I’ve Tested and Reviewed CJdropshipping vs SaleHoo: Which Is Best for Dropshipping in 2026?

Compare our picks

For active stores

CJdropshipping

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Free core platform
Products and shipping extra

• Product sourcing
• Order fulfillment
• Custom packaging

For supplier research

SaleHoo

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Starter: $9/month
Pro: $49/month
Both billed annually

• 8,000+ vetted suppliers
• Wholesale sourcing
• Training and community

After putting both platforms through their paces, CJdropshipping vs SaleHoo has a clear winner for most dropshippers running an active store: CJdropshipping. Its free base account combines product sourcing with fulfillment, while SaleHoo’s strongest feature is its vetted directory of independent US and EU suppliers.

I recommend CJ for managing your store’s logistics and SaleHoo for building direct supplier relationships, buying wholesale, or learning the business. This comparison covers pricing, supplier sourcing, fulfillment, integrations, branding, and support, including the costs and limitations you need to check before committing.

📣 This piece was updated on 10/13/26. I’ve updated the tariff breakdown following Section 122’s expiration and corrected CJ’s warehouse storage windows. I’ve also clarified CJ’s sourcing-request limits and SaleHoo Starter’s supplier-contact allowance.

💡 Key Takeaways

• CJdropshipping wins pricing: its Free plan requires no monthly subscription; optional Plus membership costs $15.99 per month, billed monthly.
• SaleHoo wins supplier discovery: its directory includes 8,000+ vetted suppliers, including independent US and EU businesses.
• CJdropshipping wins fulfillment: products already stocked in US warehouses have advertised delivery estimates of roughly 3 to 6 days.
• SaleHoo wins learning: courses and a 137,000+ member community support beginners, alongside a 60-day money-back guarantee.
• CJdropshipping wins branding: custom packaging starts from 1 unit, with pricing quoted individually.

A Quick Comparison of CJdropshipping vs SaleHoo

CJ handles sourcing and shipping; SaleHoo helps you find suppliers to work with directly.

Feature	CJdropshipping: Best for Fulfillment	SaleHoo: Best for Supplier Relationships
Starting price	Free plan: no monthly subscription	Starter: $9 per month, billed annually
Free plan or free trial	Ongoing Free plan	No free plan; introductory trial advertised at $1 for 7 days
Business model	Sourcing and fulfillment platform	Supplier directory plus Shopify-only Dropship automation
Product sourcing	Advertises 500,000+ SKUs; sourcing requests available	8,000+ vetted suppliers; roughly 2.5 million directory products
Shipping	China shipping and overseas warehouse fulfillment	Arranged with your chosen supplier
Store integrations	Shopify, WooCommerce, and other channels	Directory independent of your store; Dropship connects to Shopify
Pros	No required subscription; fulfillment; branding	Direct supplier relationships; wholesale access; education
Cons	Variable shipping costs and agent quality	Subscription required; no in-house fulfillment
Best for	Active stores outsourcing logistics	US/EU sourcing, wholesale buying, and beginner guidance

CJdropshipping launched in 2014 in Yiwu, China. It advertises 50+ warehouses, with named locations including California and New Jersey, plus facilities in China, Poland, Germany, and the UK.

SaleHoo started in New Zealand in 2005, combining supplier discovery with research and education tools. SaleHoo ships nothing; our guide to the best dropshipping directories explains the wider category.

CJdropshipping and SaleHoo serve different categories, so I compare them on the job you need done: finding and shipping profitable products.

What Kinds of Sellers Is CJdropshipping or SaleHoo Best For?

CJdropshipping Is Best for…

• Active dropshippers who want sourcing, store synchronization, and fulfillment managed through 1 platform.

SaleHoo Is Best for…

• Supplier-focused sellers who want independent US/EU relationships, wholesale access, or structured guidance before committing to products.

1. Best for Pricing: CJdropshipping

CJdropshipping wins on startup cost because its core sourcing and fulfillment platform requires no monthly subscription.

