HOME
::
fine art
::
10 art websites that will address your shopping needs

10 art websites that will address your shopping needs

By MINTED | Last Updated: April 6, 2021

Selecting wall decor is a very personal thing, whether it’s for a new home, sprucing up an office, or gifting to a friend. We all have a unique style and design aesthetic. It can be challenging to buy art prints online, as you often can’t see the details and quality up front, and it’s difficult to tell what is limited edition versus mass-produced. You are not alone if you want to know more about an artist or how your art is created before you purchase it.

There are countless wall art websites out there, but instead of sifting through all of them, we’ve created a guide to save you time! Continue reading to see our list of the top 10 online destinations and determine the best place to buy wall art online. Check out the pros and cons of each.

“Take a Break”, designed by Jess Franks

MINTED

PROS

The largest collection of limited edition artwork. Minted will only ever create 350 of its limited edition prints per size and colorway, so you know you will not see your wall decor in every house on the block.
High degree of curation - Minted’s limited edition art is chosen through a competitive design challenge process that uses consumer voting to select only the best-of-the-best.
Provides enhanced personalization for each piece, with a wide variety of sizes, frames, formats, and color themes to choose from, with options to fit every budget.
Offers a wide selection of custom art options such as photo art gifts, custom house portraits, pet portraits, profile silhouettes, custom maps, and so much more.
For each art piece, see a blurb about the artist’s inspiration and click through to their store on Minted for more information on their work and the rest of their art for sale online.
Free shipping and returns.
An augmented reality tool that lets you visualize any piece of art on your wall before purchasing
All art sold online at Minted is sourced from a member of its community of independent artists from around the world. A percentage of your purchase will go directly to the contributing artist. Help support independent artists with your selection.

CONS

Limited availability - because of the nature of Minted’s limited edition offerings, the piece you want may be sold out in the size you want before you get a chance to purchase it.
No guest reviews shared for individual paintings.

SAATCHI ART

PROS

Has one of the widest selections of original art, with nearly 2 million art pieces.
Sells original paintings as well as prints.
Provides a clean user interface and lots of filters to search online art and potentially find the niche subject matter you are looking for.
Shipping is included, however, artists ship themselves, so it’s not guaranteed how long your delivery will take.

CONS

Pricing starts low, but some options are priced upward of $100,000 for original artwork. Be sure you check the price tag before you fall in love.
Limited ability to select a size and frame type - most pieces only come in one size, and many are not available framed at all.
Only allows 7 days for returns.

ART.COM

PROS

Offers the ability to get prints on laminated posters or permanently bound to a piece of hardwood, offering more personalized features than just the prints and canvas options that some other online art shops provide.
Select from millions of prints created in different art mediums and also works from famous artists such as Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and Frida Kahlo.
Will recommend other art selections that you may like based on a piece that catches your eye.
They claim to offer hundreds of framing materials, colors, and options to choose from.

CONS

Varying frame and material quality.
Most pieces are reproductions of works by famous artists, not unique artwork from contemporary artists.
Prints are not limited in their production. There is the possibility you are purchasing a selection that many other customers have also purchased for their home or office.

SOCIETY6

PROS

Provides guided “find your style” design exploration with suggested prints to complete your decor look.
In addition to framed prints and canvas prints, sort through collections of posters or cloth tapestries that can add to your wall decor. Metal prints and wood wall art options are also available.
Read more about each contributing artist. Independent artists from over 160 countries are represented and each purchase of artwork helps put money back in the pockets of one of these artists.
Every order is custom printed and assembled once an order is placed.

CONS

Inability to customize a print’s color theme.
Limited curation or design quality assurance processes
Limited frame and finish options.

ARTFINDER.COM

PROS

Every piece sold on Artfinder is an original work signed by the artist. Know that you are getting one-of-a-kind irreplaceable work.
The site provides robust “about the artist” sections, including videos of artists at work and interviews with them, creating a personal connection for the buyer.
In addition to more traditional wall art, you can also shop 3-dimensional wall sculptures that have elements extending off the flat surface (think paper mache, clay, rubber, etc.).
For each piece of artwork you buy, they will plant a tree.

