2026-08-12 · 6 min read

Etsy vs Amazon Handmade (2026): Which Should You Sell On?

Short answer: for most handmade sellers Etsy is the faster, cheaper, better-matched start — it's open to anyone, costs roughly 10–12% per sale, and its buyers are specifically there for handmade. Amazon Handmade is worth adding once you're established and want Amazon's huge traffic and Prime, if you can pass its handmade audit and accept a flat 15% fee. Both are marketplaces for handmade goods, but they differ on the things that actually matter — how you get in, what they cost, and who's shopping. Here's how to choose.

Getting in: open door vs application

This is the first real split. Etsy is open to anyone — create a shop and start listing the same day. Amazon Handmade requires an application and an audit: you describe how you make your products (tools, materials, process), and Amazon reviews it to confirm the items are genuinely handmade, which typically takes about 2 to 4 weeks. The upside of Amazon's gate is less competition from mass producers; the downside is a slower, less certain start. If you want to be selling this week, Etsy wins by default. (New to Etsy? See how to start an Etsy shop.)

Fees: ~10–12% vs a flat 15%

Amazon Handmade charges a flat 15% referral fee (minimum $0.30) on the total sale including shipping, and — for approved handmade sellers — waives the usual $39.99/month Professional selling plan, with no per-listing fee. Etsy runs a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee, and payment processing (about 3% + $0.25 in the US), which comes to roughly 10–12% for most US sellers, before optional Offsite Ads. So on the core cut per sale, Etsy is generally a little cheaper, while Amazon is one simpler flat rate with nothing monthly. Run your real numbers through the free Etsy fee & profit calculator and see Etsy fees explained.

Traffic and audience: bigger crowd vs the right crowd

Amazon's total traffic dwarfs Etsy's, and Handmade listings can qualify for Prime, which some shoppers strongly prefer. But Handmade is a small niche inside a giant general marketplace — your work sits next to mass-produced goods, and you're competing for attention with everything Amazon sells. Etsy's audience is smaller, but people arrive on Etsy specifically to buy handmade, vintage, and personalized items. For many makers, that aligned buyer intent converts better than raw traffic volume.

Getting found: two different search systems

On both platforms, being found is what makes or breaks sales — but the systems differ. Etsy search is built around a listing's title and 13 tags matched to the exact phrases shoppers type, which is the whole craft of Etsy SEO. Amazon's search rewards keywords in the title and backend fields, sales velocity, and reviews within its much larger catalog. If your strength is dialing in the right keywords, Etsy's handmade-focused search is the more forgiving place to rank a new shop — check demand on any phrase with the free keyword tool.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Etsy if you want to start now, keep fees a touch lower, and reach buyers who came specifically for handmade — which describes most new makers.
• Add Amazon Handmade once you're established and want Amazon's traffic and Prime, can handle the audit and the flat 15% fee, and have the fulfilment capacity for a second channel.
• Do both to diversify — just know you'll manage two listing sets, two fee models, and two search systems. Most sellers start on Etsy and add Amazon later, not the other way around.

Questions

Is Amazon Handmade cheaper than Etsy?

Usually the opposite. Amazon Handmade is a flat 15% referral fee; Etsy's combined fees run ~10–12% for most US sellers (plus a $0.20 listing fee). Amazon waives its $39.99/month plan for approved sellers.

Is it hard to get on Amazon Handmade?

Harder than Etsy. Etsy is open to anyone instantly; Amazon Handmade needs an application and audit to prove your items are handmade, usually taking 2–4 weeks.

Which has more traffic?

Amazon overall is far bigger, but Handmade is a small niche competing with mass-produced goods. Etsy's audience is smaller but specifically there for handmade.

Can I sell on both?

Yes — many makers do to diversify. It means two listing sets, two fee models, and two search systems, so most start on Etsy and add Amazon once established.