Choosing the right print on demand company is a pivotal decision for your e-commerce success. In this guide, we delve into the best Print On Demand Companies and top print on demand sites available in 2025. Based on extensive experience in the print on demand landscape, this review is designed to help you pinpoint the perfect partner for your business needs.
These recommendations for print on demand in March 2025 include actionable insights, tips, and strategies to maximize your experience with these leading print on demand companies.
Print on Demand Companies
Top Picks At a Glance:
Best Overall:
Printify Logo Printify: Known for its fast turnaround times, extensive product catalog, and competitive pricing. Try Printify
Read Full Review →
High-Quality Printing:
Printful: Renowned for superior product quality and user-friendly platform. Try Printful
Read Full Review →
Best for Art Prints & Posters:
Gelato Logo Gelato: A premium choice for posters and art prints, offering rapid printing and global reach. Try Gelato
Read Full Review →
All-in-One E-commerce Solution:
Sellfy Logo Sellfy: A fully integrated solution that simplifies launching an online store quickly. Try Sellfy
Widest Market Reach:
Merch by Amazon Logo Amazon Merch On Demand: Leverage the world’s largest online marketplace to reach a massive customer base. Try Merch On Demand
Read Full Review →
Easiest Platform for Beginners:
Teepublic Logo Teepublic: Offers the simplest upload process and strong organic traffic potential, ideal for trending designs. Try Teepublic
Read Full Review →
Large Audience & Easy Setup:
Redbubble Logo Redbubble: Known for its ease of use and access to a vast customer network. Try Redbubble
Read Full Review →
Top 5 Print On Demand Companies
Top 6 Print On Demand Sites
If you’re aiming to integrate a print on demand t-shirt fulfillment service with your Shopify or Etsy store, this guide will provide an in-depth comparison, particularly focusing on Printful vs Printify.
Continue reading to determine which print on demand company is the optimal choice for your business. Whether you’re a solo artist just discovering the benefits of print on demand dropshipping or an experienced seller seeking the best Printful alternatives, this guide is for you.
Note: Please be aware that I am an affiliate partner for many of the companies reviewed here. This means I may receive a commission if you sign up through my links, at no additional cost to you.
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Printify Review
Printify Interface
Printify has rapidly become a dominant force in the print on demand fulfillment industry, distinguishing itself from competitors with a unique approach: it does not handle any printing internally.
Instead, Printify partners with a vast network of printing facilities worldwide to produce and ship products. Printify operates as a central hub, streamlining order management across its network.
Currently, Printify collaborates with over 140 printing partners globally.
This extensive partner network enables Printify to offer an exceptionally diverse product range. Beyond standard apparel and home goods, you can customize unique items like scented candles, yoga mats, and even outdoor Bluetooth speakers.
While Printify’s model differs from some competitors, its significant presence in the market and backing from major investors underscore its credibility and impact.
Let’s delve into the specifics of Printify’s operations.
How Printify Works
Printify functions as the operational backbone for your online store, managing the printing, packaging, and shipping of your orders.
It supports both manual order entry and seamless integrations with major e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, WooCommerce, and TikTok.
A key differentiator of Printify is its provider-selection model. When creating a product, you choose a specific print facility to fulfill orders (unless you opt for ‘Printify Choice,’ discussed later). Each order for that product is then directed to the chosen facility. This model presents both advantages and disadvantages, which we will explore further.
Product Quality on Printify
It’s crucial to understand that because Printify outsources its printing, product quality can vary among different providers. A comprehensive list of Printify’s providers is available here.
The sheer number of print providers on Printify can be overwhelming, making provider selection a critical step.
To aid in decision-making, Printify offers a ranking score for each provider, based on reprint rates and production times over the last 30 days. They also display average production times, which are generally reliable but can be less accurate during peak seasons.
Based on personal experience, Monster Digital, SwiftPOD (in the US), and T-Shirt and Sons (UK) are consistently reliable Printify providers known for high-quality prints.
While I might explore alternative providers for specific products or color options, the overall print quality across Printify’s recommended providers is generally high and continuously improving. Most customers are unlikely to notice significant quality differences between prints from Printify’s recommended providers and those from more premium services like Printful. Customer complaints regarding print quality are rare, regardless of the provider used.
Given the extensive range of print providers on Printify, providing detailed insights on each is not feasible. However, for t-shirt printing, Monster Digital, SwiftPOD, and T-Shirt and Sons are highly recommended.
Note: Printify recently introduced Printify Choice, a feature that automatically selects a print provider for your product. Currently limited to popular products and US-based providers, Printify Choice includes branding options like branded inserts, gift messages, and expedited shipping. More details on Printify Choice are available here.
Printify Product Costs
Printify offers competitive, mid-range pricing compared to major competitors like Printful and Gelato. Prices are neither the lowest nor the highest in the market.
For even greater savings, Printify offers a monthly premium plan at $29/month, which reduces the cost per item. If you sell approximately 14 items monthly, the premium plan becomes cost-effective.
For sellers prioritizing competitive pricing, Printify presents a strong option.
Printify Integrations
Printify has significantly expanded its integration capabilities, now rivaling Printful in scope.
A comprehensive list of integrations is available here, including:
- Etsy
- Shopify
- Amazon
- WooCommerce
- eBay
- TikTok
- …and more integrations.
Printify likely supports your preferred platform. They also offer an API and the Printify Pop-Up option (for launching a basic branded storefront for free, US only). While Printful currently offers a broader range of integrations, Printify covers most common needs, unless you require a very niche integration.
Printify Turnaround Time – Is it the Fastest Print on Demand Company?
Turnaround times on Printify are provider-dependent. However, Monster Digital and SwiftPOD generally maintain their stated production time of 1-2 days (outside of peak seasons). For the most current and accurate times, it is advisable to conduct your own testing.
