AliExpress is an established Chinese marketplace with 200+ million products and seller accountability, while Temu is a newer social commerce platform focused on aggressive discounting and gamified shopping with minimal seller verification. AliExpress offers better buyer protection and product variety, but Temu attracts price-conscious users with lower shipping costs and viral marketing tactics.
AliExpress vs Temu — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Chinese B2C marketplace specializing in direct-to-consumer sales with millions of small businesses.
Social commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings using viral marketing and extreme discounting to drive rapid user acquisition.
Platform Launch Year. Product Listings. Average Shipping Cost. Buyer Protection Policy. Monthly Active Users. Average Refund Processing Time. Data Privacy Concerns (Data Access Requests)
Choose AliExpress if you prioritize buyer protection, product variety, established seller credibility, and transparent refund policies—ideal for electronics, home goods, and specialty items where reliability matters. Choose Temu if you're extremely price-sensitive, enjoy gamified shopping with referral rewards, and are comfortable with longer delivery times and limited recourse—best for low-cost novelty items, fashion accessories, and experimental purchases.
AliExpress: 15-45 days | Temu: 7-14 days
AliExpress: 500M+ listings | Temu: 50M+ listings
AliExpress: Strong escrow system | Temu: Limited coverage
AliExpress: 30-90 days | Temu: 7-30 days
AliExpress: 200+ million | Temu: 50+ million
AliExpress: 60 days | Temu: Case-by-case
AliExpress: 20-45 days | Temu: 30-60 days
AliExpress: 60 million | Temu: 150+ million
AliExpress: 10-15 days | Temu: 15-30 days
AliExpress: Moderate (Alibaba oversight) | Temu: High (FTC/EU investigations)
AliExpress: Transparent ratings (1-5 stars) | Temu: Minimal transparency
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Variable (2-4 stars)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Minimal oversight
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Electronics, gadgets, home goods
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Temu 620 million
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 7-15 days (varies)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 12+ main categories
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Free (optional coins)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Limited oversight, mostly China-based
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: FTC Investigation (2024)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 14-day dispute window with store credit only
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 0 days (no returns)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Non-compliant, Chinese data collection
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 60-65% positive reviews
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 22.5 days (15-30 range)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 35+ major categories
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Ongoing (flagged 2024)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 2.4 stars (based on 1.8M reviews)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 7 days (severely limited; most items non-returnable)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 2 years (founded 2022)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 8+ categories (fashion, electronics, home, beauty, sports, gadgets, pets, food)
Estimated Price Savings vs Traditional Retail
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: No limit (typically $100+)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 30-50% dispute win rate
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 100+ million global
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 3/10 (data harvesting concerns)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 1000+ categories
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: ~3 years (major expansion)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 72% (all categories)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: Electronics, toys, home goods, apparel, gadgets (20+ categories)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 30-60% vs traditional retail
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: 30 days (limited)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: $8 billion (est.)
AliExpress: N/A | Temu: China-based, banned in US/EU countries, privacy concerns
How to choose between AliExpress and Temu
AliExpress vs Temu — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for AliExpress vs Temu. Contains 98 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
AliExpress vs Temu — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for AliExpress vs Temu.
Is AliExpress or Temu safer for personal data?
AliExpress is significantly safer. While AliExpress (owned by Alibaba) collects user data, it operates under established privacy frameworks and has moderate regulatory oversight. Temu faces multiple active investigations by the FTC (US), UK ICO, and EU authorities for allegedly collecting excessive personal data including location, contacts, and device identifiers without clear consent. In 2024, the UK government warned against Temu use due to data security risks. Choose AliExpress if data privacy is a concern.
Which platform offers better buyer protection if I don't receive my item?
AliExpress provides comprehensive buyer protection: 60-day purchase guarantees with mandatory refunds if items don't arrive or are significantly different from listings. Temu offers minimal protection—disputes are handled case-by-case with no guaranteed resolution, and users report difficulty obtaining refunds. AliExpress wins decisively for buyer protection, making it safer for higher-value purchases.
How much cheaper is Temu compared to AliExpress?
Temu's prices are typically 70-90% lower than AliExpress equivalents for identical products. For example, a $15 AliExpress smartphone case might cost $1.99 on Temu. However, Temu offsets this with longer shipping (30-60+ days vs 20-45 days) and higher defect rates. AliExpress offers better value when accounting for quality and delivery speed; Temu wins purely on bottom-line price.
Which platform has faster delivery times?
AliExpress delivers in 20-45 days on average with tracking transparency. Temu takes 30-60+ days with less reliable tracking and higher package loss rates. Neither platform offers fast shipping by Western standards. AliExpress is 10-20 days faster on average and provides better delivery reliability, though both require patience compared to Amazon or eBay.
Can I trust product reviews on these platforms?
AliExpress reviews are generally more reliable—the platform verifies purchase history and seller credentials, though fake reviews still exist (estimated 5-10% manipulation). Temu's review system is less transparent with minimal verification, and industry analysis suggests 15-25% of reviews may be artificially inflated by the platform's gamification incentives. AliExpress offers more trustworthy product feedback, though independent reviews should be consulted for major purchases.
How to Choose Between AliExpress and Temu
Platform Launch Year: AliExpress has 2010, while Temu has 2022.
Product Listings: AliExpress has 200+ million, while Temu has 50+ million.
Average Shipping Cost: AliExpress has $3-8 USD, while Temu has $0-2 USD.
Buyer Protection Policy: AliExpress has Comprehensive (60-day protection), while Temu has Limited (case-by-case basis).
Monthly Active Users: AliExpress has 60 million (2024), while Temu has 150+ million (2024).
Consider: Average Refund Processing Time
Average Refund Processing Time: AliExpress has 10-15 days, while Temu has 15-30 days.
Consider: Data Privacy Concerns (Data Access Requests)
Data Privacy Concerns (Data Access Requests): AliExpress has Moderate (Alibaba subsidiary), while Temu has High (multiple regulatory investigations).