Etsy vs Redbubble for Print-on-Demand in 2025

Choosing the right platform can make or break your print-on-demand (POD) business. Etsy and Redbubble are two of the most popular options for creators in 2025, but they offer very different experiences. This guide provides a detailed, honest comparison of Etsy vs Redbubble specifically for people deciding where to sell POD products. We’ll cover fees, listing limits, payout structures, organic reach, effort required for sales, integrations, policies, pros and cons, and recommendations for which platform suits different situations.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or a mid-level seller looking to expand, read on to understand how Etsy and Redbubble stack up in 2025 – and which platform might be the better choice for your print-on-demand venture.

Platform Overview: Etsy and Redbubble in a Nutshell

Etsy is a massive e-commerce marketplace known for handmade, vintage, and unique goods. It isn’t a POD provider itself, but it allows sellers to offer custom-printed products by integrating with third-party fulfillers (more on that later). Launched in 2005, Etsy has grown into a marketplace with 96 million active buyers and over 100 million product listings. It’s a hands-on platform – sellers create product listings (with their own pricing, descriptions, and photos) and either make the products or partner with a print provider to fulfill orders. Etsy’s strength is its huge audience and search-driven marketplace, but it also means heavy competition and various seller fees.

Redbubble, founded in 2006, is a dedicated print-on-demand marketplace aimed at artists and designers. On Redbubble, you simply upload your artwork and choose which products (t-shirts, stickers, mugs, art prints, etc.) to enable. When a customer orders, Redbubble handles the printing, shipping, and customer service on your behalf. There are no upfront listing fees or manual fulfillment tasks – it’s a hands-off approach to selling your work. However, you have less control over branding and pricing (you set your profit margin, but base prices are fixed), and the site’s audience and traffic are much smaller than Etsy’s. Redbubble is essentially both the marketplace and the POD supplier in one, catering to creatives who want a low-maintenance way to monetize designs.

In summary: Etsy is like running your own small shop in a bustling bazaar – you’re in charge of your storefront and product experience, but you also handle more business tasks. Redbubble is more like placing your art in a global POD gallery – the platform does the heavy lifting on production and logistics, but you sacrifice some control and earnings per sale. Let’s dive deeper into specific comparisons.

Fees and Pricing: How Each Platform Makes Money (and How You Do)

One of the biggest differences between Etsy and Redbubble is how fees and earnings are structured. Here’s a breakdown of platform fees, listing costs, and payout structures on each:

