Big Cartel vs Sellfy
Big Cartel and Sellfy both let creators sell online with 0% transaction fees. Big Cartel is designed strictly for simplicity and small inventory stores. Sellfy is an all-in-one hub for creators selling unlimited digital and physical goods.
Simple Selling for Creative Beginners
Big Cartel excels as a straightforward, commission-free platform tailored specifically for independent artists needing an easy start. We find the generous free plan perfect for testing the waters, but limitations in advanced features and reported issues with support response times make scaling challenging. Overall, this is an excellent, affordable choice for hobbyists or new sellers who prioritize simplicity over complex functionality.
Pros
- Permanently free Gold plan is available for starters ($0).
- No sales commission taken (0% transaction fees).
- Simple, intuitive, and easy to set up for non-coders.
- Designed specifically for independent artists and makers.
Cons
- Platform functionality is limited, especially for scaling (max 500 products).
- Customer support response times can be painfully slow, sometimes taking hours.
- Users report recent platform instability and bugs.
- Paid plans are considered high value for the basic feature set provided.
Zero fees, simple selling for creators.
We found Sellfy to be an incredibly efficient, all-in-one platform tailored for creators who prioritize simplicity and cost savings. Its zero-transaction-fee model and built-in marketing tools offer exceptional value, starting at just $22 per month when billed annually. Overall, we confidently recommend Sellfy for easily scaling digital or physical product sales while maintaining total control.
Pros
- No platform transaction fees, improving profitability immediately.
- Extremely fast setup and user-friendly interface for first-time sellers.
- Supports digital, subscriptions, physical, and high-quality print-on-demand products.
- Includes essential growth tools like affiliate marketing and conversion features.
Cons
- Limited payment processing options (primarily Stripe and PayPal Business).
- Store designer offers basic functionality for advanced users seeking complex customization.
- Users report difficulty when trying to implement additional languages.
- Custom shipping labels cannot be fully branded.
AboutBig Cartel
Big Cartel is an easy-to-use platform designed to help creatives turn their passion into profit. It’s where do-it-yourselfers go to become professionals.
This solution serves independent artists, bands, and makers of all types. Its diverse audience includes painters, jewelry makers, designers, printmakers, and photographers.
The goal is simple: give you the tools you need to sell your stuff and grow your shop. You’ll keep more of what you earn with straightforward pricing and no hidden fees.
AboutSellfy
Sellfy is an ideal, all-in-one platform built specifically for skilled creators and modern online businesses. It focuses on simplicity without sacrificing the results you need. If you hate complexity, Sellfy makes getting started easy.
You can upload and sell almost anything right away. This includes digital downloads like courses, music, art, and videos. You can also manage complex needs like physical products inventory or use the simple print-on-demand service. Sellfy helps you replace multiple tools with one efficient dashboard. 💡
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Product Limits & Inventory
Sellfy offers unlimited products; Big Cartel severely caps inventory at 500 items.
Big Cartel sets restrictive caps, even on the top plan. The Diamond plan supports a maximum of 500 product listings only. Many growing shops will quickly bump into this limitation. Sellfy offers unlimited product uploads across all its subscription tiers. This means you can scale your product line endlessly without needing to change platforms. For large-inventory sellers, the choice is extremely clear. Big Cartel simply cannot handle vast catalogs due to its hard product limit. Sellfy is the better long-term choice if you plan to launch more than 500 unique items.
Digital Product Focus
Sellfy excels at large digital file delivery, up to 20GB per file.
Big Cartel is primarily focused on physical products and physical art sales. It doesn't detail specific support for large digital content sizes. Sellfy is built for digital creators selling courses, videos, and music. The Premium plan supports massive single files up to 20GB each. If your business centers on large digital downloads, Sellfy is engineered for that use case. Big Cartel lacks the explicit support that digital sellers need. Sellfy's generous file size limits ensure smooth delivery for high-quality video tutorials or complete software packages.
Pricing Model Structure
Big Cartel uses product count; Sellfy uses annual revenue caps for pricing.
Big Cartel charges based on the number of products listed in your store. The highest tier costs $30/month for up to 500 listings. Sellfy prices its plans according to your anticipated annual sales volume. The Starter plan covers up to $10k in annual sales. If you have high sales volume but few products, Big Cartel might cost less. If you have many products but low initial revenue, Choose Sellfy. Both platforms charge 0% transaction fees, meaning profits stay high. Sellfy imposes a 2% overage fee if you exceed your revenue tier.
Built-in Marketing Tools
Sellfy includes advanced marketing like affiliates; Big Cartel offers basic discount codes.
Big Cartel offers basic growth tools like offering discounts and promotions. The Diamond plan unlocks Abandoned Cart Recovery for high earners. Sellfy includes a comprehensive marketing suite starting on lower tiers. Tools include upselling, affiliate marketing, and cart abandonment recovery. Sellfy is a true all-in-one platform for driving sales efficiently. Big Cartel requires external apps to achieve similar marketing depth. Using Sellfy's built-in affiliate tools helps creators leverage their audience immediately, boosting conversions without extra fees.
