17 Best Platforms to Sell Products Online in 2026 (Free & Paid)

Selling online in 2026? The platform you choose makes or breaks your store.

Around 93% of shopping journeys now start online, so where you sell matters as much as what you sell.

And the market keeps growing. Global ecommerce is worth about $36.21 trillion in 2026 and is projected to reach $77.58 trillion by 2031, according to Mordor Intelligence.

So whether you're launching a one-product store, selling vintage finds, or dropshipping worldwide, this guide covers the 17 best platforms to sell products online, both free and paid.

Let's get started!

The best platforms to sell products online: an overview

Here's a quick look at all 17 platforms that we will cover in this article:

Platform	Best for	Main fee you'll pay
Shopify	Building a branded store of any size	$39/month ($29/month billed annually) + processing
WooCommerce	WordPress users who want full control	Free plugin; hosting, processing, and extensions cost extra
BigCommerce	Bigger catalogs and growing brands	$39/month ($29/month billed annually) + processing; up to 2% with an open provider
ShopBase	Beginners on a dropshipping budget	$19/month ($17/month billed annually) + 2% transaction fee
Wix	A simple drag-and-drop store	About $29.77/month billed annually + processing
Squarespace	Design-led stores and creators	From $19/month billed annually; 2% commerce fee on Basic
Amazon	Reaching a huge ready-made audience	$0.99/item or $39.99/month + category fees
eBay	Auctions, resale, and used goods	First 250 listings free; most categories 13.6% + $0.30/$0.40
Etsy	Handmade, vintage, and craft goods	$0.20/listing + 6.5% + US processing; ads may add 12%-15%
Walmart Marketplace	Established sellers targeting US shoppers	No monthly fee; 3%-20% referral fee by category
TikTok Shop	Selling through short video and creators	Mostly 6%; selected categories 5%, with processing included
SendOwl	Selling digital downloads simply	$39/month ($32.50/month billed annually); processor fees still apply
FastSpring	Software and SaaS sales worldwide	Custom revenue-share pricing; quote required
Gumroad	Creators selling digital products without a store	10% + $0.50 direct; 30% through Discover
Facebook Marketplace	Quick local and eligible shipped sales	Free local listings; shipped orders 10% ($0.80 minimum)
Poshmark	Reselling fashion and accessories	$2.95 under $15; 20% at $15+
Nextdoor	Selling to your local neighborhood	Free for personal listings

Tip: These are US-market fees. Fees vary by country and can change, so check the platform's own pricing page before you price a product.

What is an online selling platform?

An online selling platform is a website or service built for selling products online.

A normal website builder lets you add pages, posts, and menus.

A selling platform goes a step further.

It adds product management, shipping tools, payment processing, and a checkout, so people can buy from you on the spot.

Two types of platforms: your own store vs. a marketplace

Before you pick one, it helps to know the two main types.

They work very differently:

With your own store (like Shopify or WooCommerce), you build the site yourself.

You own the brand and the customer relationship, but you have to bring the traffic.

You usually pay a subscription or hosting, plus payment processing. Some platforms also add transaction or payment-provider fees.

With a marketplace (like Amazon or Etsy), you list inside a site that already has shoppers.

Setup is fast, and you get built-in traffic, but you usually pay a commission on each sale, and you do not fully control the customer relationship.

That commission is often 5% to 20%, depending on the platform and category. Listing fees, ads, fulfillment, or fixed per-order charges may sit on top.

Marketplaces are a big part of where people shop.

They remain an important sales channel because shoppers can compare products and buy without visiting each seller's own site.

So which type is right for you? It depends on your products, your budget, and how much control you want.

Tip: You don't have to choose only one. Plenty of sellers run their own store and list on a marketplace at the same time to spread their reach.

How to choose a platform to sell on

Before you pick one, it helps to know what really separates these platforms.