Etsy Fees: Etsy charges several types of fees to sellers:
- Listing Fee: $0.20 USD to list an item, which lasts 4 months or until it sells (whichever comes first). If it doesn’t sell, you’ll pay $0.20 to renew the listing for another 4 months. There’s no fixed limit on how many listings you can have, but these fees can add up if you list hundreds of products.
- Transaction Fee: 6.5% of the sale price plus shipping cost and gift wrapping (if any).
- Payment Processing Fee: Typically around 3% + $0.25 per order (varies by country). This is the fee for processing credit cards through Etsy Payments.
- Offsite Ads Fee: If Etsy’s advertising campaigns outside the platform (e.g. Google or social media ads) lead to a sale in your shop, Etsy charges an additional cut. This fee is 15% for most sellers, or 12% for top sellers who had over $10,000 in Etsy sales in the past 12 months. Sellers under the $10k threshold can opt out of Offsite Ads, but those above must participate.
- Other Fees: Etsy has optional services like Etsy Plus (a $10/month subscription for extra shop customization and listing credits) and charges for things like currency conversion and VAT on fees in some regions. But the main costs are the ones above.
Etsy Payout Structure: When you make a sale on Etsy, the buyer’s payment (minus Etsy’s fees) goes into your Etsy seller account balance. Etsy pays out to your bank account according to your chosen schedule (you can do daily, weekly, biweekly, or manual payouts). There’s no minimum threshold – even if you sold one item, you can get that money on the next payout cycle. Etsy supports bank deposits in many countries and some sellers can also use PayPal for payouts, but Etsy Payments is the default method in 2025. Essentially, you get paid soon after each sale (once the buyer’s payment clears), less all the Etsy fees above.
Redbubble Fees: Redbubble doesn’t charge you per listing or transaction in a traditional sense. Instead, they have a base cost for products and you earn a margin (markup) that you set on top of that base price. The customer pays the total price; Redbubble keeps the base cost and gives you the markup as your profit. For example, if the base cost of a T-shirt is $15 and you set a 20% markup, the customer pays $18, Redbubble keeps $15 and you get $3. However, starting in 2023–2025, Redbubble introduced account fees that effectively reduce your share:
- Platform Fee (Standard Tier): Most new or casual sellers are in the Standard tier. Redbubble now takes 50% of your earnings (your markup) as a fee for platform maintenance. In the T-shirt example above, your $3 profit would be cut to $1.50 after the 50% fee.
- Platform Fee (Premium Tier): If you achieve certain criteria or possibly by Redbubble’s invitation (the exact qualification is a bit opaque), you might be classified as Premium. Premium accounts pay a smaller fee – 20% of your earnings. Using the same example, $3 profit would become $2.40 after fee. Some high-performing sellers even reach Pro Tier, which is exempt from fees, but that’s only for a tiny percentage of top sellers.
- Excess Markup Fee: In addition to the above, Redbubble discourages setting very high markups. If you price products with more than a 20% markup, they charge an extra 50% fee on the earnings above that 20% level. In short, keeping your prices reasonable is enforced by the fee structure.
- No Listing/Transaction Fees: Redbubble does not charge per listing, and they don’t take a cut per sale beyond the built-in margin system and account fees above. You can upload as many designs as you want for free. This makes it risk-free to list new designs, in contrast to Etsy’s pay-per-listing model.
Redbubble Payout Structure: Redbubble accumulates your earnings (royalties) and pays out monthly, but only if you reach a minimum threshold. You must have at least $20 (or €20/£20) in earnings for the month to get paid out. If you don’t hit $20, the balance rolls over to next month. Payments go out around the 15th of each month for the previous month’s earnings. Redbubble can pay via PayPal or direct deposit (but direct deposit is only for certain countries like US, UK, Australia). Keep in mind PayPal may charge its own fees to receive the money. Importantly, if you only make a few dollars in sales, Redbubble will hold your earnings until you eventually accumulate $20+ – something to consider if you’re just starting out or have sporadic sales.

Profit Margin Considerations: Because of these fee structures, your potential profit per sale can differ greatly between Etsy and Redbubble:

On Etsy, you have more control. You set your retail price based on your product cost from a POD supplier (e.g., Printful’s base cost) and the perceived value. After Etsy’s ~6.5% + 3% + $0.25 fees (roughly ~10% of the price, give or take), the rest of the margin is yours to keep. If you price products right and find cost-effective suppliers, you can earn a solid profit per item. For example, if a mug costs $7 base and you sell it for $15 + $5 shipping on Etsy, you might pay around $2 in Etsy fees, $0.20 listing, and perhaps $0.50 processing = roughly $2.70 in fees, plus you pay the supplier and shipping (~$9). You’d net around $8 profit in that scenario. You could also charge more if your designs are unique and get away with higher margins.
On Redbubble, the base prices are often higher to begin with (since Redbubble’s fulfillers and the platform take their cut). Sellers often use a markup of around 10–20% to stay competitive on the site. With the new fees, a Standard Redbubble seller who sets (for instance) a 20% markup effectively only nets 10% of the sale price as actual profit (because half the 20% is taken by the fee). A Premium seller nets about 16% of the sale price. This means if a customer buys a $20 t-shirt on Redbubble, a standard-tier artist might only get $2. Redbubble’s margins per product are generally lower than what you could achieve on Etsy with your own pricing strategy. The trade-off is you didn’t have to do anything but upload the design.

