12 Cheap Printful Alternatives to Maximize Your Profits in 2024

Printful is a well-known name in the area of print on demand. It has been the starting point for many new sellers on the journey of selling print-on-demand products. Still, as the market evolves, there are now more and more Printful alternatives for you to try.

1. About Printful

1.1. How printful works

First started in 2013, Prinful is among the first companies to explore the potential of a worldwide print-on-demand fulfillment model. It has also become one of the largest print on demand companies in the world.

While it might be the most popular option for print on demand, it is not necessarily the best fit for every business. In fact, many experienced sellers have ventured and tried other Printful alternatives to maximize their customer experience as well as the margin profit.

1.2. Prinful locations

Printful currently owns five fulfillment centers in California, North Carolina, Latvia, and Mexico. Apart from these five main centers, the company also forms partnerships with other companies that run fulfillment centers in different locations across the globe, from the UK, Poland, Spain to Japan, Australia, and Brazil. This large network of partner facilities allows the company to deliver international shipping efficiently.

1.3. Printful services

Printful offers a wide variety of solutions for print on demand businesses. Here are some main services that Printful is providing:

• Store-front set-up
• Fulfillment and delivery services
• Branding options
• Design and photography services

1.4. How to find a good alternative to Prinful?

Print on demand is a business with a low margin. Printful’s expensive service will even narrow down that already small margin. As the result, many sellers have switched to other suppliers that provide more affordable pricing.

In addition, Printful’s category obviously doesn’t cover everything under the sun. If you are expecting to make money out of some unique and less common products, it is highly recommended that you search for other companies like Printful that can fulfill these products for you.

Here are something you should consider when picking alternatives to Printful:

• Product category
• Integration options
• Pricing

2. Best Printful Alternatives

The print on demand marketing is burgeoning with many new companies starting up. Each company comes up with a unique set of benefits and offerings. To help you from being overwhelmed by the massive amount of information, we have listed out a list of the best print-on-demand Printful competitors in the market.

Before getting into the details of each option, we will provide some key information on the best alternatives to Printful.

2.1. Printify

Printify is the most popular alternative to Printful. The company gains popularity thanks to its different solutions, a wider selection of products, and a more affordable price.

How Printify works

Printify’s business model is slightly different from Printful’s services. Instead of taking charge of the entire process of manufacturing and delivering, Printify will only take care of the delivery. In other words, Printful doesn’t have an in-house manufacturing facility. Their solution is to work with the printing partners who will help them to produce the items.

With this model, Printify is able to establish an extensive network of manufacturing facilities across the world. It allows Printify to minimize the shipping time and offer a cost-effective way to fulfill your orders

Printify vs Printful

Printify’s biggest advantage is its flexibility in terms of choosing the manufacturing facilities. Depending on the location of your customers, you can find the printing partners from where your product will be printed and delivered to the customers. It will significantly cut down the shipping time. Apart from the flexibility of choosing your printing partner, Printify also edges out Printful with a wider range of product options.

On the downside, it also means that the quality control could not be as good as Printiful’s system since Printify is not directly in charge of the production. There will be a gap in the product quality between different printing partners. Always be selective when choosing the printing providers on Printify.

Who is most suitable to use Printify?

Print on demand sellers who are looking for a cheaper alternative to Printful and sellers who want efficient shipping and larger product options.

2.2. Merchize

Merchize is obviously a newer alternative to Printful. While being a brand new name in the global industry, Merchize has already established itself as one of the leading print on demand companies in Vietnam. Within just 2 years, Merchize has continuously improved services to fit the needs and expectations of the customers. That’s why Merchize is able to offer various services with excellent quality that helps your business excel.

How Merchize works

Merchize offers comprehensive solutions for sellers, from creating a storefront to fulfilling and shipping your orders. Sellers can either host their storefront on Merchize’s platform or integrate Merchize with stores on other platforms and marketplaces. On Merchize’s print on demand platform, you can keep track of all the orders from your stores, check production statistics as well as the shipping tracking.

