We'll tell you where we win and where others might be a better fit. Because the right platform depends on what you need.
Most platforms give you a website. Artspan gives you a website and a second sales channel.
A standalone website you control — your domain, your design, your galleries. Market it to your collectors directly. Sales from your site: 0% commission.
We list your work in the Artspan gallery and actively promote it to buyers — searchable by medium, style, and region. A second sales channel you don't have to market yourself.
No other platform on this page offers both. With everyone else, you're on your own to drive every visitor.
What you get out of the box — no add-ons, no third-party integrations needed.
| Feature | Artspan | Squarespace | Wix | Format | Pixpa | Art Storefronts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website & Portfolio | ||||||
| Your own art website | ✓ Artist-focused | ✓ General purpose | ✓ General purpose | ✓ Portfolio-focused | ✓ Portfolio-focused | ✓ Artist-focused |
| Art-specific templates | ✓ Artist-only | ⚠ Some art templates | ⚠ Some art templates | ✓ Photography/art | ✓ Photography/art | ✓ Artist-only |
| Custom domain | ✓ | ✓ (free 1st year) | ✓ (free 1st year) | ✓ ($30/yr add-on) | ✓ (free 1st year) | ✓ |
| Mobile-responsive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag-and-drop editor | ⚠ Layout-based | ✓ Full drag-drop | ✓ Full drag-drop | ✓ | ✓ | ⚠ Limited |
| Template variety | ⚠ Focused (art-only) | ✓ 150+ templates | ✓ 900+ templates | ⚠ Limited | ⚠ Limited | ⚠ Limited |
| Selling & Ecommerce | ||||||
| Prints-on-demand (built-in) | ✓ Included | ✗ Need Printful add-on | ✗ Third-party add-on | ✗ Not available | ✗ Not available | ⚠ Via partner labs |
| Buyer marketplace / gallery | ✓ We promote you | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Framing & matting | ✓ 100+ options | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ⚠ Depends on lab |
| AR wall preview | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Direct sales commission | ✓ 0% | ✓ 0% | ✓ 0% | ✓ 0% | ✓ 0% | ⚠ 5-15% transaction fee |
| Sales tax handling | ✓ Automatic | ⚠ Extra add-on | ⚠ Limited | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Trust & Protection | ||||||
| Scam / fraud protection | ✓ Active monitoring | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ⚠ Basic |
| Years serving artists | 25+ (since 1999) | 22 (general, since 2004) | 20 (general, since 2006) | 13 (since 2013) | 14 (since 2012) | 10 (since 2016) |
| Support | ||||||
| Phone support | ✓ Real humans | ✗ Email only | ⚠ Callback only | ✗ Email only | ⚠ Chat + email | ✓ |
| Art-specific support | ✓ Artists helping artists | ✗ General support | ✗ General support | ⚠ Photography focused | ⚠ Photography focused | ✓ Art focused |
| Pricing (billed annually) | ||||||
| Starting price | $13/mo | $16/mo | $17/mo | $10/mo (no ecommerce) | $8/mo (basic) | ~$50/mo |
| Price with ecommerce + prints | $13/mo (all included) | $33+/mo (+ Printful) | $29+/mo (+ add-ons) | $24/mo (no prints) | $18/mo (no prints) | ~$50/mo (+ 5-15% fees) |
| Free trial | ✓ 30 days | ✓ 14 days | ⚠ Limited free plan | ✓ 14 days | ✓ 15 days | ✗ Demo only |
Where Artspan wins, and where others might be better for you.
A quick take on each competitor and how they compare.
General website builder · from $16/mo
Beautiful templates and a polished editor. But it's a general-purpose builder — no art-specific features, no marketplace, no built-in prints. Adding prints via Printful means a separate subscription and managing two systems.
General website builder · from $17/mo
The most templates and features of any builder. Great if you need a website that does everything — but that flexibility means more setup, more decisions, and more DIY. No marketplace, no prints, and you can't switch templates once live.
Portfolio builder · from $10/mo
Clean portfolio templates popular with photographers. Ecommerce requires the Pro plan ($24/mo) and is limited to direct sales — no prints-on-demand, no marketplace, no framing. Best for portfolios that don't need a full sales operation.
Portfolio + ecommerce · from $8/mo
Affordable all-in-one portfolio builder with client galleries and ecommerce. Good for photographers who need proofing workflows. No prints-on-demand, no marketplace, and art-specific features are limited compared to dedicated art platforms.
Art sales platform · ~$50/mo + fees
The closest competitor for art-specific features — AR previews, marketing coaching, print fulfillment through partner labs. But at ~$50/mo plus 5-15% transaction fees, the total cost is significantly higher. No buyer marketplace.
Marketplaces only · high commissions
Pure marketplaces — you don't get your own website. Etsy charges $0.20/listing + 6.5% fees. Saatchi Art takes 35% commission. You're renting shelf space, not building your own presence. Many artists use these alongside their own site.
To get what Artspan includes by default, here's what you'd need to set up yourself.
Printful or Printify subscription, shipping integration, inventory management, quality control coordination. With Artspan: already built in.
Separate Etsy shop ($0.20/listing + 6.5% fees), Saatchi Art account (35% commission), or paid ads to drive traffic. With Artspan: we promote your work to buyers.
Third-party fraud screening, manual order review, learning to spot scams. With Artspan: we handle it — 25+ years of experience protecting artists.
Source a framing partner, negotiate pricing, manage shipping logistics. With Artspan: 100+ frame and mat options built into every listing.