Here's what we weigh, and what you should too:

• What you sell. Physical products, digital downloads, and handmade goods each have platforms built for them.
• Reach vs. control. Marketplaces hand you traffic but take a cut and own the customer. Your own store flips that: you bring the traffic, but you keep the brand and the data.
• The real cost. Look past the monthly fee. Add referral fees, payment processing, and ad spend to see what you actually keep per sale.
• Speed to start. A marketplace listing can go live today. Your own store takes a little more setup, but it scales further.
• How technical you are. Some platforms need zero tech skills. Others trade ease for flexibility.

So how did we pick these 17?

We compared each platform on fees, ease of setup, reach, product fit, and support.

And we re-checked each platform's current US public pricing and seller terms while updating this article.

Not sure which platform is right for you? Take our ecommerce platforms quiz for a personalized recommendation based on your business.

17 top platforms to sell your products online

Now let's go through all 17, grouped by what you're trying to do.

We'll cover building your own store, selling on big marketplaces, selling digital products, and selling socially or locally.

Each section has a quick intro, a real fee line, the pros, the cons, and the pricing.

Build your own store

These platforms let you build a store you fully control.

You bring the traffic, but you keep the brand, the customer list, and your margin.

They're the best fit if you're building something for the long run.

1. Shopify

Best for: Sellers who want to build a real brand and are fine paying a monthly fee for it.

Not for: Anyone testing a first idea who wants to avoid a fixed monthly cost.

Shopify is an ecommerce platform that works well for beginners and experienced sellers alike.

It's the platform we recommend most often for building a real brand.

You can launch a store fast, without any coding.

It's also huge: Shopify merchants drove a record $14.6 billion over the Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend in 2025, up 27% year over year, according to Shopify.

Pricing is straightforward too.

You pay a monthly plan from $39, or $29 per month when billed annually, plus payment processing on each sale.

Pros

• Lots of payment options. Shopify supports Shopify Payments and many third-party payment providers worldwide.
• SEO, marketing, and analytics. Built-in tools help shoppers find you and help you track what's working.
• Fast to launch. You can build a store without a developer.
• Bulk product upload. Adding a big catalog is straightforward.
• Easy to market. Shopify connects with major advertising and sales channels through built-in tools and apps.

Cons

• Monthly fee. The main self-serve plans run from $39 to $399 per month, so there's a fixed cost even on slow months.
• Third-party payment fees. Shopify adds a plan-based transaction fee if you use an outside payment provider instead of Shopify Payments.

Pricing

Plans: The Basic plan costs $39 per month or $29 per month billed annually. Grow costs $105 per month or $79 per month billed annually. Advanced costs $399 per month or $299 per month billed annually.

Payment fees: US online card rates with Shopify Payments start at 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic and fall on higher plans. Shopify adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, or 0.6% on Advanced when you use a third-party payment provider.

Tip: Did you know you can even let AI set up your Shopify store? Storebuild.ai is a free tool by Zendrop that builds your store in about five minutes. Check it out here.

Start your store on Shopify

Free 3-day trial + $1/month for 3 months

• Grows with you from first test product to full brand
• 8,000+ apps & themes to customize your store
• Beginner-friendly editor with pro features when you're ready

Start your Shopify trial →

No card to start. Cancel anytime.

2. WooCommerce

Best for: Sellers comfortable with WordPress who want full control over design, code, and checkout.

Not for: Beginners who want to skip the setup work and start selling the same day.

WooCommerce is a free plugin that turns any WordPress site into an online store.

It's the most flexible option on this list if you're comfortable with WordPress.

You get full control over the code, design, and checkout.

And it's everywhere.

It is also one of the most widely used ways to add ecommerce to a WordPress site.

That large user base means there are plenty of themes, extensions, and tutorials available.

The plugin itself is free, but it isn't free to run.

You pay for hosting, a domain, and any paid extensions you add.

Tip: Not sure whether to choose Shopify or WooCommerce? Check out our in-depth comparison here.

Pros

• Free and open source. Anyone can install it and adjust the code.
• Very flexible. You can sell physical, digital, or downloadable products.
• Large community. A big base of users and developers means lots of guides and plugins.
• Lots of designs. Hundreds of free and paid WooCommerce themes are available.

