Amazon Handmade vs Etsy: 15% against 11%, and who finds your work
Amazon Handmade takes a flat 15%. Etsy takes 6.5% plus 3% and 25 cents plus a listing fee, which lands near 10–11%. Etsy is cheaper on every sale — and that is exactly why the comparison cannot be decided on fees alone.
Both let you fulfil yourself — the difference is the rate
Amazon Handmade is a separate storefront inside Amazon: 15% referral, no monthly subscription (the $39.99 professional fee is waived for Handmade sellers), and you ship the item yourself. It is one of the few places on Amazon where you are not competing with FBA-shipped inventory for the buy box.
Etsy charges 6.5% transaction fee on the item plus shipping, 3% + 25¢ payment processing, and a $0.20 listing fee that renews every four months. On a $28 item that is $3.11, or 11.1% — against Amazon Handmade's $4.20, or 15%.
| Platform | Fees | Fee rate | Net per sale | vs best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | $3.11 | 11.1% | $11.89 | — |
| Amazon Handmade | $4.20 | 15.0% | $10.80 | -$1.09 |
Worked at a $28.00 sale, $8.00 unit cost and $5.00 of shipping you pay, general merchandise. Change any of those and the order can flip — that is what the calculator above is for.
The gap grows with price, and it is not small
Both charge a percentage and neither charges fulfilment, so the gap scales with price: $1.09 on a $28 item, $6.15 at $120 and $21.55 on a $400 piece of furniture. Etsy's effective rate actually falls as the fixed components amortise — 11.1% at $28 and 9.6% at $400 — which is why the dollar gap grows faster than the point gap.
Etsy also adds a regulatory operating fee in some markets and Offsite Ads, which is 15% on orders attributed to Etsy advertising for shops under $10,000 a year, dropping to 12% and becoming mandatory above that. An attributed order can therefore cost 25% or more, which is the one scenario where Amazon Handmade's flat 15% is cheaper.
What the extra 5.4 points buys on Amazon
Buyers. Amazon's traffic is enormous and its customers are already in a buying frame of mind — they arrive searching for a thing, not browsing for inspiration. Etsy's audience is the opposite: larger for craft specifically, but discovery-led, which means your listing competes on photography and SEO rather than on price and delivery speed.
The practical answer for most makers is both, with different catalogues. Etsy for the one-of-a-kind pieces where the story sells the item and photography is the whole game; Amazon Handmade for repeatable products at a fixed price where a buyer wants it delivered on Tuesday and does not care who made it.
Amazon Handmade vs Etsy — FAQ
Is Amazon Handmade cheaper than Etsy?
No. Amazon Handmade charges a flat 15% referral fee with no monthly subscription, while Etsy charges 6.5% plus 3% + 25¢ processing plus a $0.20 listing fee — about 11.1% on a $28 item. Etsy is cheaper by roughly 4 points on every sale, which is $1.09 at $28 and $6.15 at $120.
Does Amazon Handmade charge the $39.99 monthly fee?
No. Handmade sellers are exempt from the professional selling subscription, so the 15% referral fee is the only platform cost. You also fulfil orders yourself rather than using FBA, which means you keep control of packaging — important for handmade goods.
How hard is it to get approved for Amazon Handmade?
Moderately. You apply with your business details and photos of both the finished product and the making process, and Amazon reviews whether the item qualifies as handmade. Approval typically takes one to three weeks, and applications are commonly rejected first time for insufficient process photos or for using manufactured blanks.
Does Etsy's Offsite Ads apply to handmade sellers?
Yes, and it is the fee that changes the comparison. Etsy charges 15% on orders attributed to its advertising for shops under $10,000 in trailing sales, falling to 12% above that — at which point participation becomes mandatory for the life of the shop. An attributed order can therefore cost over 25% in total.
Which platform is better for a new maker with no audience?
Etsy, for the first year. Its search is built for browsing craft, the fees are lower, and the listing cost is 20 cents rather than an application process. Amazon Handmade becomes worth the extra 4 points once you have repeatable products and can compete on delivery rather than on story.
Sources & last checked. Rates reflect Amazon Handmade's 2026 US terms (15% referral fee, no monthly professional subscription, seller-fulfilled) and Etsy's 2026 US seller fees (6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing, $0.20 listing fee, Offsite Ads at 15% under $10,000 and 12% mandatory above). Last reviewed October 2026.
Etsy Fee Calculator →
Transaction, processing, listing and Offsite Ads.
Amazon FBA Calculator →
What the marketplace costs when Amazon ships it.