In terms of speed, Printify is currently among the fastest print on demand companies, though the differences among top providers are minimal during normal periods. Recently, industry-wide turnaround times have improved, a trend hopefully sustained. Regardless of your provider, testing order turnaround times is always recommended for accuracy.
Printify Fulfillment Locations
Printify boasts a global network of print providers. View all current Printify providers here.
Printify Global Locations
This is advantageous for international sellers aiming to produce and ship products closer to their customer base.
However, each product on Printify is linked to a single provider. Currently, Printify lacks automatic order routing to the closest fulfillment partner based on customer location, except for US customers using Printify Choice.
For instance, an order from a UK customer placed on your US Etsy store would require manual intervention. You would need to duplicate the product, replace the US provider with a UK provider, and then manually adjust the order. Detailed instructions on managing multiple providers for a single listing can be found here.
Despite this limitation, Printify offers robust international options for sellers seeking global reach.
Additional Features of Note
Printify offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface that simplifies product creation and order processing.
Printify Order Interface
Its diverse provider network enables a constantly expanding catalog of unique products, some of which are not available elsewhere.
Historically, customer service has been a challenge for Printify due to its outsourced provider model. However, recent improvements include a chat support option and faster response times.
Printify has also streamlined order management with the addition of “cancel order” and “upgrade shipping” buttons.
In contrast, Printful benefits from in-house printing, enabling quicker resolution of issues.
Printify Overall Verdict
Printify’s key strengths are its competitive pricing, consistently fast turnaround times, and the widest selection of providers and products in the print on demand sector.
However, if your business is not primarily US-centric or requires advanced features like custom labels, branded pack-ins, or warehousing, Printify might not fully meet your needs. (Generally, if you need more comprehensive support and features, Printful might be a better fit.)
However, in March 2025, Printify is highly recommended as a starting point due to its competitive pricing, essential features for most sellers, and reliable service. Remember that Printify’s outsourced model necessitates testing individual suppliers. (For detailed guidance, refer to my full guide on placing a sample order with Printify).
Printful Review
Printful Logo
Originally from Latvia but now with global operations including facilities in the UK and Canada, Printful has rapidly grown into a major player in print on demand fulfillment.
Let’s evaluate Printful based on key criteria.
How Printful Works
Printful acts as the ‘backend’ for your store, managing on-demand printing, packaging, and shipping directly to your customers.
Orders can be submitted to Printful manually or automatically via integrations with platforms like Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, and WooCommerce.
Printful Product Quality
Printful Quality Comparison
Printful is known for consistently high-quality prints, often considered among the best in the print on demand industry.
Printful also offers a broad product range, encompassing nearly every apparel type imaginable and a wide array of other items, although not as extensive as Printify’s catalog.
Printful Product Costs
Answering ‘How Much Does Printful Cost?’ is nuanced, but generally, Printful is positioned as one of the more expensive print on demand fulfillment options.
While Printful delivers superior product quality, this comes at a premium price point.
Historically, Printful has been more expensive for t-shirts, with a Bella & Canvas 3001 priced at $11.75 at last check. However, this is now only slightly above Printify’s pricing.
Printful Integrations
Printful excels in integrations, offering more options than any competitor and continuously adding new ones.
Is Printful the Best Print on Demand Company for Shopify?
Printful is often regarded as the premier print on demand company for Shopify users. It is currently the most installed and highly rated print on demand app on the Shopify platform, maintaining a strong review score.
Printful Integrations List
Printful’s integration capabilities extend far beyond Shopify, surpassing all competitors in breadth.
Their current integrations include:
Regardless of your selling platform, Printful likely offers seamless integration. Manual order submission is also available for those who prefer it.
Printful Shipping Times
Printful quotes a turnaround time of 2-7 days. Personal experience indicates they are consistently approaching the 2-day mark or even faster. Same-day order fulfillment is increasingly common, even during peak periods.
Overall, Printful’s order turnaround times are reliably efficient.
Printful Locations and Shipping Origins
Printful operates its own facilities in the USA, Mexico, Latvia, Spain, Canada, and the UK, with partner facilities in Brazil, Japan, and Australia. This extensive network allows for rapid delivery to most customer locations.
Note: Printful’s UK facility is located in Birmingham. For a detailed review of products from this location, see: Print on Demand UK: Is Printful The Best Choice?
Printful Global Locations
Orders set for “worldwide” selling regions are automatically routed to the nearest facility, a significant advantage over companies like Printify, which currently lacks this feature.
Additional Features of Note
Printful’s end-to-end control over its operations ensures responsive and effective customer service. This contrasts with providers like Printify that outsource printing.
Printful’s origins as a technology company are evident in its site design and streamlined ordering process, making it particularly user-friendly for beginners.
Printful Order Process
Printful also offers premium features like inside labels and pack-ins, enhancing brand professionalism for an additional fee. These features are beneficial for brand building as your business expands.
Personalized gift messages can also be included with orders, especially useful for marketplaces like Etsy focused on gifts. (Note: Printify now also offers this feature through select providers).
Printful invests significantly in educational resources and training to help users maximize their platform use and grow their online businesses.
Discounted sample orders (20% off with free shipping) are available, providing a great incentive to test their services.
(To evaluate Printful’s quality without fully integrating your store, see my guide on placing a Printful Sample order).
Printful Review Verdict
Printful’s reputation as a leading print on demand provider is well-deserved.
Their continuous investment in infrastructure and technology results in the most user-friendly print on demand fulfillment experience. They offer comprehensive services, a wide product range, and consistently high-quality products.
While Printful’s pricing is slightly higher than some competitors, the consistent print quality and branding options like custom packaging and inside-label printing may justify the cost.
With rapidly expanding global facilities, Printful provides excellent coverage for major markets. While their product range may not include every niche item available through providers like Printify, Printful is a top choice for businesses prioritizing quality, custom branding, seamless integrations, and exceptional support.