Cons

• Steeper learning curve. The setup can be fiddly if you're new to WordPress.
• Support is fragmented. Help may come from WooCommerce, your host, your theme developer, or individual plugin companies.
• Paid extensions. Some features you'll want are paid add-ons.

Pricing

Core software: The WooCommerce plugin is free.

Other costs: WooCommerce's own cost guidance says hosting commonly runs from about $25 to $350 per month. Many paid extensions cost $29 to $299 per year. Payment processing, security, maintenance, and developer help can add more.

Tip: Want a full walkthrough? Read our guide on dropshipping with WooCommerce.

3. BigCommerce

Best for: Stores with a large catalog that want built-in features instead of stacking apps.

Not for: Sellers who want one fixed price, because crossing a sales limit either moves you up a plan or adds an overage fee.

BigCommerce is a hosted ecommerce platform, which means it runs on its own servers so you don't manage hosting.

It packs in more features as standard than most store builders.

That makes it a strong fit if you have a large catalog or you're scaling fast.

It is aimed at stores that need more built-in commerce features and room for a larger catalog.

One thing sellers like: BigCommerce does not add an open payment-provider fee when you use one of its embedded payment providers.

If you use an open payment provider instead, BigCommerce adds a plan-based fee of up to 2%, alongside the provider's own processing costs.

Pros

• Lots of built-in features. You get more out of the box than with most builders.
• Handles big catalogs. It's built to manage a lot of products and variants.
• Scales well. It suits both small and large brands.
• No open-provider fee with embedded payments. BigCommerce does not add that extra fee when you use an embedded payment provider.
• Strong SEO features. It's one of the better store builders for search.

Cons

• Sales thresholds. Core and Growth use trailing-12-month GMV limits, while Scale can add overage charges above its monthly threshold.
• No full built-in campaign tool. BigCommerce can collect subscribers and send abandoned-cart emails on eligible plans, but full email campaigns normally need an integration.
• Pricing jumps quickly. The step from Growth to Scale is significant for stores that cross the lower plan limits.

Pricing

Plans: Core costs $39 per month or $29 per month billed annually. Growth costs $105 per month or $79 per month billed annually. Scale costs $399 per month or $299 per month billed annually.

Sales limits: Core and Growth automatically move up after their trailing-12-month GMV limits. Scale includes $33,333 in monthly GMV, then charges 0.9% on the amount above that limit.

Payment-provider fees: BigCommerce charges 2% on Core, 1% on Growth, and 0.6% on Scale when you use an open payment provider. These fees do not apply to embedded payment providers.

Tip: Not sure between Shopify and BigCommerce? Read our full comparison here.

4. ShopBase

Best for: Beginners on a tight budget who want a platform built around dropshipping and print on demand.

Not for: Sellers who need a big app ecosystem and a large community to learn from.

ShopBase isn't the first name people think of, but it's an affordable way into dropshipping.

It's purpose-built for dropshipping and print on demand stores.

The low starting price makes it friendly for beginners on a tight budget.

You pay a monthly plan from $19, plus a plan-level transaction fee that starts at 2% on Basic.

Pros

• Made for dropshipping. The whole platform is built around dropshipping and print on demand.
• Long free trial. You can test ShopBase for 14 days without a credit card.
• Support access. ShopBase offers help resources and direct support when you get stuck.
• Easy to use. The dashboard is simple to manage day-to-day.

Cons

• Smaller user base. It has far fewer stores than Shopify, so there's a smaller community.
• Fewer app connections. It doesn't integrate with as many third-party dropshipping apps.

Pricing

Plans: Basic costs $19 monthly or $17 per month billed annually. Standard costs $59 monthly or $53 per month billed annually. Pro costs $249 monthly or $224 per month billed annually.

Transaction fees: ShopBase charges 2% on Basic, 1% on Standard, and 0.5% on Pro. A 14-day free trial is available without a credit card.

5. Wix

Best for: Sellers who want design freedom and a good-looking store without touching code.

