Sell art online — with no commission

Want to sell your art online and wondering which platform is fair? This overview explains, factually, how selling online works, what the typical costs are, and what a commission-free model looks like.

How do I sell my art online?

Selling art online starts with your own, well-presented catalogue: meaningful photos, clear details on technique, dimensions, and price, and a direct path to enquiries. On an art platform you set up an artist profile, upload your works, and make them discoverable to art lovers. What matters is that you keep control of your prices and that interested buyers can reach you easily. With WinStage you get your own artist page where your works are findable by style, technique, and format — and where enquiries land directly with you.

What does it cost to sell art online?

The cost of selling online usually consists of two parts: an ongoing fee (subscription or listing) and a sales commission. Typical online galleries charge between 15% and 50% commission per sale, often on top of a monthly base fee. With three works sold per year this adds up quickly — and the larger cost block is almost always the commission, not the subscription.

Example: you sell 3 artworks at €800 each per year — total revenue €2,400. At a typical online gallery (30% commission + €70/month subscription) you pay €720 commission plus €840 subscription — €1,560/year in total, leaving you €840 net. At WinStage (0% commission + €65/year Starter) you pay just €65/year — leaving you €2,335 net. Result: with WinStage you keep €1,495 more per year for the same 3 sales. That's roughly 24× lower costs.

The alternative: 0% commission

WinStage charges zero sales commission. The platform is funded through a transparent subscription. The price a buyer pays for your work goes 100% to you. No deductions, no hidden fees. Interested buyers see your work on winstage.at, click Enquiry and are connected directly with you. WinStage facilitates the connection between artist and buyer with no middleman. You lead the conversation, you set the price, you handle the sale.

Bookable separately: physical exhibition

Unlike pure online marketplaces, WinStage additionally operates over 5,000 m² of physical exhibition space in Wiener Neustadt. It is not part of the online subscription but bookable separately as its own service — via vernissages, events, or the stipendium programme. This way your works discovered online can additionally be experienced live on site. Add to that artist interviews and TV presence — visibility that goes well beyond an online catalogue.

ArtVault: your portfolio grows with you

WinStage rewards loyalty — with the ArtVault principle. You choose an annual plan (e.g. Starter with 10 artwork slots) and upload your works. After one year your plan renews automatically — and your existing works are preserved and stay visible online while your slots are freed up for new works. Example: year one you upload 10 works. Year two those 10 remain visible and you have 10 fresh slots. After three years you could have up to 30 works online — without paying more than your Starter plan. Important: ArtVault only applies to annual subscriptions with automatic renewal.

Who is WinStage for?

WinStage suits hobby artists with a few works just as well as professionals with a large body of work. The Starter, Pro, and Pro+ plans differ mainly in the number of works you can show online. If you need more, you expand upload slots at any time as an add-on. There is no curation gate and no months-long waiting period — anyone can sign up and start right away.

Detailed comparison: Why WinStage? → · Exhibit art

Frequently asked questions