Sellfy vs Shopify [2024] Pricing, Themes, Differences

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Sooooo, you wanna sell your own products online. But how?!

I’ve been selling online for over a decade. When it comes to Sellfy vs Shopify, I really like the simplicity and price of Sellfy. 

And I also like the powerful features of Shopify, a billion-dollar company that’s been in business for nearly 20 years.

So, is Sellfy or Shopify best for your particular online business? I’ll help you decide by breaking down the pros and cons, features, and pricing.

Look, online sales have increased by 8.6%,1 and they keep growing. Don’t miss out on profits by hesitating any longer!

Zara Simon-ogan sells hair care products online using Sellfy.
Zara Simon-Ogan sells her hair care products on Sellfy. 2

If you’re the kind of person who likes to test things out for yourself, you’re in luck. Because Sellfy has a free trial and a money-back guarantee. And Shopify has a free trial, too.

Sellfy vs Shopify Overview

Sellfy and Shopify are both e-commerce platforms to launch an online store. Sellfy is a bit simpler. Shopify has more features.

Let’s look at exactly how each company operates in the Shopify vs Sellfy debate.

Zara Simon-Ogan's profile links and how she sells products online using Sellfy.
Zara Simon-Ogan uses content marketing on YouTube and Instagram to teach people about hair care. Then, she upsells her audience to buy her premium content on Sellfy and Amazon.

What Is Sellfy and How Does Sellfy Work?

Sellfy is an e-commerce platform that’s super easy to use. You can set up your Sellfy store in as little as 5 minutes!

Check out this Sellfy tutorial to see the features in action:

Sellfy offers simplicity. 

You’ll get what really matters: an online storefront where you can sell digital goods and physical merchandise to customers around the world.

Here’s how to start an online store with Sellfy:

  1. Create an account (head to the Sellfy homepage and click “Start Free Trial”).
  2. Add products to your online store.
  3. Customize your shop (to give it that special pizazz!).

Just like that, you’ll have an online business! Absurdly easy, right? You could do it while toasting a Pop-Tart!

Along with the standard online store, Sellfy offers other cool features:

  • Print-on-demand (POD) services. You can use Sellfy to print and sell personalized merchandise. In this sense, Sellfy works kind of like Redbubble. (Check out my Redbubble review: Is Redbubble legit?)
  • Digital product sales. Are you selling non-physical products like videos, PDFs, or subscriptions? Sellfy can provide both file hosting and delivery. 
  • Website embed. Sellfy can help you implant a “buy now” button within your existing website.
  • Email marketing. You can reach potential customers where they’re at: their inboxes.

Sellfy might be the simple option in the Sellfy vs Shopify conversation, but they still offer a lot! 

Sellfy makes it super easy to set up an online store and also offers print-on-demand services.
Sellfy is an e-commerce platform that lets you create an online store in minutes.

Print-on-demand merchandise is one of my favorite low-cost business ideas with high profit because it’s one of the most profitable online businesses.

What Is Shopify and How Does Shopify Work?

Shopify helps you sell stuff online. They have everything you need.

You’ve already heard of Shopify because it’s a multi-billion dollar corporation. They’ve been in business for nearly 2 decades. They’re on the New York Stock Exchange. Big companies trust Shopify to sell their products online.

With Shopify, you can design a breathtaking online store, and then Shopify has the software built-in to sell and ship products. 

Check out this excellent Shopify tutorial for beginners to get an idea of what you can do with Shopify:

In the world of e-commerce platforms, Shopify is as big as it gets. Check out these astounding Shopify stats:

  • $444 billion in economic activity has gone through Shopify.
  • 10% of all U.S. e-commerce happens through Shopify stores. Holy shiitake mushrooms!
  • Shopify works with millions of merchants around the world.

Why are so many online retailers choosing Shopify? It’s because Shopify helps with every part of running a business. 