Not for: Very large catalogs, or anyone who may want to swap templates later without rebuilding.

Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder that also lets you run an online store.

It's one of the easiest ways to get a good-looking store live without touching code.

If design freedom matters to you, Wix is worth a look.

With Wix Payments, the main sale charge is payment processing rather than a separate Wix ecommerce commission.

For standard US card payments, Wix Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30. American Express, PayPal, cross-border cards, and currency conversion can cost more.

Pros

• Easy drag-and-drop editor. You can design pages by moving things around, no code needed.
• No separate Wix ecommerce commission. You still pay payment processing, but Wix Payments does not add another general sales percentage.
• Lots of templates. There are hundreds of store-ready designs to start from.
• Built-in marketing tools. Email, SEO, and social tools come with the plans.

Cons

• Harder to switch templates later. Once you pick a design, changing it can mean rebuilding.
• Less built for scale. It's great for small and mid-size stores, less so for very large catalogs.

Pricing

Plans: The Core plan is shown at about $29.77 per month when billed annually. Business is about $39.77 per month. Prices vary by location, and annual subscriptions are paid upfront.

Payment processing: Standard US card processing through Wix Payments is 2.9% + $0.30.

6. Squarespace

Best for: Creators and makers who want a polished store with very little design work.

Not for: Dropshippers who need a large app library to run the store.

Squarespace is known for clean, design-led templates, and it sells products too.

It's a favorite for creators, makers, and brands that care a lot about how the store looks.

The templates do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

On the Basic plan, Squarespace charges a 2% commerce transaction fee. Core, Plus, and Advanced drop that physical-commerce fee to 0%, according to Squarespace.

You still pay payment processing. Squarespace Payments starts at 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic cards on Basic and Core, then falls on higher plans.

Pros

• Beautiful templates. The designs look polished with very little effort.
• 0% physical-commerce fee above Basic. Core, Plus, and Advanced do not add a Squarespace commerce transaction fee to physical-product sales.
• Good for content plus commerce. Blogs, galleries, and stores live together nicely.
• Sells digital and physical products. You can offer downloads, memberships, and goods.

Cons

• Fewer third-party apps. The extension library is smaller than Shopify's.
• Less dropshipping-focused. It's built more for original products than for dropshipping at scale.

Pricing

Plans: Squarespace subscriptions start at $19 per month when billed annually. Exact plan prices depend on your location and billing cycle.

Transaction fees: Basic adds 2% on physical-commerce sales. Core, Plus, and Advanced charge 0%. Digital-product fees are 7% on Basic, 5% on Core, 1% on Plus, and 0% on Advanced.

Sell on big marketplaces

Marketplaces flip the trade-off.

You give up some control and pay a commission, but you sell where the shoppers already are.

That reach can be massive, but the audience, competition, and seller rules vary sharply from one marketplace to another.

7. Amazon

Best for: Sellers who want instant access to a huge buyer base and can handle tight margins.

Not for: Anyone whose main goal is building a recognizable brand of their own.

Amazon is one of the toughest marketplaces, and one of the biggest opportunities.

Millions of small and mid-size businesses sell there, so third-party sellers are a core part of the marketplace.

That creates a big opportunity, but it also means intense competition.

The cost is real, though.

You pay a selling-plan charge plus category referral fees. Many common categories fall between 8% and 15%, but some sit outside that range.

Pros

• Trusted, established marketplace. Hundreds of millions of people shop on Amazon.
• Instant credibility. Amazon handles payments, so buyers feel safe ordering from new sellers.
• Built-in audience. You don't have to bring traffic yourself.
• Low upfront cost. Setting up a seller account is cheap.
• FBA. Fulfillment by Amazon can store, pack, and ship your orders for you.

Cons

• Fierce competition. You're up against copycats and sometimes Amazon itself.
• Stacking fees. Referral, fulfillment, and subscription fees add up fast.
• Fulfillment costs can stack. FBA adds storage, fulfillment, and other service fees on top of the selling plan and referral fee.