In short, Etsy has a more complex fee structure but potentially higher profit per item, while Redbubble is simpler upfront (no listing fee), but the internal fees and base costs lead to lower earnings per sale. Be sure to factor this in: if maximizing profit margin is a top priority and you’re willing to put in more work, Etsy gives you more levers to pull. If you prefer ease and are okay with smaller royalties, Redbubble’s fee model might be acceptable.

Tip: If you choose Etsy, it’s wise to treat those fees as the cost of doing business and price your products accordingly. Many sellers build the 6.5% Etsy fee and other costs into their retail price. On Redbubble, since you can’t control the base cost, focus on volume – the more you sell, the more those small royalties add up (and high sellers might get bumped to Premium tier with lower fees).

Quick Fee Comparison Table

Aspect	Etsy (Marketplace only)	Redbubble (Marketplace + POD)
Listing Fee	$0.20 per listing (4 months)	$0 (free to upload designs)
Transaction Fee	6.5% of item + shipping price	0% (built into product base cost; RB keeps base price)
Payment Processing	~3% + $0.25 per order	0% (handled by Redbubble’s checkout)
Ad/Referral Fees	12–15% on sales via Offsite Ads (if applicable)	0% (Redbubble handles its own marketing)
POD Fulfillment Cost	Paid to external provider (varies by partner rates)	Built-in to base price (RB sets base, uses 3rd-party printers)
Your Pricing Control	Full control over retail price (minus fees above)	Control over markup % only (base cost fixed)
Profit Margin per Sale	Varies (~10–30% or more, depending on pricing and supplier cost)	Lower (~10–20% of sale price typical, can be less after fees)
Payout Schedule	On demand (daily/weekly/monthly) via bank deposit; no minimum	Monthly (around 15th); $20 minimum threshold
Upfront Cost to List	Yes – pay $0.20 each listing	No – unlimited free listings (only pay via profit cut if sales happen)

Traffic and Reach: Which Platform Brings More Buyers?

If you build it, will they come? A major factor in choosing a platform is the organic reach – how many people might see and buy your products without you actively promoting them. Here’s how Etsy and Redbubble compare in 2025 in terms of traffic and customer base:

Etsy’s Massive Audience: Etsy is one of the world’s largest e-commerce sites. It receives roughly 400 million visits per month in 2025. This is an enormous pool of potential customers. Etsy’s audience is global, though heavily concentrated in North America and Europe. The typical Etsy shopper is often female and in the 25–34 age range, though all ages shop there. Importantly, people going to Etsy are actively looking to buy unique or custom products – they often search with purchase intent (e.g. “funny cat mug gift”). This means if your listings rank well for the right keywords, you can tap into that huge buyer traffic. The flip side is that Etsy’s marketplace is extremely crowded with sellers and listings, so competition for attention is fierce. As one summary line puts it, Etsy’s massive reach also “highlights how crowded the platform is” – you won’t automatically get seen just by being there.
Redbubble’s Niche Audience: Redbubble’s traffic is much smaller in comparison. As of mid-2025, Redbubble gets around 19–20 million visits per month. The audience on Redbubble is typically people looking for art-driven products like graphic tees, stickers, and wall art. Demographics skews toward younger adults and a fairly even gender split. The US, UK, Australia, and Canada are big markets for Redbubble. Importantly, Redbubble’s organic reach on its own is limited – there are millions of designs on the platform from over 2.8 million artists, but far fewer buyers. Many Redbubble sellers report that making sales requires either hitting a trending niche or bringing some of your own audience (via social media, etc.). One blunt take you’ll hear from sellers is that “Redbubble traffic isn’t the greatest either so you will have to promote your stuff anyway if you want to make some money.” In other words, you can’t just count on Redbubble’s marketplace traffic to make you rich; you might still need to hustle externally.

