Printful vs. Printify: Which Print-on-Demand Platform Is Right for You?

Printful vs. Printify — which print provider is right for your ecommerce store? While both Printful and Printify are well-known and reputable options, there are some differences between the two.

In this blog post, I’ll be comparing Printful vs. Printify and declaring a winner in various categories, from pricing to shipping, as well as an overall winner. While you can’t go wrong with either print-on-demand model, you’ll at least be able to make a more informed decision.

So whether you want to sell T-shirts, mugs, or socks, you can choose the best print-on-demand services for you. Ready to compare Printful vs. Printify? Let’s get started!

Key Takeaways

• Print on demand (POD) is a business model that allows online sellers to create and sell custom-designed products without upfront inventory.
• Advantages of using print-on-demand platforms include no upfront costs, product customization, scalability, risk reduction, and global reach.
• Printful and Printify are two popular print-on-demand companies that offer integrated services for printing, fulfillment, and dropshipping.
• Printful is a leading POD platform with an extensive product catalog of 330+ items, user-friendly interface, custom branding options, and global shipping capabilities.
• Printify is a well-known POD platform with a network of printing partners, over 800 products, customizable pricing options, free online store option, and seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms.

Scrappy Marketers is reader-supported. We may earn an affiliate commission from links in our content.

What Is Print on Demand?

Print on demand (POD) is a popular business model in the e-commerce industry that allows entrepreneurs and online sellers to create and sell custom-designed products without needing upfront inventory.

With POD, you can offer a wide range of products, from apparel and accessories to home decor items, all personalized with unique designs. Selling online can be a profitable side hustle or even a source of semi-passive income, depending on your goals.

Here’s a closer look at how the print-on-demand process works:

• Product selection: Choose the products you want to sell from the POD platform’s extensive catalog, which typically includes T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters, and more.
• Design creation: Create or upload your designs, logos, or artwork to be printed on the chosen products. You can use graphic design software or hire a professional designer from a platform like Fiverr to bring your ideas to life.
• Integration and store setup: Connect your POD platform account to your preferred e-commerce platform, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, and more, depending on the print provider’s integration capabilities. Set up your online store, create product listings, and showcase your designs.
• Product personalization: When a customer places an order on your online store, the POD platform receives the order details and your chosen design. Then, the POD provider prints the design on the selected product, creating a unique item for each customer.
• Fulfillment and shipping: The POD platform takes care of the production, packaging, and shipping of the products directly to your customers. You don’t have to worry about inventory management or shipping logistics.

Benefits of Print-on-Demand Companies

The advantages of using print-on-demand companies include:

• No upfront costs: Unlike traditional business models that require bulk inventory purchases, POD allows you to start selling with minimal upfront investment.
• Product customization: You have the freedom to create custom designs and offer unique products tailored to your niche and target audience.
• Scalability: With print-on-demand services, you can easily scale your business as demand grows. You can add new products, expand your design offerings, and reach a broader customer base without the need for additional resources.
• Risk reduction: Since you’re not holding inventory, you eliminate the risk of unsold products or excess stock. Your products are printed and shipped only when an order is placed.
• Global reach: POD platforms often have global shipping capabilities, allowing you to sell to customers worldwide and expand your market reach.
• Profitability potential: With print-on-demand products, you choose how much you’ll make per order. For example, you choose an item from the print provider’s catalog and then add shipping costs to it before determining how much you’ll charge overall. You keep the difference, so profit margins are crucial here.

Whether you’re starting a new ecommerce business or looking to diversify your existing product offerings, print-on-demand platforms provide a flexible and accessible way to showcase your creativity and generate income.

Printful vs. Printify: A Comprehensive Comparison

If you’re looking to open an ecommerce store to sell T-shirts, mugs, hats, socks, and more, Printful and Printify are two massively popular print-on-demand companies.

Both options offer integrated services for printing, fulfillment, and dropshipping. Let’s take a closer look at each platform:

What Is Printful?

