Temu vs Shein (2025): Which Is Cheaper?
Temu vs Shein has become one of the hottest comparisons in online shopping. Both apps fill your screen with trendy clothes and cool gadgets at very low prices. You see them everywhere on social media. But when you are ready to buy, a big question comes up: which one is actually better?
Is one really cheaper? Is the quality good enough? And who will deliver your order faster? It can be confusing to know which app to trust with your money.
This guide will give you clear answers. We will compare everything important about Temu vs Shein—from the real cost and product quality to shipping times and how they handle returns. Even better, we will show you a special trick to get more discounts on both platforms.
Key Takeaways: Temu vs Shein in Brief
No time for a deep dive? Here is the fast answer to help you decide.
- Best for Fashion: Shein is the winner if you are looking for trendy clothes and accessories. Its focus on fashion means the styles are more current and the quality is more predictable.
- Best for Variety: Temu is like a giant online supermarket. You can find almost anything, from kitchen gadgets and pet supplies to electronics and clothing, making it the best choice for variety.
- Cheapest Overall: This is a tie. Temu often has lower prices on individual items. However, Shein offers frequent coupons and a points system that can make a large clothing order cheaper overall.
- Fastest Shipping: For shoppers in the United States, the race is now neck-and-neck.
- Biggest Savings Hack: The best deals on both platforms are for new users. The secret to bigger savings is using a strategy to get these new-user bonuses more than once.
Is Temu Actually Cheaper Than Shein?
When choosing between Temu and Shein, price is a top concern. Both platforms are famous for low prices, but they use different strategies to help you save.
Temu’s Strategy: Lower Item Prices
Temu runs as a large online marketplace where sellers compete, often pushing prices down. For items like home goods, electronics, or accessories, Temu’s prices are usually lower than Shein’s. The platform is also known for aggressive flash sales that offer steep, short-term discounts.
Shein’s Strategy: Big Coupons and Points
Shein focuses on fast fashion and relies on strong sitewide coupons to attract buyers. While a single shirt may cost slightly more than on Temu, Shein frequently offers discounts like “20% off your entire order.” Its loyalty points system adds even more savings, making larger clothing hauls often cheaper overall than Temu.
Temu vs Shein: Which Is Cheaper?
Single items or non-fashion goods: Temu usually wins with lower prices.
Clothing hauls: Shein is frequently cheaper thanks to its generous coupon and rewards.
Temu vs Shein: Who Has Better Quality?
For many shoppers, the biggest concern is quality. Low prices only matter if the product lasts, and in 2025, clear differences have emerged between Temu and Shein.
Temu: A Quality Treasure Hunt
As a marketplace with thousands of sellers, Temu’s product quality can be highly inconsistent. One order might be surprisingly good, while the next could have thin fabric, poor stitching, or the wrong sizing. Fierce price competition also pushes some sellers to cut corners with cheaper materials. Shopping on Temu often feels like a treasure hunt—reading recent reviews and checking seller ratings is essential to finding good-quality items.
Shein: More Predictable Fast Fashion
Shein has greater control over its supply chain and has been improving its quality standards. While still a fast-fashion brand, many shoppers find Shein’s clothing to be more predictable than Temu’s. Fabrics are often a bit thicker, and the construction feels sturdier. In 2025, Shein announced stricter safety and quality checks, aiming to test over 2.5 million items. Still, results vary, so it’s always smart to review customer photos before buying.
Which is Better Qualtiy?
For consistency (especially clothing): Shein usually wins, giving shoppers a clearer idea of what to expect.
For variety (with some risk): Temu offers a broader range of products, but requires more careful research to avoid disappointment.
No matter which platform you choose, recent customer reviews with photos remain the best way to judge quality before you buy.
Does Temu or Shein Deliver Faster?
In 2025, the race between Temu and Shein has become closer than ever, and the winner often depends on where you live.
Temu’s Shipping Time: A Mix of International and Local
Temu’s standard shipping time is generally quoted as 6 to 20 business days for most international orders, as many products are sent directly from sellers in China. For those who need items faster, express shipping is available for an extra fee and usually takes 4 to 9 business days.
