Etsy Vs Redbubble: Which Is Better For Selling Art in 2024?
So you’re looking to start a print-on-demand business, and you’re shuffling between Etsy vs Redbubble, wondering which is better for you?
Or maybe you’re just a small business owner who’s heard of Redbubble, and you’re wondering if you can sell on both Etsy and Redbubble.
I’m not sure if I’ve told you guys this, but I’m in the middle of helping my sister to set up her Etsy store.
To make sure that she gets the widest possible audience, I have been researching as many e-commerce platforms as I possibly can.
It turns out there is more than just Etsy if you want to sell personalized, handmade items online!
As always, I want to share everything that I’ve learned with you. So, let’s get to it!
Whether you’re new to Etsy, Redbubble, or just selling things online in general, this article is here to answer all your questions about Etsy vs Redbubble!
So before you decide between selling on Etsy vs Redbubble, dive right into this article and take a look at my quick comparison between these two online platforms!
Affiliate Link Disclaimer
The links on this page may be affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA COST to you. Hope you find the information here useful. Thanks!
Note: If you are super busy and you want to start making money selling on Etsy fast, you can check out this Etsy course. It will help to step up your Etsy game and start earning within 3 months!
Alternatively, you can also check out this free Etsy Ebook that will share a list of best-selling products by month and teach you how to capitalize on seasonal trends to make sales.
Quick Comparison Between Etsy Vs Redbubble
Etsy | Redbubble | |
When Was It Founded | 2005 | 2006 |
What Can You Sell | Handmade items, both physical and digital, as long as they are not in Etsy’s prohibited item list | Artwork on a selected number of products |
Registration | Registration is straightforward — you can start selling within minutes | Registration is quicker than Etsy, with fewer steps |
Listing Process | Upload up to 10 photos of your item, which does not have to just be an image | Upload a JPEG or PNG of your artwork and choose the item you want to decorate with your design |
Item Production | As a seller, you have to handle the full production process of your product | Once you upload your design on Redbubble, they will handle the production of the item for you within three working days |
Packing And Shipping | All Etsy sellers have to pack their items on their own and ship them out themselves, though they can opt for shipping labels through Etsy. | Redbubble handles the shipping of the item and brands the packing with its Redbubble logo. |
Initial Capital | While it is free to create an account, sellers need to fork out $0.20 per listing and an additional 6.5% transaction fee. | Redbubble sellers don’t need to put in money upfront — they just need to create their design and upload it onto the platform. |
Getting Paid | Your funds are available for deposit after 3 days within the first 90 days of selling. This is reduced to just 1 day wait time after the first 90 days of selling. | You need to reach $20 in earnings to cash out. |
Customer Support | Etsy has 24/7 customer support via Live Chat | Redbubble users can only submit support requests, which may take up to five business days to be attended to. |
What Is Etsy?
Etsy is a global marketplace platform where sellers can sell handmade items, physical and digital.
The platform was founded in 2005 and has come to be recognized for being a reliable space with quality, handmade, and even vintage items.
Setting up an account on Etsy is extremely easy, as well as setting up your shop and putting up your first listing.
The cost of listing an item on Etsy is also extremely low, starting from $0.20 per item.
This makes it very accessible for small business owners who might want to start up a side hustle selling items on Etsy.
That’s exactly what I did.
I thought to myself — hey, it looks easy enough for me to set up a small shop selling digital printables, and that’s what I did!
I also took a course on selling digital printables to fast-track my Etsy journey!
What Is Redbubble?
So, everyone knows Etsy, but you may only have heard of Redbubble in passing.
Redbubble was started just a year after Etsy and is considered a Print-on-Demand (POD) marketplace.
What this means is that designers and artists who want to sell their artwork on products go to Redbubble and upload their artwork there.
They can then choose which products they’d like to have their items on — t-shirts, posters, stickers, pillows, and hoodies, and the list goes on.
The best part about Redbubble is that the site handles everything after you upload your artwork and decide on your price.
They will print your item for you within three working days and ship it out thereafter worldwide.
They will even handle the returns for you. Now, isn’t that fuss-free or what?
What this means is that you don’t need to fork out any fees at all during the whole process.
Redbubble simply takes a cut out of your item once you’ve sold it!
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Is Redbubble Still Alive?
Yes, Redbubble is still alive.
Redbubble has 18 million users, and last I checked, it was still active on all of its online platforms — its website and social media accounts.
Some users claim that it is dying, but they might have this impression as the competition on Redbubble can be quite stiff.
There is also an increasing amount of fake artists who upload artwork that does not belong to them and try to make a profit on Redbubble.
So if you’re a legitimate artist who loves designing and selling your artwork on items, it may feel like a struggle to sell your items on the platform due to such individuals.
Is Redbubble Legit?