Kylie Jenner uses Shopify for her online beauty store.
Kylie Jenner has built a billion-dollar cosmetics business using Shopify. 3 

Here’s what the process of using Shopify looks like:

  1. Business creation. Use Shopify’s website builder to create and customize your online shop.
  2. Selling. With a world-class checkout system and credit card processing service, Shopify helps with both online and in-person sales.
  3. Marketing. Shopify gives you the tools you need to market through email, social media, and digital chat. 
  4. Management. From shipping to tracking your inventory, Shopify helps with the nuts and bolts of running a modern business.

Shopify is more than a website builder for online shops. It’s an all-in-one assistant for modern business management. 

Whoa, that sounds official. 

Shopify is an all-in-one platform for anyone that wants to open an online storefront.
Shopify helps you build an online store and effectively manage it.

Note: Shopify or Sellfy can’t help you create an LLC, which is the government paperwork you need to make your business legit. Check out the best LLC service, why do you need an LLC, LLC Checklist, Bizee vs ZenBusiness, and how to avoid using home address for LLC.

Sellfy vs Shopify Pricing / Sellfy vs Shopify Cost

We can’t settle the Sellfy vs Shopify debate without looking at prices. After all, you want to build your business, not bankrupt it!

Luckily, both platforms in the Shopify vs Sellfy debate offer solid value. Sellfy is cheaper, but not by a lot. With both companies, you can choose the plan that matches your needs.

Check out the Sellfy vs Shopify pricing details:

Sellfy Pricing

Sellfy offers 3 different incredibly sexy plans:

  • Starter ($19 – $29 per month). You can earn up to $10,000 in annual sales and list unlimited products. 
  • Business ($49 – $79 per month). You’ll get up to $50,000 in annual sales, and your site will lose the (potentially tacky) Sellfy branding. 
  • Premium ($99 – $159 per month). Your store can earn up to $200,000 in annual sales, and you’ll get VIP treatment in the form of priority support.

The monthly price changes depending on how often you choose to get billed. For example, the Starter Plan costs $19 per month if you get billed every 2 years, $22 per month if you get billed every year, and $29 if you get billed every month. 

Want to save money by making a longer commitment to Sellfy? That’s your call. I’d recommend using the monthly plan until you’re sure Sellfy is your long-term choice for an e-commerce platform. Gotta go on a few dates before you allow yourself to fall in love, right?

Sellfy offers a 14-day free trial – and they won’t even collect your credit card information. Sellfy has a money-back guarantee for 30 days. So you can feel safe giving them a try.

If you’re struggling because you don’t have enough money, see my resources:

Shopify Pricing

Shopify has a 4-tiered pricing model:

  • Basic ($29 – $39 per month). You’ll get localized selling in 3 locations and shipping discounts of up to 77%. Shopify recommends this plan for “solo entrepreneurs.”
  • Shopify ($79 – $105 per month). This plan comes with 5 additional “staff accounts,” shipping discounts of up to 88%, and discounts on credit card processing rates. Shopify says this plan is for “small teams.”
  • Advanced ($299 – $399 per month). Designed for larger businesses, this plan gives you up to 15 staff accounts and 10X the standard checkout capacity.
  • Plus ($2,300+ per month). Designed for big, complex businesses, this plan offers unlimited staff accounts and localized selling in up to 50 markets.

The exact prices depend on whether you choose to be billed monthly or annually. So, for the Basic plan, you’d pay $39 a month if you opt for monthly billing, but if you choose to pay for a whole year upfront, the monthly price drops to $29. (Both companies in the Shopify vs Sellfy discussion use this model).

Like Sellfy, Shopify offers a free trial – but it only lasts 3 days. The good news is that your first month with the Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plans costs $1. So it’s not “free,” but it’s cheaper than a pack of gum!

Shopify is legit. They’ve been in business for nearly 20 years. And they’re a huge public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). 