CONS

When it comes to viewing the details of their original art online, you don’t have the ability to select a size or a frame. Whatever the size the artist created the piece in is the only size available. You cannot personalize or customize colors or framing.
Because each work is an original, pricing can oftentimes be higher than options you may find elsewhere online.
Limited to no framing options for most pieces.

ZATISTA

PROS

Similar to Artfinder, Zatista is a collection of original artwork that is not reproduced. You will be buying the only one in the world.
Have a particular budget in mind? Filter options easily based on price (under $500, between $500-$1000, etc.)
If you see a particular artist style that you enjoy, you can commission them to create a custom piece just for you. Collaborate with the Zatista team and individual artists on project ideas and pricing.

CONS

Because every piece is original, the average price point is high compared to other online art.
Much of the art for sale online on this site doesn’t come with the option of framing. If you do find a framed piece, understand that the frame styling/color isn’t customizable.

ETSY

PROS

Shop a wide variety of art types, from diptychs to one-of-a-kind oil paintings and funky digital downloads.
Each art print or artist displays real-world reviews from customers, which many shoppers may find really helpful as they narrow down their options.
There are many choices that offer free shipping, which could save you a bundle on larger print sizes.
Etsy provides you with the ability to send an online message to the artist/seller in case you have specific questions or have custom requests.

CONS

Because Etsy provides a wide assortment of homemade items (clothing, jewelry, crafts, etc.) it can sometimes be challenging to narrow down your options to specific wall art looks or subject matter.
Because you are working directly with an artist, you are limited to the framing and sizing options they provide. In many cases, you may not have the option to purchase something pre-framed.
Return policies and shipping times will differ based on the artist you work with.
There is a wide range in quality of the manufacturing materials used. For example, artists will differ in the selection of paper quality, canvas strength, and paint variety they use.

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR

PROS

Affordable Art Fair provides over 23,000 works of art to peruse, with advanced search options to easily shop and buy art prints online.
Provides detailed information about each artist and the artwork.
The majority of art sold on this site is original, while some is limited edition. This can be a plus or minus, as the price points tend to be higher, but you know that you are purchasing a truly one-of-a-kind piece of decor.
You can send online messages about any specific painting to have your detailed questions answered about that piece.

CONS

Because most of the selections are original pieces, you do not have the freedom to select from different art sizes. It can be tough to find a specific selection if you are trying to fit a defined area of wall space.
Artwork color themes and framing are not customizable. When framing is included, images typically do not show a preview of what the frame looks like.
Many of the art pieces ship from Europe.

FINE ART AMERICA

PROS

The home page provides many ways to begin your search toward selecting the right art. Options include by medium, by room, by wall art themes, colors, bestsellers, and more.
Purchase artwork and photography that highlights Sports Illustrated covers, your favorite musicians, movie scenes, and even cartoon characters. There are plenty of options that speak to pop-culture.
Once you find a photograph or art design you like, select the format you prefer, such as canvas, poster, metal print, and more. This freedom of choice lands Fine Art America on our list of best places to buy art online.

CONS

While the site does talk about selling original artwork, many of the original pieces have been sold, making it sometimes challenging to locate the original works. If an original piece is no longer available, Fine Art America does allow customers to compose a message to the artist to inquire about creating additional work.
It can be a bit challenging locating large wall art or pieces of a desired size. You must first select a particular piece of artwork and then review the sizes available for that selection.

WAYFAIR

PROS

The user experience is very clean and easy to navigate. It’s simple to sort by artwork size, a wide variety of subjects, and more.
Provides free shipping for the majority of their artwork.
Wayfair will suggest other home decor that will match the artwork you’re looking to purchase.

CONS

While Wayfair offers some beautiful designs, it is much more of a manufactured look and feel. After all, it is one of the largest online shopping destinations for home goods and decor. You risk purchasing a piece that you may see hanging on the wall of one of your friend’s houses.
Wide variation in quality of framing and materials used.
Unable to customize frame styling or artwork colors.

Shop Art Pairs Shop Canvas Art Prints

The Minted Design Challenge

We uncover design genius through ongoing design competitions. At Minted, all that matters is good design. Designers submit, and the Minted community votes to tell us what to sell.

Visit Design Challenge Rate Designs, Tell Us What To Sell