In the U.S., things have changed. Thanks to new trade policies, Temu now fulfills many U.S. orders from warehouses located inside the United States. This move means that some U.S. shoppers now receive their packages in as little as 2 to 7 days, making Temu’s shipping speed much more competitive.
Shein’s Shipping Time: A More Established Network
Shein has a well-established global logistics network and typically offers two main options for U.S. buyers:
- Standard Shipping: Usually takes 7 to 11 business days and is often free with a minimum purchase.
- Express Shipping: Delivers much faster, typically within 3 to 7 business days, for an additional cost or free on larger orders.
While Shein’s network is reliable, most of its inventory is housed internationally, which can sometimes lead to longer waits compared to items shipped from within the U.S..
Who Ships Faster?
For shoppers in the United States: It’s a tie, with a slight edge to Temu on some orders. Temu’s new U.S. warehouses mean it can sometimes deliver even faster than Shein.
For shoppers outside the United States: Shein often has a more predictable and slightly faster delivery network due to its established global presence.
Both platforms have improved their shipping, but it’s always a good idea to check the estimated delivery date at checkout before placing your order.
Temu vs Shein Referral Program Comparison
Both Temu and Shein encourage you to invite friends and reward you for doing so. These referral programs are an easy way to earn extra discounts or credits. While the goal is the same, the details differ.
Temu’s Referral and Affiliate Program
Temu runs an aggressive referral program for everyday users. By sharing your unique link or code from the “Refer & Earn” section in the app, you get rewards when a new user signs up and places their first order. Rewards vary, ranging from store credits to free gifts.
Temu also offers a popular affiliate program aimed at content creators, bloggers, and influencers. Participants earn commissions on sales made through their unique links, with top creators reportedly making thousands of dollars per month.
Shein’s Referral and Affiliate Program
Shein’s referral program is long-established. When you share your code and a friend makes their first purchase, you both typically get a percentage-off coupon for future orders.
Shein also runs a strong affiliate program, particularly well-known in the fashion space. Creators earn commissions (usually 10–20%) from sales through their links. Joining often requires an active social media presence with a minimum follower count.
Which Program Is Better?
- For casual shoppers: Temu’s referral program feels more engaging and often provides varied rewards, including free items and direct credits.
- For influencers and creators: Both platforms are solid choices. Shein’s program is more established in fashion, while Temu’s has quickly gained traction with the potential for higher earnings.
If you’re just sharing with friends, either program works. If you want to monetize content, both platforms provide strong opportunities to earn commissions.
How to Bring Your Shopping Savings to the Next Level
No matter which platform you choose, ultra-low prices are a big part of Temu and Shein’s rapid rise. While concerns about ultra-fast fashion remain, their growth continues to capture global attention.
Want to save even more? One of the most effective strategies is creating multiple accounts. This way, you can repeatedly claim new-user discounts, referral bonuses, and other exclusive offers.
The challenge is managing all those accounts. Many of the best deals are hidden in the mobile apps, which means you’d normally need several phones to juggle multiple logins. Traditional methods like antidetect browsers don’t work well here.
The solution? A cloud-based approach like using cloud phones to stack those discounts! With GeeLark, you can create multiple Android phone profiles, each with its own unique device information. That means you can manage multiple Temu and Shein accounts at once—without the hassle or cost of buying extra physical devices.
How GeeLark Works
Start by visiting GeeLark’s website to download the app and sign up.
Once you’re signed in, create cloud phone profiles for your shopping accounts.
Add the necessary proxy information to each profile.
Next, go to the Applications menu to search for and install Temu/Shein.
You can enable the installation of Temu across all your cloud phone profiles at once in the Team’s applications.
Finally, open your cloud phone profiles and access Temu/Shein just as you would on standard Android smartphones.
Can you see the beauty in this? When your “friends” (really just extra accounts you control) use your referral link to sign up for Temu or Shein, they unlock a nice surprise—a discount on their very first purchase. This not only encourages them to shop, but also gives you perks in return.
Both you and your “friend” can score rewards like coupons, extra discounts, or even freebies, depending on the promotion. And since you manage all the accounts, you’re essentially doubling your rewards with a single referral. Even better, you can keep stacking those first-purchase bonuses again and again.