Redbubble is a print-on-demand marketplace owned by Articore Group. Artists upload designs, and Redbubble’s printing partners put them on stickers, T-shirts, phone cases, wall art and more. Redbubble ships the order and handles customer service. You earn the artist margin: the gap between Redbubble’s base price and the retail price you set.
At a glance
| What it is | An open print-on-demand marketplace |
| How you earn | Your markup on top of Redbubble’s base price, minus fees |
| Cost to join | Free |
| Fees | Depend on your account tier; see below |
| Payouts | Monthly, once you pass the payout threshold |
| Where it works | Worldwide; phone verification is required at signup |
How Redbubble works
You sign up as an artist, upload a design and choose which products to enable. Redbubble sets a base price for each product, which covers printing and its service. You add a markup, which by default sits around 20%. When a customer buys, the markup is your artist margin.
Fees and tiers
Redbubble sorts artists into account tiers, and the tier decides how much of your margin you keep. Standard accounts pay the highest fees; Premium and Pro accounts pay less or nothing on margin up to the default markup. Redbubble’s help pages say accounts that upload lots of low-effort or repetitive designs, or unmodified clip art and stock images, tend to land in Standard.
There’s also an excess markup fee. If you set a markup above 20%, Redbubble takes half of the margin above that 20% line. In practice, raising your price past 20% earns you less extra than you’d expect.
Fees are deducted from your earnings before each monthly payout. From July 2026 the payout threshold dropped from $20 to $10, so smaller sellers get paid sooner.
What sells
Stickers are Redbubble’s classic entry product, cheap enough for impulse buys. Designs tied to a clear niche, such as a hobby, a profession, a pun or a pet breed, tend to sell better than generic art. Shoppers find work through Redbubble’s search, so titles, tags and descriptions matter. Redbubble allows up to 15 tags per design.
Getting started well
Upload original work and avoid templates or clip art, which can push you into the costly Standard tier. Leave most products at the default markup, then test higher prices on items that sell. Build a few tight collections around themes. Share your shop link on social media, because outside traffic helps new designs get noticed.
Account tiers in practice
Redbubble reviews your account and places you in a tier, and you can see yours on your dashboard. The tier can change over time as Redbubble looks at your uploads and sales. This makes your upload habits part of your earnings. Bulk uploads of near-identical designs, trend-chasing copies and stock graphics work against you, while a smaller, original and varied portfolio works for you.
Keeping your work safe
Redbubble is a big target for copycats. Search for your best sellers now and then, and use Redbubble’s reporting process if you find copies. Never upload fan art or brand logos you don’t own: it gets designs removed and can put your whole account at risk. Original work is both safer and better for your tier.
Owen’s take
Redbubble is the easiest place to start selling designs: free, open to everyone and with real traffic. The fee tiers are the catch. A Standard account can lose a big share of a small margin, so quality over quantity really pays here. Upload fewer, better designs, keep markups near 20%, and read your tier on the dashboard each quarter.
Who it suits
It suits illustrators, designers and hobby artists who want to test ideas on products without stock or upfront cost. It suits less well anyone who wants control over branding and customer relationships, or who plans to upload large volumes of quick designs.
Similar options
- Society6 is selective and focused on art and home decor.
- Zazzle lets you set your royalty rate on customisable products.
- Teespring, now Spring, focuses on creator merch.
More options are in Print on Demand.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open to any artist
- Large marketplace traffic
- Redbubble handles printing, shipping and service
Cons
- Account tier fees can cut margins sharply
- Excess markup fee above 20%
- Little control over branding or customer data
FAQ
How much do Redbubble artists earn per sale?
You earn your markup over the base price, minus fees set by your account tier. The default markup is around 20%.
What is the Redbubble excess markup fee?
If your markup is above 20%, Redbubble takes half of the margin above that level.
When does Redbubble pay?
Monthly, once your earnings after fees pass the threshold, which is $10 since July 2026.
Can I sell the same designs elsewhere?
Yes. Redbubble doesn’t require exclusivity.
