Best Ecommerce Platforms for Artists in 2026

We tested and reviewed the top platforms artists use to sell work online.

Whether you're selling digital downloads, prints, original pieces, or commissions, this guide helps you choose the best tool for your goals and experience level.

Quick Verdict: Which Platform Is Right for You?

• Shopify – Best for artists building a full brand, selling physical and digital products
• Squarespace – Best for visual artists who want a beautiful portfolio and a light store
• Wix – Best for artists who want full design control with integrated selling tools
• Big Cartel – Best for artists with small product lines or one-off drops
• Gumroad – Best for creators selling digital art, downloads, or courses
• Etsy – Best for artists who want built-in search traffic and marketplace discovery
• Ko-fi – Best for artists seeking tips, memberships, or offering commissions casually

If you're unsure where to start, use this quick guide to match your goals to the right platform. Each one excels at different things, so the best platform depends on what you sell and how much time you want to spend managing your store.

Top 7 Platforms for Artists Selling Online

Platform	Best For	Starting Price (USD)	Trial	Key Features
Shopify	Building a full art brand	$29/month	3 days	Scalable store, custom domain, print-on-demand
Squarespace	Portfolio-style selling	$16/month	14 days	Polished templates, beginner-friendly editor
Wix	Custom site design and selling	Free or $17/month	Free plan	Full customization, ecommerce tools, AI builder
Big Cartel	Simple shops, small catalogs	Free or $15/month	None	Minimal setup, made for artists
Gumroad	Digital products and downloads	Free + 10% per sale	None	Tax handling, great for passive income
Etsy	Getting discovered quickly	Pay-per-sale	None	Built-in traffic, great for small items and prints
Ko-fi	Tips, memberships, light selling	Free or $6/month	None	Supporter features, digital sales, commissions

What Artists Should Prioritize When Choosing a Platform

Choosing the right platform doesn't have to be complicated, but you do need to know your priorities. Here’s a breakdown of the five areas that matter most when you’re making your decision.

1. Brand Control

• Do you want a fully branded storefront (your domain, your design)?
• Or are you okay with being one of many sellers in a marketplace?

Platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace give you complete control over the look, feel, and branding. Etsy and Ko-fi are faster to set up but limit how much you can customize.

2. Fees

• Are you paying monthly for access to the platform?
• Are there transaction fees or hidden costs?

Big Cartel and Ko-fi offer low or no monthly costs. Etsy has lower upfront costs but higher transaction and listing fees. Gumroad charges per transaction, which is great if you're unsure about monthly revenue.

3. Discoverability

• Do you need new buyers to find you?
• Or do you already have an audience and email list?

If you need exposure, Etsy is the best for marketplace search. If you already have traffic from Instagram, YouTube, or email, a branded store on Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace is a better long-term move.

4. Fulfillment and Delivery

• Are you handling your own shipping?
• Do you sell digital products or use print-on-demand services?

For physical art you ship yourself, any platform works. If you're using Printful or Printify, choose Shopify or Wix. For digital-only stores, Gumroad and Ko-fi are much easier to manage.

5. Time to Set Up

• How fast do you want to launch?
• Are you okay spending time customizing?

Etsy, Ko-fi, and Big Cartel are quickest to launch. Shopify and Wix take more time but give you more power. Squarespace sits somewhere in between — a good balance for those who want a site that looks polished without much effort.

#1. Shopify: Best for Artists Growing a Full Brand

Starting from $29/month
Free trial: 3 days
Merchant tools: Yes
Digital products: Yes
Print-on-demand: Yes

Shopify is the best platform if you want to build a full art business. It gives you a custom domain, fully branded storefront, and access to powerful ecommerce tools.

You can sell everything from original paintings to merch and digital downloads. If you plan to scale your store, build an email list, and invest in SEO or content marketing, this is where to start.

Shopify integrates with print-on-demand services like Printful and Printify. You can also sell memberships or run email campaigns using Klaviyo or Drip.

The store editor takes a little getting used to, but Shopify’s new Horizon theme editor and Sidekick AI assistant help speed up the process.

Pros

• Full ecommerce features from day one
• Great for digital, physical, and print-on-demand products
• Massive app ecosystem to extend functionality

Cons

• Learning curve for beginners
• Fewer free templates available

Shopify Pricing

Plan	Price (per month, billed annually)	Features Included
Basic	$29	Storefront, products, reports, support
Shopify	$79	Standard reports, better shipping discounts
Advanced	$299	Custom reporting, lower transaction fees
Starter Plan	$5	No storefront, sell via links and socials only

Shopify also runs frequent promos like $1/month for the first three months. Transaction fees range from 2.9% + $0.30 (using Shopify Payments) to higher if you use an external payment processor.

Shopify’s pricing reflects its capabilities. It’s not the cheapest option, but you get professional tools to grow your art business with everything from email marketing to SEO apps.

Best for: Professional artists and creators ready to invest in a scalable platform that grows with their business.

