Temu vs AliExpress for sellers: who can join, what each takes, and how the listings differ
Por Oleksandr Shaniuk · fundador de Sellura · Actualizado el 1 de noviembre de 2026
This page is for sellers, not shoppers. In the US, Temu is open to more sellers and AliExpress is open about its fees. Temu's Seller Center takes individual sellers as well as businesses, charges nothing to register and normally answers within one business day, but prints no commission rate. AliExpress takes only registered companies, an LLC, a corporation or a partnership, that ship from inside the US, and its rules for US sellers publish every rate: a product commission of 2.5% to 7.5% by category (6% where a category isn't listed), 5% of the shipping you charge, and a 2.5% transaction fee (both marketplaces' pages, read 1 November 2026).
- AliExpress fees on a $40 + $5 shipping order
- $3.65
- Home & Garden, US platform rules
- Temu commission
- not published
- registration is free
- Can an individual join?
- Temu yes
- AliExpress US: registered companies only
- Title limit
- 500 vs 218
- AliExpress recommends 79–128 for local goods
In money: a $40 home-and-garden item with $5 shipping costs you $3.65 in AliExpress fees, leaving $41.35 before your own costs. On Temu nobody outside Seller Center can do that sum. Below: who may join, the fees, the two listing forms field by field, and how to sell the same item on both.
The short answer, by the seller you are
Both are general-merchandise marketplaces with a local-seller programme for US sellers, so the choice is less about what you sell than about who you are and how you price. Our read of each marketplace's own seller pages:
| If you are | Lean to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An individual without a registered company | Lean toTemu | WhyIts FAQ lets you join as an individual seller. AliExpress's US rules require an LLC, a corporation or a partnership |
| A seller who prices to a known margin | Lean toAliExpress | WhyIts US rules print the commission per category and the transaction fee. Temu prints no rate |
| Stocked only in mainland China or Hong Kong | Lean toNeither local programme | WhyAliExpress's US rules say all goods must ship from inside the US, and Temu sends sellers registered in mainland China or Hong Kong to a separate seller centre |
| In a hurry to be live | Lean toTemu | WhyIt normally reviews an application within one business day. AliExpress publishes no review time |
| Running several brands | Lean toAliExpress | WhyEach company can apply for up to 6 shops |
Our read, not a rule. Temu Seller Center (US and EU editions) and AliExpress Rules for U.S. Platform Sellers (last revised 6 Feb 2026), read 1 November 2026.
Sources: Temu Seller Center (EU, Germany): FAQ (business types, individual sellers, documents, no registration fee, review within one business day), checked 1 November 2026 · AliExpress Rules for U.S. Platform Sellers (legal entity required, US shipping, 6 shops, 3,000 products, commission and transaction fees; last revised 6 Feb 2026), checked 1 November 2026
Who may open a shop on each
Temu asks where your business is registered or where you live, and lists corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships and individual sellers. AliExpress's US rules start with the opposite: "You have to be a legal entity (a Limited Liability Company or a Corporation or a Partnership or a Limited Partnership)", registered and operating in the US.
| Temu (local seller) | AliExpress (US platform seller) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Temu (local seller)Businesses and individual sellers | AliExpress (US platform seller)LLC, corporation or partnership registered in the US |
| Ships from | Temu (local seller)Your own fulfilment, or a logistics service Temu connects | AliExpress (US platform seller)A location within the US, with at least 15-day no-reason returns |
| Registration fee | Temu (local seller)None, in Temu's words | AliExpress (US platform seller)No fee named in the US rules |
| Review | Temu (local seller)Normally within one business day | AliExpress (US platform seller)Not published |
| Shops | Temu (local seller)Not stated | AliExpress (US platform seller)1 at a time, up to 6 per company |
| Products | Temu (local seller)Not stated | AliExpress (US platform seller)Up to 3,000 until AliExpress evaluates the store |
| Brands | Temu (local seller)Picked from Temu's brand list | AliExpress (US platform seller)Only a trademark you own or are licensed to use |
Each marketplace's own pages, read 1 November 2026. "Not stated" means we found no figure on the seller pages we read.