So Etsy clearly wins in sheer scale of audience. The average Etsy seller might get more eyeballs on their products than the average Redbubble seller, simply due to the marketplace size. However, more traffic also means more competition, so let’s talk about what you need to do to actually get organic sales on each platform.

Getting Organic Sales: SEO, Keywords, and Effort Required

Having lots of potential customers is one thing – reaching them is another. Both Etsy and Redbubble operate as search-based platforms: shoppers search for keywords, and the platform shows them results (product listings on Etsy, design listings on Redbubble). To succeed on either, you’ll need to put in effort on search engine optimization (SEO) and overall listing quality. Here’s what that entails on each site:

Etsy SEO & Marketing Effort: Etsy’s search algorithm uses your listing’s title, tags, categories, and attributes to match against buyer searches. Therefore, optimizing your titles and tags is critical. You should research keywords (e.g. using Etsy search suggestions, tools like Marmalead/erank, or even Google Trends) relevant to your niche. For example, if you sell a mug with a cat illustration, a title might be “Cute Cat Coffee Mug, Kawaii Kitten Art Cup, Gift for Cat Lovers” – hitting various phrases a buyer might search. Etsy allows 13 tags per listing; use all of them with different keyword variations. Additionally, quality photos and a compelling description help convert clicks into sales. With 400M monthly visitors, attention spans are short – “clear photos, strong product descriptions, and well-placed keywords can help turn casual browsers into buyers” on Etsy. In practice, this means taking the time to create appealing mockups of your POD products, writing descriptive copy, and maybe even using Etsy’s built-in Promoted Listings (ads) to boost visibility when starting out.

Beyond SEO, Etsy sellers often have to do external marketing as well: promoting on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, etc., especially when new. There are also Etsy-specific things like getting good reviews (which help your listing rank and convert better) and possibly participating in Etsy sales events or coupons to entice buyers. It’s fair to say that making consistent organic sales on Etsy requires active maintenance: tweaking tags, refreshing listings, adding new products regularly (Etsy favors shops that continually add fresh items), and responding to customer messages. You are effectively building your own brand on Etsy, so it’s more work, but the rewards can be bigger once you gain traction (repeat customers, word-of-mouth, etc.).

Redbubble SEO & Effort: On Redbubble, the process is a bit different but still requires smart keyword usage. When you upload a design, you’ll give it a title, description, and tags. These feed into both Redbubble’s internal search and external search engines. A pro-tip from experienced RB sellers is to write a robust description for each design – not just one line, but a couple of paragraphs stuffed (naturally) with relevant keywords and context about the design. For example, if your design is a funny cat graphic, mention keywords like “funny cat t-shirt”, “gift for cat owner”, “cute kitten illustration”, etc., in a readable descriptive way. Redbubble allows up to 50 tags per design, but be careful – using all 50 with very broad or unrelated tags can backfire. It’s best to use specific, relevant tags (and note that Redbubble might shadow-ban or not surface designs with spammy tagging). For internal reach, Redbubble’s algorithm tends to give new designs an initial boost (a chance to be seen) and then if they sell or get favorites, they maintain visibility. If not, they might sink into obscurity. This means continuously adding new, timely designs (e.g. trend-related or seasonal content) can help you get seen.

In terms of marketing effort, Redbubble is more passive than Etsy. You can just upload designs and wait for organic sales – many hobby artists do this. But because the platform’s organic traffic is limited, you’ll probably benefit from sharing your Redbubble portfolio on social media, in art communities, or your own website. The good news is Redbubble handles all customer service, so you won’t be answering messages or dealing with shipping issues. That frees up time to create more art or promote. The bad news is you don’t get customer contact info or much opportunity to build a brand relationship – the customer often remembers “I bought it on Redbubble” rather than your shop name. So, any marketing you do is more about driving one-time sales rather than building a loyal repeat customer base on RB.

