Built for artists. Powered by independence.

Two decades ago, a couple of band dudes built a simple tool to help their friends sell merch. No venture capital. No corporate blueprint. Just a DIY spirit and the belief that artists deserve better.

Twenty years later, that same spirit is still going strong in millions of shops around the world.

For 20 years, Big Cartel has helped independent artists make a living doing what they love without compromise. We've stayed small so you could go big. We’ve skipped the bloat so you could move fast. And we’ve kept it honest with fair pricing, real support, and tools that work how you work.

This milestone isn’t just ours, it’s yours. 

Big Cartel exists because artists, makers, and small brands keep showing up. Keep building. Keep creating something from nothing.

You’ve sold zines, ceramics, T-shirts, prints, jewelry, patches, presets, nail polish, plushies — you name it. You’ve turned bedrooms into packing stations. Art degrees into careers. Late-night ideas into sold-out drops. We’ve seen it all. And it never gets old.

Every feature we’ve added, every update we’ve made — it all comes back to one thing: helping you do your thing, your way.

Big Cartel has made selling my art so much easier. I love how simple it is to set up and manage my shop without feeling overwhelmed. The platform saves me hours every week — I can update my listings, track sales, and customize my store quickly, which gives me more time to focus on painting and creating. I also appreciate that Big Cartel feels built for artists — it’s clean, creative, and doesn’t take away from the personality of my work.

Ikenna, Art by KN

My favourite thing about Big Cartel websites is how easy they are to customise and make them your own. The ability to choose your own specific colour theme, incorporate extra pages, and modify the template’s code is especially helpful. Importing my product catalogue from another site was also a huge time saver.
All the important features that make a website work well are there. I really appreciate being able to have a good looking website without too much effort!

Mandy, The Wallpaper Files

20 Years of Doing It Differently

Plenty of platforms have come and gone. Some scaled fast and forgot who they were for. Big Cartel stuck to the people who stuck with us.

• No selling out
• No shady fees
• No pressure to scale up if you don’t want to

We stayed true to the folks who use our tools, and we’ve never lost sight of why we started.

Because selling your work shouldn’t require a marketing degree, and small shops deserve big respect.

Indie artists built the internet’s creative backbone, and they deserve a platform that gets that.

Tools That Work Like You Do

Over the years, we’ve added just enough to make things easier — without making things complicated.

Keep it simple

• No-sweat store setup
• Customizable templates
• Easy edits, no coding required

Sell on the go

• iOS and Android apps
• Manage orders, update products, track sales — anywhere

Sell smart

• Abandoned cart emails
• Discount tools
• Order + inventory tracking
• Sales tax autopilot
• Google Shopping, Instagram, and Facebook integrations

Real support

• Friendly humans, not bots
• Built-in help docs + seller-first resources

Let the robots do the boring stuff.

You stay focused on creating.

Still Indie. Still Artist-First.

Big Cartel has never tried to be everything to everyone. We've always focused on being the best home for independent sellers, and we’re not changing course now.

We’re proud to still be independently owned, rooted in art and music and built for people who make things

If you're here, reading this, you're part of that legacy. Whether you’ve been with us for 10 years or 10 days, we’re grateful. You’ve trusted us with your shops, your side hustles, your dreams. That means everything.

Big Cartel cares about the people behind the small businesses, and it feels like they genuinely want to make our lives easier and help us succeed.
— Dani, AguaDulce Clay Co.

20 Years In, We’re Still Just Getting Started

Every seller shapes this platform. Every product launched, every sale made, every dream backed with action. That’s the heartbeat of Big Cartel.

What’s Next?

More of the good stuff:

• Tools that stay out of your way
• Resources that actually help
• Support for artists, from people who care

We’ll keep evolving, but never at the cost of what matters most.

Still independent. Still creative. Still for artists.

Thanks for being here. Here’s to 20 more.