Pricing

Seller plans: The Individual plan costs $0.99 per item sold. Professional costs $39.99 per month.

Other fees: Referral fees vary by category. Optional services such as FBA, storage, advertising, and premium account tools cost extra.

Tip: With Fulfillment by Amazon, the platform stores and ships your products for you, so you spend less time packing boxes. Just budget for the storage and fulfillment fees before you price your products.

8. eBay

Best for: Resellers and anyone shifting used or one-off items without building a store.

Not for: Brands that need to protect their price, because similar listings trigger price races.

eBay was the biggest online marketplace before Amazon, and it's still one of the best for resale and used goods.

You can list a set number of items each month for free, and you can sell almost anything that's legal.

It's still a giant.

Its mix of fixed-price listings and auctions still makes it useful for products that do not fit a normal retail catalog.

For most categories, eBay charges 13.6% on the total sale up to $7,500, plus 2.35% above that. The per-order fee is $0.30 on orders of $10 or less and $0.40 above $10.

Pros

• Easy to use. You can create a basic listing quickly without building a store.
• Broad product range. eBay supports many categories, subject to its prohibited and restricted items policy.
• Seller protections. eBay provides payment, dispute, and seller-protection processes, though eligibility rules apply.
• Free organic traffic. The site already has loyal, trusting buyers.
• Some free listings. You can list a set number of items each month at no cost.

Cons

• Tough competition. Similar items often trigger price races.
• Seller fees. Final value fees eat into your margin.
• Deal-hunting buyers. Many shoppers come for the lowest price.
• Hard to brand. It's tough to build a distinct brand on eBay.

Pricing

Listings: eBay gives sellers up to 250 zero-insertion-fee listings per month. After that, most listings cost $0.35 each.

Final value fees: For most categories, the fee is 13.6% up to $7,500 and 2.35% above it. eBay also charges $0.30 per order at $10 or less, or $0.40 above $10.

Store plan: A Starter Store costs $7.95 monthly or $4.95 per month on an annual plan.

9. Etsy

Best for: Makers selling handmade, vintage, or craft products to an audience already looking for them.

Not for: Sellers who want control over how their shop looks.

Etsy is the go-to marketplace for handmade goods, vintage finds, and craft supplies.

If you make or curate unique products, there's a ready audience here looking for exactly that.

And the scale is real.

The audience is focused on distinctive products, which can make product-market fit stronger than on a general marketplace.

The fees stack in small pieces. You pay $0.20 to list, a 6.5% transaction fee, and US payment processing of 3% + $0.25. Offsite Ads can add another 12% or 15% on attributed orders.

Pros

• No sales limit. You can sell as much as you want.
• Quick to set up. You can open a shop without building a separate website.
• Built-in search. Buyers can discover products through Etsy search and category pages.
• Built-in audience. Shoppers are already there looking for unique items.
• Great testing ground. It's a low-risk way to test a product idea.

Cons

• Saturated. Many niches are crowded now.
• Copycats. Popular products get copied quickly.
• Limited design control. You can't really change your shop's layout.

Pricing

Core fees: Etsy charges $0.20 per listing and a 6.5% transaction fee. US payment processing is 3% + $0.25.

Setup fee: A one-time shop setup fee may apply and varies by location.

Offsite Ads: Attributed orders cost 15% while a shop is below $10,000 in trailing-12-month Etsy sales, and those shops can opt out. After reaching $10,000, the rate falls to 12%, and participation becomes mandatory.

10. Walmart Marketplace

Best for: Established US sellers who can pass approval and want traffic without a monthly fee.

Not for: New sellers without business documents, ecommerce history, or product codes.

Walmart Marketplace lets approved sellers list on one of the largest retail sites in the US.

It's more selective than most marketplaces.

That's a downside at signup, but it also means less clutter once you're in.

The fee structure is seller-friendly on paper. You only pay a referral fee when something sells, ranging from 3% to 20% depending on the category.

But there's a catch.

