Fee comparison
Looking for an Etsy alternative with simpler fees?
Startovar charges one flat 10% when you sell, and that is the whole list. No listing fees, no payment processing on top, no ad fees, no subscription. Here is the honest math, side by side, so you can decide with a calculator instead of a slogan.
Etsy figures checked June 2026 against Etsy's published fee policy. Always check there for current rates.
The fee list, side by side
| Fee | Etsy | Startovar |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.20 per listing, renews every 4 months | None |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% of the order, including shipping and gift wrap | 10% of the item price only. Shipping excluded. |
| Payment processing | 3% + $0.25 in the US, varies by country | Included. Startovar absorbs Stripe's fee out of its 10%. |
| Offsite ads fee | 12% on ad-attributed sales, mandatory above $10k/year (15% optional below) | None |
| Subscription | Optional, $10/month for Etsy Plus | None |
The same sale, worked out
Assumptions: a 40 item plus 5 shipping, US payment processing rates for Etsy (their fixed fees are set in dollars, ours in euros; the proportions are what matter).
Etsy, standard sale
- Listing fee: $0.20
- Transaction 6.5% × $45: $2.93
- Processing 3% + $0.25: $1.60
Fees: $4.73, about 10.5% of the order.
You keep $40.27
Etsy, sale via offsite ad
- Fees above: $4.73
- Offsite ads 12% × $45: $5.40
Fees: $10.13, about 22.5% of the order.
You keep $34.87
Startovar, every sale
- 10% × €40 item: €4.00
- Shipping €5: passes through to you in full
- Processing: included
Fees: €4.00, about 8.9% of the order. Always the same, ad or no ad.
You keep €41.00
The honest part
Etsy is a giant with enormous buyer traffic, and nobody should tell you otherwise. If your shop thrives there, keep it. Startovar is a young, curated marketplace, and what we offer is different: fees simple enough to calculate in your head, and a network where stores actively promote each other. Every store can offer its products for other stores to resell at a commission the maker sets, so other sellers have a real reason to put your work in front of their buyers. Most sellers run both: keep the established shop, add the low-fee storefront, and let the two compound.
Common questions
Is Startovar free to join?
Yes. Opening a store is free, listing products is free, and there is no monthly subscription. Startovar earns a flat 10% of the item price only when you make a sale. You keep 90%.
Can I sell on Startovar and Etsy at the same time?
Yes. Most of our sellers run Startovar alongside their existing shop. There is no exclusivity requirement, and our importer can copy your listings over from a Shopify store or from pasted listing text in minutes, so the second storefront costs you almost no time.
What does Startovar's 10% include?
Everything. Payment processing by Stripe is absorbed by Startovar out of its 10%, so there is no separate processing fee, no listing fee, no ad fee, and no subscription. The 10% applies to the item price only, never to shipping.
Does Startovar charge fees on shipping?
No. Shipping you charge the buyer passes through to you in full. The 10% fee is calculated on the item price alone.
How do payouts work?
You connect your own Stripe account once, which takes a few minutes. After that, your share of every sale is transferred to your Stripe account automatically the moment payment clears, and Stripe pays out to your bank on its normal schedule. No invoices and no waiting on us.
What makes Startovar different from just having my own shop?
The network. Stores on Startovar can resell each other's products for a commission the maker sets, so other shops have a real incentive to promote your work to their buyers. You can also open a store with zero products of your own and earn by reselling.
Try the math on your own shop
Opening a store is free and takes a few minutes. Our importer can copy your existing listings over, so you review and publish instead of retyping.
Etsy is a trademark of Etsy, Inc. Startovar is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Etsy. Fee figures above were taken from Etsy's published fee policy as of June 2026and can change; always confirm current rates on etsy.com. Startovar's fee is 10% of the item price, processing included, as described in our Terms.