Gelato Review
Gelato has steadily gained momentum in the print on demand sector over recent years, particularly since 2020 when art print sales increased.
Gelato identifies as a “software company” that “does not own any printers.” Like Printify, Gelato acts as an intermediary between users and print fulfillment facilities.
The key difference between Gelato and Printify is Gelato’s optimized order routing. Gelato automatically selects the best print provider based on the delivery destination, whereas Printify requires manual provider selection. Gelato also boasts software integration with its network partners, enhancing production control.
Gelato’s “advanced routing algorithm” determines the optimal print location for each order. This approach has both advantages and disadvantages, detailed below.
Gelato Product Quality
Gelato initially focused on paper-based print on demand products (posters, cards, calendars) but has expanded to include a robust range of apparel and merchandise.
Primarily, Gelato has been used for art prints and posters, which are produced on high-quality, thick poster paper with clear and vibrant prints.
With the introduction of Bella + Canvas t-shirts, Gelato has also been utilized for apparel printing, consistently delivering shirts with excellent print quality and color fidelity.
However, product quality and finish can vary slightly between orders, likely due to the outsourced printing model.
For individual orders shipped directly to customers, minor quality variations are generally unnoticeable. Gelato offers a 100% guarantee to address any quality issues. However, for businesses requiring absolute product consistency for branding purposes, this variability might be a consideration.
A standout feature of Gelato is its pack-in option.
Gelato now offers custom pack-in cards and branded labels for packaging, such as thank-you notes, store information, social media details, or discount codes.
This feature significantly enhances brand building by providing a personal, handmade feel to orders and improving customer memorability. Re-engaging past customers is often more effective than acquiring new ones.
Each add-on costs $0.70 USD (€0.69) and can be activated per store in your Gelato account. Currently available for select art prints in the UK, USA, Germany, and Sweden, Gelato plans to expand these options.
Gelato Product Costs
Gelato’s product pricing is typically lower than Printful and comparable to Printify. Recently, Gelato has become even more price-competitive.
For example, a Bella + Canvas 3001 (medium size) costs approximately $10.12, with US mainland shipping at $4.66, totaling $14.78. This is more affordable than Printify’s price of $15.41+ and significantly less than Printful.
Pricing advantages can vary by destination, with Gelato often being more cost-effective in countries outside the US.
For UK-based sellers, Gelato is currently the most economical print on demand option for both art prints and t-shirts (Bella + Canvas).
Gelato also offers several discount opportunities:
- Quantity discounts (for multiple orders of the same product).
- Gelato+ member discounts (30% off standard shipping*).
- Gelato+ Gold subscription (30 days of free shipping with an annual plan* + up to 50% off shipping + 30% off branded labels and packaging inserts).
Gelato Integrations
Gelato provides easy integrations with major e-commerce platforms:
Gelato Integrations List
API options and integration via orderdesk.com are also available for other platforms, enabling broad integration possibilities.
Gelato Turnaround Time
Production times vary by product, but most are slightly faster than Printify and Printful, except for apparel, which has a slightly longer turnaround time than its top competitors.
- Cards: 1-3 days
- Posters, Canvas, and Frames: 1-4 days
- Mugs: 2-3 days
- Acrylic and Metallic Prints: 2-4 days
- Photobooks: 3-4 days
- Calendars: 2-3 days
- Apparel: 2-6 days
In practice, most orders ship within 1-4 days, aligning with Printify/Printful standards. Posters frequently ship within 48 hours.
Gelato Fulfillment Locations
Gelato partners with over 140 local printing facilities globally, ensuring broad geographic coverage.
Gelato Global Fulfillment Locations
It is important to note that not all facilities produce every product. Gelato provides clear information on product availability by country via a dropdown selection tool on each product page.
Gelato’s “advanced routing algorithm” selects the optimal production location for each order. Approximately 90% of orders are produced within the destination country.
Gelato Support
Gelato offers 24/7 support via live chat and comprehensive FAQ and support sections. Most queries can be resolved through their support articles.
Order-specific issues can be quickly addressed using the “report problem” button on the order page or through live chat.
Gelato Overall Verdict
Gelato’s user-friendly system, responsive customer support, and expanding product range make it a compelling alternative to Printify and Printful. For stores with a stronger international sales presence than US sales or those primarily selling art prints and posters, Gelato may be preferable to Printify.
Gelato effectively addresses Printify’s main drawback—manual order routing for international shipments and stock issues—while maintaining reasonable pricing.
However, the automated routing system means less direct control, which may result in minor inconsistencies in print quality.
Is Gelato a serious contender against Printify and Printful? Yes, particularly for art prints and posters.
Scalable Press
Scalable Press is another early entrant in the print on demand white-label sector, handling fulfillment for major brands.
Scalable Press Logo
Their pricing is competitive (around $9 for a Bella + Canvas shirt plus shipping), and their order process is straightforward. However, turnaround times can vary significantly.
Scalable Press appears to focus more on large brands and bulk order production rather than individual sellers.
However, for posters, Scalable Press offers highly competitive pricing and rapid turnaround times. They have been a reliable provider for posters for over a year, consistently delivering low prices and fast service throughout the year.
While insights into their t-shirt printing quality are limited, Scalable Press is recommended as a cost-effective and fast print on demand poster fulfillment company.
This section transitions to reviewing the best Print on Demand sites for artists and designers.
Whether you are looking for the best platforms to sell shirts or merchandise online or seeking alternatives to Redbubble, this guide has you covered.
Comparisons between Redbubble vs. TeeSpring and many others will help you find the best venue for your art.
Best Print on Demand Sites
The 7 Best Print On Demand Sites:
Here is a list of the top print on demand websites currently available (click on a name to jump to the detailed review):
This guide will examine each print on demand site in detail, explain their benefits, and share personal experiences with each platform.