Walmart asks for business documentation and a business Tax ID or license. Most products need valid GTIN or UPC codes, although exemptions may be available.

It also looks for ecommerce experience and a reliable US fulfillment and returns setup.

Pros

• No monthly fees. You only pay when you make a sale.
• Huge built-in traffic. Walmart.com pulls in a large US shopper base.
• Less clutter. The approval process keeps out a lot of low-quality sellers.
• Walmart Fulfillment Services. You can have Walmart store and ship your orders.

Cons

• Approval required. Walmart reviews your business documents, ecommerce experience, catalog, and fulfillment setup before approving you.
• Product code requirements. Most listings need valid GTIN or UPC codes unless Walmart approves an exemption.
• US-focused. The marketplace is mainly aimed at US buyers.

Pricing

Seller plan: Walmart Marketplace has no monthly or setup fee.

Sale fees: You pay a referral fee of 3% to 20% depending on the category. Walmart Fulfillment Services, advertising, returns, and other optional services cost extra.

11. TikTok Shop

Best for: Sellers who can post video regularly or work with creators to drive the sales.

Not for: Anyone who wants orders without producing a steady stream of content.

TikTok Shop lets you sell products directly inside TikTok, through videos, live streams, and creator posts.

It's the newest platform on this list, and the most different.

Here, content and shopping sit side by side, so a single video can drive a wave of sales.

The format works especially well for products that are easy to demonstrate in a short video.

The seller fee is refreshingly simple.

Most US categories carry a 6% referral fee. Selected jewelry and preowned categories are 5%.

For certain collectibles and preowned items, the portion of a sale above $10,000 is charged at 3%. There is no separate payment-processing fee, according to TikTok Shop.

Creator commissions, shipping, fulfillment, and advertising can add to that base fee.

Pros

• Built-in discovery. The feed can put your product in front of new buyers fast.
• Simple base fee. Most categories pay 6%, with no separate payment-processing fee.
• Creator partnerships. You can pay creators a commission to promote your products.
• Great for impulse buys. Video sells lower-priced, eye-catching products well.

Cons

• Content is the work. Sales depend on a steady stream of video, yours or creators'.
• Creator commissions add up. Affiliate-driven sales cost more once you pay the creator's cut.
• Policy changes. Rules and fees on a young platform can shift, so re-check before you commit.

Pricing

Seller fee: There is no monthly plan. Most US categories pay a 6% referral fee, while selected jewelry and preowned categories pay 5%. There is no separate payment-processing fee.

Exceptions and extras: For certain collectibles and preowned items, the portion above $10,000 is charged at 3%. Creator commissions, fulfillment, shipping adjustments, and ads are separate.

Tip: Want to understand why so many TikTok Shop products are so cheap? Read our breakdown here.

Sell digital products

If you sell ebooks, templates, software, courses, or downloads, these platforms are built for you.

There's no shipping and no inventory.

But pricing varies. SendOwl uses a subscription, while FastSpring and Gumroad take a share of sales.

12. SendOwl

Best for: Creators who mainly want to deliver files and take payment without a full store.

Not for: Sellers who want a customizable storefront, because the templates are basic.

SendOwl helps you sell digital products and downloads, and drop them straight into a blog or site in minutes.

It's a simple, focused tool.

If you mainly want to deliver files and take payment, it does that without fuss.

You pay a monthly plan, and SendOwl does not take a percentage cut of your sales. Your payment processor still charges its own fee.

Pros

• Simple and fast. It's easy to set up and saves time.
• No SendOwl transaction fee. You pay the subscription and your payment processor, not a SendOwl percentage on each sale.
• Dedicated landing pages. You get pages for your products and affiliate program.

Cons

• Limited templates. Customization is fairly basic.
• Usage limits. Each plan has trailing-12-month order and sales limits that can trigger an automatic upgrade.

Pricing

Plans: SendOwl starts at $39 per month or $32.50 per month billed annually. Grow costs $87 per month or $72.50 per month billed annually. Scale costs $159 per month or $132.50 per month billed annually.