Sources: Temu Seller Center (US): sign-up page (country of business or residence, logistics), checked 1 November 2026 · AliExpress Rules for U.S. Platform Sellers, chapters 1 to 3 (enterprises, brands, US shipping and returns, shops, 3,000-product quota), checked 1 November 2026
What each takes from a sale
AliExpress charges US sellers three things on each order, all tax inclusive: a product commission on the item price at its category's rate, a freight commission of 5% on the shipping fee you charge, and a transaction fee of 2.5% of the item price. The rates took effect on 26 December 2024, and AliExpress says it may change them by category with notice.
Temu publishes no equivalent. Registration is free and its sign-up page promises low costs, but no rate appears on any Temu seller page we read, so the Temu column below stays empty on purpose.
| Order | Product commission | Freight commission | Transaction fee | Fees in all | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40 Home & Garden + $5 shipping | Product commission$2.40 (6%) | Freight commission$0.25 | Transaction fee$1.00 | Fees in all$3.65 | You keep$41.35 |
| $60 Women's Clothing, free shipping | Product commission$3.60 (6%) | Freight commission$0 | Transaction fee$1.50 | Fees in all$5.10 | You keep$54.90 |
| $400 Laptop, free shipping | Product commission$10.00 (2.5%) | Freight commission$0 | Transaction fee$10.00 | Fees in all$20.00 | You keep$380.00 |
| $60 Hair Extensions & Wigs + $5 shipping | Product commission$4.50 (7.5%) | Freight commission$0.25 | Transaction fee$1.50 | Fees in all$6.25 | You keep$58.75 |
Our calculation from AliExpress Rules for U.S. Platform Sellers, chapter 5 (rates effective 26 Dec 2024), read 1 November 2026. Before your own costs, and not for sellers on the AliExpressDirect service, which has its own rules.
How to sell on AliExpress: who can join, the steps and the fee table → · How to sell on Temu: sign-up, documents and what it costs →
Sources: AliExpress Rules for U.S. Platform Sellers, chapter 5: Commission and Transaction fees (freight commission 5%, default 6% + 2.5%, rates effective 26 Dec 2024), checked 1 November 2026 · Temu Seller Center (EU, Germany): FAQ, no registration fees, checked 1 November 2026
The two listing forms, field by field
Neither marketplace gives a seller a tags or keywords field, so on both the title, the attributes or bullet points and the description carry the words shoppers search with. Where they differ is how much room each gives and what each asks you to lead with.
AliExpress spells out a title formula for local goods, "Brand Name + Attributes (Material/Features/Color/Style, etc.) + Goods Model/Type", recommends 79 to 128 characters, and says it lowers the ranking of titles with repeated keywords. Temu publishes no title advice at all, only a 500-character cap and the characters it accepts.
| Field | Temu | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| Title | TemuProduct name, 500 characters, English letters, numbers and common punctuation | AliExpressUp to 218 characters in its posting API, 79 to 128 recommended for local goods |
| Short facts | Temu5 bullet points of 200 characters | AliExpressAttributes: the category's specs, key ones marked with an asterisk |
| Description | Temu2,000 characters of plain text | AliExpressPlain text that reads the same on the web and in the app |
| Main images | Temu3 to 10, 1:1 from 800 px (apparel 3:4 from 1340 × 1785 px), up to 3 MB | AliExpressSix, 1:1 from 800 px or 3:4 from 750 × 1000 px, one ratio for all, up to 5 MB |
| Extra images | TemuUp to 50 detail images, a size chart where the category needs one | AliExpressTwo marketing images, one on white and one scene, no text, logos or watermarks |
| Video | Temu1 product video up to 60 seconds | AliExpressRecommended up to 30 seconds, core selling point in the first 5 |
Temu Partner Platform (US) Product Listing Instructions (updated 20 Oct 2025) and AliExpress General Requirements for Releasing Local Goods (31 Dec 2024), both read 1 November 2026. AliExpress's 218 is from aliexpress.solution.product.post, read 22 October 2026.
