Chefry

Chefry vs Homegrown vs Etsy

Chefry vs Homegrown vs Etsy for selling homemade food in Los Angeles

Fees, payouts, pickup, delivery, sales tax and MEHKO, side by side. Every Homegrown and Etsy line links to the page it came from, so you can check it yourself.

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Join 200+ local chefs selling on Chefry. Last checked October 2026. Sources

The short answer

All three can take your money online. They are built for different kinds of selling.

Etsy is a nationwide marketplace built around shipping, with fees on each listing and each sale. Homegrown is an online farmers market with a flat monthly subscription, no commission, pickup and flat-fee local delivery, and it remits sales tax for you. Chefry is built for LA cooks selling plates, meal prep and pre-orders to local customers, with 0% commission on menu orders, instant payouts, and a 5% service fee your customer pays at checkout.

Chefry vs Homegrown vs Etsy, side by side

Last checked October 2026. Numbers in brackets link to the Homegrown or Etsy page each line came from.

What you can sell
ChefryPlates, meal prep, baked goods, drops and pre-orders from your menu, plus service bookings such as private chef dinners. You follow the permit rules for the food you make.
HomegrownAnything you would sell at a farmers market, with a few exceptions in its Terms, and food is not on the prohibited list. It markets to cottage bakers, meal prep cooks and MEHKO cooks. Its Terms make getting licenses and permits the seller's job. [5][7][8][9][10]
EtsyFood is generally allowed, but government rules control who can make, package and sell it, and food is listed among highly regulated items. Baked goods containing alcohol are prohibited. The seller is responsible for safety, labeling and allergen disclosure. [24][25][26]
Cost to list
ChefryFree to list, and no monthly fee is required. Optional Pro ($19/mo) and Committed ($29/mo) plans lower the commission on service bookings only.
Homegrown$10/mo billed annually or $12.50/mo billed monthly, after a 7-day free trial. No listing fee. [2][3]
Etsy$0.20 per listing. Listings expire after 4 months and auto-renew at $0.20, with another $0.20 for each extra quantity sold. Etsy Plus is optional at $10/mo, and a one-time shop set-up fee varies by location. [22]
Fees on each sale
Chefry0% commission on menu orders, so you keep 100% of your menu price. Service bookings carry a commission: 15% on service bookings (catering, private chef), 14% on service bookings for your first 12 months with a referral code, 8% on service bookings with Pro ($19/mo) and 5% on service bookings with Committed ($29/mo). Payments you take in person with your Take Payments Now QR code carry 5% on in-person payments, which you cover by default or can pass to the customer. Tips and delivery fees go to you in full.
HomegrownNo commission. Card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, deducted from the vendor and charged on the gross order, including tax and shipping. [2][3][4]
EtsyA 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrap, and US payment processing of 3% + $0.25 on the total, including tax and shipping. Offsite Ads charge 15% on orders they bring in, optional for shops under $10,000 in sales over the past 365 days. Above that the rate is 12% and required for the life of the shop. Capped at $100 per order. [22][23]
What your customer pays
ChefryYour menu price, plus a 5% service fee and a card processing line at checkout, plus sales tax. The customer pays these lines, not you, so the total at checkout is higher than your menu price.
HomegrownNo shopper fee since April 2026 (it was $1 before). Card processing is taken from the vendor. [2][6]
EtsyThe fees above are charged to the seller under Etsy's Fees & Payments Policy. [22]
Payouts
ChefryInstant payouts to your bank account or debit card, through Stripe.
HomegrownACH only, through Pay Theory, and Plaid handles ID checks. Payouts go out the next business day after your first payout is reviewed. $10 minimum, and 20% of the gross of each order is held in reserve for 30 days. [11][12][13]
EtsyFor new sellers, funds are generally eligible for deposit 14 days after a sale. Established shops can get funds the next business day. Deposits run daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly, instant transfer costs a fee, and a bank account change brings a 5-day hold. [23][29]
