Etsy vs Own Website for Tarot Readers and Spiritual Sellers
Etsy effective fee ~10.4% on a $50 sale, plus mandatory 12% Offsite Ads above $10k/year. When to use Etsy, when to build your own site.
On a $50 tarot reading listed on Etsy, you pay $0.20 listing fee + $3.25 transaction fee (6.5%) + $1.75 payment processing (3% + $0.25). That's $5.20 in fees, or 10.4% of the sale, before any advertising costs. Sell more than $10,000 in a year and Etsy's Offsite Ads become mandatory at 12% on attributed sales - stacked on top of all other fees. The Etsy vs own website question for tarot readers is a math problem first, a platform strategy second.
All prices as of mid-2026. Verify current at etsy.com/legal/fees before committing.
Full Etsy Fee Breakdown (2026)
Fee Type | Rate | On a $50 Sale |
|---|---|---|
Listing fee | $0.20 per listing | $0.20 |
Transaction fee | 6.5% of total buyer payment | $3.25 |
Payment processing (Etsy Payments, US) | 3% + $0.25 | $1.75 |
Total without Offsite Ads | ~10.4% effective | $5.20 |
Offsite Ads (under $10K/year) | 15% on attributed sales, optional | Varies |
Offsite Ads (over $10K/year) | 12% on attributed sales, mandatory | Varies |
The transaction fee was raised from 5% to 6.5% in April 2022. The listing fee relists each time an item sells.
The Offsite Ads mechanic deserves attention: Etsy advertises your listings on Google, Facebook, and other platforms. If a buyer finds you through one of those ads and purchases within 30 days, Etsy charges 15% (or 12% above $10K/year) on that sale, attributed to the ad. You have no control over which listings get advertised or how much Etsy spends. Above $10,000 in annual sales, you cannot opt out.
Sources: etsy.com/legal/fees; craftybase.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-etsy-fees; checkthat.ai/brands/etsy/pricing.
What Etsy Actually Allows in the Spiritual Category
Etsy's policy on spiritual services is narrower than most practitioners assume.
Allowed:
- Tarot, psychic, and divination readings - IF the reading includes a tangible deliverable (photos of the spread, an audio file, a written text document)
- "Entertainment purposes only" framing required in the listing
Prohibited:
- Metaphysical services without a tangible product: spell casting, remote reiki, "attract wealth" services
- Items that advertise a metaphysical outcome (gambling luck, love spells)
The tangible deliverable requirement is enforced. A listing for "I will cast a spell for you" with no physical or digital product attached to it violates Etsy's policies. A listing for "Tarot reading - written interpretation of 3-card spread delivered as PDF" with an "entertainment only" disclaimer is compliant.
Sources: etsy.com/legal/policy/services/242665313101; etshop.ai/to-sell-on-etsy/psychic-readings-on-etsy-5-key-tips-3208.
Own Website: What It Actually Costs
Platform | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Traffic Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Shopify Basic | $29/month | 0% (use own processor: ~2.9% + $0.30) | None built-in |
Squarespace Basic | ~$16/month | 0% on paid plans | None built-in |
WordPress + WooCommerce | ~$10-20/month (hosting) | 0% (processor fee only) | None built-in |
Own website payment processing via Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. On a $50 sale, that's $1.75 - identical to Etsy's payment processing fee, but without any of Etsy's other fees on top.
The cost you pay in cash is lower. The cost you pay in work is higher: you're responsible for building every visitor relationship from zero. SEO takes 4-6 months to start delivering consistent organic traffic. Until then, every visit comes from social media, email, or paid advertising.
The Honest Comparison
Factor | Etsy | Own Website |
|---|---|---|
Built-in buyer traffic | Yes - active buyers searching for spiritual goods | None |
Customer data ownership | No - Etsy owns contact data; collecting emails externally is against ToS | Full ownership |
Platform risk | Shop can be suspended; policy changes outside your control | Hosting can lapse; platform changes affect you less directly |
Email list building | Cannot build from Etsy buyers | Core advantage |
Effective fee on $50 sale | ~10.4% | ~3.5% (processor only) |
Setup time | Hours | Days to weeks |
Monthly cost at $0 revenue | $0 | $16-$29+ |
Above $10K/year | 12% Offsite Ads mandatory | Unchanged |
When to Use Which
Etsy first, own site later: The standard recommendation from practitioners who have done both. Etsy gives you an audience before you have one - buyers are already there searching "tarot reading" and "astrology reading." Use Etsy to validate your pricing, collect reviews, and understand what sells. Use the revenue to fund your own site.
Own site for repeat clients: Etsy's terms prohibit directing Etsy buyers to your external website or collecting their email addresses for outside marketing. Repeat clients who come back for a second reading should book through your own site where you own the relationship.
Both simultaneously: The practical approach for most established practitioners. Etsy for discovery and new client acquisition; own website for returning clients, email list building, and higher-margin sales (packages, courses, subscriptions).
For payment processing on your own site, see payment processors for spiritual businesses. For booking and scheduling infrastructure, see booking software directory.
FAQ
Can I sell live readings on Etsy? Yes, if they include a tangible deliverable - a written summary, audio recording, or screenshot of the spread sent after the session. The listing must include an "entertainment purposes only" disclaimer.
What happens if Etsy suspends my shop? All listings are removed, access to the shop may be restricted, and pending orders may be affected. There is no guaranteed appeals process. This platform risk is the primary argument for building your own site in parallel, even while Etsy is profitable.
Is 10.4% Etsy fee too high? It depends on what you'd pay to get the same buyer otherwise. If you're spending on Facebook ads to drive traffic to your own site, you may be paying more than 10.4% per acquired customer. If your own site has strong organic SEO traffic, Etsy's fees may not be competitive. The comparison requires knowing your own customer acquisition cost.
Can Etsy's algorithm bury my listings? Yes. Etsy's search algorithm considers listing quality, recency, customer reviews, and other factors. Low-price competition on generic terms ("tarot reading") is intense. Niche positioning helps - "Celtic cross spread for career decisions" competes differently than "tarot reading."
Related Reading
- How to sell readings online - full platform comparison including Etsy, Gumroad, and own site
- Payment processors for spiritual businesses - what to use on your own site
- Legal disclaimers for readings - entertainment-only language required on Etsy and elsewhere
- How to price your readings - rate benchmarks by session type