Amazon vs Etsy
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Amazon
The world's largest online store, selling almost everything with fast Prime delivery.
Etsy
Global marketplace for handmade, vintage, custom and craft goods sold by independent sellers.
The short answer
Amazon sells almost everything, fast, from its own stock and a huge marketplace, with Prime adding free delivery. Etsy is a marketplace of independent sellers for handmade, vintage, custom and craft goods, where each shop sets its own shipping and returns. Pick Amazon for everyday items and speed; pick Etsy for personalised gifts, one-off pieces, or as a maker starting to sell online.
Amazon or Etsy: our take
Amazon and Etsy are both online marketplaces, but they sell different kinds of things to people in different moods. Amazon covers almost every category, from books and electronics to groceries and car parts, sold both by Amazon and by third-party sellers, many of whom ship through Amazon's own warehouses. Etsy is built around independent sellers offering handmade goods, vintage items, craft supplies and digital downloads such as printables and patterns: personalised jewellery, custom wedding items, art prints and one-off gifts that big retailers don't stock.
The shopping experience follows from that. Amazon is known for quick delivery, easy returns on most items it sells or ships, and a very large review base. Shopping is free, and Prime, starting at $14.99 a month or $139 a year, adds fast free shipping on eligible items plus video, music and photo storage. Etsy is free to buy from, but each shop sets its own prices, shipping and return policy, and many items are made to order, so delivery times vary. Etsy reports 31.7 million active buyers and 1.9 million active sellers, and many shops ship internationally.
Both have quality complaints. Amazon's search results are crowded with sponsored listings and lookalike brands, and marketplace seller quality is uneven. On Etsy, some listings are resold mass-produced goods rather than genuinely handmade ones.
For sellers, Etsy is one of the easiest places to start selling crafts: listing costs 20 cents per listing, then Etsy takes transaction and payment-processing fees on each sale, with optional ads. Buyers who need everyday items quickly should use Amazon. Buyers looking for a personalised gift, vintage piece or something handmade, and makers selling their own work, are better served by Etsy.
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon if…
- Shoppers who want the widest selection and fast delivery, especially Prime members
- Largest selection of almost any online store
- Fast free delivery on eligible items with Prime
Choose Etsy if…
- Gift buyers after handmade, personalised or vintage items, and makers starting to sell online
- Huge range of handmade, custom and vintage goods
- Cheap to start selling: a small per-listing fee
About each app
What is Amazon?
Amazon is the biggest online retailer in the US and many other countries, with separate stores such as amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.de and amazon.in. It sells almost every category of goods, from books, where it started, to electronics, groceries, clothing, household supplies and car parts, both from its own stock and from a large marketplace of third-party sellers, many of whom use Amazon's warehouses and delivery network. Shopping is free; Prime is the paid membership that adds fast free shipping on eligible items, Prime Video, music, photo storage and other perks, and its price differs by country. Amazon is known for quick delivery, an easy return process on most items and a very large review base. Downsides include search results crowded with sponsored listings and lookalike products, and uneven quality from some marketplace sellers. It runs on the web and in Android and iOS apps.
What is Etsy?
Etsy is a marketplace where independent sellers list handmade goods, vintage items, craft supplies and digital downloads such as printables and patterns. Buyers go there for things big retailers don't stock: personalised jewellery, custom wedding items, art prints, hand-thrown pottery, vintage clothing and one-off gifts. Each shop sets its own prices, shipping and return policy, and many items are made to order, so delivery times vary. For sellers it is one of the easiest ways to start selling crafts online: listing an item costs a small fixed fee, and Etsy then takes transaction and payment-processing fees on each sale, with an optional paid plan and ads for extra reach. Buying is free. Etsy runs on the web and in Android and iOS apps and ships worldwide, depending on each seller. Critics point to mass-produced items slipping in among genuinely handmade ones, and to fees that have risen over the years.
Side by side
| Attribute | Amazon | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Android, iOS | Web, Android, iOS |
| Best for | Shoppers who want the widest selection and fast delivery, especially Prime members | Gift buyers after handmade, personalised or vintage items, and makers starting to sell online |
| Status | Active | Active |
Amazon vs Etsy pricing
Amazon: free plan + paid
- Starting price: $14.99 a month (Prime Monthly) source
- Prime for Young Adults plan: $7.49 a month source
- Prime Access plan: $6.99 a month for eligible government assistance recipients source
- Free trial: 30 days source
- Prime Annual plan: $139 a year source
Etsy: free
- Cost to start selling: 20 cents per listing source
Platforms
| Platform | Amazon | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Amazon facts
7 of 7 verified- Starting price
- $14.99 a month (Prime Monthly)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Prime Monthly $14.99 per month”
- Photo storage
- Unlimited with Prime
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime”
- Used goods
- Amazon Resale
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Amazon Resale Great Deals on Quality Used Products Whole Foods Market America’s Healthiest Grocery Store Woot!”
- Prime for Young Adults plan
- $7.49 a month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Prime for Young Adults $7.49 per month”
- Prime Access plan
- $6.99 a month for eligible government assistance recipients
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Prime Access $6.99 per month after trial Start your free 30-day trial Enjoy your free 30-day trial of Prime.”
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Choose your plan Enjoy your free 30-day trial of Prime.”
- Prime Annual plan
- $139 a year
- Checked Nov 8, 2026amazon.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Prime Monthly $14.99 per month after trial Prime Annual $139 per year after trial Prime for Young Adults $7.49 per month after trial Prime Access $6.”
Etsy facts
3 of 3 verified- Active sellers
- 1.9 million
- Checked Nov 8, 2026etsy.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “1.9 million active sellers”
- Active buyers
- 31.7 million
- Checked Nov 8, 2026etsy.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “31.7 million active buyers”
- Cost to start selling
- 20 cents per listing
- Checked Nov 8, 2026etsy.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “All it takes is 20 cents to get started.”
Pros and cons of Amazon
- Largest selection of almost any online store
- Fast free delivery on eligible items with Prime
- Easy returns on most items sold or shipped by Amazon
- Prime bundles video, music and photo storage
- Search results are crowded with sponsored listings and lookalike brands
- Marketplace seller quality is uneven
- Prime is a fairly expensive yearly subscription
Pros and cons of Etsy
- Huge range of handmade, custom and vintage goods
- Cheap to start selling: a small per-listing fee
- Many sellers offer personalisation and made-to-order work
- Ships internationally from many shops
- Return policies and shipping times differ shop by shop
- Some listings are resold mass-produced goods rather than handmade
- Sellers pay transaction, payment and often ad fees on top of listing fees
Other apps to consider
Amazon vs Etsy: common questions
Is Amazon better than Etsy?
Amazon sells almost everything, fast, from its own stock and a huge marketplace, with Prime adding free delivery. Etsy is a marketplace of independent sellers for handmade, vintage, custom and craft goods, where each shop sets its own shipping and returns. Pick Amazon for everyday items and speed; pick Etsy for personalised gifts, one-off pieces, or as a maker starting to sell online.
Is Amazon free?
Amazon has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Etsy free?
Yes, Etsy is free.
Is Amazon or Etsy open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Amazon and Etsy support?
Amazon: Web, Android and iOS. Etsy: Web, Android and iOS.