Summing Up the Effort: Expect to invest more time in SEO and shop optimization on Etsy, but that effort directly correlates with better visibility on a high-traffic platform. On Redbubble, you’ll invest time in making lots of designs and optimizing tags/descriptions, knowing that any single design has a low chance of being a breakout hit (but you only need to strike gold occasionally if you upload enough). Both platforms benefit from external promotion, but it’s almost mandatory on Redbubble if you want to scale up earnings, whereas on Etsy some shops can thrive purely through Etsy search traffic (especially if they rank on page 1 for popular keywords).

In short: To make organic sales on Etsy, you need to become part artist, part SEO researcher, part customer service rep. To make organic sales on Redbubble, you need to focus on trending content, good tagging, and perhaps volume of designs, since you won’t be handling customers or logistics. Neither is truly “list it and forget it” if your goal is substantial income – but Redbubble leans more toward set and forget than Etsy does.

Integrations and Fulfillment: How Products Are Produced and Delivered

Another key difference is how you fulfill orders on each platform, especially since we’re focusing on print-on-demand products:

Etsy Integrations: Etsy itself doesn’t print or ship anything for you. If you sell POD items on Etsy, you have two main options:
1. Use a Print-on-Demand Fulfillment Partner. Many sellers connect their Etsy shop to services like Printful, Printify, Gelato, Gooten, Awkward Styles, etc. These integrations are usually done via an app or API – for example, you can link Printful to Etsy, so when an order comes in, it automatically gets sent to Printful for production. The process: you design the product in the POD partner’s system (e.g. upload artwork on Printful to create a shirt), it gets pushed to your Etsy as a listing. When someone orders on Etsy, Printful charges you the base cost and ships the item to your customer with your branding. This makes Etsy + POD provider a relatively seamless setup. There are dozens of POD companies that integrate with Etsy – each with different product catalogs, pricing, and quality. If you need help choosing one, see our guide on the best print-on-demand providers for Etsy sellers. The good part of this method is you don’t handle printing or stock; it’s automated. The challenging part is you have to manage the relationship – for instance, if an order is delayed or a customer wants a return, you communicate with the customer and coordinate with the POD company.
2. Fulfill Yourself (or Locally). A minority of Etsy sellers do their own printing at home or use a local print shop. This gives full control over quality and often better margins (no middleman). However, it’s only feasible if you’re willing to invest in equipment or inventory. For most new sellers, using Printful/Printify et al. is the more practical route for POD on Etsy.
Etsy officially allows print-on-demand as long as you disclose your production partner in the listing (there’s a field to add a production partner name). This keeps you compliant with Etsy’s “handmade” policy, since you as the designer are the artist and the POD company is just a manufacturing partner.
Redbubble Fulfillment: Redbubble is the fulfillment provider. The platform works with a network of third-party manufacturers around the world to print and ship orders for you. As a seller, you don’t have to integrate any external service – you simply upload your high-resolution artwork files and Redbubble’s system handles the rest. They will automatically route each order to an appropriate printer (often one nearest to the customer to reduce shipping time). You also don’t pay upfront for base costs; it’s taken out of the customer’s payment. Essentially, Redbubble is one-stop: marketplace, printer, and shipper in one. There are no external tools to set up and no worrying about syncing orders. The only “integration” you might consider with Redbubble is linking Google Analytics to track your page views, but that’s optional and more about analytics than fulfillment.

Comparing the effort: If you’re not tech-savvy or don’t want to bother with third-party apps, Redbubble is extremely simple – list and let it run. Etsy requires a bit more setup to connect a POD supplier (though services like Printful make it pretty user-friendly with guides and support). Once set up, Etsy orders can be just as hands-off as Redbubble in daily operation, but you’ll always need to monitor that orders are flowing correctly to your printer and handle any exceptions.

