The 15 Best Places You Can Buy Art Online

Etsy

The Real Simple team absolutely loves Etsy, with four editors recommending it for buying art online. Etsy showcases a huge range of one-of-a-kind art styles at different (but usually pretty affordable) prices. “There are so many talented indie artists on Etsy. I can definitely go down a rabbit hole poking around! I’ve gotten originals and prints at super reasonable prices,” says senior home editor Hannah Baker, who picked up this Going Art Print.

Those keen on getting custom artwork can’t go wrong with Etsy. “I love buying art from Etsy because I’m supporting smaller brands and creators AND they have such a fun selection,” says associate editor Hannah Dorough. “If you want something super specific, Etsy is the place to go to get something custom made by a real artist.”

It’s also easy to purchase digital files, which you can print and frame yourself. Prints from Etsy are  “incredibly inexpensive, especially if you buy a digital file,” notes associate home director Leslie Corona. “I’ll have it printed to exactly the size I want using an online service. Then I’ll scoop up an inexpensive frame from Target or Amazon. You can save SOOO much money buying art this way.”

While we love that Etsy showcases so many gorgeous pieces of art, it does offer a formidable amount of options. To safeguard you from spending hours digging through results, shopping editorial director Nicole Lund has some pointers: “You can get really lost when browsing, so it’s a good idea to have something in mind. I also like to follow certain shops to make it less overwhelming.” 

Price Range: Starts at $0.20 | Shipping: Varies depending on seller | Return Policy: Varies depending on seller

20×200

20×200 operates on the idea that everyone should be able to collect art. The brand’s collection is thoughtfully curated, and it’s released over 1,000 editions by 300+ emerging and established artists. And while the pieces are affordable, they’re designed to be museum and gallery quality, featuring archival pigment inks on 100 percent cotton rag paper. 

All contemporary art prints come with an artist-signed and numbered certification of authenticity. Executive editor Lisa Freedman especially loves how unique the pieces are on 20×200: “They work with artists to create limited-edition artwork that’s made exclusively for them, so I know that I won’t see it in a million houses on Insta. I can get something that feels super special and not mass produced — without paying an arm and leg for it.”

As you browse 20×200, just make sure that you carefully consider the return policy. Before making a purchase, check to see if it’s a final sale item, as these pieces can’t be returned if you change your mind about them. Note that, many items on this retailer are actually considered final sale, from custom-framed prints to unframed prints over 16 x 20 inches. 

Price Range: Starts at $15 | Shipping: Varies depending on items in your order and your shipping location | Return Policy: 30-day return policy for eligible items; No returns for final sale items

IKEA

In addition to furniture, plants, and Swedish meatballs, IKEA also boasts an extensive art collection. Within IKEA’s wall decor selection, discover wall art, art posters, and wall accents to give your home extra flair. Editorial apprentice Megan Lenzi, who loves this nine-piece poster set, especially appreciates IKEA’s affordability. “I’ve purchased multiple posters from IKEA for an affordable price, yet their art is very sophisticated and trendy. You can purchase a plain frame to pair with the poster to elevate the look.”

In addition to budget-friendly prices, IKEA features free shipping for small orders over $50 if you sign up for its no-cost loyalty program. Plus, you can take advantage of free store pickup on eligible orders. We also love that IKEA has a generous return policy since you can return unopened items within a year. Just bear in mind though that most of the brand’s artwork leans modern and minimalist, which may be a drawback for those who prefer ornate or classic styles. 

Price Range: Starts at $3 | Shipping: Starts at $10; Free for small orders over $50 for IKEA Family members | Return Policy: 365 days for unopened items; 180 days for opened items

Minted

Besides being a one-stop shop for beautiful event invites and cards, Minted is a superb platform for buying art created by independent artists. “They bring in new art and artists all the time, so the assortment is constantly growing,” says home director Erica Finamore. “You pick your piece, pick your size, pick your frame, and voila — a beautiful piece shows up [at] your door.”

Minted is home to thousands of prints and a fairly robust selection of styles. Under its “Art” page, you can shop dozens of subcategories in the “Fine Art” and “Children’s Art” collections. Plus, you can browse original paintings, sculptures, textile art, mixed media art, and more. There’s even an option for commissioned original art. And if you need help incorporating your newly minted art, check out the brand’s free art styling service. 

While it’s easy to browse art by color, subject, style, and size on Minted, you can’t sort by price, even as you poke around specific subcategories. For prints, you also need to click into specific prints and select your preferred size and framing option to get a quote. That said, most small prints (5 x 7 inches) cost around $24 to $34. 

