Kevin Hayler: Professional Wildlife artist, author, and traveler.
Finding a way to sell your art can be difficult. It’s hard to know where you should start! In this list post, I highlight 25 platforms that artists use to sell their artwork.
Selling your paintings online isn’t as easy as it sounds and putting your art on an online platform is only the beginning, you still have to do ALL THE WORK.
The internet promised an end to artists relying on gallery owners for sales, but now too many independent artists are relying on 3rd party platforms instead. I’ll be blunt, unless you own and control your own online store, you are not the one in charge.
Successful artists have their own websites. It’s the anchor of your art business and it’s where you promote your authority and collect emails.
Platforms for artists come and go and they change over time. The bigger they grow the less they care about you! Large art marketplaces only care about their own profits, and putting all your eggs into their baskets is a foolish strategy.
If you go into online sales with a clear mind and low expectations you’ll be fine.
In this blog post, I list 25 of the best sites to sell art online, for both your original artwork and your wall art prints.
This list includes 12 platforms that help you to create your own artist’s website so you can share your art with the world and cut out the middlemen.
Let’s go through them in alphabetical order.
Disclaimer: When you buy something via my affiliate links I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. I am an Amazon Associate among others. I only recommend trusted sites.
25 of the Best Sites to Sell Art
1. Amazon Handmade
In order to sell your art on Amazon, there is a pre-approval process. First, you need to make sure your work is eligible. Note that only a certain type of art is eligible.
Original paintings, drawings, and watercolors, as well as limited edition photography and art prints, are accepted. The editions must be below 200 and have a certificate of authenticity. The selling fees are currently 15.1%
2. Artfinder
Artfinder is a curated site with an application process. You must submit 4-6 files for approval with evidence of an online presence elsewhere. They have a free plan for 40% of the selling price, then standard and pro plans taking 33%, with $5 and $12 monthly fees respectively.
3. Artfire
Artfire is a marketplace similar to Etsy, but has a larger focus on handmade goods and is more relaxed in regulations. It has 3 plans.
The Standard shop takes $4.95/month and 0.23 listing fee, and 12.75% selling fee. The Popular shop plan takes $20/month and a 4.5% commission fee. The featured plan takes $40/month and 4.5% and promises more exposure.
4. Art Station
Art Station is an online art marketplace for digital artists to upload and sell their digital art. They have 4 plans, Free, Plus $6.99, Pro $9.95, and Studio $14.99/month. Each tier offers more features.
This post will interest you: How to Make Money With Digital Art: 10 Ways to Profit
5. Artplode
Artplode is an online gallery that boasts it takes no commission fees. The catch is the listing price at $60 per item for an unlimited time. There are extra fees for being added to featured categories.
6. Artspan
Artspan is a website builder and marketplace for artists and creatives who want everything under one roof. Create professional-looking websites with a theme or create a custom site. It boasts, print-on-demand, augmented reality for customers to view your art, no commissions, and deal with payments.
There are 3 plans billed annually, Basic, Pro, and Pro plus costing $132, $228, and $312. Artists must submit their art for approval
7. Artpal
Artpal claims to be the only site that allows artists to sell their own work and provide Print-on-demand services at the same time.
Artists can upload their portfolios, create and manage print orders for their work in the Artpal online store. They have no membership or commission fees.
8. Cafepress
Cafepress is a print-on-demand site where artists can share their work and sell them to a worldwide audience. Artists can upload their work and customize the products with text, photos or graphics before they’re sold
.You earn money by adding a small markup to each product sold with your design, earning 10% commission in their marketplace. Fees are either 10% of your royalties up to $10/mo or no more than $6.95/mo prepaid.
9. Ebay
It is possible to sell art on eBay. Successful sellers, provide plenty of photos, have great descriptions, do good keyword research, and have 100% positive feedback. Posting original art internationally can be very expensive. Selling art prints is more practical.
It’s more suited for Print-on-Demand products. Printful.com integrates with eBay.
The standard fixed-price listing fee is $0.30 cents plus 10% commission which includes the postage costs! Beware.
Read this post for my opinions on eBay for Artists: Is Selling Art on eBay Worth it? Pros and Cons
10. Etsy
Etsy features a creative and inviting marketplace specifically for purchasing products designed by artists and crafters from all over the world. There is a global audience but it’s most popular in the USA.
