Why selling online usually requires a company
To accept card payments, someone has to be the legal seller in the eyes of the card networks. Most store builders leave that role to you: you connect your own payment account, and payment providers usually ask for a registered business, a tax ID and a business bank account before approving it.
For a first product or a side project, that means paperwork, registration fees and weeks of waiting before you can take a single order. Many people never get past that step.
How Cartva removes that step
Cartva is the Merchant of Record for your store. Cartva is the legal seller at checkout, so your store uses Cartva's payment setup instead of yours. You don't need a company, an LLC, or a payment account in your own name. Your customers see your store, your brand and your products, and they pay by card as they would anywhere else.
What you need to start
- An email address to create your account.
- A store name and a first product: your own, a print-on-demand design, or a dropshipped product.
- A one-time identity verification, done before your first withdrawal, not before your first sale.
That's the whole list. No company documents, no bank letters, no business license.
Step by step
- Create your account. Your store is free for 30 days, no card needed.
- Build your store with the visual editor, or describe a page to the AI builder and let it build it.
- Add products: your own stock, print-on-demand designs, or products imported from CJ Dropshipping and Doba.
- Share your store link and take card payments. Each sale is credited to your Cartva wallet.
- Verify your identity once, then withdraw your earnings from $10.
How the money arrives
Every card sale lands in your Cartva wallet, minus one fee per sale that already includes card processing: 9%, 7% or 6% depending on your plan, with a minimum of $0.30 per order. Nothing is added on top, and cash on delivery orders are always 0%.
Earnings become withdrawable once the order has shipped, and at the latest 30 days after payment. A 5% reserve is held on each sale for 90 days to cover disputes, then released. Plans and fees are listed on the pricing page.
Identity verification, once
Before your first withdrawal, you complete a short identity check with a government-issued ID and a selfie. It takes a few minutes. Anti-money-laundering rules require it from any platform that pays out money, and you only do it once. The identity verification guide walks through the process.
When you might still want a company
Selling without a company is a way to start, not legal advice. Depending on where you live and how much you sell, you may need to declare your income or register a business at some point. Cartva takes care of the payment side; your own tax situation is yours to check with a local advisor.
If you register a company later, nothing changes in your store. You keep your products, your customers and your order history, and you keep selling.
Start today
Your store is free for 30 days without a card. When you are ready, any plan costs $1 for the first month, then the regular price. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really sell online without a company?
Yes. Cartva is the Merchant of Record, so it is the legal seller at checkout. You can build a store and accept card payments without a company or an LLC.
Do I need my own payment account?
No. Card payments go through Cartva, so you don't open or connect a payment account in your own name. Your earnings are credited to your Cartva wallet.
When do I have to verify my identity?
Once, before your first withdrawal. You can build your store and take card payments before verifying.
How do I get paid?
Each sale is credited to your wallet minus one fee per sale (9%, 7% or 6% depending on the plan, card processing included). Earnings become withdrawable once the order has shipped, and you can withdraw from $10.
Do I still have to declare my income?
Possibly. Cartva handles the payment side as Merchant of Record, but your personal tax obligations depend on where you live and how much you sell. Check with a local advisor.