One of the most popular business models is print-on-demand (POD). What’s great about it is that it prints your designs on a wide selection of products – whenever you need them. Compare that with traditional printing manufacturers, which, more often than not, only let you print your items in bulk. That can be bad for your business in the long run. It’s a good thing that POD exists to counter any potential problem that may come your way.
When it comes to delivering top-notch POD features to a variety of clientele, Printify is one name you may probably recognize. If you’re not in any way familiar, Printify lets you create good quality products at a reasonable price. However, there are other POD providers these days that offer the same services Printify has, and in this article, we’ll be comparing each of them against the other, one by one!
For those of you who prefer a more visual experience, here is a video review by Alex from afbelardi’s YouTube channel. To get a comprehensive overview of Printify, you may still want to check out our article below.
Printify: A Quick Overview Print On Demand Companies Comparison
Printify lets burgeoning businesses and freelance online merchants sell various products with fully customizable designs. T-shirts, clothing, bags, hats, and mugs are among the products the platform offers, as well as other valuable items such as those for home decoration, paper stationery, jewelry, and even footwear. Printify’s powerful yet simple design editor allows users to choose from a variety of built-in fonts and shapes, or import pre-made designs that they can place where it suits them best. Print-making is provided for by the platform along with its long list of over 90 partner manufacturers in the US and beyond.
Printify integrates seamlessly with a bunch of e-commerce services such as Etsy, Shopify, Squarespace, and other affiliates. A convenient API tool and WordPress plug-in are provided for custom integrations with third-party apps that may not be part of the list. Printify’s free plan is a great option for beginners merchants as it provides access to many of the basic features and tools. There are also paid subscriptions for those already established in the market, starting with the Premium tier at a price as low as $24.99.
Printify is widely praised for its simplicity and convenience, from the interface with the designer to connecting with external platforms. It’s also essentially free to access, and faster in terms of product services compared to some of the competitors we’ll be taking on shortly. However, there are a few things that Printify may be lacking, such as support for a few files, particularly Illustrator (.ai) files; varying degrees of quality; and poor return/refund handling.
Despite a few setbacks, Printify has a plethora of essential POD tools enough to help you and your business grow. But, if you’re not fully sold with it yet, here are the other four alternatives you might want to check out! Printify India
Printify vs. Printful
Printful is arguably Printify’s closest competitor yet in terms of quality POD services. The former, like Printify, allows users to create custom-made products, including t-shirts and clothes, bags, accessories and home decorations. What sets it apart from the other, though, is the clothing collections that it offers for those who wish to create one. And it doesn’t stop there! Printful offers more features and functions that others might not know about. With Printful, all orders are printed in-house with its own print manufacturing factories. A select few inventory warehouses located in the US and Europe are also provided by the platform.
> > Click Here to Check Out Printify < <
All Made by Printful
There are many benefits to having your own product-making facility. One of these is the guarantee of high-quality prints. To compare, POD platforms that outsource third-party printmakers – like Printify – may usually have recurring inconsistencies with product quality. One product may come with a stellar quality print, while the other may end up looking haphazard. Aside from having in-house facilities, Printful has tons more options to choose from and utilize, from wide file support coverage to a twice-as-long integration list with tons of e-commerce apps, among other things. In addition, just like Printify, Printful offers an accessible API tool. Printify India
High-End Rates & a High Price Range
Printful isn’t just easy to use, but it also guarantees quick product turn-around. The shipping is much faster, added with better, more affordable rates, and it has a much wider reach worldwide, compared with Printify’s almost US-exclusive focus. Printful seemingly and easily has the upper hand with more features and high-quality products, but some of those tools are only available in its Printful Pro plan. It costs $49 per month, the amount twice as high as Printify’s $24.99/month Premium plan.
Printify vs Teespring
Teespring, also known as Spring, is similar to Printify in that it provides a platform for merchants and manufacturers to market custom products. Teespring has an in-house printer, just like Printful, which can print high-quality products without having to outsource. It also ships the items on your behalf. Teespring has been a huge help in providing merchandise to a wide variety of creators, from YouTubers Justin Whang and Lily Hevesh, to respected musicians like Queen and Freddie Mercury.
Help Is Within Your Reach
There are plenty of interesting things that make up Teespring, such as its training center – apart from the usual FAQ, users get more hands-on knowledge on how the print-on-demand industry works and what to do in it. Teespring also offers design resources where users can find inspiration and get helpful feedback. Users can also hire freelance designers. This is a great way to get beautiful-designed items, but aren’t sure how. What’s awesome about this is that all of these are available for free – no other charges but product and shipping rate, and no hidden fees!