I wrote these posts about Etsy:
- Is Selling on Etsy Worth it? Pros and Cons for Art and Crafters
- Where to Print Art Prints From Etsy (Downloads / Printables)
- How to Sell Art Prints on Etsy: Mega Selling Guide
- Selling Digital Downloads on Etsy: Best Guide
- Does Printful Work With Etsy? Your Integration Guide
Make your own Etsy shop as an Etsy seller or integrate your website, Etsy is a brand consumers trust and a great place to attract potential buyers. Learn to use Keywords and promote your site to get more sales.
The standard listing fee is $0.20, a 6.5% selling fee. Rules differ from country to country. There are extra charges according to what you do.
You’ll need some help if you want to sell on Etsy seriously.
These guys have a very popular course with great reviews
Top Tip: When you sign up Udemy will offer you a huge discount
11. Fineartamerica
Fine Art America has a huge audience and a very low entry cost. Free accounts have 25 uploads or you can become a member for $30/annum with your own website.
You can sell your original work without commission or use their print-on-demand service and place your designs on dozens of products. You determine your own markup. The only downside? The site is too large to be found organically. You must market yourself to generate traffic.
12. UGallery
UGallery is a juried platform that aims to maintain a high standard of work for sale. They claim to be an alternative to the bricks-and-mortar traditional gallery. They require 10 images for submission and a $5 fee. They take 50% which is exactly the same as traditional galleries.
13. Printful
Printful is a print-on-demand company with a reputation for high-quality products and good customer service. Printful integrates with all the major e-commerce platforms, such as eBay, Etsy, Shopify, Amazon Handmade, Squarespace, and even your own website.
Printful processes your order for you on all the platforms. The company prints, packs, and ships everything. You determine the markup and retail price, plus YOU retain the customer’s details.
Read my review of Printful (spoiler – yes): Is Printful Worth it? Print on Demand Review (2023)
14. Redbubble
Redbubble is a worldwide print-on-demand business. It’s an online marketplace for artists and graphic designers to sell their designs on products like T-shirts, tote bags, and iPhone cases, etc. You can also sell art prints and posters.
Redbubble is free to use, you set your own markup and Redbubble takes care of everything.
IMPORTANT UPDATE 2023:
As of 1st May 2023, Redbubble has announced a new pricing structure. There are now 3 membership tiers, Standard, Premium, and Pro accounts. Standard plans are no longer free. There are 39 different fees being applied to standard sellers and it works out at approximately 35% of your profit.
I wrote this Updated post on Redbubble: Is Redbubble Worth it? Pros and Cons For Artists and Designers
15. Saatchi Art
is one of the world’s leading online galleries. The company has created a global platform for emerging and established artists, primarily to sell their original work. This is a site that attracts art lovers. They have a submission process but it’s open to all, new artists are welcome
They take 35% in commission and handle shipping. The artist must deal with the packaging.
16. Society6
Society6 is a well-established and popular print-on-demand company. It’s a marketplace where artists and designers can open their own shops and sell their artwork as prints, or on various products.
It’s free to set up and free to use. Society6 sets a base price and you get a 10% commission. This is a good place, for anyone starting out, to test the market. They are very similar to Redbubble.
Check out my post, it’s like a free mini-course: Sell Art on Society6 Step-by-Step in 2023
17. Zatista
Zatista is a global company that specializes in the sale of original art only. It is similar to Saatchi. They represent emerging and established fine artists from all around the world and have a curated submission policy.
Zatista takes 45% and the artist is responsible for shipping with approved carriers.
18. Zazzle
is a print-on-demand marketplace and the artist/designer sets their own royalty over and above the basic cost of the product. The company recommends a royalty of between 5-10%. To succeed on Zazzle artists must be prolific, post designs regularly, and market themselves well.
Beware of copycats and read this: 15 Ways to Protect Your Artwork From Being Copied
The Best Website Platforms for Artists
19. Artweb
Artweb s a British website builder, promising premium templates, no commission fees, and a community of like-minded artists. It has a free starter plan limited to 15 images but to use the platform effectively you will need to upgrade. The next tier allows 25 images for a yearly fee of £57.48, and the pro plan allows 500 images for £97.56 per annum.
