How to Open an Etsy Shop
To open an Etsy shop, go to etsy.com/sell, choose your shop preferences, name the shop, add your first listing, set up how you get paid and pay the one-time set-up fee. Allow about an hour if your photos are ready. Here is each step, what it costs, and what to do once the shop is open.
Before you start
Not sure what to sell yet? Start with what to sell on Etsy. Otherwise, have these ready, so that you do not stop halfway through the setup:
- An Etsy account. You sign in or create one as the first step.
- One product with photos, a title, a description and a price. Etsy will not open the shop until it has a first listing. Etsy recommends photos of at least 2000 pixels on each side; see Etsy image sizes.
- A bank account for payouts and a payment card for Etsy’s fees.
- Identity details. Etsy may ask you to verify who you are before it pays you.
How to open an Etsy shop, step by step
- Start at etsy.com/sell and choose Get started. Sign in, or create an Etsy account if you do not have one yet.
- Set your shop preferences: the shop language, the country you run the shop from, and the currency you price in. Pick the currency you want to be paid in, because changing it later is awkward.
- Name your shop. The name must be 4 to 20 characters, with no spaces or special characters, no profanity, not already used by another shop and not infringing someone’s trademark. If you are stuck, the free Etsy shop name generator suggests names that fit these rules.
- Stock your shop. Add your first listing: photos, a title of up to 140 characters, a description, a price, a quantity, shipping and up to 13 tags. A free title generator and tag generator write both from your product.
- Set up payments and billing. Choose the country your bank is in and whether you sell as an individual or sole proprietor, or as an incorporated business. Then add your bank details and a billing card.
- Pay the set-up fee and open the shop. Etsy charges a one-time, non-refundable set-up fee and shows the exact amount before you confirm. Authorise it and your shop opens.
What it costs to open an Etsy shop
| Cost | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Shop set-up fee | Once, when you open | $15 or the local equivalent, up to $29 in some countries |
| Listing fee | Per listing, every four months or when it sells | $0.20 |
| Transaction fee | On each sale | 6.5% of the item price plus shipping |
| Payment processing | On each sale | Varies by country; 3% + $0.25 for US sellers |
| Monthly subscription | None required | Etsy Plus is optional |
There is no required monthly fee, so a small shop costs the set-up fee once and a few dollars a month in listing fees. Selling fees come out of each sale. To see what a specific order leaves you after all of them, use the free Etsy fee calculator, and the Etsy shipping calculator if you are deciding whether to offer free shipping.
After you open: what to do first
- Finish the shop pages. Add an About section, your shop policies and a banner and logo. The image size guide lists the sizes.
- Make the listings findable. Titles, tags and attributes are what Etsy search matches. The free listing checker scores a live listing and shows what is missing.
- Add more listings. One listing is enough to open, but a shop with several gives search and buyers more to find.
- Bring buyers in. A new shop has no history, so promotion matters early. See how to promote your Etsy shop.
Taxes and legal basics
Selling on Etsy can make you liable for income tax and, depending on where you live, sales tax or VAT. Etsy asks whether you sell as an individual, a sole proprietor or an incorporated business during payment setup, and that answer should match your situation. Rules differ by country, so check your tax authority’s guidance or ask an accountant. Selling in Germany? There is a German version of this guide with the German business and tax basics.
Steps, shop name rules and the set-up fee read from Etsy Help on 6 October 2026. Etsy changes its setup flow and fees from time to time, so the screens you see are the final word.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open an Etsy shop?
Etsy charges a one-time, non-refundable set-up fee when you open the shop, $15 or the local equivalent and up to $29 in some countries, and shows the amount before you confirm. After that each listing costs $0.20, and each sale carries a 6.5% transaction fee plus payment processing. There is no required monthly subscription.
Can I open an Etsy shop for free?
Not completely. Opening costs a one-time set-up fee, and your first listing costs $0.20. Both are small, and there is no monthly fee, but a new shop is not free to open.
Do I need a business license to open an Etsy shop?
It depends on where you live. Etsy asks whether you sell as an individual, a sole proprietor or an incorporated business, and some countries and cities require a business registration once you sell regularly. Check your local authority or an accountant before you open.
Can I open an Etsy shop without a listing?
No. Etsy asks you to add your first listing as part of the setup, and the shop does not open until you have done it. You can edit or add more listings afterwards.
How long does it take to open an Etsy shop?
About an hour if your product photos and description are ready. Identity checks for payouts can add time, because Etsy may ask you to verify details before it pays you.
Can I change my Etsy shop name after I open?
Yes, in a web browser under Shop Manager, but Etsy limits how many changes you get once the shop is live. Choose a name you can keep. Our guide to changing an Etsy shop name has the steps.
Once the shop is open, the listings still have to be found
SellerMarketingTool audits what you already have live and rewrites the parts holding it back - tags, titles and descriptions generated from your own listing, not from a keyword you had to guess.
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