SaleHoo Starter costs $9 per month, billed annually, before you buy products or pay suppliers. CJ’s optional memberships add discovery perks rather than charging you to unlock basic fulfillment.

How Much Do CJdropshipping and SaleHoo Cost?

CJ’s Free plan lets you test products without a recurring platform bill; SaleHoo charges for access to its supplier and selling tools.

CJ plan and billing	CJ features	SaleHoo plan and billing	SaleHoo features
Free: no monthly subscription	Core sourcing and fulfillment; no general MOQ	Starter: $9/month, billed annually	200 imports; 1 Shopify store; 100 supplier contacts/month
Plus: $15.99/month, billed monthly	VIP products, recommended product lists, and coupon discounts	Pro: $49/month, billed annually	600 imports; 3 stores; unlimited contacts; 3 sub-users; custom supplier research
Prime: $19.99/month, billed monthly	Expanded membership perks	Enterprise: custom price and billing	Unlimited imports and stores; dedicated account manager
Advanced: $59.99/month, billed monthly	Higher-tier membership perks	Starter lifetime: $299, one-time payment	Lifetime Starter access
No annual membership discount	Paid memberships remain optional	Pro lifetime: $1,699, one-time payment	Lifetime Pro access

I’d start with CJ Free rather than buy a membership before you know what sells. Paid memberships add VIP products, recommendations, and coupon discounts, but don’t remove product or shipping charges.

• Choose CJ Free to test products without a recurring subscription.
• Choose SaleHoo Starter if 1 Shopify store and 100 monthly supplier contacts cover your needs.
• Consider SaleHoo Pro when unlimited supplier outreach or additional stores justify the subscription.

CJ’s product prices include a markup, which your agent may be able to negotiate. Shipping varies by route and weight, so compare the complete delivered cost rather than the catalog price alone.

CJ’s free storage allowance also depends on the warehouse:

CJ warehouse	Free storage window	Initial daily storage rate afterward
China	90 days	$0.20 per cubic meter per day
US	60 days	$0.63 per cubic meter per day
Poland	30 days	$0.40 per cubic meter per day
Germany	30 days	$0.44 per cubic meter per day
UK	30 days	$0.54 per cubic meter per day

Rates climb the longer stock sits: the US rate reaches $3.78 per cubic meter per day after 360 days. Budget for 60 free days in the US and confirm the allowance before sending inventory.

SaleHoo’s flat platform fee doesn’t increase with order volume, and its 60-day money-back guarantee gives you a refund window. Supplier purchases remain separate costs.

🤔 Do CJdropshipping and SaleHoo Offer Free Trials?

• CJdropshipping: the Free plan is ongoing, not a time-limited trial. Products and shipping still cost money.
• SaleHoo: the advertised introductory trial costs $1 for 7 days, so it isn’t free. Confirm availability and the renewal plan at checkout; contact support within the 60-day guarantee window to request a refund.

2. Best for Finding Suppliers: SaleHoo

SaleHoo wins supplier discovery because you can build direct relationships with vetted independent businesses rather than use CJ as your intermediary.

SaleHoo supports wholesale buying as well as dropshipping. CJ is the better alternative when you want an agent to find a specific product for you.

SaleHoo’s Supplier Directory

SaleHoo’s directory spans 22 product categories and roughly 2.5 million products. Narrow your search with its supplier filters:

• Supplier type: dropshippers, wholesalers, liquidators, and manufacturers.
• Country: identify US or EU businesses for regional sourcing.
• Minimum order quantity: separate single-order options from bulk purchasing.
• Shipping options: check whether suppliers serve your customers.

Open a supplier profile, click Contact Supplier, then use the + icon in the message box to load an outreach template. Templates cover pricing, minimum orders, private labeling, and samples; the inbox keeps conversations together and shows supplier reply times.