#2. Squarespace: Best for Visual Artists and Portfolios

Starting from $16/month (billed annually)
Free trial: 14 days
Portfolio templates: Yes
Sell services and commissions: Yes

Squarespace is one of the most design-focused platforms on the market. If the way your site looks is just as important as what you’re selling, Squarespace stands out. Artists can easily create a polished site that works as both a portfolio and a shop.

It includes built-in ecommerce tools, so you can sell prints, originals, or even commissions.

Squarespace also supports scheduling and service-based products, which is great for artists offering consultations or custom pieces.

With drag-and-drop tools and AI design assistants like Blueprint, setting up is smooth for beginners.

Pros

• Clean and creative design templates
• Easy to manage products and services
• Includes built-in booking tools

Cons

• No autosave feature
• Slightly limited customization options compared to other builders

Squarespace Pricing

Plan	Price (per month, billed annually)	Ecommerce Features
Personal	$16	No ecommerce
Business	$23	Basic ecommerce, 3% transaction fee
Basic Commerce	$27	Full ecommerce, no transaction fees
Advanced Commerce	$36	Abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions

All Squarespace plans come with unlimited bandwidth and mobile-optimized templates. The Business plan adds ecommerce, but only Commerce plans waive transaction fees.

Squarespace offers strong value, especially for creators who want a beautiful, all-in-one site. If you want full ecommerce features, go for the Basic or Advanced Commerce plans.

Best for: Artists who want their store to double as a portfolio and care about aesthetics and layout.

#3. Wix: Best for Customization and All-in-One Selling

Starting from $17/month
Free plan: Available
Drag-and-drop editor: Yes
Ecommerce-ready: Yes (on paid plans)

Wix is one of the most flexible website builders available, making it a strong choice for artists who want full control over how their store looks and functions. Its editor is intuitive and highly customizable, allowing you to arrange galleries, product pages, and blog posts exactly how you want.

Wix supports digital and physical product sales, and its app market gives you access to extra tools for email marketing, dropshipping, and live chat. With over 2,000 templates and an AI-powered site builder, Wix makes it easy to get started, especially if design is important to your brand.

Pros

• Highly customizable drag-and-drop editor
• Supports digital and physical products
• Large library of templates and apps

Cons

• Can be overwhelming with too many options
• Limited flexibility to switch templates after launch

Best for: Artists who want full control over their site design and need an all-in-one solution for content and commerce.

Wix Pricing

Plan	Price (per month, billed annually)	Ecommerce Included	Key Features
Free	$0	No	Wix-branded site, limited features
Light	$17	No	Custom domain, basic site
Core	$29	Yes	Sell online, basic ecommerce tools
Business	$36	Yes	Advanced ecommerce and analytics
Business Elite	$159	Yes	Scalable for larger stores

To sell online, you’ll need to be on at least the Core plan. Wix also frequently runs discounts and offers bundles that include domains and hosting.

Wix offers a solid balance between creative freedom and selling tools. It's ideal if you want to build a strong-looking site that reflects your art style while still having the backend power to manage sales and marketing.

#4. Big Cartel: Best for Small Catalogs and Simple Shops

Free plan available
Paid plans: $15 and $30/month
Trial: Not required
Product limit: Yes

Big Cartel is one of the simplest ecommerce platforms out there. It’s built for artists and independent makers who don’t need a complicated setup.

You can start selling with just a few clicks, and the platform includes essential features like inventory management, coupons, and product pages.

The free plan allows up to five products. If you need more, the Platinum plan ($15/month) lets you sell up to 50 items. Big Cartel doesn’t overwhelm you with features and is easy to manage without technical experience.

Pros

• Extremely beginner-friendly
• Free plan available with no transaction fees
• Built specifically with artists in mind

Cons

• Not built for large shops or advanced marketing
• Limited customization options

Big Cartel Pricing

Plan	Price (per month)	Product Limit	Features
Free	$0	Up to 5 items	Basic customization, limited features
Platinum	$15	Up to 50 items	Custom domains, tracking, discounts
Diamond	$30	Up to 500 items	Inventory tracking, theme code editing

There are no transaction fees from Big Cartel itself, but standard payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal still apply.

Big Cartel gives you just what you need without overcomplicating things. The free plan is perfect for artists testing the waters, and the paid plans stay affordable even if you scale up.

Best for: Artists with a limited product line who want a clean, low-cost storefront.

#5. Gumroad: Best for Selling Digital Downloads

Pricing: 10% + $0.50 per direct sale
Discover marketplace fee: 30%
Monthly fee: None
Tax handling: Yes (Merchant of Record)

Gumroad is a favorite among artists who sell digital art, printables, zines, or online courses. It allows for instant digital delivery, and you can set up a page and start selling in minutes.

There’s no monthly fee, but Gumroad takes a percentage of each sale.

What really makes Gumroad shine is its handling of taxes. As of January 2025, Gumroad acts as the Merchant of Record, meaning it calculates, collects, and remits sales tax or VAT for you. This is a big plus for creators selling globally.