Plan limits: Plans use trailing-12-month sales and order limits. Exceeding them can trigger an automatic upgrade.

13. FastSpring

Best for: Software and SaaS companies selling across borders that want the tax side handled for them.

Not for: Normal physical-product stores, and anyone who needs a published rate to compare.

FastSpring is built for software companies that sell digital products and subscriptions worldwide.

Selling software across borders gets complicated with taxes and currencies.

FastSpring handles a lot of that for you.

It acts as merchant of record for eligible digital sales, handling payments, subscriptions, sales tax, and localized checkout. You pay a negotiated share of each sale instead of a monthly plan.

Pros

• Digital-first. It's made for software, digital goods, and subscriptions.
• Handles international sales. It accepts global payments and shows local currencies.
• Merchant of record. FastSpring can handle payment processing, subscriptions, tax collection, and localized checkout.

Cons

• Digital-first scope. It is aimed at software, SaaS, and other digital products rather than normal physical-product stores.
• No public rate card. You need a quote before you can compare the exact fee with other platforms.

Pricing

FastSpring uses custom revenue-share pricing based on transaction type and volume.

There is no subscription fee or public standard percentage, so you need a quote for your exact rate.

14. Gumroad

Best for: Creators who want to sell one ebook, course, or download from a single link.

Not for: Anyone selling physical products, which Gumroad no longer focuses on.

Gumroad is a simple shopping cart that lets creators start selling digital products fast.

You don't need a full store.

You can sell a single ebook, course, or download with just a link.

Direct sales cost 10% + $0.50 per transaction. Sales that come through Gumroad Discover cost 30%.

Pros

• Simple to use. The drag-and-drop setup is beginner-friendly.
• Flexible products. You can sell many product types and set your own prices.
• Merchant-of-record tax handling. Gumroad handles worldwide sales-tax collection and remittance for eligible sales.
• No monthly fee. You only pay when you sell.

Cons

• Few native integrations. You'll often need Zapier to connect other tools.
• Limited payment options. It doesn't support every payment method.
• No physical goods. Gumroad is now focused on digital products, courses, memberships, and software.

Pricing

Direct sales: There is no monthly fee. Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 on sales through your profile or direct links.

Discover sales: Sales through Gumroad Discover cost 30%. Gumroad acts as merchant of record and handles applicable sales-tax collection and remittance.

Sell socially or locally

Sometimes the easiest sale is close to home, or right inside an app you already use.

These platforms are great for selling secondhand items, clearing things out, or testing demand with very little setup.

15. Facebook Marketplace

Best for: Sellers who want to reach nearby buyers quickly without setting up a store.

Not for: Anyone who needs a vetted, protected checkout on every order.

Facebook Marketplace is one of the fastest, easiest ways to sell products locally.

It can put your listing in front of nearby buyers without requiring a separate store. Availability and features vary by country and account.

Local pickup sales move fast. A good photo and a fair price can sell something the same day.

The cost depends on how you sell. Local listings are free. Eligible shipped orders carry a 10% selling fee, with a minimum of $0.80 per order.

Pros

• Large local audience. Marketplace can put listings in front of nearby Facebook users.
• Easy communication. You chat with buyers directly in Messenger.
• Simple to list. Take a few photos, add a description, and you're live.
• No monthly fee. Local listings are free.

Cons

• Buyers and sellers aren't vetted. That opens the door to scammers.
• Shipping is not universal. Checkout and shipping are only available to eligible sellers and locations.
• Listing limits. Meta applies monthly limits to new personal Marketplace listings, so high-volume sellers may need another channel.
• Meet-ups can feel unsafe. Choose public spots for local handovers.

Pricing

Local sales: Listings are free.

Shipped orders: For eligible orders, Facebook charges 10% with a minimum fee of $0.80 per order. Shipping and checkout are not available to every seller or location.

Tip: Want to sell more on Facebook? Read our guide on how to sell on Facebook.

16. Poshmark

Best for: Anyone reselling clothes and accessories who is happy to share listings daily.

