9 Art Marketplaces For Buying Art Online (2024)
When it comes to curating the space around you, you can never be too personal. Whether you’ve recently moved to a new bare-walled place or you’re looking to shake up your existing home decor, you deserve mindfully chosen artwork that feels inspiring — so sometimes Home Goods artwork just doesn’t cut it.
If you want to invest in wall art that works for your space while also supporting independent artists, check out the below marketplaces for buying art online. You’ll find something for every budget and in every size and style, whether you love minimalistic block prints, colorfully dreamy watercolors, or vintage posters that’ll make you laugh. Trust us, that blank wall in your apartment is worth decorating — viewing art has been shown to increase dopamine production and critical thinking skills. And it’s nice to look at cute things.
1. Etsy
Best For | Prints, illustrations, paintings, photography
Our Picks | Clare Elsaesser, Ossuarium Floreus, September Wren, helobirdie
Price Range | Varies
There isn’t much you can’t find on Etsy — sellers purvey anything from gag gifts to worm-on-a-string earrings to knit goods to a taxidermy mouse Pope Francis — but it remains one of the best online places to find art. Artists sell their own hand-drawn or hand-painted art, original photography, and (the more affordable option) prints of their work, and you can find something in pretty much any style or price point you’re looking for. The best part? Not only has Etsy generated more than $4 billion dollars for small businesses, but they are looking to reach net zero emissions by 2030. Just be sure to check the shop’s page to make sure you’re buying art from the original artist.
2. Minted
Best For | Prints, sculpture, kids’ art, commissioned pieces
Our Picks | Jess Blazejewski, Morgan Kendall, Theresa Bear, Shina Choi
Price Range | $45–$1,000+
You might know Minted from their wedding and holiday card designs, but they’re also an online art marketplace — and they do things a little differently, aiming to continually discover new creative talent, uncovering what real consumers are looking for. Here’s how it works: anyone can submit a design during Minted’s design challenges. Then, the most popular designs are chosen by customer votes and crowdsourcing analytics. Minted then produces and sells the winning designs, paying the artists an ongoing commission. Check out all of their direct from artist pieces here, including wall art and other artist-designed home goods like candle holders, vases, and textiles.
3. Paper Collective
Best For | Sustainability, photography, prints, kids’ art
Our Picks | Henrik Bülow, Naja Munthe, Norm Architects, Uffe Buchard, All the Way to Paris
Price Range | $40–$722
Copenhagen-based Paper Collective sells one-of-a-kind, affordable art prints with a focus on sustainability. They’re an art collective of handpicked artists — to date there are over 80 artists, designers, and studios in the collective, and their available pieces are stunningly original and artsy. The brand is constantly refreshing its lineup of art selections, aiming “to discover great art, make it affordable, available and share it with the world,” says their website. All of their paper products are made in Denmark using FSC certified materials, and all their other products are made in Europe. And they offer free worldwide shipping!
4. Tappan
Best For | Original works, prints, paintings, drawings, limited edition
Our Picks | Gia Coppola, Alison Cooley, Gabrielle Teschner, AOTH
Price Range | $50–$27,500
Launched in 2012, Tappan is another collective, aiming to support emerging artists and connect them with collectors and consumers around the world. Basically an online art gallery, Tappan supports its artists with exhibitions, residencies, strategic partnerships, and connections with collectors — and it allows customers to browse the artists’ unique works, both originals and prints. While you can purchase original works at Tappan for upwards of a few thousand dollars, they also have limited edition and open run prints starting at $50.
5. The Crafted Prints
Best For | Affordable prints, photography
Our Picks | Amy Kim, Marcus Cederberg, Henry Rivers
Price | $16–$86
The Crafted Prints, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is on a mission to offer high quality, ethically made prints at an affordable price. The family-run business started when owners Vanessa and Joshua could finally afford their own place, but not art to go on the walls. So they started making their own art and selling it at artisan fares. Other artists wanted to sell alongside them, and so The Crafted Prints was born. Today, they sell affordable wall art from a lineup of tons of different artists, producing all of their prints ethically at their low-waste California studio. They purchase all materials from North American suppliers, and donate a portion of proceeds to fighting human trafficking.
6. Artsy
Best For | Original paintings, fine art, prints
Our Picks | Maria Piessis, Suzanne Laura Kammin, adeoluwa oluwajoba, Derya Butuner, Hilda Palafox
Price Range | €125–€100,000+
Artsy is the world’s leading art marketplace, designed for contemporary artists and serious collectors. It’s a sort of hybrid art gallery— you can browse, bid on, and buy art online from some of the world’s top contemporary artists like Takashi Murakami and Barbara Kruger, as well as check out featured galleries and exhibits to discover emerging art trends. Artsy also allows collectors to manage their own collections by helping them sell pieces and track the market. And if you’re not a serious collector, no problem; Artsy has articles, interviews, and other educational content, along with contemporary art finds under $500.
7. Upton
Best For | Prints, canvas, sculptures
Our Picks | “Tenere,” “Burren,” and “Hemera”
Price | $75–$185
Founded by artist Michael Upton and his wife, Mariel, Upton is a Southern California-based design studio that creates unique and affordable home goods and art. Embracing “the handmade and imperfect,” the studio produces prints and woven art along with simple sculptures, tableware, vases, and even some cool wall hooks. Printing on both 100% cotton canvas or paper, their wall art is calming yet geometrical, bold yet neutral, and minimally abstract — so you’ll find pieces to compliment pretty much any space. (Check out Upton originals here.)
8. Blockshop Textiles
Best For | Block prints
Our Picks | “Byway,” “Arch Poppies,” “Eclipse”
Price | $95–$655
Founded by artists and sisters Hopie and Lily Stockman, LA-based Blockshop Textiles produces handmade art, apparel, and home goods. Their abstract minimalist prints, featuring neutral colors and calming, geometric designs, are all block printed by studios in India. They draw and design all of their products themselves, and partner exclusively with family-owned studios in LA, Italy, and India to produce everything small-batch. Every design you see on their prints was stamped by hand with an intricately carved block, using non-toxic dyes and paper made from cotton apparel waste. And each year, five percent of Blockshop Textiles’ profits go to education and healthcare community initiatives in India and LA.
9. eBay
Best For | Secondhand art, vintage posters, prints, paintings
Our Picks | Boogie Woogie Vintage, Jose Trujillo, Temple of Vintage, Leighton Fine Arts
Price | Varies
While eBay remains a hotspot for secondhand goods of all kinds, like jewelry, collectibles, antiques, books, and apparel, you can find some pretty cool wall art offerings, too. You can find one-of-a-kind pieces like vintage posters, photographs, and paintings, and some artists have their own storefronts to sell their original work. And you can bid on eBay artwork, meaning you’ll never spend more than you’re comfortable spending.
Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!