Free title checker: paste a title, pick Temu or AliExpress → · AliExpress product titles: 218 characters, not 128 →
Sources: Temu Partner Platform (US): Product Listing Instructions (name, highlights, description, carousel, detail images, video; updated 20 Oct 2025), checked 1 November 2026 · AliExpress Rules Center: General Requirements for Releasing Local Goods (title formula, 79–128 characters, six main images, marketing images, video; released 31 Dec 2024), checked 1 November 2026 · AliExpress Open Platform: aliexpress.solution.product.post (title up to 218 characters), checked 22 October 2026
Selling the same item on both
Nothing on either marketplace's pages we read forbids it, but each one forbids things the other allows, so one copied listing will break a rule somewhere. Write the item once in your own notes, then shape it for each form.
Lead the AliExpress title with the brand you own
Brand, then material, colour and style, then the model or type, kept between 79 and 128 characters. On Temu the brand is picked from its list, so the name leads with the item.
Turn the attributes into five Temu bullet points
One fact a buyer checks per point, under 200 characters each: size, material, what is included.
Strip what Temu checks for
Another company's brand as if it were yours, eco claims you can't prove, doctor or medical endorsements.
Keep quantities and accessories identical everywhere
AliExpress lists mismatched quantities, accessories, sizes and plugs between title, images and SKUs as the common complaints. The same check protects the Temu listing.
Make the six AliExpress images one ratio
All 1:1 or all 3:4. Temu apparel wants 3:4 at 1340 × 1785 px, so shoot clothing tall once and use it on both.
Temu product image sizes, every material in one table → · Cross-listing SEO: what to rewrite for each marketplace →
Sources: AliExpress Rules Center: General Requirements for Releasing Local Goods, 2.2 (inconsistent descriptions) and 3.1 to 3.3, checked 1 November 2026 · Temu Partner Platform (US): temu.local.goods.illegal.vocabulary.check (Potentially Infringing Terms, Environmental Claims, Doctor-Endorsed Claims), checked 24 October 2026
What Sellura does here, and what it doesn't
Sellura writes both listings from one description of the item. For Temu it returns a product name of about 120 characters, five bullet points under 200 and a plain-text description inside 2,000, with none of the claims Temu checks for. For AliExpress it returns a title built from the item, its model and the specs buyers compare, attribute lines and a plain-text description, and it never names a brand the item is not. Each comes back with a 0–100 score that is deterministic: the same listing always gets the same number, and each weak factor comes with one fix written for that listing.
The score and the title preview are free on every generation, with no card, and so are the title checker and the Listing checker. A credit unlocks one finished listing: Starter is $15 a month for 25 credits or $150 a year, and Pro is $24 a month for 65 credits plus bulk, or $240 a year. Sellura doesn't open a shop, post to either marketplace or track rankings, has no research database or ads analysis, and is not affiliated with Temu or AliExpress.
Write the Temu listing, score and name free → · Write the AliExpress listing, score and title free → · Plans and credits →
FAQ
Is it better to sell on Temu or AliExpress?
What are AliExpress's fees for US sellers?
What commission does Temu charge sellers?
Can I sell on AliExpress as an individual in the US?
Can I list the same product on Temu and AliExpress?
Decide on two facts first: whether you have a registered US company, and whether you need to know your fees before you list. Without a company, Temu is the one that will take you. With one, AliExpress lets you price to the cent, at 2.5% to 7.5% plus 5% of shipping plus 2.5%. Then write each listing for its own form, brand first on AliExpress, item first with five bullet points on Temu. Sellura drafts both with a free 0–100 score and title preview, and a credit buys each finished listing.
Abre el generador de Temu.