Is ArtPal Worth It?

ArtPal is a platform where artists can sell both original artwork and some print-on-demand products. Its big pull to artists is that there is no commission fee on original works, you receive 100% of the profits. This is very rare among online marketplaces so obviously, a lot of artists are attracted to this platform. In fact, over 216,000 artists signed up for it. However, is it worth it?

I have seen ArtPal on just about every list that talks about websites where you can sell art online (including one of my own: Where To Sell Your Art Online). I have also made a full review and how to use video about ArtPal. It has been a couple of years since that review video and I thought it was time for an updated review. If you have questions about how to use ArtPal, please go to my other video here: 

ArtPal Full Review: What Is It – How To Use It – What I Think Of It

Let’s answer the question everyone is wanting to know right from the start. 

Do I think ArtPal is worth it?

Overall, no. I don’t think ArtPal is worth it. Here are my reasons why:

1. I have never sold a product on ArtPal.

I don’t mean this to sound egotistical at all. However, it has been about six years now that I have been on Artpal. I have over 50 artworks listed which I know isn’t a lot compared to some, but it is something I have had a lot less listed on other sites and made sales, even just small ones on some. Art is obviously a very subjective thing so maybe everyone visiting my ArtPal just doesn’t like my work! From the stats available, I get about 700 views a year. This is definitely not a lot, but I do not promote my ArtPal page at all. Put that to about 4200 views in total for my time on ArtPal, I’m surprised that not one has turned into a sale.

Here is a little comparison to Fine Art America. I have 25 listings on Fine Art America (because I don’t subscribe to the premium membership). There have been 8,000 visitors to my profile. I have sold a handful of prints and have been contacted by people for commissions because they saw my work on Fine Art America. Yes, that is a little under double the amount of views, but a much higher turnaround for sales. I don’t do any external advertising of either of my profiles on these sites. So organically, I have had more success on Fine Art America.

2. Many other people have never sold a product on ArtPal

There is an affiliate program with ArtPal that I have been using for the past couple of years since doing my full review video. Many people have used my affiliate link, which is great and I’m thankful for that, but here are some stats for you to consider.

From January 1, 2021, to May 11, 2022, there have been 152 galleries created through my affiliate link. Of those 152 galleries, there have been 26 print-on-demand sales coming from just 10 of these galleries. That means that only 6.5% of these 152 artists have made a sale.  And interestingly enough, the majority of these sales have been print-on-demand mugs. Keep in mind that I don’t know if these galleries are selling original artwork, as I don’t get a small commission for that, but they are definitely not selling much in terms of print-on-demand. 

3. There is next to zero customer support on ArtPal.

When you look at the contact information at the bottom of ArtPal. They give you a contact form to fill in or a mailing address that is in Puerto Rico. There have been many comments on my other review video of ArtPal that say they have tried to contact support but have never received a response. That is why they ended up asking me questions and I did my best to help where I could.

A company that won’t even take the time to respond to its users is pretty low in my books. There have been many other platforms where I have been in contact with marketing managers, customer support teams/leaders, and even CEOs.

If anyone from the ArtPal team is reading this and would like to correct me on this, I would love for you to reach out! My email is brian@briansloanartist.com.

Is ArtPal Legit?

Yes, it is legit.

My main reason for knowing that ArtPal is legit is because I have been paid for my affiliate work. It isn’t a lot, but ArtPal does actually payout for earnings.

In the research I have done around the internet, I haven’t really seen any stories of orders going wrong, people not receiving orders, or artists not being paid. The main complaint I have seen is that artists who purchase the $1 promotion for listings don’t see any turnaround because of it.

Would I suggest artists sign up for ArtPal?

Possibly. 

If you need a place for transactions to take place and you can drive traffic to ArtPal, I don’t see it as a bad option. If you are expecting to join ArtPal and let it do the advertising for you, I don’t think you’ll see as much success as you are hoping for. There is an option to put your listings at the top of search results but from what I have read, those aren’t worth it either.

Their print-on-demand products are limited, but their base price for these prints isn’t too bad compared to other print-on-demand services. More expensive than using platforms like Gelato, Printify, and Teemill, but actually less expensive than Redbubble and Society6.

If you have the time, I guess it doesn’t hurt to make a gallery on ArtPal, it doesn’t cost you anything and could result in a few sales if you are lucky!

As always, it is up to you what you choose if you think ArtPal is worth it or not.

Why did I join ArtPal?

Some of you may be asking yourselves why I joined ArtPal. I joined ArtPal in 2016 when I was just starting to sell my work online. I wanted to get my work in front of as many potential customers as possible and ArtPal was free to join and sell on so I thought there was nothing to lose. And it’s true, there really is nothing to lose with ArtPal. All you are investing is a little time into uploading your artwork. I think I may as well just leave my account up because it isn’t doing any harm at all to have it. 

If any of you have similar or different thoughts about why ArtPal is worth it or why ArtPal isn’t worth it, we would all love to hear from you in the comments. The thoughts I have shared are simply from my experience and do not tell everyone’s story!

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