One more integration-related point: product range. The products you can sell differ:

With Etsy+POD, your range of products depends on your chosen POD partner. Printful and Printify, for example, offer hundreds of product types (apparel, jewelry, home decor, etc.), often more than Redbubble’s catalog. You can even work with multiple POD partners to extend your range (e.g. use Printful for apparel and Gooten for some specialty items not offered elsewhere). Etsy also lets you sell non-POD items alongside, so you could add things like handmade items or digital downloads in the same shop if you wanted.
Redbubble’s catalog is curated by Redbubble. They have a wide selection (t-shirts, hoodies, dresses, stickers, phone cases, wall art, pillows, mugs, notebooks, etc.), which covers most common POD product types. But if you have a niche product in mind (say, all-over-print backpacks or personalized items), Redbubble might not have it. You’re limited to what Redbubble chooses to support. Also, if a new product type comes out in the POD world, you have to wait for Redbubble to add it (whereas on Etsy you could hop to a supplier that offers it).

Branding & Packaging: With Etsy and your own POD partner, you often can customize the packing slip or add your logo (Printful, for instance, lets you have your logo on the shipping label and include custom pack-ins for a fee). So the customer feels like they got it from your brand. Redbubble, on the other hand, ships items in Redbubble-branded packaging. The customer gets a Redbubble receipt – your name might be in small text as the artist, but the overall experience is “bought from Redbubble.” This is important if building a brand is a goal for you. Etsy allows you to build your brand identity more strongly.

Policies, Restrictions, and Account Considerations

Both platforms come with their own set of rules and quirks that sellers need to be aware of. Here are some policy and account limit comparisons:

Content and IP Policy: Redbubble and Etsy both prohibit selling copyrighted/trademarked material without permission. However, enforcement differs:
- Redbubble has an entire fan art program with certain licensed IPs where you can submit designs for approval. Outside of that, they actively remove designs that likely infringe on copyrights. If you repeatedly violate or if they suspect you of posting stolen art, they can suspend your account.
- Etsy also prohibits IP infringement, and rights-holders frequently police Etsy. If you sell unlicensed fan art or trademark phrases, your listing can get removed and you could get a strike on your account. Multiple IP strikes can lead to account suspension. Beyond IP, Etsy requires print-on-demand listings to disclose the production partner, and they discourage reselling (though POD is okay since you created the artwork). Adult content has to be appropriately tagged as mature. And certain products have specific rules.
Seller Account Suspensions: Both platforms have had issues with sudden account closures:
- Etsy has been known to suspend new shops without warning if their risk detection system flags something. Getting reinstated can be a slow process. Also, IP violations or too many bad customer reviews can jeopardize your shop.
- Redbubble implemented an “account tier” system that indirectly limits some accounts. New sellers might find themselves in Standard tier (with high fees) and possibly have some features less visible. Redbubble can also suspend accounts for what they consider “spammy” behavior – like mass-uploading hundreds of low-quality designs or using bots.
Approval Process: Neither Etsy nor Redbubble require a rigorous pre-approval to start selling. You can sign up and start listing on both immediately. Etsy will ask for identity verification and bank details during shop setup, and Redbubble just needs basic account info.
Listing Limits: Technically, Etsy has no official listing limit – you can list as many products as you want as long as you pay the $0.20 each. Redbubble also doesn’t cap your number of designs/pages.
Fees and Account Changes: Etsy has increased fees in the past and could do so again. Redbubble’s fees drastically changed in 2023 and 2025. Sellers should keep an eye on policy update emails from both companies.
Customer Service and Returns: On Etsy, you (the seller) are responsible for customer service. On Redbubble, customer service is handled by Redbubble’s team.
Geographical Considerations: Etsy supports sellers from many countries; Redbubble is open to international artists and pays via PayPal or direct deposit in certain regions.

