Is Temu Cheaper than Aliexpress?

Temu has garnered significant attention due to its aggressive advertising. Is Temu cheaper than Aliexpress? Temu vs Shein. Temu vs. Alibaba. These are frequent areas of discussion around Temu.

Everyone is talking about it and curious about it. But what exactly is Temu, and why is it causing such a stir?

If you’re wondering whether Temu offers better deals than AliExpress or how it stacks up against popular platforms like Shein, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll explore Temu’s offerings, compare its prices and features to AliExpress, and see how it measures up to Shein. Let’s get started!

What is Temu and Aliexpress?
- Features of Temu and AliExpress
- Is Temu and Aliexpress the Same Company?
Comparative Analysis: Temu vs Aliexpress vs Shein
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion: Happy Shopping!
Recommendations
References

What is Temu and Aliexpress?

Temu is an e-commerce platform launched in 2022 by the Chinese company PDD Holdings. They are also the founders of Pinduoduo, another online marketplace.

Also read: 10 Best Websites Like Temu for Budget-Friendly Products

Temu boasts a variety of products: from beauty products to household items, office space organisers, and more, the catchy items on Temu earned it over 100 million active users as of 2023.

AliExpress, on the other hand, is a B2C marketplace founded in 2010 by the Chinese company Alibaba Group.

Since its launch, Aliexpress has grown to be one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world, with over 100 million products in electronics, cosmetics, clothing, etc., and worldwide shipping.

Features of Temu and AliExpress

The following are the key features of Temu and AliExpress:

Online shopping platform
Website and mobile app
Global shipping
Variety of products
Attractive discounts

Also read: Temu’s Sales Skyrocket Following Its International Expansion

Is Temu and Aliexpress the Same Company?

Temu and Aliexpress are owned by different Chinese companies.

Temu was founded in 2022 by PDD Holdings, while AliExpress was established in 2010 by Alibaba Group, one of the world’s largest retail and e-commerce platforms.

While their founding companies differ, they are both e-commerce platforms that offer similar services.

Comparative Analysis: Temu vs Aliexpress vs Shein

With the rise of online shopping platforms, it’s easier to find trendy items, product variety and discounts from the comfort of your home.

Among the top contenders in the e-commerce space are Temu, AliExpress, and Shein—platforms that have carved out a notable reputation for themselves.

**Chart showing the rise in the downloads of Temu within eight months**

This section will break down the key differences between these shopping giants. From pricing and product variety to shipping times, we’ll help you determine which platform might best fit your shopping needs. Let’s get into the details!

Also read: 10 Best Websites Like Amazon for a Variety of Products: Top Online Shopping Platforms

Pricing Overview: Is Temu Cheaper than AliExpress?

Before Temu entered the industry, AliExpress was the one-stop e-commerce platform, offering almost everything you need.

But as Temu is increasingly popular, people wonder if they need to change their online shopping platform from Aliexpress to Temu. This is why one of the most common questions on everyone’s lips is, “Is Temu cheaper than AliExpress?” In terms of product pricing and delivery cost, which is the best? Let’s find out.

1: Product Pricing

As a new player in the field, one of Temu’s marketing strategies is offering discounts and other pricing deals that attract customers.

Temu partners with manufacturers to get the cheapest rates possible, thus they have products going for as low as $1 and below.

On AliExpress, you can also get products selling at $1 and below. You can even negotiate directly with the vendors to get the best prices and get a discount on bulk orders.

However, Temu is slightly cheaper than AliExpress because they don’t add commission on their products. AliExpress operates based on commissions – they charge between 5% and 8% of the cost of items. Vendors usually add this commission to the total cost of their products. Thus even if you get a $1 deal, the price may spike at checkout due to the added commission.

Also read: 10 Best Websites Like Etsy for Unique Finds Handmade and Vintage Goods.

2: Delivery Pricing

Almost all of the goods in Temu have complimentary shipping, particularly for bulk orders. This is not the case with AliExpress.This is another reason Temu might be considered cheaper.

Conclusively, it’s easy to see that Temu has a marketing strategy that wins everyone’s hearts. Their discounts and complimentary shipping make everyone run to it. But the choice is still yours. Aside from prices, there may be other considerations you may want to make before deciding your best option for shopping.