20. Squarespace
Squarespace is a content management system that allows you to create all your website needs with 4 subscription plans. You can sell products, register custom domain names, and track analytics from the same site. The templates are superb and you can customize them to suit your needs.
The plans are priced at £10, £15, £20, and £30/mo if paid annually. It costs 25% more if you adopt a monthly plan. Each tier offers more features but curiously only the £15/mo business tariff charges a 3% transaction fee.
21. WordPress
Did you know that 41% of the web is built with WordPress? It’s free, open-source, and the world’s most popular content management system, and blogging platform, by far. It can be used to create a professional blog website or free online gallery, with thousands of plugins available.
You to do anything, like hosting videos, collecting emails, selling digital products, affiliate marketing, running ads, and creating a fully functioning eCommerce store.
If you need a good host try GreenGeeks, they are super helpful, super competitive, and carbon-neutral. I use them.
The initial learning curve is steep but with the advent of the Gutenberg page builder making a site is now easier than it’s ever been. WordPress no longer requires coding.
The big drawback is maintenance. You must acquire the knowledge to keep everything up to date yourself and to fix errors and conflicts as they happen. The bonus is complete control over every aspect of your business.
If you need convincing read my post: Do Artists Need a Website? Yes – 11 Best Reasons Why
You really should have your own website.
This course WordPress Course on Udemy stands out.
22. Shopify
Shopify is a good option for artists who have no technical skills but who still want to sell their art online with ease.
They offer templates that are easy to customize and you can get started on your store in minutes, without any web development experience at all. Their stores also integrate well into social media sites.
It’s a subscription-based model and everything is done for you including the hosting, payment gateways, and security.
Shopify caters to every size of business and the 5 tiers start at $9/mo, then $29, $79, $299, and $2000/mo.
23. FASO Fine Art Studios Online
FASO is a membership platform offering dedicated templates to showcase and sell your art professionally. They have 4 price bands $12, $19, $26, and $40/mo billed annually.
Each tier allows subscribers to sign up for a newsletter and any subscribers over your set allowance will cost you $0.2 per letter sent.
24. Artstorefronts
Artstorefronts offers a personal storefront combined with a print-on-demand service. Unlike other POD sites, they do not act as a gatekeeper in denying you access to your customer base. You retain full control over your art buyers and mailing list.
So far so good but they keep their prices hidden! You know what that means, if you knew the price upfront you’d walk.
I found some prices without having to ‘reach out’ to the company. There is a setup fee of $500 and after that, it costs between $29 and $59/mo, less if you pay yearly. Please verify this deal with the website. Their site also mentions an unspecified transaction fee.
Having said this, their online reviews are good.
25. Bigcartel
Big Cartel bills itself as a site ‘By Artists, For Artists’ and promotes a small and cozy image. It has price brands, Free, $9.99, $19.99, and $29.99 offering 5, 50, 250, and 500 product listings respectively.
Their site is attractive and minimal, with no fancy promises of placing the world at your feet. Refreshing.
How Do You Choose The Right Art Platform For You?
Choosing the right online sales platform for your art depends on your needs.
Some platforms offer free gallery listings and high commission fees, while others make you pay yearly membership fees to use their site. Some give access only to talented artists who’ve been pre-approved, while others have open policies and provide marketing tools to help you sell your work.
If you want to sell only a few pieces of art, say one or two prints, and some greeting cards, then Etsy is probably the best platform and the easiest way for you. It offers free listings with very low fees and millions of potential customers
On the other hand, you might prefer a more exclusive and upmarket platform to sell your artwork, in which case you might choose UGallery.
Read this post if you want to sell your original art: 6 Best Places to Sell ORIGINAL Art Online in 2023
There are too many sites out there and this is just a snapshot. The list goes on, and on, but these are some of the most popular and well-established platforms for artists.
Whatever platform you choose you must be aware that they are not stand-alone answers to making a living. They are only as effective as the amount of time and effort you put into them.
How To Market Your Online Art Gallery
Marketing is the key to success in any online business and that includes art. If you want your work to get found you need to invest in branding and marketing.
- Create an email newsletter and stay can stay connected with your followers.