Starter allows 100 supplier contacts per month; Pro removes that cap. SaleHoo publishes no average supplier response time, so assess each supplier’s speed before relying on them.

Because the directory also lists wholesalers and liquidators, I recommend SaleHoo for bulk buying and Amazon FBA sourcing; CJ’s sourcing is built for single-order fulfillment. Users report occasional irrelevant search results, so check supplier profiles rather than trusting categories alone.

CJdropshipping’s Sourcing Requests

CJ advertises 500,000+ ready-to-list SKUs and accepts requests for products outside its catalog:

1. Open My CJ > Sourcing and select Post Sourcing Request.
2. Choose Individual Products, paste a URL from AliExpress, Taobao, or 1688, and enter your target price.
3. Check your account’s daily allowance before submitting.
4. Track the request’s status in the same dashboard.

CJ account level	Daily sourcing requests
LV1	5
LV2	10
LV3	20
LV4	50
LV5 and VIP	Unlimited

CJ says requests are handled within 24 hours; that doesn’t guarantee availability at your target price.

Choose SaleHoo to negotiate directly with suppliers; choose CJ to have an agent source products for you.

3. Best for Fulfillment and Shipping: CJdropshipping

CJdropshipping wins fulfillment because it operates the shipping service, while SaleHoo leaves fulfillment to your chosen supplier.

CJ combines warehouse stock with dispatch and quality-control checks. SaleHoo can help you find domestic suppliers, but it doesn’t manage their orders.

Shipping Times

CJ’s advertised estimates vary by shipping route and stock location:

CJ shipping option	Advertised estimate
Ordinary air freight, China to US	10 to 15 days
Sea freight, China to US	25 to 30 days
CJPacket and partner lines	7 to 15 days
Products already stocked in US warehouses	Roughly 3 to 6 days

Freight estimates aren’t guaranteed customer delivery dates. Confirm processing time and the available shipping line before publishing delivery promises.

CJ provides QC inspection before dispatch, but I’d still order samples before listing products. Users report stock discrepancies, so confirm that your exact variant is physically available in the US warehouse.

The 2026 Tariff Reality

The US $800 de minimis exemption has been suspended for all countries since August 29, 2025.

The former 35% combined-tariff estimate no longer reflects the current tariff structure:

• February 20, 2026: the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs.
• February 24, 2026: a 10% Section 122 surcharge began.
• July 24, 2026: Section 122 expired, and a new 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff on China took effect.

The new China tariff stacks with legacy Section 301 duties, alongside regular duty determined by the product’s HS code.

China-origin product category	Typical additional Section 301 stack
Legacy Lists 1 to 3	25% + 12.5% = 37.5%
Legacy List 4A	7.5% + 12.5% = 20%
Not on a legacy list	12.5%

These figures sit above regular duty; they aren’t universal final rates. Some product groups carry higher rates, while Section 232 goods are exempt from the new forced-labor duty.

Applicable regular, Section 301, and Section 232 duties now reach postal shipments too. Classify each SKU by HS code before setting margins rather than applying 1 percentage across your catalog.

CJ’s US-stocked products avoid customer-order border clearance, but import duties can already be reflected in the unit price. SaleHoo’s US suppliers offer the same domestic-delivery advantage for US customers; EU suppliers support regional sourcing.

A domestic sale avoids a new import event, not necessarily tariffs embedded earlier in the supply chain.

4. Best for Store Integrations: CJdropshipping

CJdropshipping wins integrations because it supports multiple storefronts and marketplaces, whereas SaleHoo Dropship connects only to Shopify.

SaleHoo’s directory can serve sellers on any platform because supplier transactions happen separately. Its product-import automation is limited to Shopify.

CJ offers connections across 18+ sales channels, including:

• Storefronts: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and BigCommerce.
• Marketplaces: eBay, Lazada, and Shopee.
• Social commerce: TikTok Shop.

For TikTok Shop US, check your current Seller Center fulfillment requirements before listing. Domestic stock can be required, and eligibility rules can change.