In the next section, we’ll compare Temu Vs. AliExpress Vs. Shein, just so you can determine the best platform for your shopping, considering other factors aside from pricing.

Temu Vs. AliExpress Vs. Shein

E-commerce platforms are like little miracles for customers and vendors. These online marketplaces help vendors find customers and customers find the best deals. Temu and Aliexpress have dominated this industry, meeting the needs of their target market.

But there is another e-commerce platform that gets the attention of many—Shein. Shein churns out new items every day, yet sells them at up to 60% less than it would be in a regular fashion store like H&M.

“Amazon and Taobao are like malls…but Temu and Shein are like supermarkets. You supply unbranded products to the platform and let them take it from there.”

— Huang, Yiheng Battery

Let’s look at these three key e-commerce players and what sets them apart from each other—their strengths and weaknesses.

The Comparison: Temu vs. AliExpress vs. Shein

Features	Temu	AliExpress	Shein
Various categories of items	✅	✅	❌
Discounted prices	✅	✅	✅
Negotiating with vendors	❌	✅	❌
Various payment options	✅	✅	✅
Free shipping	✅	❌	❌
Drop shipping	❌	✅	✅
Worldwide shipping	✅	✅	✅
Short delivery time	✅	✅	✅
Pre-vetting of products	✅	❌	✅

Shein is a fast-fashion store that only churns out clothes and other fashion items produced by their partner manufacturer. Their focus is on fashion, this is why they don’t offer a wide category of items like Aliexpress and Temu.

Aliexpress, in particular, boasts over 100 million products on sale, in various categories. Each category on Aliexpress is further divided into sub-categories.

**A screenshot of the Aliexpress website, showing its various categories and sub-categories**

While Temu pre-vets items before listing them on the platform to ensure quality, Aliexpress does not conduct any pre-vetting. Items are hosted by a wide range of third-party sellers, hence customers cannot usually guarantee quality. However, Aliexpress hosts reputable brands like there are a handful of reputable suppliers like Canon, Disney, Samsung, etc.

In the matter of payment methods, all the platforms accept a wide range of payment plans, such as Visa card, American Express, Mastercard, Maestro, etc. They also accept payments via payment gateways like PayPal, Apple Pay, Afterpay, Google Pay, etc.AliExpress also accepts

Western Union, WebMoney, and bank transfers.

Also read: Top 10+ Quantitative Market Research Companies in Africa

Is Aliexpress Safer than Temu?

Both platforms are relatively safe. There will always be some glitches on e-commerce platforms, however, both Temu and Aliexpress are relatively trustworthy.

Temu offers a 14-day return policy if your order doesn’t match your request, is damaged, lost in transit, or does not arrive within the delivery time frame. You get free shipping on your first return.

Screenshot showing 90-day free return policy on Temu's Instagram page — **Screenshot showing 90-day free return policy on Temu’s Instagram page**

Aliexpress also has a return policy, however free return shipping on Aliexpress only applies to specific items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Temu vs Shein: Are They the Same?

Temu and Shein are different companies, although both are of Chinese origin. Shein was founded by Chris Xu in 2018, while Temu was established by Chinese giant, PDD Holdings. While they are both e-commerce platforms, they also operate different business models.

Where is Temu Shipped From?

Most of the items in Temu are shipped from China. Although, their headquarters is in Boston, USA.

Is Temu Cheaper than Aliexpress?

Yes, Temu is relatively cheaper than Aliexpress. You can get deals of up to 90% off, and products as low as $1! Additionally, there are no commissions added to product pricing, and you can get free delivery on some items.

Conclusion: Happy Shopping!

So whether you’re shopping on Temu, Shein, or Aliexpress, the key is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms and choose what works best for you.

Each platform has its strongest points. Your choice should depend on what you want and how you want it. We hope this article has, at least, answered the question, “Is Temu cheaper than Aliexpress?”

So from us to you, happy shopping! And do follow our blog for more insights on business, tech, marketing, and more. Connect with us on X (formerly Twitter), @SiliconAfriTech.