- Share posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. But make sure that these posts are relevant so they get attention from the right people.
- Use Google Analytics to monitor how your content is performing.
- Participate in online communities to find a niche audience who will love your work and share it with their friends. Participate in Facebook groups, Quora, and Reddit.
This is a great list: Social Media For Artists: The Best 13 Platforms for Creatives
It’s a good idea to choose one social media platform and give it all of your attention rather than spreading yourself too thin. Artists seem to prefer the most visual media so try Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube.
If you’re looking for the best way to get more exposure then consider doing live streaming on YouTube. Art tutorials are a magnet for viewers. Monetize the videos with ads, affiliate links, and digital downloads.
And don’t ignore the most important link of all, your website!
Create a blog with high-quality content and share it regularly with your followers. Make sure that you’re loading new images regularly and keep your fans up to date with the latest news about your art.
This is how art blogging works:
- How to Start an Art Blog and Make Money for Beginners
- 45 Affiliate Programs for Artists: Mega Guide
- How to Start an Email List For Artists: Beginners Guide
Your biggest asset is your mailing list and for that reason, you should have an email marketing campaign in place.
An update once a month should be fine for most of your fans, but if you are very productive then once a week on a set day is the way to do it.
It’s important to let your followers know about exclusive promotions and product announcements. They want to feel special and informed, so give them that feeling! It’s a society, one that’s built around you, take advantage of it.
Consider setting up your own Facebook group and that way you can interact with your followers on a personal level and have a dedicated audience happy to buy your latest paintings.
You might even consider publishing an ebook or fanzine, and offer prints for sale on your website.
If you lack the confidence, Sun Yi takes you through the storytelling process onDomestika
In the end, it all depends on what you want to achieve from your site and how you want it to look.
Don’t be afraid of putting your own personality and style into the website, this is for YOU!
Take the time to research other designers or artists who have attractive sites and take inspiration from them. Make sure there are links on your page to all of the social media and always answer your messages promptly.
There is so much to learn and only so much time in the day. You need to do your art as well as market yourself. It’s a full-time job. Passive income is a bit of a myth.
If you are willing to put the time and effort into your site there can be rich rewards.
Also check out this post for some ideas: How to Get Paid For Drawing: 18 Ways to Make Money
Best Sites to Sell Art: Final Thoughts
Now you know the best sites to sell art, it’s ultimately up to you to choose a platform and go for it. Procrastinating isn’t an answer, you have to make a decision and stick with it.
You are very unlikely to get immediate results. It’s a slow burn. You must give it time and be dedicated to the task. Most people give up before they see results, don’t be one of them.
I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote:
“The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”
Walt Disney
Good Luck!
If you like the way I draw and want to try things for yourself, this is my basic kit
Be honest, you want to sell online because it’s the ‘easy’ option. Sorry, it’s not, and that’s why you should read my guide. Take a look!
If You Want to Sell Your Art
Check this out!
Psst…it’s only $12.99!
There are plenty more posts like this, have a look at these:
- Is Skillshare Worth It? The Pros and Cons for Artists and Designers
- How to Sell Your Drawings (All You Need to Know)
- Should Artists Have a Blog? Art Blogging Pros and Cons
- How to Write an Artist About Me Bio: In 4 Easy Steps
- Are Proko Courses Worth It? A Review – Pros and Cons
- Is Your Art Good Enough to Sell? You Need to Know This…
- Is Domestika Worth It? The Pros and Cons for Artists and Designers
- Is The Procreate App Worth it For Beginners? Get the Facts
- Is Udemy Worth it? Pros and Cons For Artists and Designers
- 19 Ways to Make Money as an Artist Online and Off: No Fluff!
- Can You Copy Art and Sell a Painting of a Painting? I Found Out
Plus find an ONLINE COURSE that suits you.
You can save money with this huge bundle of Digital Marketing Courses
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Hi, I’m Kevin Hayler
I’ve been selling my wildlife art and traveling the world for over 20 years, and if that sounds too good to be true, I’ve done it all without social media, art school, or galleries!
I can show you how to do it. You’ll find a wealth of info on my site, about selling art, drawing tips, lifestyle, reviews, travel, my portfolio, and more. Enjoy