For handmade at Amazon vs Etsy, Etsy usually costs less per sale. Sell a $50 piece with free shipping and Etsy's fees add up to $5.20, leaving you $44.80. Amazon Handmade takes 15%, which is $7.50, and sends you $42.50. The picture changes when an Etsy sale comes through an Offsite Ad.
Put your own price into the calculator above. Add your material costs and postage to see real profit on both.
Handmade at Amazon vs Etsy fees, side by side
- Etsy: $0.20 to list each item, a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping, and payment processing of 3% of the order total plus $0.25. If the sale came from an Offsite Ad, add 15% (or 12% once your shop passes $10,000 a year).
- Amazon Handmade: a 15% referral fee on the item price plus any shipping or gift wrap the buyer pays, with a minimum of $0.30 per item. No listing fee and no separate processing fee.
- Monthly cost: Etsy has none for a standard shop. Amazon Handmade needs a Professional selling plan, but Amazon waives its $39.99 monthly fee once you're approved for Handmade. Its program page mentions paying for the first month before the waiver starts.
Two details trip people up. The Amazon Handmade minimum is now $0.30; many guides still say $1.00, which is out of date. And the 15% Handmade rate only applies to approved Handmade sellers on the Professional plan. Without approval, Amazon's normal category rates apply instead.
Here's what each one pays you at common prices, with free shipping, no tax and no ads:
| Sale price | Etsy fee | Etsy pays you | Amazon Handmade fee | Amazon Handmade pays you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $0.93 | $4.08 | $0.75 | $4.25 |
| $10.00 | $1.40 | $8.60 | $1.50 | $8.50 |
| $25.00 | $2.83 | $22.18 | $3.75 | $21.25 |
| $50.00 | $5.20 | $44.80 | $7.50 | $42.50 |
| $100.00 | $9.95 | $90.05 | $15.00 | $85.00 |
| $250.00 | $24.20 | $225.80 | $37.50 | $212.50 |
Standard settings, free shipping to the buyer, no sales tax.
The gap grows with the price. At $100, Etsy takes $9.95 and Amazon Handmade takes $15.00. Only on very cheap items, around $5 and under, does Amazon come out cheaper, because Etsy's $0.45 in fixed fees weighs more there.
Offsite Ads: when Etsy costs more
Etsy advertises listings on other sites, and if a buyer clicks one of those ads and buys, you pay an extra fee. At 15%, the same $50 sale costs $12.70 on Etsy, so you keep $37.30. Amazon Handmade's $7.50 suddenly looks cheap. Etsy caps the Offsite Ads fee at $100 per order, and shops under $10,000 a year can opt out of the ads.
Shipping and sales tax
Both charge on the shipping the buyer pays. On a $40 item with $5 shipping, Etsy's fees are $4.73 and Amazon Handmade's are $6.75.
Sales tax works differently. Etsy's 3% processing fee includes the tax the buyer pays, so a $50 order with 8% tax costs $5.32 in Etsy fees. Amazon leaves tax out of the referral fee, so Amazon Handmade still charges $7.50.
Etsy vs Amazon Handmade: who each one suits
Etsy suits most handmade sellers. Buyers go there looking for handmade, vintage and personalised work, and you can open a shop the same day. Listings, photos and your shop page carry your brand, and buyers can message you about custom orders.
Amazon Handmade suits makers with steady, repeatable products. You have to apply, and Amazon reviews how your products are made before you can list. Once approved, you reach Amazon's shoppers, and you can use FBA so Amazon stores and ships your stock, at extra cost. Products sit in a catalogue, so photos and reviews matter more than shop branding.
Many makers list on both. Selling on Etsy vs Amazon doesn't have to be one or the other, but price each item with its own fees in mind.
Handmade Amazon vs Etsy: a quick way to decide
- Check whether your products meet Amazon's Handmade rules and expect the application to take some time.
- Run your usual price through the calculator with your real shipping.
- If you rely on Etsy's Offsite Ads, work out the cost with the 12% or 15% added.
- Pick the higher profit, and the platform where your buyers already look.
For every Etsy fee in detail, including Offsite Ads and the listing fee on renewals, use the Etsy fee calculator. Selling non-handmade stock as well? Selling on Amazon vs eBay compares Amazon's normal categories with eBay.
Common questions
Amazon Handmade vs Etsy: which is cheaper?
Usually not. Etsy's fees come to roughly 10% to 12% on most items between $20 and $100, against Amazon Handmade's flat 15%. Amazon only works out cheaper on sales that come through Etsy's Offsite Ads.
What is the Amazon Handmade minimum fee?
$0.30 per item. On anything priced under two dollars, that minimum applies instead of 15%.
Do I pay the $39.99 Professional plan fee on Amazon Handmade?
Amazon waives it once you're approved to sell in Handmade and have eligible products listed. If you aren't approved, the normal plan fees and referral rates apply.
Which is better for cheap items, Etsy or Amazon Handmade?
Amazon Handmade, by a little. On a $5 item, Etsy's fees come to $0.93 because of the listing fee and the fixed $0.25 processing charge, while Amazon takes $0.75. By $10 Etsy is already slightly cheaper, and the gap widens from there.
Can I sell the same products on Etsy and Amazon Handmade?
Yes, many makers do. Keep a close eye on stock, because a piece that sells on one site has to come off the other quickly. If you make items to order, set handling times on both that you can actually meet.
Does Etsy or Amazon Handmade charge a listing fee?
Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, again each time it renews or sells another unit. Amazon Handmade has no listing fee.
Sources
Fees last checked against these official pages: Etsy (US) on 2026-10-11; Amazon Handmade (US) on 2026-10-15. We re-check every source daily and update the calculators when a platform changes its fees.
- Etsy Fees & Payments Policy
- Etsy Payments Policy
- Amazon Seller Central: Amazon Handmade referral fees
- Amazon Handmade: selling program