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Today, it’s easier than ever to make money selling art online. Thanks to the internet, artists have countless resources for connecting with customers, discovering opportunities, and building a brand.
In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into the best online art galleries and website platforms that can help you sell your art online.
The Best Ways to Sell Your Art Online
1. ArtPal
ArtPal is a 100% free online gallery that more than 192,000 artists use to sell their works online.
ArtPal is non-exclusive, meaning you can sell art on other websites as well. Artists get paid directly via PayPal whenever a customer buys a piece.
2. Amazon
Amazon is one of the best sales platforms for reaching millions of art lovers around the world.
The e-commerce site has two good options for selling art online.
You can sell your original work directly on Amazon Handmade. Keep in mind that Amazon takes a 15% referral fee.
Another option is Amazon Merch, where art lovers can buy your designs and have them printed on the object (T-shirt, mug, etc.) of their choice.
3. Etsy
Etsy is a global arts-and-crafts platform, making it a top choice for artists selling handmade items ranging from paintings to scarves to refrigerator magnets and everything in between. Etsy charges a 5% transaction fee whenever you make a sale.
4. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace can connect you to local and global buyers. You can sell just about anything on the social media site, including your own artwork. Best of all, there’s no listing fee.
Pro tip: Facebook Marketing place can be an awesome place for reselling other people’s art.
5. eBay
eBay may be one of the oldest online marketplaces, but it’s still a top lid choice for sellers of all items. Just keep in mind that selling on eBay means parting with a hefty 12.55% selling fee. So while it can connect you to a large audience, you’ll wind up paying a hefty commission to the site.
6. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a website for photographers and filmmakers. Shutterstock users pay to access high-quality photos for commercial and personal use. Artists can earn up to 40% commission each time a customer downloads an image or video. Earnings rates can increase as you sell more licensed content. If your works get picked up by large publications, it can lead to recurring passive income.
7. Storenvy
Storenvy attracts a global audience as a leading e-commerce platform and social marketplace.
The site doesn’t charge listing fees or monthly fees for selling. However, it does charge for enhanced subscription features and plugins, as well as a 15% commission on total marketplace sales.
8. Squarespace
Squarespace makes it fast and easy to build a website. Many artists use this service to build independent stores for displaying and selling their work. Squarespace is better for established artists who are willing to pay for owning a website. The service ranges from $12 to $40 per month for an advanced e-commerce service.
9. Fine Art Studios Online (FASO)
FASO is another premium service for selling art online, with prices that are comparable to Squarespace, at $12 to $40 per month. You can try FASO free for thirty days with no credit card required.
10. Artsy
Artsy (formerly Art.sy Inc.) is a leading art brokerage that lets artists sell directly on the platform. The company doesn’t charge any upfront fees, and you can keep the artwork until it’s sold. Artsy charges a seller’s commission, calculated as a percentage of the total sale price. You have to get accepted onto the platform to sell on Artsy.
11. Minted
Minted sells greeting cards curated through public competitions. You can submit designs, and customers can vote on the ones they like. In exchange, the company offers cash prizes and the opportunity to sell designs on the website.
12. Fine Art America
Fine Art America is a leading global art and photography community and print-on-demand provider. It’s possible to choose from standard free plans or premium plans, which cost $30 per year. The company does not charge a commission for original sales.
13. Society6
Society6 is a global platform for selling art and connecting with new audiences. You can earn a 10% commission on retail products other than art prints, framed prints, and canvas prints. The price covers manufacturing, fulfillment, and artist share price.
16. Saatchi Art
Saatchi Art is a popular online art site with headquarters in Los Angeles. The site sells over $47 million worth of art each year and takes a 35% commission. If you’re looking to sell original art with a reputable online gallery and don’t mind the commission fee, Saatchi Art is worth consideration.
17. ArtStoreFronts
ArtStoreFronts provides purpose-built website templates for artists. It costs more than most services, with a $500 setup fee and monthly rate of $29 to $59 per month. However, it comes with print-on-demand access along with a storefront for displaying work and attracting customers.
ArtStoreFronts is best for artists that want help building their website and prefer a turn-key website and print solution.
18. WordPress
WordPress is the world’s leading website platform and is free if you know how to use it.
As I explain in How to Start a Blog, make sure to sign up for WordPress.org — the free, real-deal version — as opposed to WordPress.com, which you ultimately have to pay for.
WordPress is a no-brainer for artists who want to keep their tech costs down and who have the time to spend building and managing their site.
Learn More:
19. Displate
Displate is a niche marketplace for artists where you can print and sell metal posters. According to its website, a displate is a “one-of-a-kind metal poster designed to capture your unique passions.”
Artists earn 41% of the net price on a piece of artwork, minus fees and taxes. Limited edition plates sell for a commission of 10%.
20. Absolut Art
Absolut Art comes from the Absolut spirits company, which has been dabbling in art since its partnership with Andy Warhol in the 1980s.
Today, the company offers curated artwork and regularly features new artists on its website.
Artists are welcome to send submissions into Absolut Art. If the work is selected, the company offers a 50% commission for every sale. The main benefit to being featured through Absolut is brand exposure, as the company has a presence across more than 100 countries and all continents.
