This calculator was manually reviewed to confirm current platform fees, plan details, and assumptions as of September 2026.
Platforms may update pricing or terms at any time.
If you’re comparing Etsy and Shopify for print-on-demand, the product can be identical. The platform math is not.
Etsy keeps fixed costs low but charges more with each order. Shopify starts with a monthly plan, then adds a lower payment-processing cost per sale. As monthly orders increase, those two cost structures eventually cross.
This calculator finds the first whole monthly order where Shopify’s modeled platform cost becomes lower than Etsy’s. It uses your product price, shipping charged to the customer, current sales volume, and Etsy Offsite Ads assumptions.
That number is useful. It is not a marching order. Shopify still has to generate the sales being modeled, while product cost, fulfillment, traffic, advertising, and conversion determine whether the full POD decision actually works.
Etsy vs Shopify POD break-even
Find the sales volume where Shopify becomes cheaper
Compare platform-related costs for the same print-on-demand order. The calculator finds the first whole monthly order where Shopify’s estimated platform cost becomes lower than Etsy’s.
Your POD order and volume
Use the amount the customer pays after discounts, before sales tax.
Enter the item price after any discount.
Enter $0 if shipping is included in the product price.
This shows which platform costs less at your current volume.
Each unit is assigned one $0.20 listing or renewal fee.
Etsy Offsite Ads
Choose the rate that applies to your Etsy shop.
Shopify setup
The standard monthly-billing price is loaded. Edit it for annual billing or a promotion.
Estimated Shopify crossover
Enter your numbers
Complete the required fields to find the first whole monthly order where Shopify’s modeled platform cost becomes lower than Etsy’s.
Platform cost breakdown
Etsy
Shopify
What this result means
Complete the required fields to see what is driving the platform difference.
Etsy’s marketplace fees rise with each order. Shopify begins with a fixed monthly plan cost, then adds payment processing per order.
This is a platform-cost crossover, not a recommendation to move. Traffic, conversion, advertising, apps, and total profit still belong in the full decision.
This calculator provides a planning estimate using standard U.S. rates. It excludes sales tax, product and fulfillment costs shared by both platforms, refunds, chargebacks, Shopify apps, outside payment providers, premium or international cards, advertising other than modeled Etsy Offsite Ads, currency conversion, duties, and income tax. Confirm the rates that apply to your accounts before making a platform decision.
Next step: check the profit
Lower platform cost does not automatically mean better POD profit
The crossover compares platform-related costs. Your product cost, fulfillment expense, shipping, and other business costs still determine what you actually keep from each order. Run the product through the platform-specific profit calculator before treating the result as a reason to stay, switch, or expand.
Test the Shopify side
Does the product make enough profit on Shopify?
Add the product, fulfillment, and shipping costs to estimate what you would actually keep from the Shopify order.
Check Shopify POD ProfitCompare the Etsy side
What do you actually keep from the Etsy order?
Check the same product after Etsy fees, fulfillment, shipping, and optional Offsite Ads are included.
Check Etsy POD ProfitEtsy vs Shopify POD Break-Even FAQs
When does Shopify become cheaper than Etsy for print-on-demand?
Shopify becomes cheaper when its lower payment cost per order saves enough to cover the monthly plan. The exact crossover depends on your product price, shipping charged to the customer, Etsy listing quantity, Offsite Ads assumptions, and effective Shopify plan cost. The calculator identifies the first whole monthly order where Shopify’s modeled platform cost falls below Etsy’s.
Is Etsy or Shopify better for print-on-demand?
Neither platform is automatically better. Etsy provides marketplace traffic and a lower fixed-cost way to start, while Shopify provides more control over your store, customer relationships, and brand. A lower platform cost is useful, but the better choice also depends on traffic, conversion, advertising, workload, and what you actually keep from each order..
Why aren’t product and fulfillment costs included in the break-even point?
The calculator assumes the same product and fulfillment costs apply on both platforms. Those shared costs affect your profit, but they do not change the platform-cost crossover because the same amount appears on both sides. Use the Etsy or Shopify POD profit calculator when you want to include production, fulfillment, and the shipping cost you pay.
Does shipping affect the Etsy vs Shopify break-even point?
The shipping amount charged to the customer affects the comparison because both platforms calculate percentage-based fees on the customer’s order total. Etsy’s modeled percentage fees are higher, so charging more for shipping can cause Shopify to reach the crossover sooner. The shipping cost you pay is excluded because it is assumed to be the same on both platforms.
How do Etsy Offsite Ads affect the Shopify crossover?
Offsite Ads can make Shopify become cheaper at a lower monthly sales volume because Etsy adds a 12% or 15% fee to attributed orders. The calculator lets you enter both your applicable rate and the estimated percentage of orders Etsy attributes to Offsite Ads. It does not assume that every Etsy order automatically carries the advertising fee.
Does this calculator show which platform is more profitable?
No. It compares platform-related costs and identifies the monthly sales crossover. Total profit still depends on product cost, fulfillment, discounts, advertising, refunds, and other business expenses. A platform can cost less and still produce less profit if it generates fewer orders or requires more paid traffic.
Does reaching the break-even point mean I should leave Etsy for Shopify?
No. The crossover is a cost signal, not a migration order. Shopify still has to generate the sales volume being modeled, while Etsy may provide marketplace discovery that would take time or advertising money to replace. Use the result to decide whether Shopify deserves a closer test, not as proof that Etsy should be abandoned.
Which Shopify and Etsy costs does this calculator include?
The calculator uses standard U.S. Etsy listing, transaction, and payment-processing fees, plus the Offsite Ads assumptions you enter. Shopify is modeled using Shopify Payments at the standard U.S. Basic online rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 and the effective monthly plan cost entered.
It does not include Shopify apps, outside payment providers, premium or international cards, advertising, refunds, chargebacks, taxes, currency conversion, or costs shared by both platforms.
Ready to test a second channel?
See what Shopify looks like with your own products
The calculator shows when Shopify’s modeled platform costs become lower. It cannot tell you whether Shopify will replace Etsy’s traffic or conversion. Testing a store gives you room to evaluate the setup, checkout, and workload before treating a cost crossover like a migration order.
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