Pickup
ChefryCustomers pick up from you. Your street address is shared only once the order is ready.
HomegrownPickup at a market, farm stand, porch or storefront. [1]
EtsyNo built-in tool for local pickup or delivery. If a buyer outside your area orders, you must ship the order or refund and cancel it. [27]
Delivery and shipping
ChefryYou deliver, with a distance-based or flat fee you set, and the fee goes to you in full. There is no courier feature, and Chefry is not built for shipping.
HomegrownLocal delivery from 1 to 25 miles at one flat fee per area, with your own minimum order and delivery days. You keep the delivery fee minus card processing. Delivery-only stores are allowed. No shipping or mailed orders. [14][15]
EtsyBuilt around shipping. Sellers agree to ship sold items, and the food policy points sellers to USPS and carrier limits on shipping food. [23][24]
Sales tax
ChefryCollected with each order and paid out to you. You remit it as the seller.
HomegrownHomegrown calculates, collects and remits sales tax for vendors. [20]
EtsyEtsy collects and remits US sales tax on orders shipped to US buyers. [28]
Local discovery
ChefryA page in the Chefry marketplace and on LA city pages, your own bio link (chefry.io/yourname), a QR code, and native iOS and Android apps. Followers get alerts by push, email and text.
HomegrownStorefronts are listed on the Homegrown marketplace, with vendor and market directories. Shoppers order on the web. There is no shopper app, and the vendor app is iPhone only. [1][9][16]
EtsyEtsy marketplace search, plus Etsy Ads (paid) and Offsite Ads (a fee on orders they bring in). [22]
Your customers, reviews and tips
ChefryBring your customer list (CSV or paste), send an optional intro email and one intro text, and post announcements to followers and imported contacts. STOP is honored. Customers can review you after an order, and you can reply. Customers can add a tip after the meal, and 100% of tips go to you.
HomegrownOrder messaging with shoppers. Since March 2026, reviews come only from purchases, and vendors can reply publicly. [17][18]
EtsyLocal pickup orders cannot count toward Etsy's Star Seller badge, because those orders need tracking. [27]
Pre-orders, hours and cutoffs
ChefryDrops are live: pre-orders with a cutoff, limited quantities, follower alerts and printable tickets. You set your own hours, the days each dish is sold, and one order cutoff for your kitchen.
HomegrownCustomers order ahead from your menu, pay before you shop and pick a pickup date. You set pickup hours and dates, block off a date, cap how far ahead each pickup location takes orders, and show what is left in stock on each size and flavor. Its meal prep guide describes a weekly menu with one or two pickup windows. Drops, a limited-time menu with set open and close times, are listed as coming soon, and the same guide says there is no timed release and no automatic weekly repeat order. [6][9][19]
EtsyNot covered in the pages we read.
MEHKO home kitchens
ChefryTurn on MEHKO and add your permit number and agency. Your page shows Made in a Home Kitchen, the permit, the agency and a complaint path, and customers can filter for MEHKO kitchens. Chefry does not issue or verify permits.
HomegrownMarkets to MEHKO cooks. Its October 2026 MEHKO guide says the food must be picked up at your home or delivered locally. [10]
EtsyThe Etsy food pages we read do not mention MEHKO. [24][26]
Getting started
ChefrySign up free, add your menu, set your hours, connect payouts with Stripe, and share your link.
HomegrownA 7-day free trial, then a subscription deducted from your vendor balance. A Founding Vendor offer gives six months free to the first vendor within 50 miles who claims it. [2][12][21]
EtsyOpen a shop, with a one-time set-up fee that varies by location, and pay $0.20 per listing. [22]

Checked October 2026, confirm on each platform before you decide. Chefry's own fees are listed on the fees and pricing pages.

One $25 order on each platform

Where the fees land matters as much as how big they are. On Chefry the customer pays the fees at checkout. On Homegrown and Etsy they come out of what the seller receives.

Chefry

You keep
$25.00
Fees taken from you
$0.00
Customer pays
$27.35

$25.00 menu price, plus a $1.25 service fee (5%) and $1.10 card processing, both paid by the customer.

