MakeNation vs Etsy vs Fiverr: Which Platform Keeps More Money in Makers' Pockets?

If you're a maker, craftsperson, or artisan selling custom work online, the platform you choose has a direct impact on what you actually take home. The difference between a 10% fee and a 20% fee on a $500 custom order is $50 — real money that either stays in your pocket or goes to a middleman.

MakeNation, Etsy, and Fiverr all serve creators, but they take very different approaches to fees, payment structures, and how they treat the people who make the products. Here's a transparent comparison.

The Fee Breakdown

Fee Type	MakeNation	Etsy	Fiverr
Platform Fee (Maker Pays)	10%	6.5% transaction fee	20% of every order
Listing Fee	None	$0.20 per listing	None
Payment Processing	~3% (Stripe)	3% + $0.25	Included in 20%
Buyer Service Fee	None	None	5.5% added to buyer
Offsite Ads Fee	None	12-15% if sale comes from Etsy ad	None
Total Cost on $500 Order	~$65 (maker keeps ~$435)	~$48-$123 (maker keeps $377-$452)	$100 (maker keeps $400)

What These Numbers Mean in Practice

On a $500 custom order — a common price point for handmade furniture, custom jewelry, or bespoke leather goods — here's what each platform takes:

• MakeNation takes approximately $65 (10% platform fee + ~3% Stripe processing). The maker keeps roughly $435.
• Etsy takes $48 minimum (6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing + $0.20 listing). But if the sale came through an Etsy offsite ad, Etsy takes an additional 12-15%, bringing the total to $123. The maker keeps between $377 and $452.
• Fiverr takes $100 (a flat 20% of the order value). The maker keeps $400. The buyer also pays an additional 5.5% service fee on top of the listed price.

Over the course of a year, a maker doing $2,000/month in custom orders would pay approximately $3,120 in fees on MakeNation, compared to $1,152-$2,952 on Etsy, or $4,800 on Fiverr. That's a difference of up to $1,680 annually compared to Fiverr — enough to buy new tools or materials.

Beyond Fees: How Each Platform Works

MakeNation: Built for Custom Work

MakeNation is designed specifically for bespoke and custom orders. Unlike Etsy or Fiverr, MakeNation uses a request-and-bid system: customers describe what they want, and makers submit proposals. This means makers only take on projects they want, at prices they set.

MakeNation's staged payment system splits each project into three payments — deposit, mid-project, and completion — so makers get paid as they work, not just at the end. The maker controls the payment split percentages in their bid.

MakeNation charges a flat 10% platform fee — no listing fees, no monthly subscriptions. Join free and start selling your custom work right away.

Etsy: Great for Inventory, Expensive for Custom

Etsy works well for makers who sell pre-made inventory at scale. The listing-based model is built for browsing and impulse purchases. However, for custom work, Etsy's fee structure adds up quickly. The 6.5% transaction fee, combined with mandatory payment processing and the risk of offsite ad fees (which sellers above $10,000/year cannot opt out of), makes Etsy one of the more expensive options for custom orders.

Etsy also doesn't have a built-in system for custom project management — makers handle milestones, revisions, and payment timing through direct messages or external tools.

Fiverr: Service-Oriented, High Fees

Fiverr was built for digital services and gig work. While some physical-product makers use it, the platform takes 20% of every transaction — making it the most expensive option by far. Fiverr also charges the buyer a 5.5% service fee, which inflates the apparent price of your work.

On the plus side, Fiverr handles dispute resolution and has a large buyer base. But for makers doing custom physical goods, the 20% cut is hard to justify when alternatives exist.

Other Platforms Worth Mentioning

Upwork charges freelancers 10% on earnings (reduced from the old tiered system). It's geared toward digital freelancing, not physical goods, but some custom makers use it. CustomMade was once the go-to for bespoke furniture but has largely faded. Facebook Marketplace and Instagram have zero platform fees but offer no payment protection, project management, or dispute resolution.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

The right platform depends on what you make and how you sell:

• Choose MakeNation if you do custom, made-to-order work and want the lowest fees, built-in project management, and staged payments that protect both you and the customer.
• Choose Etsy if you primarily sell pre-made inventory and want access to a massive built-in audience of shoppers.
• Choose Fiverr if you offer digital services or small-ticket items where Fiverr's large buyer base outweighs the 20% fee.

For makers doing custom physical work — woodworkers, metalworkers, jewelers, leatherworkers, textile artists, and other craftspeople — MakeNation offers the most favorable fee structure of any dedicated marketplace available in 2026.