Etsy vs Redbubble: An Honest Comparison for Print on Demand Sellers
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Print on demand has become one of the most popular ways to earn money online without holding inventory or dealing with shipping logistics. The concept is simple: you create designs, upload them to a platform, and when someone purchases a product with your design, the platform handles printing, packaging, and shipping while you earn a commission. Two of the most popular platforms for print on demand sellers are Etsy and Redbubble. Both platforms have large customer bases and support print on demand products, but they operate very differently, and understanding those differences is essential for making the right choice.
I have spent the past several months actively selling on both platforms, creating designs, uploading products, and tracking my sales and earnings. This comparison is the result of that testing. My goal was to answer the questions that print on demand sellers most often ask: Which platform pays more? Which has better traffic? Which is easier to get started with? And most importantly, which one is worth your time? The answers, as you will see, are more nuanced than a simple either-or choice.
This article is based entirely on my personal experience using both platforms. I did not receive any payment or incentive from either company, and I have no affiliation with them. My approach on fortgreba has always been to test things myself and report the details, even when those details challenge popular assumptions. I have written extensively about print on demand and digital products, including my article about print on demand stickers journey and my guide to turning micro-work into digital products, and this comparison builds on that foundation with a head-to-head analysis of two major platforms.
My Honest Take: Both Etsy and Redbubble are reliable platforms that can help print on demand sellers earn money. Etsy offers more control over your shop, higher profit margins per sale, and access to a large marketplace of buyers. Redbubble offers a simpler, more hands-off experience with no upfront costs and no need to manage listings or customer service. The best choice depends on how much control you want and how much effort you are willing to invest.
Quick Overview: What Each Platform Offers
Etsy is a large online marketplace focused on handmade, vintage, and unique items. Founded in 2005, the platform has grown to become one of the largest ecommerce sites in the world, with millions of active buyers. For print on demand sellers, Etsy offers the ability to create your own shop and list products with your designs. You set your own prices, manage your own listings, and handle customer communications. Etsy charges listing fees and transaction fees, but you have full control over your shop and your profit margins.
Redbubble is a dedicated print on demand marketplace founded in 2006. Unlike Etsy, Redbubble handles everything: printing, shipping, customer service, and returns. You simply upload your designs, choose which products you want them on, and set your markup. When someone purchases a product with your design, Redbubble produces and ships it, and you earn a commission based on your markup. There are no upfront costs or listing fees on Redbubble, making it accessible for beginners.
The fundamental difference between the two platforms is the level of control and responsibility. Etsy gives you full control over your shop but also requires more work: you need to create listings, optimize them for search, handle customer messages, and manage your pricing. Redbubble is more hands-off: you upload designs and let the platform handle the rest, but you have less control and lower profit margins. My experience with print on demand stickers journey taught me that this control-versus-convenience tradeoff is the central decision for print on demand sellers.
My Signup and Shop Setup Experience
Setting up my Etsy shop was more involved than I expected. The process required creating a shop name, writing a shop description, setting up payment processing, and creating my first listings. Each listing required a title, description, tags, pricing, and product photos. I spent about around four hours setting up my shop and creating my first ten listings. The Etsy interface is polished and user-friendly, but the learning curve for optimizing listings is steep. Understanding Etsy's search algorithm, keyword research, and product photography took additional time and effort.
Setting up my Redbubble account was notably faster. The process involved creating an account, setting up my artist profile, and uploading my designs. Once a design is uploaded, I could select which products to place it on and set my markup percentage. The platform automatically generates product mockups and listings for each product. The entire setup process took about around an hour, and I had live products available for sale immediately. The simplicity of Redbubble's onboarding was impressive and reflected the platform's focus on accessibility.
The difference in setup time reflects the fundamental difference between the platforms. Etsy requires you to build your shop from scratch, with full control and full responsibility. Redbubble does the heavy lifting for you, generating listings and handling logistics. For beginners who want to test the waters of print on demand, Redbubble's simplicity is appealing. For sellers who want to build a brand and maximize profits, Etsy's control is worth the extra effort. My article about turning micro-work into digital products discusses this tradeoff in more detail.