Homegrown

You keep
about $23.97
Fees taken from you
about $1.03
Customer pays
$25.00

Card processing of 2.9% + $0.30. $5.00 (20%) of the order is held in reserve for 30 days. [2][13]

Etsy

You keep
about $22.37
Fees taken from you
about $2.63
Customer pays
$25.00 plus shipping

$1.63 transaction fee (6.5%) and $1.00 payment processing (3% + $0.25). [22][23]

Our arithmetic from each platform's published rates, for one $25 item before tax, with no shipping, delivery or tip. Homegrown and Etsy figures are rounded to the cent and may differ slightly from their own rounding. Not included: Homegrown's $10 to $12.50 monthly subscription, Etsy's $0.20 listing fees and any Offsite Ads fee, and sales tax on every platform.

Who each option suits

Etsy

Shelf-stable food that ships well

Etsy suits packaged food that travels, where the rules for your food allow shipping, when you want buyers beyond LA through Etsy search. Plan on shipping each order, handling labels and allergen disclosure yourself, and paying listing and per-sale fees.

Homegrown

Farmers market sellers who want one flat fee

Homegrown suits market vendors, cottage bakers and makers who want a predictable monthly subscription with no commission, pickup at a market, farm stand or porch, flat-fee local delivery, and sales tax remitted for them. It also takes the non-food goods you would sell at a market.

Chefry

LA cooks selling plates, meal prep and drops

Chefry suits home cooks selling hot food, meal prep and pre-orders to people nearby. You get 0% commission on menu orders, instant payouts, drops with cutoffs, your own customer list, reviews and tips, and MEHKO permit details shown on your page if you hold one.

What to know before you pick Chefry

Your customer pays more at checkout

On Chefry the customer pays a 5% service fee and a card processing line on top of your menu price. On Homegrown and Etsy, the fees come out of the seller's side instead.

You remit your own sales tax

Chefry collects sales tax with the order and pays it out to you, and you remit it as the seller. Homegrown remits it for you, and Etsy does on orders shipped to US buyers.

No shipping and no couriers

Chefry orders are picked up from you or delivered by you. If you want to mail orders across the country, Etsy is built for that.

Service bookings carry a commission

Menu orders are 0% commission. The standard rate is 15% on service bookings, lower with a referral code, Pro or Committed.

Selling under a MEHKO permit in Los Angeles

A MEHKO permit lets you sell meals made in your own home kitchen. Your permit comes from your local health agency, such as Los Angeles County Environmental Health or the Long Beach Health Department.

California's MEHKO rules generally do not allow third-party delivery services for MEHKO food, so plan on the meal being picked up from you or delivered by you, an employee or a household member. Chefry has no courier feature, so delivery always stays with you.

On Chefry, turn on MEHKO and add your permit number and the agency that issued it. Your page then shows Made in a Home Kitchen, the permit and the agency, with a path for food safety complaints. Chefry is a platform: it does not issue, check or verify permits, and your agency is the one that does.

MEHKO in Los AngelesMEHKO in Long BeachComplaints and delivery rules
0% commission on menu orders

Free to list. Keep 100% of your menu price.

0% commission on every menu order. Keep what you earn on pre-orders and pickups. Customers pay a 5% service fee at checkout, and you get instant payouts.

Start sellingHow selling on Chefry works

Frequently asked questions

Where should I sell homemade food in Los Angeles: Chefry, Homegrown or Etsy?

It depends on what you make and how it reaches the customer. Shelf-stable food you ship nationwide fits Etsy. Farmers market style goods with pickup at a market or porch and a flat monthly fee fit Homegrown. Plates, meal prep and pre-orders for local pickup or your own delivery fit Chefry, with 0% commission on menu orders and a 5% service fee the customer pays at checkout.

How much does Homegrown cost?

Homegrown lists $10 a month billed annually or $12.50 a month billed monthly, after a 7-day free trial. It takes no commission. Card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction comes out of the vendor's side, and since April 2026 there is no shopper fee. Homegrown holds 20% of each order in reserve for 30 days.

What does Etsy charge food sellers?

Etsy lists a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrap, and US payment processing of 3% + $0.25 on the total. Offsite Ads charge 15% on orders they bring in, and once a shop passes $10,000 in sales over the past 365 days the rate is 12% and required, capped at $100 per order.

Can I sell home-cooked plates on Etsy?

Etsy allows food generally, but government rules control who can make, package and sell it, and Etsy has no built-in tool for local pickup or delivery. If a buyer outside your area orders, you must ship the order or refund it. That makes Etsy a better fit for food that ships than for hot plates or meal prep picked up the same day.