You can start your online store with either Shopify or Sellfy with very little money, especially if you build an audience for free on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, etc. This makes Sellfy or Shopify both good ways how to make money on Facebook and how to make money on Pinterest.

This is exactly what nurse-turned-business-woman Meg Ann does to promote her Shopify store:

If you want to turbo-boost your sales, you can buy ads on Facebook, Google, and more. This makes either a Shopify or Sellfy store a great business to start with 10k. And it’s how to turn 10k into 100k. 

Too many business people forget that it’s not JUST about profits. I worked for a couple who not only made big profits each year, but their goal was to put their online business for sale. And they did! They sold their online company for millions of dollars and retired early.

Sellfy vs Shopify Pros and Cons

Usually, the best way to compare two options is by looking at the pros and cons – and the Shopify vs Sellfy debate is no exception. Let’s check out each platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

Sellfy Pros and Cons

Sellfy Pros:

  • The digital stores are simple and easy to build. You can create your Sellfy shop in just 5 minutes. 
  • There’s a 14-day free trial. You can build a Sellfy store and see what it’s all about without even giving them your credit card information. 
  • They offer print-on-demand services. If your goal is to sell personalized merch, Sellfy has a built-in solution.

Sellfy Cons:

  • There’s less logistical support. Unlike the other guys in the Sellfy vs Shopify debate, Sellfy won’t help with inventory or shipping. 
  • They don’t offer in-person sales assistance. Sellfy makes online sales easy, but there’s no credit card system for in-person sales. 
  • Each plan has a sales limit. If your store earns more than a certain amount, you’ll have to move up to a bigger plan. Reasonable? Sure, but it kind of feels like you’re being punished for your success. 

Shopify Pros and Cons

Shopify Pros:

  • Shopify has everything you need. Shopify is much more than an online store builder. It’s an all-in-one business management platform, and it can help with inventory, shipping, and other logistics.
  • Shopify handles online and in-person sales. Got a “hybrid” business? Shopify offers a single solution for accepting your customers’ payments. 
  • The marketing assistance is legit. Yes, both sides in the Sellfy vs Shopify debate help with marketing, but Shopify’s features are more robust. 

Shopify Cons:

  • The plans are a bit pricier. The cheapest option with Shopify costs $29 per month, which is $10 more than the cheapest Sellfy plan.
  • The customer support gets bad reviews. That’s why Shopify only has 1.5 stars on the review site Trustpilot, which is a surprisingly abysmal rating for such a big platform.  
  • There’s no “print-on-demand” option. You’ll have to use a different service to design and print merchandise before selling it on Shopify. 

Sellfy vs Shopify Reviews

Next up in our Sellfy vs Shopify discussion, let’s look at reviews for each platform individually – starting with Sellfy. 

Sellfy gets an average of 4.1 stars from reviewers on Trustpilot (making it the clear winner in this segment of the Shopify vs Sellfy competition). 

One person left a dramatic 5-star review, writing, “Sellfy has changed my life” (cue the emotional music). They said they’d earned a stable income through the platform, and they praised the customer support.

A super positive Sellfy review from someone who claims the platform changed their life.
A user raves about Sellfy in a 5-star review, praising both the features and the customer support. 

Another user left a 4-star review, saying that Sellfy is “generally easy to work with.” They reported success with the company’s print-on-demand service. 

A four-star Sellfy review from someone who uses the print-on-demand services.
In a 4-star review, someone says they’ve had success using Sellfy for printing-on-demand.

One person trashed Sellfy in a 1-star review, saying the platform “won’t have your back.” Reading between the lines, it seems this person’s site was taken offline – maybe because they weren’t paying for the service (the person complained about the lack of a “grace period.”) 

A negative Sellfy review from a customer who claims the company is "greedy."
Someone complains about Sellfy in a 1-star review on Trustpilot, saying the company has no transparency or “business sense.”

What about Shopify reviews for our Sellfy vs Shopify debate?

