Learn How to Sell Art Online and Make Money in 2025

Art is diverse, and so are the ways to sell art online. But one rule remains true as with any other business – market better and sell more! But one question remains at the heart of this. How to sell art online and what are some places to sell artwork? 

Don’t worry. In this article, we’re helping you discover all those ways to market your art using modern online channels to sell artwork. They are designed to help you find clients for your art, whether it’s your website or third-party platforms designed for artists.

Before we begin, let’s highlight the main ways to sell art popular with artists that we’ll elaborate on:

• Sell your handmade goods and art on online marketplaces.
• Build your own e-store.
• Create a membership community.

Things to Consider Before Selling Paintings Online

The best way to learn is by doing, but there are definitely a few things to keep in mind about how to sell art online before you dive in.

• Understand what type of art you want to sell and shape your pricing model based on that. Original art, print, merch, digital, or custom. Some platforms focus on one type more than another.
• Consider art listing and selling fees. Check out which fixed and variable costs you should consider. Find and read artist guidelines.
• If you’re used to working with social networks, look for tools that support Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram Shops (like Shopify or TikTok Shop). 
• Think of developing your brand, not just selling art.
• Read your licensing contracts well.

How Do You Sell Art Online

Well, as we mentioned earlier, we are going to look at the top three ways to answer your question of How can I sell paintings online. Are you ready to jot down the points? 

Build an E-commerce Store with Website Builder

Selling your art online on your privately run store is the best way to maintain full independence from commissions you have to pay on various platforms. What sort of freedom? For example: 

• You can update prices at any time.
• Change your policies and update critical pages when needed.
• Add or remove payment gateways you want to offer to potential customers.
• Run auctions when you want.
• Change the presentation of your portfolio/gallery/shop as you wish.
• Create any newsletter campaigns and send them out when you want.
• Write as much content as you want on your blog to promote specific arts.

You can build a secure shopping experience the way that works for you, with product pages for individual pieces, including details, sizes, prices, and availability.

When you are thinking about how to sell paintings online, having an autonomous independent platform is the best answer. To start selling art online on your own website, though, you need to have many things sorted. For example, decide on your business model (originals, prints, or merch) and pick an e-commerce platform for building a site.

Typically, all popular website builders like WordPress or Wix include e-commerce options, while others are fully-featured e-commerce site builders. These would solve your query of how to sell art online. 

So, what are popular website builders for selling art?

Shopify (multipurpose)

It’s a website builder for building an independent store of any kind, including various sorts of art, digital or printed. If you actively promote your art on TikTok, you might like how TikTok can be seamlessly integrated with Shopify.

• Drag and drop builder with special themes for artists.
• Integrations with TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to boost Social Media presence.
• Integration with Print on Demand services like Printful and Gelato.
• Sell digital art, prints, or art courses.
• Built in tools for email marketing and SEO optimization.

WordPress (multipurpose)

WordPress is an all-purpose website builder, which has designs for online stores and provides powerful e-commerce options through plugins like WooCommerce.

• Sell art online on your Website with the WordPress and WooCommerce combo.
• Advanced and extensive customization options with Plugins and Themes.
• Highly scalable and thus, preferable by individuals and businesses with long term plan.
• Supports content marketing and SEO for a wider reach.

Squarespace (multipurpose)

Squarespace is a perfect website builder for creative portfolios, with dedicated apps for enabling online commerce.

• Perfect for creative portfolios and art stores for its aesthetic templates.
• You can sell digital as well as physical art products using Squarespace.
• Engage with your audience using the integrated email marketing tools.
• Responsive design so that your art website is compatible on all devices.
• Supports features like member areas so that you can sell and promote exclusive art content.

Big Cartel (art-focused)

Offering low-cost features to artists, Big Cartel focuses on options for various types of art. If you have an existing Etsy store, you can import your products to your Big Cartel.

• You can utilize a free plan for up to 5 products, thus, supporting artists.
• Integrates with Etsy so that you can import your products smoothly from there.
• No need to think about how to sell artwork as the platform has the simplest setup.
• Basic theme editing with a simple outlook.
• The perfect platform if you want to sell physical art products instead of digital ones.

Format (art-focused)

Format is always chosen by artists who need powerful e-commerce options beyond just a creative portfolio. It allows you to sell products, services, and digital downloads.

• Support of portfolio presentation along with the e-commerce capabilities.
• You can sell digital downloads, physical products, and even workshops.
• Minimal, clean, and professional design which is perfect to showcase art.
• Provides tools that help with online marketing and SEO thus increasing your visibility across the web.

Popular Website to Sell Your Artwork 

While you are exploring online channels, you are going to find multiple sites to sell your art. These artist-focused platforms support you in marketing, shipping, selling, and customer services. 

These marketplaces are for art and thus have a traffic of audiences that are deeply interested in art. Thus, these dedicated platforms for one-of-a-kind products connect crafters and artists like you with a loyal customer base who will appreciate your art. 