What does Chefry charge chefs?

Listing is free and no monthly fee is required. Menu orders, including plates, meal prep and drops, are 0% commission, so you keep 100% of your menu price. Customers pay a 5% service fee at checkout, and card processing is a separate line the customer pays. Service bookings carry a commission: 15% on service bookings (catering, private chef), 14% on service bookings for your first 12 months with a referral code, 8% on service bookings with Pro ($19/mo) and 5% on service bookings with Committed ($29/mo). Payments you take in person with your Take Payments Now QR code carry 5% on in-person payments, which you cover by default or can pass to the customer. Tips and delivery fees go to you in full.

Who handles sales tax on each platform?

Homegrown calculates, collects and remits sales tax for vendors. Etsy collects and remits US sales tax on orders shipped to US buyers. Chefry collects sales tax with each order and pays it out to you, and you remit it as the seller.

How do payouts compare?

Chefry offers instant payouts to a bank account or debit card through Stripe. Homegrown pays by ACH the next business day after your first payout is reviewed, with a $10 minimum and a 20% reserve held for 30 days. On Etsy, new sellers generally wait 14 days after a sale, and established shops can get funds the next business day.

Can I sell under a MEHKO permit on Chefry?

Yes. Turn on MEHKO and add your permit number and the agency that issued it. Your page shows Made in a Home Kitchen, the permit and the agency, and a path for food safety complaints, and customers can filter for MEHKO kitchens. Chefry does not issue or verify permits. California's MEHKO rules generally do not allow third-party delivery services, so plan on pickup or delivering the food yourself.

Can I bring my existing customers to Chefry?

Yes. Upload your customer list as a CSV or paste it in, send an optional intro email and one intro text, then post announcements that reach your followers and imported contacts. Anyone who unsubscribes or replies STOP is not contacted that way again.

Sources, last checked October 2026

We read each page below on October 20, 2026. Fees and features change, so confirm current terms on each platform before you decide. Homegrown here means findhomegrown.com. Homegrown and Etsy are trademarks of their owners, and Chefry is not affiliated with either.

  1. [1] Homegrown: Homegrown home page
  2. [2] Homegrown: How much does Homegrown cost?
  3. [3] Homegrown: Are there any additional fees beyond the subscription cost?
  4. [4] Homegrown: Homegrown Fees, Last updated July 25, 2024
  5. [5] Homegrown: Homegrown Terms, Last updated July 25, 2024
  6. [6] Homegrown: What's new at Homegrown
  7. [7] Homegrown: What can I sell on Homegrown?
  8. [8] Homegrown: Etsy alternative for home bakers (Homegrown blog), September 27, 2026
  9. [9] Homegrown: Where to sell meal prep (Homegrown blog), September 25, 2026
  10. [10] Homegrown: MEHKO laws explained (Homegrown blog), October 14, 2026
  11. [11] Homegrown: Setting up your payment account
  12. [12] Homegrown: Available balance and payouts
  13. [13] Homegrown: Reserve balance: what it is and how it works
  14. [14] Homegrown: Are there options for shipping?
  15. [15] Homegrown: Setting up local delivery
  16. [16] Homegrown: Do you have an app?
  17. [17] Homegrown: Reviews on your storefront
  18. [18] Homegrown: Messaging shoppers from your dashboard
  19. [19] Homegrown: Drops (coming soon)
  20. [20] Homegrown: Sales tax collection and deductions
  21. [21] Homegrown: Six months free with the Founding Vendor offer
  22. [22] Etsy: Etsy Fees & Payments Policy, Last updated October 5, 2026
  23. [23] Etsy: Etsy Payments Policy, Last updated July 31, 2026
  24. [24] Etsy: Etsy Food and Edible Items Policy, Last updated May 17, 2020
  25. [25] Etsy: Etsy Prohibited Items Policy, Last updated October 6, 2026
  26. [26] Etsy: Etsy Seller Handbook: selling food, September 1, 2021
  27. [27] Etsy: How to Offer Local Pickup or Delivery
  28. [28] Etsy: What are the Fees and Taxes for Selling on Etsy?
  29. [29] Etsy: Why Hasn't My Money Been Deposited Yet?

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