Price Range: Starts at $24 | Shipping: Starts at $4; Can increase depending on items in your order | Return Policy: 30 days for most art prints

MixTiles

Make art out of memories with loved ones when you customize photo wall art from MixTiles. All you have to do is upload your favorite pictures and choose your framing preferences. Prices start at $15 for an 8.4 x 8.4-inch framed picture, but you also have the option to create an entire gallery wall by adding on extra photos. Beauty director Heather Muir Maffei appreciates how convenient MixTiles is in terms of shipping and installation: “Their turnaround time is super fast, and you literally stick them on the wall — no hammer or nail needed!”

While you can certainly upload your own pictures, you can also browse thousands of artwork options created by artists who retain all rights to their pieces. There are dozens of categories to look through, including abstract art, movie and TV-inspired art, and more. Even with artwork made from the brand’s collection, remember that all pieces are custom made. While you can’t start returns, MixTiles has a Happiness Guarantee, so you can contact customer service for a replacement or refund. 

Price Range: Starts at $15 | Shipping: Free for photo orders over $49; Art prints ship for free | Return Policy: No returns, but Happiness Guarantee offers a replacement or refund

Society6

What we love about Society6 is that you can explore art forms beyond traditional canvas and paper prints. Within the brand’s wall art collection, discover floating acrylic prints, metal prints, wood wall art, tapestries, and more. Plus, you can feel confident knowing that every purchase supports the independent artist who designed your piece. 

“I have bought posters and wood panel art from Society6 over the years, and I am always impressed by their selection, range of artwork, and quality,” says associate commerce editor Quinn Gawronski. “I currently have one of their paneled wood wall art above my bed, and I always get compliments on it and requests [on] where others can buy [it]!”

When you browse Society6, you can narrow down your results by product type, subject, style, color, and art medium. Just keep in mind that you can’t filter or sort your search results by price. That said, Society6 is pretty budget-friendly, with prices starting at $10 for mini prints. 

Price Range: Starts from $10 | Shipping: Will vary depending on what you buy | Return Policy: 30 days

Saatchi Art

With a tagline like “The World’s Leading Online Art Gallery,” Saatchi Art is a premier platform for the discerning art collector. There’s no shortage of art on the site — you can discover well over a million works by emerging artists. If you’re someone with cosmopolitan tastes, you can pick up pieces from all over the world on Saatchi Art, which highlights works from over 110 countries. 

In addition to customizable prints, Saatchi Art features many different types of original works, including paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media pieces. We also love that the online art retailer has tons of articles and interviews about pieces in its collection, giving you more information about each work. Novice art collectors can even reach out to art consultants for personalized recommendations.

If you don’t love your art, you can take advantage of the retailer’s 14-day return policy. Note though, that unless your piece arrives damaged or not as represented on the site, you can only get a full refund via store credit, or a refund to your original payment method minus a 20 percent processing fee. 

Price Range: Starts from $40 | Shipping: Will vary depending on the piece | Return Policy: 14 days

1stDibs

If you aren’t decorating on a tight budget and have the means to collect fine art, we recommend browsing 1stDibs’ art selection. The platform is a bit like eBay’s luxe cousin, featuring highly vetted sellers who put up rare pieces for sale and auction. To put things into perspective: It’s the kind of place where you can look around for original Warhols and Chagalls, so you can expect to spend a pretty penny. If you can manage a splurge but still have a defined budget, you can browse pages for art under $1,000 and $2,500. 

As pricey as it may be, 1stDibs offers many different types of art media, including paintings, prints, photos, sculptures, and more. We also like that there are lots of styles to choose from, no matter if you’re into modern, impressionist, or abstract works. If you want to make sure that you’re getting the real deal, check individual listings for a certification of authenticity. 

Price Range: Auctions start at $1 | Shipping: Will vary depending on seller | Return Policy: Will vary depending on seller

Artfinder

Artfinder is a platform that exclusively focuses on limited edition and original works. You buy directly from independent artists themselves, so you can contact them with any questions. For those who want to discover new artists, Artfinder also has plenty of helpful resources, including pages dedicated to editor’s picks, artists of the month, and trending artists. 

We also like that Artfinder has an easy-to-navigate interface. You can shop by medium, subject matter, and budget with little difficulty. On the topic of budget, the platform features art for virtually every price range, whether you’re looking for affordable originals for under $100, or have the means to check out big-ticket works listed for over $1,000. If you’re looking for wallet-friendly options, Artfinder even has a page dedicated to ongoing sales. We’d just keep in mind that the return policy is pretty tight — you only have 14 days to request a refund or replacement. 

Price Range: Starts from $25 | Shipping: Will vary depending on seller | Return Policy: 14 days

Sonic Edition

If you’re looking for editorial or high fashion photography, we recommend combing through Sonic Edition’s photo collection. The framed print retailer works with renowned photographers and archives to provide access to limited-edition photographs. Within its impressive library, you’ll come across gorgeous fine art photographs from film, television, music, fashion, and so much more. 

