Selling art online has never offered more options than it does in 2026. From massive general marketplaces with millions of buyers to curated fine art platforms and print-on-demand services that handle everything except the art itself, artists can reach global audiences without a gallery, an agent, or a physical storefront. The challenge is not finding a platform — it is choosing the right platforms for your specific art, audience, and business goals.
This guide compares the five most important online art marketplaces in 2026: Etsy, Saatchi Art, Artfinder, Society6, and Redbubble. For each platform, we cover fees, audience demographics, what sells best, pros, cons, and specific strategies for maximizing your success. We also cover how to build a multi-platform selling strategy that diversifies your income and reaches different buyer segments.
How to Choose the Right Marketplace
Not every marketplace is right for every artist. Your choice should be driven by three factors: what you sell, who buys it, and how much work you want to do per sale.
What You Sell
Original paintings and drawings: Etsy, Saatchi Art, Artfinder
Limited edition prints: Etsy, Saatchi Art, your own website
Print-on-demand products (no inventory): Society6, Redbubble
Digital downloads: Etsy, Gumroad, your own website
NFTs and digital collectibles: OpenSea, Magic Eden, Foundation
Who Buys It
Art collectors and enthusiasts: Saatchi Art, Artfinder
Home decorators and gift buyers: Etsy, Society6
Price-conscious consumers: Redbubble, Society6
Crypto-native collectors: OpenSea, Magic Eden
How Much Work Per Sale
Full control (you ship, you handle returns): Etsy, Artfinder
Platform assists (they handle some logistics): Saatchi Art
Zero fulfillment (they print, ship, handle returns): Society6, Redbubble
Etsy
Etsy is the largest online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique items with over 90 million active buyers worldwide. For artists, Etsy offers unmatched audience reach and the infrastructure to sell originals, prints, digital downloads, and commissioned work from a single shop. Etsy's search engine is powerful, and its buyer base actively searches for original art, wall decor, and personalized gifts.
Fee Structure
Listing fee: $0.20 per listing (lasts 4 months or until sold)
Transaction fee: 6.5% of the sale price (including shipping)
Payment processing: 3% + $0.25 per transaction
Total effective fee: Approximately 10-13% per sale
Advertising (optional): Etsy Ads (pay-per-click) and Offsite Ads (15% fee on sales from Etsy's external advertising, mandatory for shops earning over $10,000/year)
What Sells Best on Etsy
Original paintings (abstract, landscape, and portrait art dominate)
Fine art prints and giclee reproductions
Custom and commissioned artwork (pet portraits are a massive category)
Digital downloads (printable wall art, digital illustrations)
Art-related merchandise (stickers, greeting cards, art supplies)
Strengths
Largest buyer audience of any art-friendly marketplace (90M+ active buyers)
Strong SEO. Etsy listings rank well in Google search results, bringing external traffic.
Supports originals, prints, digital downloads, and commissions in one shop.
Built-in advertising tools (Etsy Ads) to boost visibility.
Review system builds social proof and buyer confidence.
Robust analytics dashboard for tracking views, favorites, and conversions.
Weaknesses
Fees have increased significantly (now approximately 10-13% per sale, higher with Offsite Ads).
Massive competition. Over 7 million active sellers means standing out requires active SEO, strong photography, and consistent new listings.
Algorithm favors shops with frequent new listings and consistent sales velocity.
Buyer audience skews toward affordable/gift purchases. High-end originals are harder to sell on Etsy than on art-specific platforms.
You handle packaging, shipping, and customer service for all physical items.
Etsy Success Strategy
Post new listings consistently (at least 2-4 per week). Use all 13 keyword tags on every listing with long-tail search terms like "large abstract painting blue gold living room." Photograph work on walls and in styled room settings, not just on easels or flat surfaces. Respond to messages within 24 hours to maintain Etsy's "Star Seller" status.
Saatchi Art
Saatchi Art is the world's largest online art gallery, representing over 110,000 artists from 100+ countries. Unlike Etsy, Saatchi Art is exclusively an art marketplace. Every listing is a work of art, and every buyer is there specifically to purchase art. This focused audience means higher average sale prices and more serious collectors compared to general marketplaces.
Fee Structure
Commission: 35% on all sales
Listing: Free. No listing fees, no subscription.
Shipping: Saatchi provides a shipping label. The artist packages and ships.
Print-on-demand: Saatchi offers a print-on-demand service. When a buyer orders a print, Saatchi handles production and shipping. The artist sets the base price and earns the difference between their base price and the print cost.
What Sells Best on Saatchi Art
Original paintings (abstract, contemporary, and modern art dominate)
Photography (fine art and limited edition prints)
Drawings and works on paper
Sculpture (growing category)
Art prints (Saatchi handles production through their print service)
Strengths
Art-focused audience means higher average sale prices and more serious buyers.
Curated collections and editorial features drive significant visibility for selected artists.
Free to list with no subscription fees. You only pay commission when you sell.