Additionally, other print on demand sites (Zazzle, Spreadshirt, etc.) will be covered, along with recommendations for artists seeking a Print on Demand Storefront.
Best Platforms to Sell T-Shirts Online? (Redbubble vs TeeSpring vs Society6 vs Zazzle etc…)
Research and data have been gathered for each site, including monthly visitor numbers, organic traffic, social media followers, and more.
What is a Print on Demand Website?
A ‘Print on Demand Site’ is defined as an e-commerce website that:
- Allows artists to upload artwork.
- Applies that art to products for sale (t-shirts, posters, etc.).
- Prints artwork on products and ships them to customers (without artist involvement).
- Pays artists a royalty on sales.
The best print on demand sites for artists have high visitor traffic, strong organic reach (Google traffic), and facilitate easy uploading and sales for designers. These sites enable artists to monetize their drawings, illustrations, and designs with minimal effort beyond uploading.
Print on Demand Sites vs. Print on Demand Companies (Redbubble vs Printful)
A Print on Demand Site is distinct from a Print on Demand Fulfillment Company.
POD Sites vs POD Companies Print on Demand (Fulfillment) Companies (like Printful) serve as white-label ‘back-ends’ for online stores, allowing artists to create stores on custom domains or sell through marketplaces like Etsy.
Print on demand companies are not direct-to-customer platforms. Instead, they are services used by artists and sellers to fulfill customer orders.
Conversely, Print on Demand Sites (like Redbubble) are self-contained websites where customers directly purchase products. A Print on Demand Site offers a simpler and faster route for artists to earn from their designs compared to a Print on Demand company.
1. Merch By Amazon
Merch By Amazon Review
While Merch By Amazon is technically not a print on demand site, it is included due to its significance.
Merch By Amazon is a print on demand program integrated within Amazon (currently in the U.S., U.K., German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese Amazon sites). It is not a standalone website like other sites listed (e.g., Redbubble) nor a print on demand fulfillment company.
Traffic and search data for Merch By Amazon are difficult to quantify separately from Amazon. However, if Merch By Amazon were a standalone site, it would likely dwarf all competitors in visitors, organic traffic, and overall sales due to Amazon’s immense scale.
Advantages of Merch By Amazon:
Amazon’s Unmatched Platform
Merch By Amazon allows designers to list apparel on the world’s largest online store, and one of the most visited websites globally.
Merch By Amazon Traffic Scale
Amazon is a massive marketplace and a leading search engine (many users search directly on Amazon). This provides unparalleled potential reach compared to any other platform.
Prime Shipping & Amazon’s Seller Credibility
Merch By Amazon products are shipped ‘Prime,’ offering some of the fastest delivery times in the industry.
Selling through Merch By Amazon also leverages the trust and recognition of one of the world’s most reputable brands. Consumers often prefer purchasing from Amazon over lesser-known companies.
Flexible Royalties
Merch By Amazon allows sellers to set their own royalties per sale.
Merch By Amazon Royalties Structure
While limited by product base costs and competition, this flexibility contrasts with fixed royalty models like Teepublic.
Disadvantages of Merch By Amazon:
Invitation-Only Access
Joining Merch By Amazon requires an invitation and approval process, unlike most other print on demand sites with open enrollment.
Invitation turnaround times vary, with no guarantee of acceptance or specific timeframe. Requesting an invite is advisable if you are considering this platform.
Design Copycats & Price Undercutting
Merch By Amazon faces significant challenges with design theft and ‘improve-cats’ (slightly altered versions of popular designs).
Merch By Amazon products have public ‘BSR’ ratings (Amazon’s Best Seller Rank).
This public BSR makes it easy to identify top-selling designs, leading to rapid copying and price undercutting.
Merch By Amazon Design Copycats
While copyright infringement reports can be filed with Amazon, enforcement is inconsistent, and copycats often re-upload designs after takedown. This can create a cycle of ‘whack-a-copycat’ for original designers.
Note: Copycat issues are not exclusive to Merch By Amazon, but are amplified by the public BSR, flexible royalties, and Amazon’s marketplace size. Other print on demand sites are generally more effective in removing infringing designs following copyright notices.
Limited Artist Branding
Merch By Amazon offers minimal branding and audience-building opportunities for artists.
Designers primarily supply designs to Amazon, with limited profile customization.
Unlike other print on demand sites, Merch By Amazon lacks a public profile system. Branding is restricted to a single line of text per product (‘brand link’), hindering artist profile building or fan engagement. (No profile/header images, social media links, or artist bios).
Merch By Amazon Branding Limitations
Currently, Merch By Amazon is primarily a cash-flow-focused strategy for artists, albeit potentially lucrative.
Why Merch By Amazon is Ranked #1
Merch By Amazon remains the top print on demand opportunity for artists due to its unparalleled size and reach. No other print on demand site comes close to Amazon’s scale.
This translates to greater design visibility and higher purchase likelihood compared to other platforms.
Merch By Amazon Profitability
Merch By Amazon is inherently profitable due to zero participation costs. Account creation, uploading, and selling are free.
High royalty potential and consistent organic traffic often result in higher earnings for artists on Merch By Amazon compared to other platforms.
However, profitability depends on various factors:
- Target audience relevance of designs.
- Number of designs uploaded.
- Quality of design ideas and execution.
- Effectiveness of descriptive data (titles, keywords, bullet points).
- Current competition for similar designs on Amazon.
- Future competition (copycats/legitimate competitors).
Despite these variables, 100 designs on Merch By Amazon are likely to outperform 100 designs on other print on demand sites, primarily due to traffic volume.
Important Note: While traffic is a significant factor in sales potential, it is not a guarantee of sales success. Design performance can vary across platforms due to differing customer demographics and competition levels. Traffic numbers are not the sole determinant of success.
Personal Experience with Merch By Amazon
Merch By Amazon consistently dominates royalty earnings due to Amazon’s position as the world’s largest online marketplace.
