The short version
- Etsy: $0.20 listing fee plus 6.5% transaction fee plus processing
- WishThrift: No listing fee, no selling commission, and no buyer-side fee
- Bottom line: WishThrift charges nothing on any sale
- Rates verified: 26 Jul 2026, direct from Etsy’s own fee page
Fee comparison
| Platform | What it costs to sell |
|---|---|
| Etsy | $0.20 listing fee plus 6.5% transaction fee plus processing |
| WishThrift | No listing fee, no selling commission, and no buyer-side fee |
In full, as verified on 26 Jul 2026: $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee on the total including shipping, and payment processing of 3% + $0.25 in the US (4% + £0.20 in the UK). Offsite Ads 15%, or 12% for sellers above $10k trailing revenue.
Who actually pays
The seller pays on Etsy, across three separate line items that are easy to underestimate individually. The listing fee is charged whether or not the item sells, and again on renewal. On WishThrift nothing is charged to either side, and an unsold listing costs exactly as much as a sold one: nothing.
What you keep on a $50 and a $200 sale
| Sale price | Fee on Etsy | You keep | You keep on WishThrift |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $5.20 | $44.80 | $50 |
| $200 | $19.45 | $180.55 | $200 |
$50 fee: $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee, and 3% + $0.25 US payment processing. $200 fee: $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee, and 3% + $0.25 US payment processing. Worked at the US processing rate; the UK rate is 4% + £0.20. The 6.5% transaction fee applies to the total including shipping, so the real figure is higher on posted items. Offsite Ads add 15%, or 12% for sellers above $10k trailing revenue, when a sale comes through them.
Where Etsy is genuinely better
A comparison that finds nothing good to say about the other side is not worth reading. These are real advantages, and for some sellers they will settle the question:
- Buyers arrive intending to buy handmade or vintage, and will pay accordingly. For genuine vintage that intent is worth more than the fee.
- Serious shop infrastructure. Variations, stock tracking, discount codes, integrated postage and a real storefront — Etsy is built for someone running a business.
- Search that rewards good listings. Etsy’s search is a genuine discovery channel if you learn it, rather than a chronological feed.
- Established payments and dispute handling, which WishThrift does not provide at all.
Where WishThrift is better
- Listings are free and never expire into a renewal fee. On Etsy the $0.20 is charged again every time a listing renews, whether or not anything sold.
- No transaction or processing cut. On a $200 sale that is roughly $19.45 you keep.
- Ordinary second-hand items belong here. Etsy’s vintage rules require items to be 20 years old or more; a three-year-old sofa or last season’s coat has no place there and a natural one here.
- No shop to maintain. There is nothing to brand, no renewals to track and no shop policies to write before you can sell one thing.
Who each one suits
Etsy. Etsy suits people making things, and people dealing in true vintage who benefit from an audience that specifically wants it and will pay a premium for it.
WishThrift. WishThrift suits ordinary pre-owned items — recent clothing, electronics, furniture, kids’ gear — which are not what Etsy’s audience is there for and which its fee structure punishes.
WishThrift is also the newer and considerably smaller of the two, and that is worth saying plainly: a larger audience finds buyers faster. Because listing here costs nothing, the question is rarely which one to choose — it is whether there is any reason not to use both.
Moving your listings across
If you sell true vintage, keep Etsy and add WishThrift for everything that does not meet the 20-year rule; there is no reason to choose. If you have been using Etsy for general second-hand items, they will do better here, and you can stop paying $0.20 every time a listing renews unsold. Etsy descriptions are usually well written and transfer directly — just cut the shop-policy boilerplate.
Want to try it without paying anything? Listing on WishThrift is free, there is no commission, and you keep the full amount you agree with the buyer — see how selling works or create a free account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell used items on Etsy?
Only within Etsy’s rules: vintage items must be at least 20 years old, and everything else must be handmade or a craft supply. General second-hand goods — recent clothing, electronics, furniture — are not permitted, which is the main practical reason sellers look elsewhere.
Is WishThrift cheaper than Etsy?
Yes. Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, 6.5% on the transaction and payment processing on top — roughly $19.45 on a $200 sale, plus renewal fees on listings that do not sell. WishThrift charges nothing to list, nothing on the sale, and nothing to the buyer.
Does WishThrift charge a listing fee?
No. Listings are free, they do not expire into a renewal charge, and there is no commission when the item sells. An item that sits unsold for months costs you nothing at all.
Sources and method. Etsy’s rates were verified on 26 Jul 2026 via blog.marmalead.com/etsy-fees-explained (matches etsy.com/legal/fees). WishThrift’s own position — no listing fee, no commission, no buyer fee — is checked against the live site. Fees change, sometimes without notice: this page is reviewed quarterly and the figures above should be confirmed against Etsy’s own fee page before you rely on them for a large sale. Note: Etsy is a different market (handmade/vintage) — say so rather than implying a like-for-like swap.
More comparisons: all marketplace fee comparisons · work out what your item is worth · read about condition grades.