Marketplace comparison
Etsy Alternatives for Woodworking Sellers
Fee comparison and policy breakdown for woodworkers and furniture makers weighing alternatives to Etsy for handmade wood goods.
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Tell us what you make and where you sell now. This is an interest list, not approval to sell. Every seller is reviewed by a person before any listing goes live.
Join the wood and home objects interest listFee comparison on a $95.00 woodworking sale
All numbers computed from published fee schedules. No estimates, no averages.
| Fee type | Hand & Kin | Etsy (base) | Etsy (ad-attributed order, never-qualified shop) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | $0.00 | $0.20 | $0.20 |
| Transaction fee | $4.75 (5%) | $6.18 (6.5%) | $6.18 (6.5%) |
| Payment processing | $3.06 (Stripe at cost) | $3.10 (Etsy Payments) | $3.10 (Etsy Payments) |
| Offsite Ads | None — ever | $0.00 (no ad-attributed order; only never-qualified shops can opt out) | $14.25 (15% of this order, capped at $100) |
| Total fees | $7.81 (8.2%) | $9.48 (10.0%) | $23.73 (25.0%) |
| You keep | $87.19 | $85.52 | $71.27 |
Worked example, not a forecast: the third column assumes this one order came from an Offsite Ads click, which Etsy attributes within 30 days. Offsite Ads are 15% of the order for shops that have never reached $10,000 in any consecutive 365-day period, who can opt out, and 12% for shops that have ever reached that level, with participation required for life even if sales later fall ($11.40 on this order). Both rates are capped at $100 per order and apply only to ad-attributed orders. Marketplace commission and payment processing are separate lines above; US sellers pay no regulatory operating fee. Stripe processing is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction — passed through at cost, not marked up.
Why woodworking sellers are looking for alternatives
CNC and factory wood products mislabeled as handmade
Mass-produced cutting boards, signs, and furniture from CNC factories are listed as handmade on Etsy. Hand-carved, hand-joined, and hand-turned woodwork competes against items with orders-of-magnitude lower labor costs.
Shipping fees taxed by the platform
Wood furniture and larger items carry significant shipping costs. Etsy's transaction fee applies to shipping amounts too, adding meaningful cost on heavy or oversized pieces where shipping can rival the item price.
Long production times penalized
Custom furniture and hand-carved pieces take weeks or months. Etsy's automated processing-time warnings and star-seller metrics pressure woodworkers to rush or decline custom commissions.
Offsite Ads on high-ticket items
Woodworking pieces often sell at higher price points. A $95 cutting board or $400 table attributed to an Offsite Ad pays 12% to 15% of the order ($11.40 to $14.25 on $95; $48 to $60 on $400), capped at $100 per order, on top of other fees — a real cut on items with significant material and labor costs.
What makes this marketplace different
CNC-factory products screened out
Seller verification requires workshop photos showing actual hand tools, workbenches, and shop space. Listing images are checked against factory catalog databases. Mass-produced wood items cannot pass.
Fees on item price only
The 5% transaction fee applies to the item subtotal. Shipping costs on heavy tables, shelving, and furniture are not included in fee calculations.
Custom order timelines respected
Human moderators understand that hand-built furniture has long lead times. No automated penalties for production timelines inherent to quality woodcraft.
Flat 5% at every revenue level
Whether a woodworker sells $500 or $50,000 in a year, the fee never changes. No mandatory advertising programs, no revenue-based escalation.
Frequently asked questions
What fees does a woodworker pay here?
A flat 5% transaction fee on the item price (not shipping), plus Stripe processing at cost (2.9% + $0.30). No listing fees, no Offsite Ads, no revenue thresholds.
How are woodworking sellers verified?
Sellers submit government ID, photos of their workshop showing tools and workspace, and an introduction video. A human reviewer confirms the work is genuinely handmade — not CNC-factory output relabeled for resale.
Can I sell items made with CNC assistance?
Items where CNC is one step in a primarily handmade process (e.g., CNC rough-cut followed by hand carving, hand finishing, and hand assembly) can qualify. Pure CNC output with no hand work does not.
How are custom furniture disputes handled?
Human moderators review disputes with full context — including agreed specifications, communication history, and the nature of custom woodwork. No automated refund decisions.
Related pages
Last updated 2026-10-07. Fee data sourced from published Etsy seller documentation and our own fee schedule.
Make wood and home objects? Join the maker interest list
Tell us what you make and where you sell now. This is an interest list, not approval to sell. Every seller is reviewed by a person before any listing goes live.
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