For artists who can secure an account and manage the copycat issue, Merch By Amazon offers a highly profitable avenue for licensing t-shirt designs online.
2. Redbubble
Redbubble Logo
Note: Redbubble has introduced seller tiers, including fees for ‘standard’ tier sellers, making it a more complex recommendation due to potential fee impacts on earnings. More information on these changes can be found on the Redbubble blog.
Now transitioning to ‘true’ Print on Demand sites, Redbubble, an Australian company, is a leading platform.
Redbubble is the largest standalone print on demand marketplace in terms of total and organic traffic, with consistent growth over recent years.
Advantages of Redbubble
Strong Organic Search Traffic
Redbubble Organic Traffic Analysis
Redbubble has substantial organic reach, attracting significant traffic from search engines.
This benefits independent designers without large followings, as Redbubble effectively ranks designs on Google, particularly for long-tail keywords and niche searches.
Redbubble is currently one of the best platforms for getting designs seen by Google search users for free.
Brand Growth
Redbubble is increasingly recognized as a brand in its own right.
This brand recognition increases visitor numbers beyond just Google searches, leading to more potential sales for artists.
Product Quality
Redbubble uses global print on demand companies for production and shipping. Product quality can vary depending on the printing partner and specific product.
Flexible Artist Margins
Redbubble offers flexible artist margins, and customers are often willing to pay higher average prices compared to other platforms.
Redbubble Margin Setting Interface
Artist Branding Options
Designed with artists in mind, Redbubble provides branding tools, including profile and header images, social media links, and more.
Redbubble also features internal ‘follow,’ ‘like,’ and ‘bubble mail’ functions, promotes artists on its homepage, and offers a mobile app.
Redbubble Artist Profile Example
Google Shopping Ads & Retargeting
Redbubble utilizes Google Shopping ads and retargeting to promote designs at no direct cost to artists, increasing design visibility to potential buyers.
Disadvantages of Redbubble
Time-Consuming Upload Process
Redbubble offers a wide array of products, which can result in a lengthy process of adjusting artwork for each item.
The product upload and configuration process on Redbubble is not the most efficient, though not the worst. It is certainly less streamlined than Teepublic.
Redbubble Product Variety
Copycats and Infringement
Redbubble is susceptible to copycat designs and copyright/IP infringement issues.
Currently, Redbubble lacks automatic artwork scanning for design comparison, allowing direct copycats to emerge. Seller-controlled margins also enable undercutting, at least theoretically.
However, the copycat issue is less pronounced than on Merch By Amazon due to the difficulty in tracking top-selling designs on Redbubble.
Redbubble Review Summary
Redbubble remains a strong platform. Its robust organic reach ensures high Google ranking potential for designs, and its established brand audience aligns well with many artistic styles.
Redbubble’s size and reach make it ideal for artists seeking to tap into free organic traffic. It is well-suited for pop culture and ‘artsy’ designs but is not limited to these genres.
Even artists with Society6-style designs (florals, patterns, watercolors) should consider listing their work on Redbubble.
To maximize success on Redbubble, consult this in-depth guide: How To Sell On Redbubble.
3. Teepublic
Teepublic Cover Image
Teepublic is owned by Redbubble but operates as a separate site with distinct accounts.
Teepublic has followed and, in some aspects, improved upon the Redbubble model, though recent changes have made it less of a fully open marketplace.
Advantages of Teepublic
Strong Organic Reach
Teepublic Traffic Analysis
Teepublic boasts high organic traffic, second only to Redbubble.
Teepublic excels at ranking designs and categories on Google, effectively driving traffic to its platform.
Best-in-Class Upload Process
Teepublic offers, arguably, the fastest and easiest upload process in the print on demand industry.
While product variety may be less than Redbubble or Society6, Teepublic covers major categories while maintaining a simple product configuration process. Other platforms could benefit from adopting Teepublic’s streamlined approach.
Growing Brand Awareness
Teepublic shows strong growth in brand searches. Like Redbubble, this indicates increasing brand recognition and visitor numbers, benefiting artists selling on Teepublic.
Reduced Incentive for Copycats
Teepublic’s fixed royalty rates eliminate price undercutting by copycats and ‘improve-cats.’
While copycats still exist, the fixed pricing structure removes the financial incentive to undercut original designs, unlike on Merch by Amazon or Redbubble.
Disadvantages of Teepublic
Fixed Royalties Are Low (and Can Decrease)
Teepublic’s fixed royalties are $4 per t-shirt, reduced to $2 during sales.
Teepublic Royalty Rates
Despite low individual royalties, Teepublic’s effective sales promotions often result in monthly royalty earnings comparable to or near Redbubble’s levels.
Lower per-sale royalties are offset by Teepublic’s successful traffic generation during sales events, maintaining high monthly total royalties.
IP & Copyright Infringement
Similar to Redbubble, identifying top-selling designs is difficult for copycats, but design infringement remains straightforward.
Teepublic hosts numerous designs that are IP-infringing or borderline infringing, raising concerns about the platform’s long-term sustainability.
Teepublic Review Summary
Selling on Teepublic is highly recommended. While other platforms have seen fluctuations, Teepublic has maintained steady or upward growth.
Teepublic is approaching monthly earnings comparable to Redbubble, a trend echoed by other artists.
While not ideal for everyone, Teepublic is excellent for pop culture or humorous designs primarily intended for t-shirts.
Sell On Teepublic
For a comprehensive guide to selling on Teepublic, see: How To Sell On Teepublic.
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4. Society6
Society6 recently announced significant changes, transitioning from an open marketplace to a curated one, working with a select group of designers. More details here. The following information is primarily relevant for existing Society6 sellers.
Society6 Cover Image
Society6 is smaller than Teepublic or Redbubble (approximately half of Teepublic’s traffic) but has a large social media following and stable traffic and brand search volumes.