Pros and Cons Summary

Let’s boil all this down into a clear list of the advantages and disadvantages of each platform for print-on-demand sellers:

Pros of Selling POD on Etsy:

Massive Built-in Audience: Hundreds of millions of visits and buyers with intent can lead to strong sales if you rank well.
Control Over Pricing & Branding: You set your prices to achieve the margins you want. You can brand your Etsy shop with a banner, logo, and have a unique shop name.
Wide Product Variety: Through POD integrations, you can sell almost any custom product. You’re not limited to one supplier or catalog – you can switch or use multiple to expand your line.
Higher Profit Potential per Sale: With smart sourcing and pricing, you can earn more per item than on Redbubble.
Repeat Business & Customer Relationships: You can build a following and potentially a sustainable business beyond just one-off sales.
Tools & Integrations: Etsy offers promotional tools (coupons, sales), analytics, and many third-party tools exist for SEO/listing management.

Cons of Selling POD on Etsy:

Multiple Fees Eat into Margin: Listing, transaction, payment, and possible Offsite Ad fees add up. You need to price high enough to cover ~10–15% in Etsy-related fees (plus production cost).
Competitive and Crowded: Standing out is tough; competition is heavy.
More Work & Responsibility: You act as customer service and order manager.
Initial Costs & Risk: You pay listing fees regardless of sales, and you may need some cashflow to bridge payouts and production.
Policy Constraints: Etsy can suspend accounts or remove listings if rules are violated.
Offsite Ad Cut: High-performing shops may pay an extra 12% on ad-attributed orders.

Pros of Selling on Redbubble:

No Upfront Costs: Completely free to upload and list designs.
Hands-Off Fulfillment: Printing, shipping, and returns are handled for you.
Easy Setup: Start selling quickly; no third-party apps needed.
Global Production & Delivery: Orders are routed to printers worldwide.
Passive Income Potential: A large portfolio can keep selling over time.
Community and Artist Focus: Less direct customer pressure; RB handles support.

Cons of Selling on Redbubble:

Lower Traffic = Fewer Sales Opportunities: ~20M visits monthly vs Etsy’s ~400M.
Reduced Earnings per Sale: Base costs and new fee structure significantly cut profits.
Little Control Over Business: You can’t customize the customer experience or collect emails; Redbubble owns the customer relationship.
Account Tiers and Uncertainties: Standard/Premium/Pro tiers affect fees; policy changes can impact earnings.
Market Saturation and Copycats: Spam and design theft can be issues.
Delayed Payout for Newbies: $20 threshold can delay getting paid.
Lack of Scalability for Business Growth: Hard to build an independent brand on RB.

Which Should You Choose? Recommendations Based on Your Situation

Ultimately, the “best” platform depends on your goals, resources, and style. Here are some recommendations for different scenarios:

“I’m a total beginner, just testing the waters.” If you have never sold anything online before and just want to dip your toes in POD with zero investment, Redbubble is appealing. You can experiment with a few designs, see if any sell, and learn about what designs resonate with buyers – all without spending money. That said, Etsy can also work for beginners if you’re willing to learn some business basics. Many first-time sellers do start on Etsy because the chance of making a sale is higher given the traffic. If you choose Etsy as a newbie, be prepared for a learning curve. Redbubble is simpler for a first attempt; Etsy can be more rewarding if your learning pays off.
“I’m an artist/designer who wants a passive side income.” For someone who primarily wants to focus on creating art and not on running a “store,” Redbubble (or similar POD marketplaces) might be better. You can upload your artwork and potentially earn passive income over time, treating it like a portfolio that makes money. You won’t have to deal with customer emails or order issues.
“I want to build a brand and a long-term business.” Choose Etsy (and possibly plan to expand to your own site eventually). Etsy lets you start building a customer base that knows your shop name. Over time, you could even direct Etsy customers to your own website or mailing list (within Etsy’s rules) to grow beyond the platform.
“I care about profit margin and higher price-point products.” Etsy again. On Etsy you can sell premium-priced items – e.g., a hoodie for $50 with a custom design – and some shoppers will pay because it’s a gift or they trust the handmade ethos.
“My designs are very pop-culture or fanart oriented.” This one is tricky: Etsy has a lot of unlicensed fan art but it’s technically not allowed; Redbubble strictly polices IP but has an official fan art program for certain franchises. Another platform like TeePublic or Society6 might be better, but between Etsy and Redbubble: Etsy has a bigger audience for fan merch. Just be aware of the risks. Redbubble’s fan art program could be worth checking – if the IP you love is on their approved list, Redbubble might surprisingly be the safer space to sell that work legally.
“I don’t have time to manage anything day-to-day.” If you’re very time-poor and can only upload designs occasionally, Redbubble’s low-maintenance nature is attractive. You won’t have customer convos to respond to or orders to check on.
“I’m experienced and want to maximize exposure by multi-channel selling.” Who says you have to choose just one? Many savvy sellers use both. For example, you might put your designs on Redbubble and also create an Etsy shop where you sell the same designs via Printful. You’ll tap into both audiences. This multi-platform approach can increase your overall revenue and also hedges against one platform’s changes.