Printful offers a hassle-free solution for businesses to create and sell custom-designed products. Their extensive product catalog spans a wide range of items, including apparel, accessories, home decor, and more. With such a diverse array of products, you can easily find the perfect canvas to showcase your creativity and captivate your target audience.

Printful’s Standout Features

• Leading POD platform with integrated services like printing, fulfillment, and dropshipping
• Free for the basic plan, $9 per month for Printful Plus, and $49 per month for Printful Pro
• 330+ customizable products, including apparel, accessories, home decor, and more
• Design products for free with a built-in tool
• Free logo maker for custom branding options
• Custom packaging and pack-in options for extra fees, like cards, stickers, and more to set your ecommerce business apart from the competition
• User-friendly interface for easy navigation and customization
• Global shipping capabilities with 15 fulfillment centers worldwide

What sets Printful apart is not just the quality and variety of its products but also its user-friendly interface. Navigating through the platform is a breeze, even for beginners. The intuitive design and straightforward customization options allow you to effortlessly upload your designs, preview them on different products, and make any necessary adjustments.

This streamlines the creation process and ensures your final products meet your exact specifications and print quality expectations.

Printful’s global shipping capabilities are worth highlighting. They have 15 fulfillment centers strategically located across the world, enabling them to efficiently process and ship orders quickly to customers worldwide.

This international reach not only expands your potential customer base but also ensures fast and reliable delivery. Whether your customers are in New York, London, or Sydney, Printful can seamlessly handle the logistics, leaving you free to focus on growing your business.

Click here to sign up for Printful

What Is Printify?

Like Printful, Printify offers a comprehensive range of services, including printing, fulfillment, and dropshipping. However, it also brings some unique features to the table that make it stand out among the competition.

Printify’s Standout Features

• Well-known POD platform offering similar services with unique features
• Over 800 customizable products ranging from clothing and pet products to home products and accessories
• Free design tools to help you create your print-on-demand products
• Network of printing partners for greater product availability and specialization
• Option to create a Printify Popup Store for no additional fee, which means paying for another e-commerce integration is optional
• Customizable pricing options to suit different business needs and budgets
• Seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce
• Global selling capabilities

While Printify offers fewer integrations than Printful, one of the key advantages is that you can open up a free online store to sell your products called Printify Popup. While you can still integrate with other e-commerce platforms, a free online store is a definite advantage that helps make this option more risk-free than Printful.

Rather than relying solely on its own facilities, Printify collaborates with a vast array of printing providers. This network allows for greater flexibility in terms of product availability, production capacity, and specialization. It ensures you can access a wide range of high-quality products and cater to the specific preferences of your target audience.

Another noteworthy feature of Printify is its customizable pricing options. They offer different tiers of plans, allowing you to select the one that best aligns with your business needs and budget. Whether you’re just starting out or experiencing rapid growth, Printify provides pricing options that scale with your business.

This flexibility ensures that you can optimize your profit margins while offering competitive prices to your customers.

Furthermore, Printify integrates seamlessly with various e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy. This integration simplifies the process of managing your online store and automates several aspects of the fulfillment process.

You can easily sync your products, track inventory, and manage orders directly from your preferred e-commerce platform. This level of integration saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on marketing your products and providing exceptional customer service.

Click here to sign up for Printify

Printful vs. Printify: The Key Differences

Printful	Printify
330+ customizable products	800+ customizable products
100% free for the basic plan	100% free for the basic plan
20+ e-commerce platform integration options	10 e-commerce platform integration options
Free mockup generator	Free mockup generator
Free design tool	Free Printify Popup online store

By understanding these key differences, you can make an informed decision based on your preferences and business requirements. Whether you prioritize a wide product range, transparent pricing, seamless integrations, or customizable options, both Printful and Printify offer valuable features for your print-on-demand needs.

Consider your specific needs and goals to choose the platform that best aligns with your business.