While Society6’s organic reach is not massive, it can be excellent for artists whose work aligns with their aesthetic and audience.
Advantages of Society6
Defined Aesthetic
Society6 has a distinct aesthetic, focusing on modern home decor and wall art.
Society6 Wall Art Examples
It is less t-shirt-centric than Redbubble or Teepublic, featuring more patterns, florals, watercolors, and abstract art, and fewer pop culture or novelty t-shirt graphics.
This clarity is advantageous for artists whose work fits this style and less so for those whose work does not. This contrasts with sites like Zazzle, Spreadshirt, or Cafepress, where a clear target style or demographic is less defined.
Established Brand Audience
Society6 leverages promotional emails and a strong social media presence to drive traffic beyond organic search.
This can benefit artists featured by Society6. If your style aligns with Society6’s aesthetic, your work may be promoted by the platform.
Decent Organic Traffic Percentage
Organic traffic accounts for a healthy 39% of Society6’s total traffic, indicating good SEO performance.
Work on Society6 has a reasonable chance of ranking on Google and driving additional traffic.
Artist Branding Options
Society6 offers branding options like artist bios, a follow function, and standard profile images and headers.
Disadvantages of Society6
Lower Traffic and Organic Reach
Society6 does not match the traffic or organic reach of Merch By Amazon, Redbubble, or Teepublic.
This makes gaining visibility more challenging unless you drive your own traffic (for traffic driving strategies, see below).
Niche Style Fit
Society6’s focus on florals, pastels, watercolors, abstract art, and home decor may not suit all artistic styles, particularly those focused on pop culture t-shirts.
Society6 Art Style Examples
Sales are possible for diverse styles but may be more challenging if your primary focus is pop culture designs.
Complex Upload Process
Compared to Teepublic, Society6’s upload process is more complex. The extensive product range makes uploading a somewhat daunting task.
Society6 Review Summary
While Society6 has been a presence since 2015, it has not been a major royalty generator for many artists.
This is often attributed to design misalignment with Society6’s audience and aesthetic.
Assess if Society6 aligns with your work. If it does, invest time and effort. If not, consider other platforms.
If your work suits Society6, also consider Spoonflower, a fabric and wallpaper site with a similar demographic and aesthetic style to Society6.
6. Displate
Displate Review Cover
Displate is a smaller platform with significant growth and a large social media following. It is a potential rising star in the print on demand space.
Traffic is relatively low, but Displate dominates the growing market for metal wall prints.
Advantages of Displate
Well-Organized Site
Displate’s site is well-organized and categorized. For platforms with lower organic reach, effective categories help customers discover products and assist artists in identifying suitable niches.
Organic Traffic Growth
Displate Traffic Growth Analysis
Displate shows strong organic traffic growth.
While current organic traffic numbers are smaller compared to larger sites, Displate is trending positively. It is one of the few sites researched showing growth in both brand searches and organic traffic.
Strong Social Media & Brand Growth
Displate boasts impressive social media engagement (especially on Facebook) and growing brand search volume.
If your work resonates with their audience, you can benefit from this growth.
Easy Upload Process
Displate’s upload process is straightforward, as expected for a site focused on a single product type.
Disadvantages of Displate
Smaller Platform
Low traffic numbers mean Displate may not generate substantial royalties immediately. However, early adoption on a growing platform provides opportunities to dominate niches as traffic increases.
Some Infringing Content
Displate, being a newer platform, has some ‘wild west’ aspects. Borderline infringing designs are present and likely contribute to sales. This may become a concern for long-term platform viability.
Displate Review Summary
Experiences with Displate are limited due to recent adoption.
The platform is user-friendly, and promotional efforts appear strong.
Long-term potential for design monetization remains to be seen, but initial indicators are positive. Uploading designs is quick, allowing for passive income generation.
7. Threadless
Threadless Review Cover
Threadless offers multiple artist selling avenues:
- Submissions/Challenges: Artists can submit to Threadless Design Challenges (including open-ended challenges). High-scoring/selected art is sold on Threadless.com.
- Threadless Artist Shops: Artists can set up customizable storefronts hosted by Threadless (e.g., yourname.threadless.com). Threadless handles printing, shipping, and customer service (Artist drives traffic).
- Threadless Search/’Discover’: Artist Shop designs can be included in Threadless’ ‘Discover’ section, searchable within threadless.com (beyond storefront access).
While options 1 and 2 are less relevant for direct site comparison, option 3 qualifies Threadless as a print on demand site.
Advantages of Threadless
Large Social Following
Threadless is a long-established brand, a pioneer in online t-shirt sales.
Threadless Social Media Presence
It maintains a significant social media following, larger than others on this list, and likely a substantial email subscriber base.
Threadless is active in promotions, with daily emails and regular sales, benefiting designs featured on ‘regular’ Threadless.
Consistent Style
Threadless maintains a consistent style and design aesthetic.
Threadless Design Examples
It avoids IP-infringing or ‘edgy’ content, focusing on unique, original pop culture designs from independent artists. Suitable for work fitting this mold.
Easy Upload Process
The upload process for Artist Shops (and ‘discover’ section inclusion) is straightforward, though not as streamlined as Teepublic, but relatively efficient.
Disadvantages of Threadless
Low Traffic & Declining Organic Reach
Traffic is low, potentially behind Displate and similar to Bonfire.
Organic traffic is 22%, significantly lower than Society6, FineArtAmerica, and far behind Teepublic and Redbubble. Threadless relies heavily on its marketing and promotions for sales.
Brand Search Decline & Reputation
Threadless’ reputation appears to have diminished recently. Organic traffic is not growing, and Google searches for ‘Threadless’ have declined.
Low Royalties
Royalties are disappointingly low, especially when Threadless manages shop pricing and promotions. Sales prices can be as low as $12 (potentially the lowest among listed sites).