The choice between Etsy and Redbubble comes down to one question: do you want to build a business or upload designs? Etsy is for people who want to build a brand and control every aspect of their shop. Redbubble is for people who want to upload designs and earn commissions without the hassle of managing a store. Both approaches can work, but they require different levels of commitment.
My Sales and Earnings Comparison: Honest Numbers
Four-Month Sales and Earnings Comparison:
Etsy:
- Products listed: around 24
- Total sales: around 31
- Total revenue: around $385
- Fees paid: around $62
- Net earnings: around $323
- Average per sale: approximately $10.42
Redbubble:
- Designs uploaded: around 18
- Total sales: around 14
- Total revenue: around $98
- Fees paid: $0
- Net earnings: around $98
- Average per sale: approximately $7.00
These numbers reveal a notable difference in earning potential. My net earnings on Etsy were more than three times higher than on Redbubble, despite having similar numbers of products listed. The difference came from two factors: higher profit margins per sale on Etsy and the ability to control my pricing. On Etsy, I could set my prices to ensure a healthy profit margin after fees. On Redbubble, my earnings were limited to the markup percentage I set, which was typically around fifteen to twenty percent of the product price.
What the numbers do not show is the time investment on each platform. Etsy required notably more time for listing creation, keyword optimization, and customer communication. Redbubble required almost no ongoing time after the initial design uploads. If I calculated earnings per hour of time invested, Redbubble might actually be more efficient. However, the total earning potential on Etsy is higher because you can scale your shop by adding more products and optimizing your listings for search.
The sales trajectory on both platforms was similar: slow start, gradual growth, and increasing momentum as products accumulated. My first month on both platforms was the slowest, with only a few sales. By month four, sales were becoming more consistent. This pattern is common in print on demand, as your product catalog grows and your listings gain traction in search results. My article about print on demand stickers journey discusses this growth pattern in more detail.
Side-by-Side Platform Comparison
This comparison makes the differences between the two platforms clear. Etsy offers more control and higher profit margins but requires more work and responsibility. Redbubble is simpler and more hands-off but offers lower earnings and less control. The right choice depends on your goals: if you want to build a brand and maximize profits, Etsy is better. If you want to upload designs and earn ongoing income without hassle, Redbubble is the choice.
Pros and Cons Summary
Etsy Pros
- Full control over pricing and shop
- Higher profit margins per sale
- Large built-in marketplace of buyers
- Ability to build a brand and customer base
- Multiple product types available
- Direct communication with customers
- Sales paid after each transaction
Etsy Cons
- Listing fees and transaction fees
- More time required for setup and management
- Responsibility for customer service
- Competition from other sellers
- Need to optimize listings for search
- Steeper learning curve
Redbubble Pros
- No upfront costs or listing fees
- Very fast setup process
- Platform handles printing and shipping
- Platform handles customer service
- Ongoing income potential
- Automatic product mockups
- Easy to add multiple products per design
Redbubble Cons
- Lower profit margins per sale
- No control over pricing beyond markup
- Limited product types compared to Etsy
- No direct customer communication
- Monthly payment processing
- Less control over branding
Who Should Choose Which Platform?
Choose Etsy if you want to build a brand and maximize your profit margins. Etsy is better for sellers who are willing to invest time in creating listings, optimizing for search, and managing customer relationships. If you have a distinct style or niche, Etsy allows you to build a shop that reflects your brand and attracts loyal customers. The higher profit margins make Etsy more lucrative for sellers who can generate consistent sales. My article about turning micro-work into digital products discusses how building a brand on Etsy can lead to longer-term income.
Choose Redbubble if you want a simple, hands-off approach to print on demand. Redbubble is better for designers who want to upload their work and earn commissions without managing a store. The no-upfront-cost model makes it easy to test designs and see what sells without financial risk. If you are a beginner who wants to learn about print on demand without the complexity of running an Etsy shop, Redbubble is an excellent starting point. The ongoing nature of the platform also appeals to people who want to earn without ongoing time investment.