The biggest difference between Printify vs. Printful is that you cannot sell directly on Printful like you can with Printify through a Printify Popup store. Instead, you will choose an e-commerce site or marketplace and connect it to Printful, then Printful will handle fulfillment and shipping.

Since Printify allows you to open a free online store, you won’t have to spend more to create your own e-commerce site or deal with Ety’s fees (if you don’t want to).

Printful has fewer products in its catalog than Printify, which some may find restrictive for future scalability. However, Printful integrates with many more e-commerce sites and marketplaces, making it very helpful for those who want to sell on multiple sites.

Printful vs. Printify: Product Catalog Comparison

If you want to start a print-on-demand business, you’ll want to research the print provider’s product catalog to ensure they have not only what you want today — but a wide variety so you can scale in the future.

Here’s a look at how Printful and Printify stack up when it comes to products.

Printful’s Product Catalog: A Wide Range of Customizable Products

Printful offers an extensive product catalog of 330+ items that caters to various niches and creative visions.

Here’s a glimpse of the range of products you can find on Printful:

• Apparel: From T-shirts and hoodies to activewear and baby onesies, Printful covers a wide spectrum of clothing options.
• Accessories: Print your designs on accessories such as hats, bags, phone cases, and jewelry.
• Home decor: Add a personalized touch to home decor items like posters, canvas prints, pillows, and blankets.
• More: Explore additional products like mugs, stickers, pet accessories, and even custom face masks.

When it comes to print quality, Printful maintains high standards. Their products are sourced from reputable manufacturers and undergo rigorous print quality control checks. This ensures your customers receive products that are well-made and durable.

Printful employs various printing techniques, including direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, embroidery, and sublimation. Each technique is carefully chosen based on the product type to achieve the best results. This attention to detail ensures your designs are accurately reproduced and vibrant on the final products.

Customization options on Printful are plentiful. You can upload your own designs, add text, and even create product variations with different color options. With their user-friendly design tools, you can easily visualize and customize your products to match your unique brand aesthetic.

Printify’s Product Catalog: Diverse Offerings for Customization

Printify also boasts a diverse product catalog that allows you to bring your creative ideas to life.

Here are some of the product categories you can find on Printify:

• Apparel: Choose from a wide range of clothing items, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, and more.
• Accessories: Personalize accessories such as hats, bags, socks, and phone cases.
• Home Decor: Offer your customers custom-designed home decor items like posters, canvas prints, and pillows.
• Unique product categories: Printify also provides exclusive product options like shoes, watches, and even skateboards. These unique offerings can help you stand out from the competition and attract a specific target audience.

Printify‘s focus on customization shines through its extensive array of options. You can easily upload your designs, adjust placement and size, and even choose from multiple printing providers to find the best fit for your needs. This level of customization allows you to create products that align perfectly with your brand and resonate with your customers.

Whether you opt for Printful’s comprehensive range of products or explore the diverse offerings on Printify, both platforms provide ample opportunities to unleash your creativity and offer unique, custom-made products with impressive print quality to your audience.

Product catalog winner: Printify wins with its extensive range of high-quality products. From apparel to accessories and home decor, they’ve got it all.

Printful vs. Printify: Pricing and Profitability

When choosing between print providers, even a few cents can make a difference. Below, we look at everything from base costs to shipping costs to determine which platform offers the best chance for profitability.

Printful’s Pricing Structure

With Printful, you choose an item from their product catalog, set your price, and keep the difference. For example, if a basic T-shirt costs $9.95 and you sell it for $25, you’d make $15.05. Keep in mind you’ll still need to pay taxes and shipping unless you work them into the price of your product.

Printful employs a transparent pricing structure that consists of several components.