Built-in print-on-demand service generates passive income from your catalog.
Art advisory services connect buyers with artists for commissions and custom work.
International reach with buyers in 100+ countries.
Weaknesses
35% commission is higher than Etsy's fees for most price points.
Less control over your shop's branding and presentation compared to Etsy.
Discovery is harder without curation. Getting featured in Saatchi's editorial picks significantly boosts sales, but most artists are not featured.
Buyer audience is smaller than Etsy's (art-focused vs. general marketplace).
You handle packaging and shipping for originals.
Artfinder
Artfinder is a curated online art marketplace that positions itself between the open-access model of Etsy and the gallery approach of Saatchi Art. Artfinder accepts artists through an application process, which means less competition and a higher quality standard. The platform serves buyers looking for affordable-to-mid-range original art, primarily for home decoration.
Fee Structure
Commission: 33% on all sales
Listing: Free after acceptance
Shipping: Artist ships. Artfinder provides guidance on packaging standards.
Application: Artists must apply and be accepted based on portfolio quality
What Sells Best on Artfinder
Original paintings under $1,000 (the sweet spot is $200-600)
Affordable original art for home decoration
Landscape, floral, abstract, and contemporary art
Small to medium-sized works that suit residential spaces
Strengths
Curated marketplace means less competition and higher average quality.
Buyer audience specifically looking for affordable original art (not prints).
Strong presence in the UK and European markets.
Artist profiles are well-designed with bio, process details, and collection views.
Artfinder actively promotes artists through email campaigns and social media.
Weaknesses
Smaller audience than Etsy or Saatchi Art.
Application required. Not all artists are accepted.
33% commission is significant, especially on lower-priced work.
Primarily focused on the UK/European market. North American reach is growing but smaller.
Limited to original art. No print-on-demand or digital download options.
Society6
Society6 is a print-on-demand platform that allows artists to upload their designs and sell them on a wide range of products: art prints, canvas prints, throw pillows, phone cases, t-shirts, tote bags, shower curtains, furniture, and more. Society6 handles all production, shipping, and customer service. The artist uploads artwork once and earns a royalty on every sale with zero inventory and zero fulfillment work.
Fee Structure
Listing: Free. No fees to join or list artwork.
Commission model: Society6 sets base prices for each product. Artists earn a markup (royalty) on top of the base price. Default markup is 10% on most products. Art prints allow custom markup (artists set their own price above the base).
Production and shipping: Handled entirely by Society6
Customer service: Handled entirely by Society6
What Sells Best on Society6
Art prints and canvas prints (the core product for most artists)
Pattern-based designs that work across multiple products (pillows, phone cases, etc.)
Low margins. Default markup is only 10% on most products. Even with custom markups on prints, earnings per sale are modest.
No control over production quality. You cannot inspect products before they ship to buyers.
Massive competition. Hundreds of thousands of artists on the platform.
Limited branding. Your artist profile exists, but buyers primarily interact with Society6's brand, not yours.
You cannot build a direct customer relationship. Society6 owns the customer data.
Redbubble
Redbubble is a print-on-demand marketplace similar to Society6 but with a stronger emphasis on graphic design, illustration, fan art, and niche/internet culture. Redbubble's product range includes stickers (its most popular category by volume), t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, prints, notebooks, and home decor. The platform has a younger, more internet-savvy buyer demographic compared to Society6.
Fee Structure
Listing: Free
Commission model: Artists set a markup percentage on each product. The default is 20% for most products. Redbubble sets the base price and the artist's earnings are the markup percentage of the final retail price.
Production and shipping: Handled by Redbubble
Customer service: Handled by Redbubble
What Sells Best on Redbubble
Stickers (Redbubble's number one product category by volume)
T-shirts and hoodies with graphic designs
Niche and internet culture designs
Illustrative and graphic art styles
Text-based designs and typographic art
Phone cases and laptop skins
Strengths
Higher default royalty than Society6 (20% vs. 10%).
Sticker market is massive and drives high-volume sales.
Strong organic search traffic. Redbubble listings rank well in Google.
Young, engaged buyer demographic that values unique designs.
Artists can set custom markup percentages on each product type.
Transparent analytics showing views, sales, and earnings by product.
Weaknesses
Per-unit earnings are low (stickers might earn $0.30-1.00 per sale). Volume is essential.
Fine art and traditional art styles sell less well than graphic/illustrative styles.
IP enforcement means fan art and derivative works are frequently taken down.
Production quality varies by fulfillment center.
Site-wide sales reduce your margin further (Redbubble sometimes applies discounts without artist input).
Comparison Table
Feature
Etsy
Saatchi Art
Artfinder
Society6
Redbubble
Best For
All art types
Fine art originals
Affordable originals
Passive POD income
Graphic/sticker sales
Buyer Audience
90M+ active
Art collectors
Home decorators
Product shoppers
Young consumers
Fees/Commission
~10-13%
35%
33%
~90% to platform
~80% to platform
You Ship?