21. American Handmade Crafts
American Handmade Crafts is a wholesale marketplace that connects American-based artisans with retailers. The site is currently accepting new artists, and you will need to produce your products in either the U.S. or Canada to qualify.
There is a free three-month trial to start. After that, there is a one-time $25 gallery setup fee and a $12.95 monthly enrollment fee.
22. Art2Arts
Art2Arts is a U.K.-based online art gallery that aims to connect passionate and unique artists with like-minded buyers throughout the world.
Art2Arts is a leading online gallery for unique works and doesn’t charge any membership or sign-up fees. There is a 35% commission fee, and the site is intended for professional artists only. So you may need to start selling elsewhere and work your way up to here.
That said, if you’re a professional artist who is looking to branch out, you would be wise to take a close look at Art2Arts.
23. Artcast
Artcast is a digital art streaming service. In short, Artcast turns TV screens into canvases, and it needs talented artists to keep its art streams fresh.
Here’s how it works: Artcast’s customers pay a subscription fee, which lets them stream art on location. For example, its customers include the world’s leading hotels, health care locations, restaurants, and cruise ships.
The main benefit to artists is exposure. Each day, your art can be shown in more than 150 countries throughout the world. In turn, this increases your chances for people wanting to buy your work. If someone buys your art through Artcast, the company takes a 30% commission on each sale of original art and 15% on reproductions.
24. YouTube
YouTube is the best place for artists to publish videos about their work, with the goal of attracting brand recognition and followers, which leads to sales.
For example, if you’re a painter, you can film yourself creating your next masterpiece and publish it on your YouTube channel. You can also publish tutorials and how-to videos around your niche area of focus (e.g., photography, abstract art, or portraiture).
If that video gets shared a bunch of times, this brings eyes on your brand and products. While you can’t sell directly through YouTube, you can include a link to your website or shop in your bio, which is where your sales will come from.
25. Twitch
Twitch has emerged as one of the leading video game streaming services. It’s also being increasingly used by artists and performers as a way to reach audiences and showcase pieces of art and demonstrations.
Twitch has a unique revenue model, where you can make money by becoming a partner or affiliate. The more subscribers and viewers that you receive, the more you can earn. There are also sponsorships and advertising opportunities available if you can produce interesting and engaging content.
26. Zibbet
Zibbet is a paid service that helps artists sell works across the internet. In short, Zibbet can help you manage your inventory and connect with numerous sales channels (e.g., Instagram, Etsy, Facebook, and Zibbet Marketplace) all from one central portal.
Zibbet also offers a variety of tools like a branding and style guide and a product pricing formula calculator. The monthly fee is $5 per sales channel and there’s a 14-day free trial for new subscribers.
27. Shopify
Shopify is one of the most popular online shops and website platforms for artists. A Basic Shopify plan starts at $29 per month, and for this price, you get a website portal and e-commerce store where you can directly sell your art to customers.
For most, a Basic Plan will be sufficient. However, if you start to grow your brand or have a large international focus, you may have to upgrade to a standard Shopify account, which costs $79 each month.
28. Patreon
Patreon is a popular content monetization platform that artists can use to build audiences and make money online.
The site takes between 5% and 12% of what you earn, based on the subscription plan that you choose. With more than 6 million active users on its platform, Patreon can be very lucrative if you can develop the right strategy. But you have to get clever to entice and retain new subscribers.
For example, suppose you are a portrait photographer. You could offer a premium Patreon subscription to your followers, and each month, if the dollars and cents add up, you could mail them a printed and signed copy of your latest work.
29. Printful
Printful is a powerful print-on-demand service that you can use to turn your designs into premium products like clothes, water bottles, and hats.
To get started, connect your online store with Printful. When a customer buys something that needs printing, your order can be automatically imported to Printful for fulfillment. The best part is that Printful handles all of the printing and drop shipping. The finished product then gets shipped to the customer, under your brand.
30. Artfinder
Artfinder is a global art-selling marketplace with a user base of more than 500,000 people. More than 7,000 artists in more than 100 countries are selling their works on the platform.
Artists can display works for free on the site, but there is a commission from 33% to 40% if you sell something.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can emerging artists sell online?
For emerging artists, the trick is to get discovered. New artists should be spending the majority of their free time building a social media presence, collaborating with other artists, and posting high-quality work that people can like and share.
Is it hard to sell art online?
Yes, it can be very difficult to sell art online, especially if you’re just starting out. Competition is fierce, and you’re going up against global artists who are most likely more established than you.
The truth is that it’s less about overall talent and more about marketability. Artists who are good at branding and marketing stand a much better chance of getting discovered and driving sales.
The Bottom Line
Thankfully for artists, there’s no shortage of marketing tools that you can use to showcase your original artwork and build an online art business.
It’s not going to be easy, but if you can unlock the right formula of matching the perfect artwork with the right online audience, there’s no limit to how much you can earn. And the best part is that you can make money pursuing your passions, which is a prerequisite for achieving true financial freedom. Good luck!