Here’s an overview of how Printful’s pricing works:

• Base costs: Each product in Printful’s catalog has a base cost, which covers the manufacturing and sourcing expenses. For example, a basic unisex T-shirt has a base cost of $9.95, but this doesn’t include taxes and shipping.
• Printing fees: Depending on the printing technique and complexity of your design, there may be additional fees associated with printing your custom designs on the chosen products. For instance, DTG printing on a T-shirt has an additional fee of $3.50. You’ll also pay more if you want a design in multiple places (like the front of the shirt and the sleeve, for example).
• Additional charges: Printful may apply additional charges for services such as relabeling, inside label printing, or special packaging requests. These charges can range from $0.50 to $2.00 per item.

When calculating your profitability on Printful, it’s important to consider these costs and incorporate them into your pricing strategy. By factoring in the base costs, printing fees, and any additional charges, you can determine the appropriate retail price for your products that ensures a healthy profit margin.

Printify’s Pricing Structure

Like Printful, Printify lets you choose an item from their catalog, add your design, and sell it at your chosen price point. You keep the difference. For example, if you choose a shirt that costs $6.81 and sell it for $25, you’ll make $18.19, minus taxes and shipping.

Printify offers a flexible pricing structure that allows you to customize your costs based on your business needs.

Here’s an overview of Printify’s pricing model:

• Product costs: Similar to Printful, Printify has base costs associated with each product. These costs vary depending on the printing provider and the specific product chosen. Printify offers lower base costs for some products than Printful, but you’ll need to evaluate print quality to ensure it’s a good deal.
• Printing fees: Printify also includes printing fees, which can vary depending on the complexity of your designs and the chosen printing technique. For instance, screen printing on a T-shirt may have an additional fee of $2.00.

Printify stands out by offering a range of printing providers, each with its own pricing options. This diversity allows you to compare costs and choose the printing partner that best aligns with your budget and profitability goals.

Pricing and profitability winner: Printify wins in this category. Their customizable pricing options give you more control over costs and profit margins, which is a win for your bottom line. Plus, Printify tends to have lower pricing in some categories than Printful.

Printful vs. Printify: Integrations and Platforms

When deciding which print providers will work best for you, it’s important to consider integrations. Will you create your own e-commerce site, sell on Etsy, or use WooCommerce? You’ll want to see which integrations are offered by each of the print providers.

Here’s a look at Printful versus Printify’s integrations:

Printful’s Integrations

Here’s a look at which sites Printful integrates with:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• WooCommerce
• Wix
• Squarespace
• Adobe Commerce
• BigCommerce
• Ecwid
• Weebly
• Prestashop
• Shipstation
• Big Cartel
• Amazon
• Ebay
• TikTok Shop
• And more!

The advantages of Printful’s integrations are:

• Large selection: With over 20 plus integrations, you can start with one and add more later if you want to expand. This ensures you aren’t limited in the future with how much money you can make.
• Streamlined order fulfillment: By integrating Printful with your preferred e-commerce platform, you can automate the order fulfillment process. This means that when a customer places an order on your online store, Printful automatically receives the order details and starts processing it, saving you time and effort.
• Inventory management: Printful’s integrations provide real-time synchronization of your product inventory. This ensures that your store reflects accurate stock levels, preventing overselling or backorders.

Printify’s Integrations

Here’s a look at which sites Printify integrates with:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• Walmart
• Ebay
• Prestashop
• BigCommerce
• Wix
• WooCommerce
• SquareSpace
• Shutterfly

Some unique features and advantages of Printify’s integrations include:

• Wide range of print providers: Printify has a vast network of printing partners, giving you access to a wide range of products and printing techniques. This allows you to offer diverse product options to your customers, catering to different preferences and niches.
• Multiple store integration: With Printify, you can connect multiple stores to a single Printify account. This feature is particularly useful if you manage multiple online stores or sell on different platforms, as it simplifies the management and fulfillment process.

Integrations winner: While both Printify and Printful integrate with a variety of top e-commerce platforms and marketplaces, Printful takes the lead here with 20+ options to Printify’s 10.