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Print-on-Demand
No (DIY)
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Avg Sale Price
$50-300
$200-2,000+
$200-600
$15-60
$5-40
Application Required
No
No
Yes
No
No
Digital Downloads
Yes
No
No
No
No
Multi-Platform Strategy
The most successful artists in 2026 sell on multiple platforms simultaneously. Each platform reaches a different audience and serves a different purpose in your business.
Recommended Multi-Platform Setup
Primary income (originals and prints): Etsy + Saatchi Art. Etsy provides volume and search traffic. Saatchi Art provides access to serious collectors and higher-value sales.
Passive income (print-on-demand): Society6 + Redbubble. Upload your designs to both platforms. Different audiences buy from each. Zero additional work per sale.
Direct sales (highest margin): Your own website. No platform fees. Full brand control. Build an email list for repeat buyers. Use Shopify, Squarespace, or our free portfolio builder.
Pricing Consistency
Maintain identical pricing across all platforms where you sell the same product. A buyer who finds your painting on Etsy for $400 and on your website for $300 loses trust in both prices. Factor platform fees into your base price so that you earn a sustainable margin on every platform.
Inventory Management
For one-of-a-kind originals, mark pieces as sold immediately across all platforms when a sale occurs. A double sale on the same piece is a logistics nightmare. Consider using inventory management tools or simply listing originals on one platform at a time.
NFT Marketplaces for Artists
For digital artists and those interested in blockchain-based art sales, NFT marketplaces offer a distinct channel with different economics and audience.
OpenSea: Largest general NFT marketplace. Supports Ethereum, Polygon, and more. Best for broad reach.
Magic Eden: Leading marketplace for Bitcoin Ordinals and Solana NFTs. Growing rapidly as the primary platform for Bitcoin-native art.
Foundation: Curated platform for fine digital art. Higher average prices, smaller but more dedicated collector base.
SuperRare: Ultra-curated, gallery-level digital art. Application required. Highest average sale prices.
Photography is everything. Online art sales are made or lost on the quality of your listing photos. Use natural light, consistent white or styled backgrounds, and include scale references. Show the work on a wall in a room setting. Photograph at the highest resolution your camera allows.
SEO drives discovery. Use specific, descriptive keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags. "Large abstract acrylic painting blue gold 36x48 modern wall art" outperforms "Beautiful painting" in search results on every platform.
Consistency beats bursts. Listing 2-4 new works per week consistently outperforms listing 20 pieces at once and then nothing for months. Platform algorithms reward activity and consistency.
Build your email list. Platform audiences are rented. Your email list is owned. Include an email signup link or card with every shipment. Send updates about new work, exhibitions, and behind-the-scenes content monthly.
Tell the story. Every listing should tell the story behind the piece. What inspired it? What techniques did you use? What was your intention? Collectors buy art, but they also buy the story and the artist behind it.
Price for your market. Read our complete art pricing guide for formulas, market research strategies, and negotiation tactics.
See SpunkArt on Magic Eden
Explore our Bitcoin Ordinals collection. Original digital art inscribed permanently on the Bitcoin blockchain.
What is the best online marketplace to sell art in 2026?
Etsy is the best overall marketplace for most artists due to its massive buyer audience (over 90 million active buyers), strong search engine visibility, and support for both original art and prints. Saatchi Art is best for high-value original paintings and fine art. Society6 and Redbubble are best for passive income from print-on-demand products. The ideal strategy is to sell on 2-3 platforms simultaneously.
How much do art marketplaces charge in fees?
Fees vary significantly. Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee plus 6.5% transaction fee plus payment processing (approximately 10-13% total). Saatchi Art takes a 35% commission on sales. Artfinder takes a 33% commission. Society6 and Redbubble handle production and shipping, with artist royalties ranging from 10-30% depending on the product and markup settings.
Can I sell on multiple art marketplaces at the same time?
Yes. Most artists sell on 2-3 platforms simultaneously to maximize exposure. There is no exclusivity requirement on Etsy, Society6, Redbubble, or Artfinder. Saatchi Art is also non-exclusive. The only consideration is maintaining consistent pricing across all platforms. If a piece is priced at $500 on your website, it should be $500 on Etsy and Saatchi as well.
Is Etsy still good for selling art in 2026?
Yes, Etsy remains the largest marketplace for handmade and original art with over 90 million active buyers. However, competition has increased significantly and Etsy's fees have risen. Success on Etsy in 2026 requires strong SEO in titles and tags, professional photography, competitive pricing, and consistent new listings. Artists who actively optimize their shops still generate significant revenue.
What is the difference between print-on-demand and selling original art?
Print-on-demand (POD) platforms like Society6 and Redbubble handle production, shipping, and customer service. You upload your design once, and the platform prints it on products when customers order. You earn a royalty on each sale with no upfront cost or inventory. Selling originals means you create, price, ship, and handle customer service for one-of-a-kind pieces. Originals command much higher prices per piece but require more effort per sale.
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