AliExpress vs Alibaba vs 1688: where should you source dropshipping products?
All three are part of the same Alibaba Group, and all three can supply the same product. What differs is who they are built for — and that changes the price you pay, how much you must buy, and how the goods reach your customer.
The short answer
- AliExpress — buy single units at retail-style prices, shipped worldwide. Best for testing products.
- Alibaba — a B2B marketplace with minimum order quantities and negotiable prices. Best once a product sells steadily, and for your own branding.
- 1688 — China's domestic wholesale marketplace, with the lowest prices, in Chinese, shipping inside China. Best at scale, through a sourcing agent.
AliExpress: for testing
You can order one piece, pay by card and have it delivered to your customer's door, which makes AliExpress the easiest way to test whether a product sells. Buyer protection covers items that do not arrive or do not match the description.
The trade-offs: unit prices are higher, delivery can be slow, and packaging carries no branding. Many competitors source the same listing.
Alibaba: for growing and branding
Suppliers on Alibaba sell in bulk, with a minimum order quantity (MOQ) that is often negotiable for a first order. Prices drop with volume, and many manufacturers offer custom packaging and logos.
Pay through Trade Assurance, ask for samples before a bulk order, and prefer suppliers with verified status and several years on the platform.
1688: for the lowest cost
1688 is where Chinese retailers buy. Prices are often well below Alibaba's, but the site is in Chinese, most suppliers only ship within China and they rarely deal with foreign buyers directly.
That is why sellers use a sourcing agent, who buys on 1688, checks the goods, consolidates orders and ships them abroad for a fee. Worth it once your volume is steady.
How to vet a supplier on any of the three
- Check ratings, years in business and response rate; read the lowest reviews first.
- Ask for real photos or a video of the product, not only catalogue images.
- Order a sample and time the delivery to your own address.
- Confirm materials, certifications and packaging in writing before a bulk order.
- Pay through the platform's protection (buyer protection or Trade Assurance), never off-platform.
Shipping, duties and customs
Delivery from China ranges from about a week with premium lines to several weeks with the cheapest options. Warehouses in the destination country are faster but require stock in advance.
Duty-free thresholds for small parcels have been cut or removed in several markets, including the United States in 2025. Check the current rules for each country you sell to and include duties in your margin calculation.
A path that grows with you
- Find products with rising sales on the trending products pages.
- Test the best ones with single orders from AliExpress.
- When a product sells steadily, move to an Alibaba supplier for better prices and your own packaging.
- At higher volume, use a sourcing agent on 1688 for the lowest unit cost.
Put it into practice: find products with real sales and check your margin before you buy stock. Trending products · Profit calculator