Printful vs. Printify: Shipping and Fulfillment

If you’re going to run a successful print-on-demand business, seamless fulfillment and shipping are essential. Which company has better print quality? Faster shipping time? Lower shipping costs?

Let’s get into the finer details of shipping and fulfillment for Printify vs. Printful.

Printful’s Shipping and Fulfillment Process

When it comes to shipping and fulfillment, Printful offers a streamlined process that ensures efficient order processing and delivery and high print quality.

Here’s an overview of how Printful handles shipping and fulfillment:

• Production/shipping times: Printful has set production times for each product category, which typically range from two to five business days. Most Printful orders are shipped within five days.
• Packaging: Printful takes pride in providing professional packaging for all orders. They ensure that products are securely packaged to prevent any damage during transit. Additionally, they offer branding options such as custom packaging labels and pack-ins for a more personalized touch.
• Global shipping: Printful has a vast network of shipping carriers that enables them to offer worldwide shipping. They provide various shipping options, including standard, expedited, and express shipping, allowing customers to choose the most suitable method based on their preferences and budget.

Advantages

Printful’s shipping and fulfillment process offers several benefits, including:

• Convenience: By integrating with popular e-commerce platforms, Printful automatically receives and processes orders, saving you time and effort.
• Dropshipping: Printful offers dropshipping services, which means you don’t have to worry about inventory management or order fulfillment. They handle the entire process on your behalf.
• Global reach: With Printful’s global shipping capabilities, you can easily expand your customer base and reach international markets.
• Order tracking: Printful provides order tracking information for both you and your customers, allowing you to monitor the progress of each shipment.

Challenges

While Printful’s shipping and fulfillment process is generally reliable, there are a few considerations to keep in mind:

• Shipping times: Depending on the destination and shipping method chosen, shipping times may vary. International shipments, in particular, may experience longer transit times due to customs procedures and other factors.
• Shipping costs: The cost of shipping can vary based on factors such as package weight, dimensions, destination, and shipping method. It’s important to consider these costs when pricing your products to ensure profitability.

Printify’s Shipping and Fulfillment Process

Printify offers a shipping and fulfillment process that is tailored to the needs of online sellers. Here’s an overview of how Printify handles shipping and fulfillment:

• Production times: Like Printful, Printify provides estimated production times for each product category. These production times may vary depending on the printing partner chosen for a specific product. However, most orders are fulfilled and shipped within seven days.
• Packaging: Printify’s packaging depends on the printing partner selected for fulfillment. Each partner has its own packaging standards and practices, so it’s essential to review the packaging options offered by each partner before making a decision.
• Shipping options: Printify integrates with multiple shipping carriers, offering various shipping options such as standard, expedited, and express shipping. The availability of shipping options may depend on the printing partner and the destination country.

Advantages

Printify’s shipping and fulfillment services come with several advantages that online sellers can benefit from:

• Printing partner network: Printify has a wide network of print providers, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your needs in terms of product print quality, pricing, and shipping options.
• Customizable pricing: With Printify, you have the flexibility to set your own prices for products, giving you more control over your profit margins.
• Integration options: Printify integrates with various e-commerce platforms and marketplaces, enabling you to easily sync your store and automate the order fulfillment process.

Challenges

While Printify offers a robust shipping and fulfillment process, there are a few considerations to be aware of:

• Printing partner selection: Since Printify relies on a network of print providers, the print quality and reliability of fulfillment may vary depending on the partner chosen. It’s crucial to research and choose reputable partners to ensure consistent customer satisfaction.
• Shipping times and costs: The shipping times and costs associated with Printify may vary based on the printing partner, product, and destination. It’s important to consider these factors when setting customer expectations and pricing your products.

Shipping and fulfillment winner: Both platforms deliver on reliable shipping and fulfillment. With a variety of print providers, it’s hard to say which one offers better print quality or product quality, so this one is a tie.