Artist earnings can be as low as $1 or even $0.50 per shirt sale (e.g., $22 shirt sale earning only $1), a worse percentage than Teepublic, where a $14 sale shirt yields $2 for the artist.
Threadless Review Summary
Threadless is effective as a basic storefront and offers some exposure through its ‘discover’ system. However, significant organic traffic and sales are unlikely unless designs are selected for the main ‘Threadless’ collection.
Other Sites: Zazzle, Spreadshirt, CafePress, DesignbyHumans…
Smaller Print on Demand Platforms with Potential
Artists do not need millions of monthly visitors to generate sustainable income.
Niche dominance on smaller traffic sites can still yield substantial monthly earnings.
The following sites have lower traffic ratings but may be valuable depending on design-audience alignment.
Additional Print on Demand Options for Artists
For more avenues to sell art on products, consider:
- A Print on Demand Storefront (see below).
- Marketplace selling (e.g., Etsy, Amazon Seller Central) using a Print on Demand company like Printful or Printify.
- Own website selling (e.g., Woocommerce, Shopify), again using a Print on Demand company like Printful.
Print on Demand Options Chart
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Other Notable Print On Demand Companies:
Beyond the reviewed companies, numerous other on-demand t-shirt printing companies exist. Here is a list of Printful and Printify alternatives:
- Gooten
- Printlab
- SPOD (Spreadshirt Print-On-Demand)
- Apliiq
- CustomCat
- Lulu Direct
- Merchize
- JetPrint
- T-Pop
- Art Of Where
- Society6 Partner Program (for companies)
- Zazzle Create
If you know of a print on demand company that should be listed, please contact me.
Other POD Considerations, Tips, and Advice
Print on demand t-shirt companies involve many moving parts. Here are tips to enhance your POD business success in 2025.
Shipping and Other Costs
POD Shipping Prices
Most fulfillment companies have similar shipping prices, typically passing on direct shipping costs.
Do not overlook shipping costs, as high shipping can negate profit from low-cost t-shirts.
Other costs include marketplace fees (percentage of sales), payment processor fees (PayPal, Stripe), and potential monthly/listing fees from marketplaces (Amazon, Etsy) or web hosts (Shopify).
Potential additional costs:
- Marketplace or platform monthly/listing fees (Amazon, Etsy, Shopify).
- Fulfillment partner monthly fees (e.g., Printify Premium Plan at $29/month).
- Sales tax and other taxes.
- Shopify apps or other software.
Factor these into projections, as they can significantly reduce profit at lower price points.
Production Techniques
DTG (Direct-To-Garment) Printing is the standard for print on demand companies—CMYK printing directly onto fabric.
DTG vs Sublimation Printing
Excellent for most t-shirt designs, but all-over-printing (sublimation) or embroidery may limit fulfillment options.
Branding Options: Packaging Logos, Pack-Ins, Custom Labels, Warehousing
Branding options are crucial for independent sellers. Print on demand fulfillment often lacks personal touches.
Most fulfillment printers ship in unmarked poly-bags.
However, some are evolving:
Printful offers custom inside/outside labels (at extra cost), sleeve printing, package logo (FREE), custom packing slips (FREE with logo, optional message), and pack-ins (stickers, etc., not free—must be sent to Printful with storage/picking fees).
Printful Custom Branding Options
These options add cost but enhance professionalism and customer experience.
Printaura is another fulfillment company offering branding options:
Printaura Branding Examples
Printful also offers warehousing for non-POD goods for fulfilling bulk orders or shipping stickers, with associated storage and fees.
Refunds and Returns
Customers will approach you for refunds, not the fulfillment company.
DTG printing refunds are challenging due to custom orders. Fulfillment companies typically only refund for print/product quality issues.
Customer refunds will be at your cost (fulfillment and shipping).
Plan your refund policy: no refunds or absorb costs?
Low refund rates should minimize losses.
Re-use refunded shirts by requesting customer returns to you for giveaways or charity donations, creating positive social media content.
Marketplace vs. Own Store Selling
Print on Demand Own Store Benefits
For long-term brand building, prioritize customer data retention for future marketing.
Marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy limit customer data access.
Own stores on Shopify or WooCommerce enable:
- Customer email and address data.
- Email capture incentives (discount coupons).
- Facebook Pixel (or Google equivalent) for retargeting and audience building.
- Customer interaction via FB Messenger or WhatsApp for marketing.
Choose a Print on Demand Fulfillment partner integrating with Shopify, WooCommerce, or similar platforms for brand building.
Mock-Ups, Customization, APIs, Services
Printful Vs Printify Mockup Comparison
Printful Personalization Options
Printful Photography Services
2025 Recommendations and Predictions
For 2025, start with Printify for general print on demand needs, but use Printful for enhanced control and customization.
Printify has gained ground with flexible models and competitive pricing.
Printify’s print quality is reliable, turnaround times are generally fast, and provider selection is global. Product provider switching is now also possible. Major platform integrations and user-friendly interfaces are provided.
However, Printify lacks the branding features of Printful due to its outsourced model. Price savings may outweigh this for many. Printify is often the most competitively priced in the print on demand market. (See full Printify Review).
Printful Review Image
Printful has been a market leader for good reason: excellent print quality, fast turnaround, multiple global locations, broad integrations, branding options, solid support, and a seamless interface.
Higher pricing is the main drawback, but justifiable for consistent quality and reliable turnaround. Printful remains a top, dependable partner for starting a print on demand store. (See full Printful Review).
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What Is A Print On Demand Business?
Print On Demand Business Process
Print on Demand fulfillment is a relatively recent industry development, growing significantly in the past few years.
If you are wondering about ‘what is POD fulfillment?’ or ‘how does Printful work?‘, you are in the right place.
Print on demand technology is not new, but the emergence of companies offering ‘white label’ printing and shipping services for independent sellers is a recent and significant trend.
