CloudCat vs Shopify
CloudCat is an artwork catalogue for artists and galleries. You enter each work once, and your selections, invoices, consignments and website all come out of that record. It's free for up to 25 works; a site on your own domain starts at $10 a month, and gallery plans at $40. Shopify is an online store with a strong checkout, but no catalogue built for art: no editions, consignments or PDF catalogues.
Artists
What an artist with 300 works pays each month for a catalogue, a website on their own domain and a way to sell. Each tool is priced on its cheapest plan that fits, paid month to month.
- CloudCat. Regular$10/mo
Catalogue, a site on your domain, private selections, invoices and consignments. Online checkout is coming soon.
- Shopify Basic$39/mo
Card fees on top of every sale. A strong checkout, but no editions, consignments or PDF catalogues.
Where CloudCat is ahead
- A record built for art CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Custom fields.
- Editions, APs and HCs CloudCat: Included. Shopify: As variants.
- Exhibition history CloudCat: Finds your works in the photos. Shopify: Not offered.
- Acquisitions CloudCat: Bought, commissioned, given, inherited or swapped. Shopify: Cost per item only.
- A private selection for a collector CloudCat: Every plan. Shopify: Not offered.
- Download originals from a link CloudCat: Every plan. Shopify: Not offered.
- Plan a wall at true scale CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Not offered.
- PDF catalogue CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Through paid apps.
- Contact sheet CloudCat: Up to 16 a page. Shopify: Not offered.
- Tear sheet CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Not offered.
- Wall captions CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Not offered.
- Invoices from the sale CloudCat: Included. Shopify: Draft orders.
- Consignments, settled CloudCat: In and out. Shopify: Not offered.
- Costs, settled at sale CloudCat: Per work or pooled, in and out. Shopify: Cost per item.
- A free plan CloudCat: 25 works, forever. Shopify: 3-day trial.
Where Shopify is ahead
- Checkout on your site CloudCat: Coming soon. Shopify: Included.
- Email newsletters CloudCat: Export to your mail tool. Shopify: Included.
Feature by feature
| Feature | CloudCat. | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Your catalogue | ||
| A record built for art Dimensions, medium, framed size | Included | Partly, or with a workaround Custom fields |
| Editions, APs and HCs Each work's status rolled up to the edition | Included | Partly, or with a workaround As variants |
| Exhibition history Shows, the works in them, installation shots | Included Finds your works in the photos | Not offered |
| Acquisitions What you bought or were given, from whom, and what you paid | Included Bought, commissioned, given, inherited or swapped | Partly, or with a workaround Cost per item only |
| Showing work | ||
| A website on your own domain Built from the catalogue, nothing typed twice | Included From $10, free on cloudcat.me | Included |
| A private selection for a collector A link or a PDF, prices optional | Included Every plan | Not offered |
| Download originals from a link Each photo as uploaded, captions, or a ZIP | Included Every plan | Not offered |
| Plan a wall at true scale Arrange, save and share the hang | Included | Not offered |
| Documents | ||
| PDF catalogue A selection as a designed PDF | Included | Partly, or with a workaround Through paid apps |
| Contact sheet Many works to a page, at a glance | Included Up to 16 a page | Not offered |
| Tear sheet One work with its image and details | Included | Not offered |
| Wall captions Printable labels for the hang | Included | Not offered |
| Selling | ||
| Checkout on your site Buyers pay online | Coming soon | Included |
| Invoices from the sale Numbered, with terms, tracked to paid | Included | Partly, or with a workaround Draft orders |
| Consignments, settled Commission and costs worked out per sale | Included In and out | Not offered |
| Costs, settled at sale Framing, crating or shipping, per work or shared across a consignment | Included Per work or pooled, in and out | Partly, or with a workaround Cost per item |
| Email newsletters Campaigns to your contacts | Partly, or with a workaround Export to your mail tool | Included |
| Getting started | ||
| A free plan Not just a trial | Included 25 works, forever | Not offered 3-day trial |
| Start without a sales call Sign up and cancel yourself | Included | Included |
| Pay month to month No quarterly or yearly commitment | Included | Included |
| Price per month, paid monthly | ||
| Solo artist Catalogue, sharing and invoices | Free or $10 300 works, own domain | $39 + card fees |
| Gallery Roster, staff and consignments | $40 20 artists, 10 users | — No roster |
- Included
- Partly, or with a workaround
- Not offered
- Coming soon On its way to CloudCat
Prices checked in November 2026 on the pricing page of Shopify, per month when paid monthly, before VAT and sales tax. Card fees are extra on every platform. Product names are trademarks of their owners.