Printful vs. Printify: Customer Support and Reviews

Great customer service is a big factor in deciding which print provider will win your business. After all, if you can’t reach anyone when you need them, it can cause frustration, lost customers, and lost profit.

Let’s take a look at the customer support options for Printify vs. Printful.

Printful’s Customer Support

Printful understands the importance of accessible and responsive customer support. They offer multiple channels to assist their users:

• Email support: Printful provides email support, allowing users to reach out with questions or concerns. Their support team aims to respond promptly and provides thorough and helpful assistance.
• Live chat: For real-time support, Printful offers a live chat feature on their website. This enables sellers to connect with a representative instantly and receive immediate help.
• Knowledge base: Printful has an extensive knowledge base with articles, tutorials, and frequently asked questions. Sellers can find valuable resources to address common queries and get guidance on various topics.

Sellers have expressed positive feedback regarding Printful’s customer support online. Here’s a compilation of what we found:

• Sellers appreciate the quick response times and the professionalism of Printful’s support team. They mention receiving helpful and detailed answers to their questions.
• The knowledge base is praised for its comprehensive content, covering various aspects of using the Printful platform. It serves as a valuable self-help resource, enabling sellers to find solutions independently.

Printify’s Customer Support

Printify also places emphasis on providing reliable customer support to its users.

Here are the support options they offer:

• Email support: Printify offers email support as a primary channel for sellers to reach out for assistance. They strive to respond promptly and address any inquiries or issues.
• Help center: Printify has a comprehensive help center with a vast collection of articles, tutorials, and frequently asked questions. Sellers can access this self-service resource to find answers to common queries and gain valuable insights.

Feedback from sellers regarding Printify’s customer support includes:

• Sellers generally find Printify’s support team to be responsive and knowledgeable. They appreciate the guidance provided and the willingness to assist with any concerns.
• Some sellers have mentioned occasional delays in response times during peak periods. While Printify aims to address inquiries promptly, it’s advisable to anticipate potential delays during busier times.

Customer support and reviews winner: Printful wins with its excellent customer support. They offer multiple channels and have received positive reviews from sellers. Printify also provides responsive support, but Printful’s dedication to customer satisfaction is top-notch.

Printful vs. Printify: Final Verdict

Now that you have a clear understanding of the differences between these print-on-demand companies, it’s time to evaluate your priorities. Take a moment to assess your business needs, budget, target audience, and specific requirements.

Consider the following questions:

• What are your primary product offerings, and which platform offers a better selection in that category?
• Which platform aligns better with your pricing strategy and profit goals?
• Do you require specific integrations with e-commerce platforms or marketplaces?
• How important is responsive and reliable customer support to you?

By answering these questions, you’ll gain valuable insights into which platform is the best fit for your business. However, keep in mind that both Printful and Printify are reputable and reliable options. The final choice should ultimately depend on your individual preferences and goals.

While both platforms are excellent options, if you are looking for product variety and a free online store, go with Printify.

On the other hand, if you want the ability to integrate with more print providers, choose Printful.

Ultimately, the final choice depends on your unique requirements and preferences as an online seller. Consider the factors that matter most to you for your online business, such as product quality and variety, pricing flexibility, integration options, and customer support, when making your decision.

Both Printful and Printify have proven themselves as reputable platforms, offering valuable solutions for print-on-demand businesses. Whichever platform you choose, leverage its strengths, and take advantage of the resources and features it provides to propel your online business to success.

Final Thoughts

Printful and Printify both allow you to sell online with zero to minimal overhead. Both Printful and Printify are excellent print providers, allowing you to sell pretty much anything you’d like without fear.

If you can’t decide between Printful vs. Printify, why not try out both? You can make an informed decision this way and decide if one print provider works better for you than the other.

Either way, we hope this review has helped you choose the right print-on-demand service for your ecommerce store. Good luck in finding the perfect print-on-demand platform that aligns with your goals and helps you achieve your e-commerce ambitions!

Frequently Asked Questions