My Experience Connecting CJdropshipping to Shopify

I recommend editing your first listing rather than publishing supplier copy unchanged. CJ’s connection and listing workflow gives you that choice:

1. In Shopify Admin, open Apps and find CJ Dropshipping.
2. Install the app, then select Connect to link your CJ account.
3. Browse the catalog and choose List It Now to import the product and its variants.
4. Alternatively, choose Edit Before Listing to select variants and change the title, description, images, and price.

CJ supports real-time inventory and order synchronization after connection. Its Shopify app holds a 4.9 rating from roughly 2,900 reviews, although users report shipping delays and inconsistent agent support.

My Experience With SaleHoo Dropship

SaleHoo Dropship draws from 100,000+ curated AliExpress items, not the directory’s full supplier inventory. Starter lists 200 imports and 1 Shopify store, while Pro lists 600 imports and 3 stores.

The first-login dashboard presents a 4-step checklist:

1. Connect your Shopify account: enter your Shopify domain and authorize the connection.
2. Search for items: filter by delivery country, shipping speed, target cost, and historical order volume.
3. Adjust your pricing: edit the import list and review its calculated profit margin.
4. Upload your first product: publish the prepared listing to Shopify.

The import list lets you edit descriptions, variants, and images before uploading. Supplier price and stock changes then synchronize automatically.

Confirm your import limit at checkout, because the Shopify App Store listing sells Dropship as Basic ($27 per month) and Premium ($97 per month) rather than Starter and Pro. That listing has only 2 ratings, both 1-star, citing order-sync problems.

Choose SaleHoo Dropship for its focused Shopify workflow and curated catalog. I’d choose CJ for automation on WooCommerce or another supported non-Shopify platform.

5. Best for Branding and Quality Control: CJdropshipping

CJdropshipping wins branding because it combines customization and per-order QC with fulfillment, while SaleHoo leaves those services to individual suppliers.

I recommend CJ if you want branded products without coordinating a separate production partner. SaleHoo supports direct private-label relationships, but you negotiate services yourself.

CJ’s customization and production options include:

• Custom packaging and insert cards: add branded materials to shipments.
• White-label and OEM requests: discuss placing your logo on products.
• Print-on-demand: upload a design for production and shipping when an order arrives.
• Photography and video: request product assets for listings and advertising.
• Quality control: products receive checks before dispatch.

CJ advertises custom packaging from 1 unit, rather than a blanket bulk-order requirement. It doesn’t publish a flat price list for packaging, white labeling, or POD, so request a written quote for your SKU.

Confirm packaging compatibility and the complete order cost with your agent before promoting a branded offer. CJ’s QC checks don’t replace inspecting a sample yourself.

SaleHoo offers no in-house packaging, photography, or per-order QC service; its vetting happens at the supplier level.

• Choose CJ for integrated branding and fulfillment, including POD without upfront product stock.
• Choose SaleHoo if you want to negotiate a direct private-label partnership with a supplier.
• Skip customization if you plan to sell generic products and don’t need branded packaging.

6. Best for Support and Learning: SaleHoo

SaleHoo wins support and learning because it combines 24/7 help with courses and a 137,000+ member community.

I recommend SaleHoo for beginners who need structured guidance. CJ’s assigned agent is more useful when your immediate problem involves sourcing or an existing order.

CJdropshipping Support

CJ’s assigned agent can negotiate product prices and chase order problems, but users report inconsistent service:

• ✔️ Assigned agent: get help negotiating prices, tracking orders, and resolving supplier issues.
• ✔️ Operational assistance: users report helpful agents who resolve sourcing and fulfillment questions.
• ❌ Agent-quality variance: users also report unresponsive agents.
• ❌ Order problems: users report canceled orders and price increases announced after purchase.
• ❌ No response-time SLA: CJ publishes no guaranteed response time.