Not for: Sellers who want a channel that keeps running without daily effort.

Poshmark is a marketplace for reselling fashion, accessories, and more.

It has an active resale community in the US and Canada.

If you're clearing out a closet or flipping clothes, this is a natural home for it.

The fee model is easy to follow. Poshmark only takes a cut when you sell, with a flat fee on small orders and a percentage on larger ones.

Pros

• Only pay when you sell. There's a commission on sales, and the rest is yours.
• No listing fees. You can list as many items as you want for free.
• Simple shipping. Poshmark provides a flat-rate prepaid label.
• Built-in promotion tools. Bundles and offers make it easier to close sales.
• Handles sales tax. Poshmark collects and remits sales tax for you.

Cons

• Time-consuming. Sharing listings and answering buyers takes daily effort.
• Crowded. Poshmark is popular, so standing out is hard.

Pricing

Listing is free. Poshmark charges $2.95 on sales under $15. On sales of $15 or more, it takes 20% and you keep 80%.

17. Nextdoor

Best for: Anyone selling furniture or other bulky items to neighbors nearby.

Not for: Sellers who need a national audience or steady order volume.

Nextdoor is a neighborhood app, and it's handy for selling and buying close to home.

It works a lot like Facebook Marketplace, but everything is tied to your local area.

That makes it good for furniture and bulky items you'd rather not ship.

For personal sales, it's free. You only pay if you run paid local deals or ads as a business.

Pros

• Neighborhood reach. Listings are shown inside the local community rather than to a broad national audience.
• Free for personal sales. Setting up an account costs nothing.
• Easy communication. Buyers message you right in the app.

Cons

• Limited reach. You only reach people on the app in your area.
• Smaller buyer pool. Results depend on how active Nextdoor is in your neighborhood.

Pricing

Personal sales: For Sale & Free listings are free.

Business use: Business pages are free. Paid ads use budget-based pricing, and Nextdoor does not publish one universal starting price for every location and audience.

Which platform is right for you?

So which one should you pick? It comes down to your goal.

Here's a simple way to decide, based on what matters most to you right now.

• If you want to build a brand: Start with Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce. You own the store, the customer list, and the look.
• If you want the fastest first sale: Try a marketplace like Etsy, eBay, or TikTok Shop, or sell locally on Facebook Marketplace. The traffic is already there.
• If you want a low platform fee: WooCommerce has no core-plugin charge, but hosting, processing, extensions, and maintenance still count. TikTok Shop's mostly 6% base fee is simpler, though creator and fulfillment costs can sit on top.
• If you want to go global: Amazon and FastSpring are built for cross-border sales, and Shopify handles multiple currencies well.

Still unsure? For most beginners building a long-term store, I'd start with Shopify and add a marketplace later.

And you can always change course.

Starting on a simpler platform now saves friction, and you can migrate as you grow.

What is the best platform for beginners to sell online?

For most beginners, I'd go with Shopify.

It's easy to use, it has helpful support, and it includes the features you need to start a store.

You can pick, move, and arrange things to make the store look how you want, without any coding.

And the best part?

It grows with you, so you don't have to switch platforms as your store gets bigger.

Tip: A large share of ecommerce happens on phones, so make sure your store, product pages, and checkout work well on a small screen.

FAQs about platforms to sell products online

Any more questions? Check out our FAQ section below:

Ready to start selling?

Whatever you're selling, there's a platform on this list that fits.

Whether you want to dropship, grow a retail brand, or sell a few things from home, you now know the main options.

And you know what each one really costs.

The US market alone is huge: ecommerce accounted for 16.9% of total US retail sales in Q1 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the US Census Bureau.

So pick the platform that matches your goal, and get your first product live.

Want to learn more about ecommerce?

A few we'd point you to:

• Virtual Shopping Assistants: Guide for Ecommerce Stores
• The 17 Best Winning Dropshipping Product Research Tools
• How Do You Create an Ecommerce Customer Journey Map? (2026)

Thinking about opening a store? We cover what it actually takes in our guide on how to start an online store.