Amazingly, for such a massive company (remember, they handle 10% of all American e-commerce), Shopify only gets 1.5 stars on Trustpilot. Shopify clearly loses this part of the Sellfy vs Shopify battle.

Now, positive Shopify reviews do exist on Trustpilot. One person gave the company 5 stars, saying, “It’s pretty fun to build a website.”

A positive Shopify review from someone who likes the platform, but wishes it was more affordable.
In a 5-star Shopify review, someone says the process of building a website is “fun.”

Another Shopify user left a nuanced 3-star review. They praised the user experience and interface, but said the checkout-related features only do “the bare minimum.”

A three-star Shopify review from someone who likes the visuals but wishes the checkout process was better.
A Shopify user praises the user experience but criticizes the checkout tools.

In a nasty 1-star review, someone claimed, “Shopify stole my money.” Apparently, they suddenly stopped receiving their earnings from their Shopify store. 

A negative Shopify review from a customer who claims the company "stole" their money.
A Shopify user accuses the company of “siphoning funds” in a heated 1-star review.

Selling on Shopify or Sellfy is one of the best business ideas for women or anyone who has a great idea for a product or service. The reason is these services make it easy to focus on your idea while they take care of the technology and payment processing.

These make either Sellfy or Shopify a great way how to make money online for beginners, even if this is just one of your hobbies to make money.

Sellfy vs Shopify: Which Is Better? / Is Sellfy or Shopify Better? 

Here’s how I would summarize the Sellfy vs Shopify debate: Sellfy is better for simple online businesses, while Shopify is better for more complex retail operations.

Here are signs that Sellfy is right for you:

  • You’re selling a few key products. In that case, you won’t need much help with shipping or inventory management, and you’ll appreciate the simplicity of Sellfy’s model. 
  • You’re focusing on digital products. This is where Sellfy excels, helping with both file hosting and delivery.
  • You want to sell personalized merchandise. This is another one of Sellfy’s strong points. They even have a print-on-demand feature.

Here’s when you should choose Shopify:

  • You’re selling a lot of different products. Shopify’s inventory management tools could be a lifesaver.
  • You conduct business in person. Shopify can support “point-of-sale” (aka “in-person”) transactions.

Whichever platform you choose in the Sellfy debate vs Shopify, don’t forget about the other tools that can help you promote and grow your business. Your next step should be to check out my Kartra vs ClickFunnels comparison. 

Managing an online business can be tricky – but using the right tools will make your life a lot easier. 

Whether you choose Shopify or Sellfy, e-commerce is a proven way:

Commonly Asked Questions About Sellfy vs Shopify 

Alternatives to Sellfy / Alternatives to Shopify?

Here are alternatives to Sellfy or Shopify for launching an online business:

Can You Make Money on Sellfy? 

Hell yeah. You can absolutely make money on Sellfy with the right business model. Sellfy is an e-commerce platform. It gives you the tools you need to launch an online store on the Internet of the World Wide Web information superhighway. Wow!

From there, it’s your job to manage your business. Do it well, and you can make bank like the CEO of Carl’s Jr.

Is Selling on Sellfy Worth It? 

Selling on Sellfy is definitely worth it if you have a good idea for an online store. It’s especially ideal for selling digital goods and printed merchandise, but you can use it for selling physical goods, too, like leather saddles or VCRs. 

Here are other ways how to make money fast:

What Is Sellfy Used For?

Sellfy is used to sell your products online. Create a brand. Sell ebooks, calendars, t-shirts, hoodies, your soul, and more.  Create your online store in minutes. You can use it to sell practically anything – but it’s especially great for selling digital products (like videos and PDFs). Sellfy also offers a print-on-demand service for selling personalized merchandise like t-shirts with your beautiful face on them. 

Related:

Sources:

1 – https://www.census.gov/retail/ecommerce.html

2 – https://www.instagram.com/efikzara/?hl=en

3  – https://www.instagram.com/kyliejenner/