Final Verdict: Which Platform Is Better?
Final Verdict
Both platforms have their place in a print on demand strategy. Etsy offers higher earning potential and more control, making it the better choice for sellers who are serious about building a business. Redbubble offers simplicity and accessibility, making it the better choice for beginners and designers who want ongoing income without the hassle. My recommendation is to use both platforms: start with Redbubble to learn the print on demand basics, then expand to Etsy once you have designs that are proven to sell. Together, the two platforms provide both ongoing income and active business building. For more ideas on building additional income streams, check out my guide to 30 websites for microtasks.
Individual Results Note: Every print on demand seller's experience is different. The numbers, timelines, and outcomes mentioned in this article reflect my own personal experience and should not be taken as a promise of similar results. Your experience will depend on your designs, your niche, the platforms you choose, and how consistently you work on your shop. Treat the figures here as one data point, not a guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform pays more: Etsy or Redbubble?
Etsy pays more per sale because you set your own prices and profit margins. In my testing, the average net earning per sale was around ten dollars and forty-two cents on Etsy compared to around seven dollars on Redbubble. Etsy also produced more total sales, resulting in notably higher overall earnings. However, Etsy requires more time investment and has upfront fees.
Which platform is easier to get started with?
Redbubble is notably easier to get started with. You can create an account, upload designs, and have live products available for sale within around an hour. There are no upfront costs or listing fees. Etsy requires more setup time, including creating listings, optimizing for search, and managing your shop. The Etsy learning curve is steeper, but the earning potential is higher.
Can I sell on both Etsy and Redbubble at the same time?
Yes, and many print on demand sellers use both platforms. The key is ensuring your designs are not duplicated in a way that creates competition between your own listings. Some sellers use Redbubble for casual designs and Etsy for their best-selling designs with higher profit margins. Using both platforms allows you to reach different audiences and maximize your overall earning potential.
How do Etsy and Redbubble pay sellers?
Etsy processes payments after each sale and deposits funds into your bank account or PayPal on a regular schedule. Redbubble processes payments monthly, paying out your accumulated earnings for the previous month. Both platforms are reliable, and I did not encounter any payment issues during my testing.
Which platform has better traffic?
Both platforms have significant traffic, but the nature of the traffic differs. Etsy buyers are often looking for unique, handmade, or personalized items, which suits print on demand products well. Redbubble buyers are typically looking for designs from independent artists. The traffic on Etsy is larger overall, but Redbubble's audience is more specifically interested in print on demand products.
Do I need design skills for print on demand?
Basic design skills are helpful for print on demand. Tools like Canva make it possible to create professional-looking designs without formal design training. The key is creating designs that resonate with a specific audience and solve a problem or appeal to an interest. Simple text-based designs can sell well if they target the right niche. The design skills can be learned through practice, and many successful print on demand sellers started with no formal design background.
How much can I realistically earn from print on demand?
Based on my four-month experience, a beginner can expect to earn between around twenty-five and one hundred dollars per month on each platform. My net earnings were around three hundred twenty-three dollars on Etsy and around ninety-eight dollars on Redbubble over four months. Experienced sellers with large catalogs and optimized listings can earn notably more. Print on demand works well as a longer-term income stream that grows as your design catalog expands.
Which platform is better for beginners?
Redbubble is better for complete beginners because of the no-upfront-cost model and simple setup process. You can test designs and learn what sells without financial risk. Etsy is better for beginners who are serious about building a business and willing to invest time in learning the platform. Many sellers start with Redbubble and transition to Etsy once they have proven designs.
Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only. All content, including text, graphics, images, and other material, is not intended as professional financial, tax, or business advice. Individual results may vary based on design quality, product selection, pricing strategy, and market demand. Print on demand income is subject to taxation and may require business registration depending on your location. Platform fees and policies may change over time. Always conduct your own research and verify current platform terms and conditions before investing significant time or resources. We do not promise the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. To learn more about who we are, please visit our About Us page. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to Contact Us. We encourage you to review our Disclaimer and Privacy Policy for more details. For answers to common questions, check out our FAQ page.