Customer Support Quality
Sellfy offers 24/7 support; Big Cartel users report painfully slow response times.
Big Cartel prides itself on using 'real human beings' for support. However, users report slow response times, sometimes waiting hours for help. Sellfy provides dedicated 24/7 email support on all paid plans. Premium users receive elevated Priority support for faster solutions. User reviews significantly praise Sellfy’s swift and helpful support team. Big Cartel’s support quality appears inconsistent and often frustrating. If downtime is costly, Sellfy's promise of responsive, 24/7 assistance offers greater peace of mind than Big Cartel.
Scalability & Embeds
Sellfy is highly scalable and embeds anywhere; Big Cartel is limited to 500 listings.
Big Cartel hits an inventory wall at 500 products, limiting major scaling efforts. It functions mainly as a standalone store. Sellfy supports unlimited products and integrates print-on-demand services easily. You can also embed the full shop onto your existing website using widgets. Creators whose growth trajectory exceeds 500 items must choose Sellfy or migrate. Big Cartel suits stable, small-batch creative businesses. Sellfy's embedding feature lets creators leverage their existing traffic by turning any website into a high-converting store.
Free Option Availability
Big Cartel offers a permanent free plan; Sellfy only offers a brief 14-day trial.
Big Cartel offers a permanent free Gold plan for artists. This $0 plan allows setting up a shop and listing 5 products indefinitely. Sellfy does not have a permanent free tier for selling. It offers a risk-free 14-day trial to test all platform features. The Big Cartel free plan is excellent for hobbyists or testing product ideas. Sellfy requires a paid commitment after the short trial period ends. If you want a lifelong, zero-cost online presence for a few items, Big Cartel is the winner here.
Subscriptions & Recurring
Sellfy supports steady subscription revenue; Big Cartel focuses only on one-time sales.
Big Cartel only handles standard one-time purchases for physical merchandise. It does not natively support ongoing monthly paid content. Sellfy makes it simple to launch digital subscriptions for specialized content. This helps creators build predictable, recurring revenue streams. Building stable income requires subscription functionality, which Sellfy provides natively. Big Cartel lacks this essential modern creator tool. Choose Sellfy if you sell coaching services or exclusive digital content that customers pay for monthly.
Our Verdict
The choice between Big Cartel and Sellfy depends entirely on your product ambition. Big Cartel is the perfect entry point for the commission-free market. It offers a permanent free plan (Gold) and maximum simplicity for quick setup. If you are a jewelry maker or painter selling fewer than 50 items, Big Cartel gives you what you need easily. Sellfy is the powerhouse built for growth, scaling, and digital products. It supports unlimited product listings across all plans, far exceeding Big Cartel's 500 limit. Sellfy also includes crucial built-in marketing like upselling and affiliate tools that Big Cartel lacks. The deciding factor is inventory and required features. If you need advanced growth tools and more than 500 products, Sellfy is the undisputed winner. Users also report Sellfy’s 24/7 support is significantly faster than Big Cartel’s highly criticized support speed. Choose Big Cartel if you value affordability and extreme simplicity for a small inventory store. Pick Sellfy if you sell digital subscriptions, need unlimited scaling, and want integrated marketing tools to maximize profit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which software is better for selling digital products: Big Cartel or Sellfy?
Sellfy is engineered for digital content creators and is the clear winner here. Sellfy supports large digital files up to 20GB on its Premium plan. Big Cartel lacks native support for large files or digital subscriptions.
Does Big Cartel or Sellfy charge transaction fees on sales?
Neither platform charges transaction fees or commissions on your sales. You only pay the monthly or annual subscription fee for Big Cartel or Sellfy. This low-fee model keeps your profit margins very high.
Can I list unlimited products on both Big Cartel and Sellfy?
No, Big Cartel limits stores to a hard maximum of 500 products on its top tier. Sellfy supports truly unlimited product uploads and inventory management on all paid plans. Choose Sellfy if you have a large product catalog.
Which platform offers better built-in marketing and growth tools?
Sellfy provides a much more robust, integrated marketing suite than Big Cartel. Sellfy includes upselling, affiliate marketing, and extensive email credit allowances. Big Cartel requires external apps for these capabilities.
Is Big Cartel's free plan better than Sellfy's free offering?
Yes, Big Cartel offers a permanent, free Gold plan that lasts indefinitely. Sellfy only offers a 14-day free trial. If you need a zero-cost option, Big Cartel is the better choice for the long run.
How do the customer support options of Sellfy and Big Cartel compare?
Sellfy provides reliable 24/7 dedicated support that is highly praised by users. Big Cartel’s support quality is heavily criticized, with users reporting very slow response times. For timely help, Sellfy has a significant edge.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.