‘Print On Demand Fulfillment companies’, ‘T-Shirt Dropshipping Companies’, and ‘White-Label T-Shirt Printers’ are essentially the same.
Let’s define them, explain how they work, and identify who benefits from them.
What Is A Print On Demand T-Shirt Company?
A Print-On-Demand T-Shirt Company handles printing and shipping t-shirts to your customers as orders are placed.
They act as the ‘back end’ of your business: you receive customer orders, pass details to your fulfillment partner, and they print the artwork on the t-shirt and ship it.
‘Print On Demand‘ means no pre-printed inventory is held.
‘Fulfillment‘ indicates a drop-shipping, white-label service.
Customers perceive orders as coming directly from you, due to the ‘white label‘ service—printing, packaging, and shipping without revealing the fulfillment company.
Print-On-Demand fulfillment companies differ from Print-On-Demand marketplaces (like Redbubble, Teepublic, etc.). Fulfillment companies only offer printing and shipping services, not direct customer interaction.
POD Site vs Print On Demand Fulfillment Company Comparison
Print-On-Demand Marketplaces (Redbubble, Teepublic, Society6, etc.) handle all aspects and pay royalties to designers per sale.
Print-On-Demand Fulfillment Companies only handle printing and shipping. You pay them, keeping the profit margin between customer payments and your costs.
Designers, brands, celebrities, and independent sellers use print on demand fulfillment for convenience, broad product offerings, and low startup investment.
While t-shirts and apparel are common, fulfillment companies offer diverse products like posters, mugs, cushions, hats, embroidery, all-over-print shirts, and more.
Why Use A Print-On-Demand Fulfillment Company?
Reasons to use POD fulfillment companies like Printful or Printify:
- Sell t-shirts with your designs without self-printing or bulk inventory purchases.
- Sell products under your ‘own brand’ rather than directing customers to marketplaces (Redbubble, Amazon, TeeSpring).
- Sell on marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy without pre-purchasing stock.
POD fulfillment enables selling products that do not yet exist with minimal upfront investment.
If products sell, orders are passed to the fulfillment partner.
If they don’t, minimal financial risk is incurred compared to pre-printed inventory.
POD vs Screen Printing Comparison
POD fulfillment is ideal for new designers testing the market due to low risk.
Capital can be focused on audience growth, marketing, and advertising.
Print-On-Demand Fulfillment Factors
Choosing the right print on demand fulfillment partner is critical for long-term business success.
Print on Demand Fulfillment Factors List
Incorrect partner selection can damage customer reputation and switching providers can be complex and time-consuming.
Key factors to consider:
Product and Print Quality
POD Print Quality Assessment
Customer satisfaction depends on product quality.
Most POD companies use similar DTG technology and blank shirts.
Print quality has improved industry-wide with technology investment.
Kornit Printing Technology
Quality differences exist between companies, ranging from minor color issues to poor print durability.
Order samples from potential companies to test quality (typically under $20 per shirt and a worthwhile investment).
Most reviewed companies offer decent print quality with infrequent customer complaints.
Cost of Goods
POD Price Comparison Concept
Cost is a crucial factor determining pricing and profitability.
POD fulfillment companies combine blank t-shirt, printing, production, and packaging costs into a flat fee ($6-$13+).
Example cost comparison: Printful (left), Printify (center), and Gooten (right).
Printful vs Printify vs Gooten Pricing
Shipping costs (typically $3-$6) are additional.
POD shirts are more expensive than bulk screen-printed equivalents due to one-off ordering vs. volume discounts.
A US mainland shipped t-shirt might cost around $12. Selling at $20 yields ~$8 profit (other factors apply, see below).
Profit example:
POD Profit Calculation Example
Prices vary significantly by fulfillment company (see reviews).
Selling Platform & Order Reception
How will you receive customer orders?
Shopify or WooCommerce store? Etsy or Amazon marketplace?
Major POD companies offer direct integrations with popular platforms for automatic order processing.
Integrations Apps For Print on Demand Fulfillment Platforms
Integrations save time and reduce errors, ensuring quick customer delivery.
Automatic shipping notifications are also provided.
Manual order placement is also usually supported, useful for testing.
If seeking best Print On Demand companies for Etsy or Shopify, most major companies offer both integrations.
(Spoiler: Major Print On Demand T-Shirt Companies offer Etsy and Shopify Integrations).
Turnaround Time
Fast delivery is crucial for customer satisfaction (Amazon Prime effect).
No POD companies guarantee next-day delivery. Typical turnaround is 2-10 days for printing plus shipping time (excluding peak seasons/pandemics).
Turnaround times vary between companies but have improved recently.
Fastest Print on Demand Company?
Currently, Printify (using MyLocker or DreamJunction) is among the fastest.
Testing turnaround times with sample orders is recommended. Fast turnaround avoids customer frustration.
Note: Q4 (Christmas season) significantly extends print times. Provider switching may be necessary during peak seasons to maintain turnaround times.
Customer Location
POD Fulfillment International Locations Map
Where are most customers located?
US mainland customers are well-served by all major POD companies.
Canada, Europe, and further regions have less consistent coverage.
Major fulfillment warehouses are often US-based, with some European providers emerging.
Consider product origin if important. UK customers might be dissatisfied with US-shipped ‘UK-related’ shirts.
Is Print On Demand Profitable?
Print on demand can be highly profitable due to minimal setup costs.
POD fulfillment costs are approaching, and sometimes beating, small-run screen-printing costs.
Profitability depends on customer pricing and chosen fulfillment provider.
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Hopefully, this guide has provided helpful recommendations for the best print on demand companies in 2025.
If you notice any errors or omissions, please contact me via the contact page to help keep this page updated.
Please leave a comment below about your print on demand company choice for 2025 and your reasons.
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Thank you for reading!
– Michael Essek
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Print-On-Demand T-Shirt Fulfillment Guide
Updated: February 28, 2025