> > Click Here to Check Out Printify < <
More Than Just POD
Teespring isn’t just a POD service. It also has an e-commerce marketplace where products can be sold after going through the design editor. Printify and Printful don’t require you to connect to other e-commerce platforms or major marketplaces to sell your products. The only downside, though, is that the integrations here are far more limited, and if you do wish to connect to a traditional online marketplace or website, the Spring API is probably the best thing you could find. Despite the lack of options, Teespring offers exclusive integrations with video streaming services such as YouTube and Twitch, making it very content creator-friendly. Another thing worth mentioning is that the product range is limited, with only up to about 50 types to choose from.
Printify vs Shopify
You may have recognized Shopify beforehand. You may have also seen that name pop up earlier in this article. And so you may be wondering, “Why is Shopify being compared with Printify, all of a sudden?” Well, the former, in theory, should have ready-made POD tools like others on this list do. But the way Shopify operates is completely different – it wasn’t originally planned to operate as a fully-fledged print-on-demand business. Shopify was designed to sell everything from cakes and artworks to other products, so the POD aspect may be an afterthought. With a little effort and some adjustments, it is possible to sell POD products on Shopify.
Shopify’s Apps make it easy to start a POD store
The process of making a POD-focused storefront can get quite complicated, as it requires searching for the right tools that offer efficient and reliable POD services. Thankfully, Shopify has an app store where users can download and incorporate different kinds of business solutions into their sites. A wide array of POD-related services is available on its app store; these can range from product design-builders to printing and shipping providers. It’s worth mentioning that Printify and Printful already have Shopify apps, both of which are free to use and easy to integrate, so at least there’s a silver lining to that.
> > Click Here to Check Out Printify < <
The Premier E-Commerce Platform for Businesses
Shopify offers three subscription levels. The lowest is $19 per month, while the highest is $299/mo. The platform is ideal for merchants looking to set up their own POD store. It has advanced marketplace tools, detailed analytics, and limitless integrations aimed to generate high traffic and customer conversion rates. Unlike in Teespring where it’s easy to create a storefront, Shopify often requires you to build one completely from the ground up. Printify India
Printify vs Redbubble
If you’re an artist, you might have heard of Redbubble once or twice. It’s a popular POD fulfillment platform that boasts a wide product range and a network of merchants. It operates similarly to Printify in terms of offering POD-related tools, and like Teespring in that there’s a dedicated built-in online marketplace where goods can be sold. What makes Redbubble unique is its focus on visual artists. Redbubble cares about the diversity of creative communities it serves, which is evident in the number of services and features it offers.
An Artist-First Platform
Redbubble’s Partner program allows artists and designers to create and sell their work on the marketplace. These items include t-shirts and clothing, accessories and stickers, posters, stickers and phone cases. They get to earn royalties as well as profit once their products are sold. Through the partnership with popular brands and media franchises like Adult Swim’s Rick & Morty and Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, they can also create official fan artwork. Redbubble allows you to sell physical merchandise, but you can also offer pre-made designs that buyers can customize to their specifications.
Free POD Tools and Top-Notch Quality
Redbubble is totally free, so merchants won’t have to pay anything other than the products they sell or the fees associated with them. Redbubble gives merchants full control over their profit margins, and they can also access a wide variety of customer support options to help them. Like in Printify, the product quality may vary depending on the manufacturer, but it’s reliable and solid overall. Although the overall experience is positive, you should still consider what may be lost, such as a lack of integration with third-party apps, a non-existent merchant protection policy, and limited branding customization.
Last Thoughts Printify India
Is Printify still the best POD service out there? Depending on personal preference, the answer may vary. If you believe it’s not the right fit for your business, you may want to consider any of these instead:
> > Click Here to Check Out Printify < <
- Printful is perfect for those who want an upgraded Printify-like service at an upgraded price.
- Teespring is the ideal choice for aspiring and established content creators and influencers.
- Shopify is a great platform for those wishing to create their POD store from scratch.
- When it comes to offering solid POD tools for a wide range of creative artists, Redbubble is highly recommended.
Printify is still worth a try if you aren’t changing your mind. Printify is a great option if you are looking for a platform that allows you to design on a variety of products, print quality items with reliable manufacturers, ship them within days, integrate seamlessly with third-party platforms, and offers premium solutions at an affordable price.