Yes, Redbubble is legit. It was founded in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia, and is even listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: RBL).
It has customers in over 200 countries and offers worldwide shipping.
Even though it is a legit and reputable company, there are always bad characters around.
The good thing about Redbubble is that they handle the production and shipping of your product.
The bad thing is that the item you may have gotten may not have been an originally designed artwork if you are dealing with a dishonest artist.
But if you’re just curious as to whether you are listing or ordering from a legitimate website, then yes, Redbubble is legit and will pay you and fulfill your order whether you are a seller or a buyer.
Etsy Vs Redbubble: Which Is Better For Art?
Redbubble is better if you are an artist who just wants to focus on creating artwork and doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of item production and shipping.
Redbubble also doesn’t have any initial costs — you just need to upload your artwork, choose which products you want to print it on, and list your items.
As an artist, this is extremely hassle-free, and this means you can just concentrate on designing more artwork.
Etsy Vs Redbubble: Which Is Better For Print On Demand?
Hands down, Redbubble is better for print-on-demand services.
If you’re a seller who wants to specialize in print-on-demand items, then you’d do better to use Redbubble as your main platform.
You can still list on Etsy, but listing on Etsy will mean you will have to handle your own logistics of printing the artwork on the item and shipping it out.
For Redbubble, they’ll do everything for you, except design the initial artwork.
FAQs On Etsy Vs Redbubble
Can I Sell The Same Thing On Etsy And Redbubble?
Yes, you are free to sell the same artwork and items on Etsy and Redbubble.
However, the difference is that if you sell printed artwork on Etsy, you will need to go through the process of printing the artwork and shipping the artwork after an order.
With Redbubble, all you need to do is upload your artwork and choose which products you’d like to list with your artwork.
Redbubble will take care of the item production and shipping for you.
It might be best to sell the same thing on both platforms if you are only selling digital artwork.
Is There A Site Better Than Redbubble?
Most people find that Zazzle is better than Redbubble if you’re looking to develop print-on-demand artwork.
Zazzle allows its users to further customize artwork on a product, which means that people are more likely to go to Zazzle if they truly need a print-on-demand product.
Items are also more searchable on Zazzle due to the ready availability of tags on the platform.
Lastly, there are more product types on Zazzle, which means more potential for a customer to find something suitable for them.
The good thing too about Zazzle for you as a seller is that even if someone clicks on your item but modifies the design so much that it doesn’t look like yours anymore, you still get the royalty as you were the first touchpoint.
You will still be paid the royalty for the design as the seller.
Many designers in the print-on-demand space say that their items perform better and have more longevity on Zazzle compared to Redbubble.
Is Selling Designs On Redbubble Worth It?
Yes, selling designs on Redbubble is worth it because artists can sell their artwork and products online without having to maintain an inventory of items.
Artists also need not deal with the manufacturing and shipping process.
If you love designing and want to get your artwork out there but don’t want to deal with logistics, then Redbubble will be extremely worth it for you.
The only downside is that some Redbubble sellers say that it is increasingly difficult to get sales as the platform is quite competitive.
To circumvent this, you can market your Redbubble shop on social media, take out ads, or even create a blog to direct people to your items on Redbubble through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Through my SEO blog post training, I’ll teach you how to find topics that people are searching for, on Google, social media and even on Redbubble, and to optimize your postings so people reach your items!
Do Artists Actually Make Money On Redbubble?
Yes, artists actually do make money on Redbubble. But only if they are willing to upload their artwork onto the platform and allow for it to be reproduced onto products.
The level of success also varies among users. Not every artist who lists their design will receive a sale.
The artist will also need to put some work into marketing themselves on social media to get people to buy their designs.
It’s not a sure-fire way to make money, but some individuals have made good money off Redbubble.
You can be one of them too!
If you’ve made it to the end of this Etsy vs Redbubble review, then congratulations, you’re one step closer to realizing your print-on-demand dreams!
There isn’t one fixed platform that will immediately give you returns.
Every platform has its pros and cons, and it will take time before you can see the fruits of success come through.
In this instance of print-on-demand artwork, many have said that Redbubble is a better platform because there is no need to bother with the logistics of the sale.
As an artist, you can just concentrate on designing while Redbubble takes care of the rest.
However, the other platform, Etsy, isn’t without its benefits.
Etsy is an extremely established platform and there are many different types of products on there.
If you decide to start with print-on-demand products but want to diversify into other products in the future, then Etsy will be a great platform for you to start with.
Whichever platform you decide to go with, remember that it isn’t the platform that will determine your success but your hard work, which includes your optimization work (to make your listing visible) and your marketing efforts.
Want some help?
There are plenty of courses online from reputable Etsy sellers that give you best practices to give you a headstart.
I’ve also got some tips on Etsy right here on this blog!
So hang tight, trust the process, and get selling!
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