Sounds like you can click on the ‘Sell your art’ button, fill in some data about yourself, upload your art photos and information, choose your preferences, and you are all set. Right?

It’s very close to this – except for the need to pay for these services, transaction commissions, and follow the platform guidelines. And remember the competition. Big marketplaces – big competition. It may be worth it if you don’t want to deal with the commerce chores at all.

Another big advantage of selling art online with popular sites like Etsy or Saatchi Art is how they help you get your art in front of international audiences. If we try to sum up their preferences for selling art overall, it will boil down to these things:

• Big teams that help artists manage and sell their artworks.
• Secure and regularly updated platforms.
• Powerful promotion opportunities that help artists become more visible.

Etsy

Probably every artist knows this platform. Even though there are transaction and listing fees, Etsy is one of the top tools for artists seeking to sell their art.

• With Etsy, you can customize your art shop with banners, policies, and profiles to truly reflect your brand.
• Get varied promotional tools like sales events, coupons, and advertising options.
• Engage and connect with other artists and buyers through the feature of forums and teams.
• Checkout their listing fee, transaction fee, and payment processing fee to see if the platform is affordable for you.

Artfinder

Giving you a large audience of potential buyers and great e-commerce opportunities, Artfilder takes a commission on sales only.

• Get connected with art enthusiasts directly through this platform.
• Herein, you will have to undergo an application process. Thus, the platform ensures high quality artists and artwork which in turn results in high quality buyers.
• You get a worldwide audience of art enthusiasts once you hop on this platform.
• Artists are regularly promoted through their newsletters, social media, and featured artists sections.

Saatchi Art

Saatchi Art allows you to focus on your art while the platform sells to 140+ countries. You receive 60% on every artwork sold and pay for packaging and the platform handles shipping.

• With this platform, you not only sell art online, but also photography and sculptures.
• The platform is responsible for shipping and handling while the artist is only responsible for packaging. Thus, you get utmost support.
• Create a special artist profile to showcase your work and portfolio.
• Has an art advisory service wherein you connect with potential buyers who want personalized recommendations.

Society6

Society6 is another popular website that allows you to bring any art in front of thousands of customers. It fully handles production, shipping, and customer service for the prices starting at $4.99/month.

• Art products like paintings, home decor, apparel, etc. can be sold through this platform.
• Herein, you can apply your designs to multiple products.
• Printing, shipping, and customer service is managed by the platform so that you can focus on creating art.
• A huge customer base who is interested in artistic products.

Redbubble

Here you can sell everything, from t-shirts to masks to mugs, internationally. Redbubble is available in several paid plans.

• Using this platform, you can have your designs on multiple products like apparels, accessories, decor etc.
• Herein, you get a worldwide audience as the platform is international.
• You can set up your own pricing margins and control what product to feature on your storefront.

TikTok Shop

This way is popular among artists who like to promote their products on TikTok. Using TikTok Shop, you can sell art with your videos.

• Integrate an e-commerce store directly to your TikTok account. It streamlines shopping for your viewers as they can shop from where they’re viewing your content.
• The platform has the virality possibility and thus, you can reach a wide audience through your videos.
• Creatively market your artwork using the short-form video content and appeal to your existing fans and followers.

Sell Digital Artwork with a Membership Site 

You may want to provide exclusive access to new artworks within a closed membership communityand sell art online. In this case, building a membership platform may be the best way to go.

Just like any independent website, this approach requires frequent updates and new releases to maintain interest in your art, but it may be a great way to attract people interested in art creation.

You can also consider maintaining a membership area in the existing art store to provide extra purchasing benefits and discounts to loyal members. How does a membership website support your cause of selling paintings and artwork? 

• Tiered Plans allow you to create layers of art enthusiasts and modify the things you sell based on the fees of each tier. 
• Have selected group of art enthusiasts who are interested in your work and dedicated to your platform. 
• Allow internal communication between art enthusiasts for a deeper connection. This will tightly knit your members. 
• You can sell individual artwork by using Pay-per-post or digital download features that are built-in with Plugins like ARMember. 
• Provide user private content to cater to each individual as per their choices.
• Use the in-built email marketing tools to keep your audience engaged with the latest updates on your artwork.
• Use the WooCommerce integration to sell your art as per different membership levels.

Final Word – Identify Places to Sell Artwork for Easy Business Setup

These platform suggestions would help you kickstart your journey toward selling art online. Do some trial and error and check the policies of each platform. Identify what suits your skill level the best. If you can gather up some technical skills, create your own website by purchasing a domain name. You can also leverage multiple platforms at the same time for maximum benefit. 

Are you all geared up to sell art online? Let us know any further questions in the comments and we shall try to resolve them super soon. 

Related tutorials:

• How to Sell Digital Products on WordPress (A Complete Guide)
• How to Leverage E-commerce Features in Membership Website
• How to Start an Online Store for Membership Site with WooCommerce