protection Program may reimburse buyers up to $250 per order on your behalf if you:

• Shipped on time using valid tracking

• Used Etsy Payments

• Shipped to the exact address on the order

• Accurately described the item in the listing

• Have no shop policy violations
  
  

Keep in mind:

• Etsy only covers one damaged-item case per calendar year per seller. After that, you’re responsible for resolving it yourself

• If your order doesn’t meet Etsy’s criteria – or the refund exceeds $250 – you have to cover the cost yourself
  
  

That’s why Etsy’s protection is helpful for smaller orders but limited for higher-value or frequent claims.

Read the Etsy Purchase Protection Program for more information. 

eBay’s seller protection

eBay’s Money Back Guarantee lets buyers request refunds, but sellers are protected from unfair claims if you:

• Upload a valid tracking number

• Ship within your stated handling time

• Describe your product listings accurately with photos, specs, and condition
  
  

You can also get seller protection if:

• The item was delivered but marked “Not received”

• A buyer returns an item used or damaged

• A buyer doesn’t return the item at all

• A buyer tries to renegotiate or add extra conditions after the purchase

• A package is delayed due to the carrier, not your handling time
  
  

eBay may also remove negative or neutral feedback associated with these disputes.

eBay’s policies are broader and generally more favorable to high-volume or higher-value sellers. Moreover, eBay covers more edge cases – such as abusive returns and delivery delays – and doesn’t have the same per-case dollar limit as Etsy. 

On the other hand, Etsy’s protection is helpful for smaller orders but limited for higher-value or frequent claims.

Etsy vs. eBay: Seller support

Strong seller support helps you solve problems quickly and keep your store running smoothly. Here’s how Etsy and eBay compare when it comes to helping sellers:

Etsy’s support

Shop owners can explore the Etsy Seller Handbook and Help Center, which offer guides on everything from setting up your shop to handling disputes. You can also browse community forums to ask questions and learn from other sellers.

For direct assistance, submit a request through the Help Center.

In your Shop Manager, you might see an Etsy Support option to contact an agent directly. However, this is only available to sellers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, or Star Sellers.

eBay’s Support

eBay’s Seller Help lets you manage returns, resolve buyer issues, request feedback removal, and report policy violations. This portal helps sellers handle common issues without contacting support directly.

eBay also has a Seller Center with guides, tutorials, and tips on everything from creating listings to shipping and promotions. For peer advice, visit the eBay Community forums.

Still have questions? All eBay sellers can contact eBay via email or live chat.

How to decide between Etsy vs. eBay

If you’re unsure which platform suits you best, the table below breaks down the key differences between Etsy and eBay.

Conclusion

Choosing between Etsy and eBay for your online store depends on your products and goals.

Etsy is the better fit if you sell handmade items, creative designs, or vintage goods. eBay offers more flexibility for branded products, collectibles, or high-volume sales.

That said, many sellers use both to reach different types of buyers, especially if your products work well on both platforms.

What to sell? Custom products are an excellent starting point. With Printful, you can create and sell made-to-order items on Etsy, eBay, or both – no inventory or shipping needed. 

Read next:

• Etsy vs. Amazon: Which one’s right for your business?

• Shopify vs. eBay: The ultimate guide for sellers