Conclusion

Etsy vs Redbubble – they’re both viable places to sell print-on-demand products, but for most sellers one will fit better than the other. In 2025, Etsy offers a bigger opportunity in terms of customers and profit per sale, at the cost of more effort, higher complexity, and some upfront fees. Redbubble provides simplicity and ease of use, with truly no-cost setup, but significantly lower earnings and less control.

To summarize our findings:

Fees & Profit: Etsy has listing/transaction fees that cut ~10%+, but you keep the rest; Redbubble has no listing fees but effectively takes around 50% of your margin (unless you’re top tier), leading to smaller profits per sale.
Traffic & Reach: Etsy’s traffic (~400M monthly) dwarfs Redbubble’s (~20M), meaning more potential buyers – but also a more crowded marketplace.
Effort: Etsy requires learning SEO, handling customers, and active shop management. Redbubble is more “upload and let it ride,” but you might still need to promote externally to see significant sales.
Integrations: Etsy relies on POD integrations like Printful/Printify to fulfill orders (which can greatly automate your Etsy business). Redbubble’s fulfillment is built-in and hands-free.
Policies: Etsy gives you flexibility to build your brand but also puts the onus on you to follow rules and satisfy customers. Redbubble has stricter control (especially on content) and a one-size-fits-all approach to customers.
Pros/Cons: Etsy is better for building a serious side hustle or full business, especially if you want higher income and are willing to work for it. Redbubble is better for hobbyists or as a supplementary channel, where ease of use is priority and you’re okay with modest earnings.

Which platform wins for sellers? There’s no one-size-fits-all winner – it truly depends on what you want out of the experience. If we have to declare a victor: for the committed seller aiming to grow a brand and make higher revenue, Etsy edges out Redbubble in 2025. The sheer scale of Etsy’s market and the control you have allows you to potentially build something substantial. However, for a no-fuss creative side gig, Redbubble wins on convenience – you’ll never worry about customer complaints or upfront costs.

Many sellers actually use Etsy as their primary income driver and keep a Redbubble account for extra passive sales on the side. This way you leverage Etsy’s strength in one area and Redbubble’s in another.

Before you decide, consider your personal constraints: budget, time, tolerance for tech and customer service, and where your target customers are more likely to shop. You might even try both and see where your particular designs gain traction.

Next Steps: If you’re leaning toward Etsy, make sure to pick a solid POD fulfillment partner – check out our resource on the best POD providers for Etsy to find a reliable supplier that fits your needs. If Redbubble intrigues you, you might want to read our guide on making money on Redbubble. These will help you hit the ground running on your chosen platform.

Finally, remember that success in print-on-demand (on any marketplace) comes from a blend of great designs, smart marketing, and patience. Whichever platform you choose, commit to learning and adapting. Good luck, and happy selling!

Related resources on our site: Redbubble profile • Printful profile • Printify profile • Shopify vs Etsy