Pros

• Great for digital-only products
• No monthly cost to start selling
• Handles taxes for international and domestic sales

Cons

• High per-sale fee
• Minimal design control for storefronts

Gumroad Pricing

Sales Channel	Fee	Monthly Cost
Direct Sales	10% + $0.50 per transaction	$0
Gumroad Discover	30% (includes all platform fees)	$0

You don’t pay a monthly subscription, which keeps the barrier to entry low. You only pay when you make a sale.

Gumroad is budget-friendly and ideal for digital artists or creators selling one-off files, courses, or printables. Keep in mind that while Discover offers exposure, the 30% fee is significantly higher.

Best for: Artists selling digital content who want hands-off delivery and tax handling.

#6. Etsy: Best for Built-In Traffic and Discovery

Pay-per-sale pricing model
Free trial: Not applicable
Built-in audience: Yes
Listing fee: $0.20 per product

If you want to reach new buyers without marketing your site from scratch, Etsy is the easiest way to get discovered. It’s one of the most visited online marketplaces for art, handmade goods, and prints.

Artists can list products, set custom prices, and get exposure to millions of monthly shoppers.

Etsy does have several fees. There’s a 6.5% transaction fee on the total sale price including shipping. You also pay for each listing and any optional advertising you run. While the fees add up, the exposure makes it worthwhile for many creators.

Pros

• High-volume marketplace traffic
• Ideal for small items, prints, and gifts
• Built-in reviews and trust from shoppers

Cons

• Limited branding control
• Fees increase quickly with advertising and high sales volume

Etsy Pricing

Fee Type	Amount	Notes
Listing Fee	$0.20 per item	Charged when listing and renewing items
Transaction Fee	6.5% of sale price	Applies to item price plus shipping/gift wrap
Payment Processing Fee (US)	3% + $0.25	Varies by country
Offsite Ads Fee	12%–15% (if opted in)	Charged only on sales made through Etsy's ad clicks

There is no monthly fee to sell on Etsy, but you pay fees on every sale, including transaction and processing charges. Optional advertising tools can add extra cost.

Etsy works well for testing new products and reaching buyers without building a separate site. Just remember that fees can eat into your profit margins, especially at scale.

Best for: New artists looking to test the market or sell products without building a full website.

#7. Ko-fi: Best for Tips, Memberships, and Commission Requests

Pricing: Free or $6/month (Ko-fi Gold)
Transaction fees: 0 to 5% depending on setup
Trial: Not needed
Membership features: Included

Ko-fi is a simple but powerful way for artists to earn support from fans and customers. It lets you collect tips, sell downloads, and offer memberships or commissions.

Unlike Patreon, Ko-fi gives creators more flexibility and doesn’t charge platform fees on tips for free users.

You can list products, offer custom commissions, and provide exclusive content to members. It’s not a full ecommerce platform, but it’s an excellent lightweight tool for monetizing your audience.

Pros

• No fees on donations (free plan)
• Great for light selling and community support
• Supports memberships and commissions

Cons

• Limited store customization
• Not built for large-scale sales

Ko-fi Pricing

Plan	Monthly Fee	Platform Fees	Key Features
Free	$0	5% on sales	Donations, product sales, commissions
Ko-fi Gold	$6	0% platform fees	Memberships, premium downloads, paywall posts

Standard payment processor fees still apply (via Stripe or PayPal).

Ko-fi’s pricing is transparent and low-risk. The Gold plan is affordable and removes the platform fee entirely, making it worth the upgrade if you sell regularly.

This is one of the most budget-friendly ways to monetize an audience, whether you’re accepting tips or offering custom digital products.

Best for: Artists with smaller audiences who want to offer casual ways to support their work.

Selling Art Online: Real Use Cases That Match Your Workflow

Most artists I’ve worked with fall into one or more of these categories. Your best ecommerce platform depends on how your process fits into one of these paths:

• Selling originals and limited pieces: You’ll want a site that feels like a gallery, with high-quality visuals and minimal distractions. Squarespace or Wix can give you that visual polish.
• Running a print-on-demand shop: Shopify or Wix are your best bets if you want strong integrations with Printful, Printify, or other POD services.
• Selling digital downloads (like zines, printables, or brushes): Gumroad is built for this and removes most of the tax headaches too.
• Offering commissions or custom work: Ko-fi or Squarespace work well, especially with their scheduling and service-based tools.
• Building a long-term brand with SEO, email, and customer retention: Shopify is the platform to grow with.
• Testing your products or launching fast: Etsy is a strong starting point with built-in traffic and quick listing setup.

Instead of choosing based on features alone, consider the actual flow of how you work and how customers buy your art.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Platform for You

The right ecommerce platform depends on what kind of artist you are and how you plan to grow.

If you want to build a professional store with lots of room to scale, Shopify is the most complete option. If your focus is on displaying your work beautifully and selling a few pieces, Squarespace is a great fit.

Etsy is best for artists who want to get discovered quickly without building their own site, and Big Cartel is ideal for simple shops with a small product range.

Digital-first creators should look at Gumroad, especially with its tax handling advantage. Fourthwall makes life easier for artists selling merch, while Ko-fi is perfect for tips, small product sales, and community-driven support.