Keep your CJ ID and order number ready when escalating an issue. Arrange a backup dropshipping supplier before a stock shortage interrupts customer orders.

SaleHoo Support

SaleHoo combines platform assistance with education, although users report problems with refunds and trial renewals:

• ✔️ 24/7 assistance: chat and email support are available.
• ✔️ 137,000+ member community: discuss sourcing and selling with other members.
• ✔️ Courses: access dropshipping and ecommerce learning resources.
• ✔️ 60-day guarantee: request a refund within the eligibility window.
• ❌ Refund delays: users report refunds taking longer than expected.
• ❌ Trial renewals: users report charges after trials without fully understanding the terms.

SaleHoo’s guarantee doesn’t automatically cancel your subscription. Save your renewal date and refund request; choose CJ instead if you need an agent handling negotiations rather than courses explaining them.

How We Test Dropshipping Platforms

We compare CJdropshipping and SaleHoo on the costs and workflows involved in finding, listing, and shipping products. Our criteria prioritize operating a store over catalog size alone:

• Pricing and fees: 25%, including subscriptions and order-level costs.
• Product sourcing: 20%, including supplier access and request limits.
• Fulfillment and shipping: 20%, including stock location and delivery estimates.
• Store integrations: 15%, including imports and synchronization.
• Branding and QC: 10%, including customization and inspection.
• Support and learning: 10%, including assistance and education.

I prioritize usable workflows without treating advertised shipping estimates or support promises as guaranteed outcomes.

CJdropshipping vs SaleHoo: Our Winner

CJdropshipping is my winner for most active dropshipping stores. It wins pricing, fulfillment, integrations, and branding, with no required monthly subscription for its core service.

That said, SaleHoo is the better choice for independent supplier relationships and structured learning. Its US/EU directory suits regional sourcing or wholesale buying rather than CJ-managed logistics.

You can use both: discover suppliers through SaleHoo and use CJ for suitable China-sourced products. There’s no official combined workflow, so don’t assume a SaleHoo supplier can automatically fulfill through CJ’s warehouses; arrange that separately before routing customer orders.

I’d start with CJ Free for an active store and explore SaleHoo when domestic supplier discovery takes priority. Compare delivered product costs before committing, since a free platform account doesn’t guarantee the lowest cost per order.

If you’re still setting up, follow our guide on how to start a dropshipping business before buying inventory or paying for supplier access.

Prices current as of October 2026.

FAQ

Is CJdropshipping really free?

CJdropshipping’s Free plan has no monthly subscription, but products and shipping cost money. Free storage lasts 90 days in China, 60 days in the US, and 30 days in Poland, Germany, and the UK. Optional Plus membership costs $15.99 per month, billed monthly.

Can I use SaleHoo and CJdropshipping together?

Yes, use SaleHoo for supplier discovery and CJdropshipping for suitable sourcing and fulfillment. There’s no official integration between them, so supplier relationships don’t transfer automatically into CJ. Confirm any warehouse or fulfillment arrangement separately before routing orders.

Which is cheaper, CJdropshipping or SaleHoo?

CJdropshipping is cheaper to start because its Free plan requires no monthly subscription. SaleHoo Starter costs $9 per month, billed annually, before supplier purchases. Compare product prices, shipping, and storage to establish which option costs less for your actual orders.

Does CJdropshipping ship from the US?

Yes, eligible products already stocked in CJ’s US warehouses have advertised delivery estimates of roughly 3 to 6 days. Confirm the exact SKU and variant before listing. China-direct shipments face applicable duties; typical legacy Section 301 stacks now total 20% to 37.5% above regular duty following Section 122’s expiration.

Is SaleHoo legit or just an AliExpress list?

SaleHoo’s directory includes 8,000+ vetted independent suppliers, including wholesalers and manufacturers. SaleHoo Dropship is a separate Shopify-focused tool drawing from 100,000+ curated AliExpress items. Choose the directory for supplier relationships and Dropship for supported product-import automation.