Best Marketplace to Sell Handmade Goods
Etsy is the default choice, but it's not always the best one. Here's how the top marketplaces for handmade goods compare for fees, traffic, and competition.
2 min read · Updated 2026-05-12
Short answer
Etsy is the best starting point — it has the largest built-in audience for handmade goods. Once you're established there, add your own Shopify store for customers who find you directly. Avoid spreading across too many platforms at once.
The main marketplaces compared
Etsy
- Listing fee: $0.20 per item (renewable every 4 months)
- Transaction fee: 6.5% of sale price including shipping
- Audience: massive and ready to buy handmade products
- Competition: high, especially for jewellery, candles, and home décor
- Best for: getting started; categories with clear search demand
Not On The High Street (UK)
- Application process required (curated)
- Commission: 25% on sales
- Audience: UK gift buyers, higher average order values
- Best for: UK sellers in the gift, home, and wedding categories
Amazon Handmade
- Application required; approval takes 2–4 weeks
- Commission: 15% (no other fees for Handmade sellers)
- Audience: enormous — but customers expect Prime-level shipping
- Best for: high-volume sellers who can ship quickly and consistently
Folksy (UK)
- Annual fee: £45 or £0.15 per listing
- UK-only platform; smaller audience than Etsy
- Best for: UK makers who want lower competition and a craft-focused community
Your own website
- No marketplace fees — higher margin per sale
- Zero built-in traffic — you drive all visitors yourself
- Best for: established sellers building a brand long-term
Strategy: marketplace first, own site second
Start on Etsy to validate demand and get first sales without marketing. Once you're making consistent sales, build your own store (Shopify or Squarespace) and direct repeat customers there. The marketplace builds the audience; your own site keeps the margin.
What drives success on any marketplace
- Strong photos — handmade items live or die by photography
- Keyword-rich titles — write what buyers search for, not what you call the product
- Consistent stock — listings with consistent availability rank better
- Reviews — 20+ reviews creates social proof that drives conversions
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