Every piece is numbered, certified, and limited to 495 editions. Prints start at $139, which, though pricey, is a steal considering that the pictures are hand printed and framed to order. It’s hard to beat the quality, too, as the photos are printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, and each of the handmade wooden frames features gallery-quality perspex. Additionally, if you don’t absolutely love a piece, you can start a return within 7 days. 

Price Range: Starts from $139 | Shipping: Calculated based on shipping location and order weight | Return Policy: 7 days

art.com

On Art.com, discover reproductions of famous pieces from virtually every art movement, whether you’re into Art Deco or Impressionism. If you love artists like Edward Hopper, Banksy, Frida Kahlo, or Roy Lichtenstein, you can grab museum-grade copies of their work from the retailer. Although you have the option to customize frames and special canvasses, you can save a ton of money if you order an unframed print. In fact, Art.com even highlights a curated page for wall art under $20.

If you aren’t looking for specific artists or art movements, it’s pretty easy to shop on Art.com by trend and subject matter. One thing we’d keep in mind is that Art.com doesn’t put much of an emphasis on original works. It does have an Independent Artist Collection, but you wouldn’t be interacting directly with creators and, for the most part, can only order reproductions of originals rather than hand-painted items. Although most pieces are customized to your preference, Art.com has a generous return policy, allowing you to return items for a full refund within 45 days. 

Price Range: Starts from $15 | Shipping: Calculated based on order size and quantity of items | Return Policy: 45 days

Artsy

Artsy operates as a marketplace for over 4,000 galleries and leading auction houses across the globe, making it easy to buy art from all over the world. It features daily live bidding options from nonprofits, auction houses, and sellers, and with an authenticity guarantee and secure checkout, the brand offers an ironclad sense of safety when you purchase art. We also love that Artsy has an extensive artist database that showcases over one million works by emerging and established artists. 

Bear in mind that all auction sales are final and aren’t eligible for returns, barring damaged or misrepresented work. You’ll be able to cancel “Buy Now” or “Make an Offer” sales made through Artsy’s secure checkout, but you only have a 24-hour window before the sale is considered final. If you purchase your piece outside of Artsy, contact the specific gallery where you bought your artwork to see if returns are possible. 

Price Range: Starts from $75 | Shipping: Calculated based on shipping location and purchase size | Return Policy: All auction sales are final; All other sales are final following the 24-hour cancellation window 

World Market

Besides selling stylish furniture and delicious snacks, World Market is home to a small but varied selection of wall art, including canvas wall art for six broad categories: abstract, animals, botanical and floral, landscape and nature, maps and travel, and modern. Prices start at $10 for prints, and most pieces retail for under $300, so you won’t have to spend an exorbitant amount of money if you’re on a budget. The retailer’s return policy is also fairly lax, since you can return most items within 60 days. 

World Market’s wall art collection even has a Featured Artists page, and each product in this category has a short blurb about the artist and their piece. While World Market doesn’t have an extensive art collection, we love that the brand gives customers extra background information on a piece before purchasing it. 

Price Range: Starts at $10 | Shipping: Starts at $9; Free for orders over $49 | Return Policy: 60 days

Artstar

To bridge the gap in the market between poster art and blue-chip fine art, Artstar’s team curates contemporary fine art prints from all over the world, producing limited runs of pieces so that they can retain their value. For proof that you’re receiving a real Artstar piece, each work is numbered, authenticated, and signed. You can rest assured that you’re getting high-quality artwork, too, as the pieces are printed on archival cotton rag paper and slipped into acid-free, high-end frames.  

You want to be sure that you select the just-right specs for your piece when choosing the art medium, size, and frame. Since works are custom-made, Artstar doesn’t accept returns. That being said, if you receive the wrong item or a damaged piece, contact their team within 14 days to resolve the issue. 

Price Range: Starts from $55 | Shipping: Calculated based on order size | Return Policy: No returns, but you should report incorrect or damaged items within 14 days

Fine Art America

Fine Art America touts itself as the world’s largest art marketplace and print-on-demand company, featuring hundreds of thousands of artists and brands on its platform. While the company offers reproductions of your typical Van Goghs and Monets, independent artists can also set up web stores and showcase their work on the platform. Many pieces are available as originals, and everything on the site is available as a print. If you love a particular artist, check out their storefront to browse their pieces and learn more about their work. 

One thing that can make it a bit tricky to shop on Fine Art America is that you can’t sort works by price, although you’ll be able to see how much a piece costs right on your search result pages. The brand also doesn’t have free shipping, and delivery costs will depend on your specific item. That said, if you don’t absolutely love your piece, you have 30 days to return it.

Price Range: Starts from $15 | Shipping: Calculated based on order size | Return Policy: 30 days