Merchize vs Printful

With only 180+ products on their side, Merchize does not offer as many products as Printful does. Still, Merchize can deliver decent numbers of products with some unique options that you can’t find anywhere else like Hawaii shirts, baseball Jersey shirts, leather wallets, car accessories, to name a few. These unique products can return a higher profit margin than other popular items. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain more with unique print on demand products like what Merchize is offering. It should be noted that Merchize has plenty of all over print products offered at very competitive prices.

• All over print pocket Hawaii shirt
• All over print regular fit Hawaii shirt 
• All over print baseball jersey 
• All over print casual bomber 
• All over print polo shirt 

Another great thing about Merchize is its versatility when it comes to marketplace integration. Merchize offers integration with almost every popular marketplace and platform for print on demand like Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and Woocommerce. Moreover, the API option allows you to connect Merchize to your store from different platforms. With production statistics and process tracking features, sellers can keep track of all your orders.

Who is most suitable to use Merchize?

Thanks to the competitive pricing, sellers can gain a higher profit when selling with Merchize. If you are expecting to widen your profit margin, Merchize can be a good option to choose. In addition, a unique selection of products can bring new opportunities to your business.

2.3. CustomCat

CustomCat is a print-on-demand service enabling creation and sale of personalized products like apparel and housewares, handling printing and shipping, freeing users to concentrate on marketing and sales.

How CustomCat works

CustomCat vs Printful

CustomCat manages to deliver a fast turnaround within the country. An order will be shipped within 2-3 days in the US, giving it a good competitive advantage over Printful as well as other companies in the industry. However, since the company doesn’t have fulfillment facilities outside the US, international shipping is not as fast as other print on demand companies that have a global distribution system.

Another thing that helps CustomCat stand out is its wide selection of products. CustomCat can offer some unique products that you can’t find on Printful.

Who is most suitable to use CustomCat?

CustomCat is a worth-considering option for sellers targeting the US market. Since international shipping to other countries outside the US is not as fast as other companies that have their fulfillment centers worldwide.

Moreover, since it only offers native integration options for WooCommerce and Shopify, sellers selling print on demand on other platforms or marketplace might find it difficult to connect their stores to CustomCat’s system.

2.4. Gooten

Gooten is a global print-on-demand platform, enables businesses to sell custom products without inventory or fulfillment concerns, partnering with manufacturers worldwide for on-demand production and shipping, ideal for all business sizes.

How Gooten works

Here is another Printful alternatives – Gooten. With Gooten, you can get your products up and running conveniently. Gooten’s platform allows you to upload your design, automatically list your products and track the delivery of your items. All functions are easy to use, even for a newbie. What’s great about Gooten is that it comes with some unique products from various categories, like stationery, home living, and more.

Gooten vs Printful

It should also be noted that Gooten shared the same operating solution as Printify. It means that the company doesn’t own any manufacturing factories. Instead, they will work with third-party companies to print your orders. Unlike Printify, Gooten doesn’t allow you to pick and choose the printing partners. It might count as a downside since sellers will have little control over the outcome of their products.

Gooten integration system is available for Shopify, Woocomerce, Etsy. If you are selling on other platforms like Amazon or eBay, you have to connect through Gooten API.

Who is most suitable to use Gooten?

If you are looking for a print on demand Printful alternative with attractive pricing, easy-to-use application, and unique product options, Gooten can be a great option to start with. However, since Gooten doesn’t support native integration with platforms like eBay or Amazon, it will be difficult for beginners to make it work for their Amazon or eBay store.

2.5. Print Aura

Print Aura is one of the first print-on-demand companies in the US. Being in the industry for quite a long time, Print Aura established itself as a reliable print-on-demand supplier.

How Print Aura works

Print Aura vs Printful

In comparison to Printful, Print Aura can offer attractive prices. It owns a wide product selection of over 360 items – one of the largest in the market. Besides, sellers using Print Aura are provided with various branding options. Their printing options can even edge out what Printful is offering.

A small turn-off of Print Aura is its outdated user interfaces which might not be as intuitive as other newer competitors.

Who is most suitable to use Print Aura?

Print Aura can be a great option for people who are looking for an alternative to Printful that offers a great price and a wide range of products. By offering various branding options, Print Aura is suitable for sellers who aim to raise brand awareness.

2.6. Spreadshirt

Spreadshirt is another veteran in the print on demand industry. Starting in 2002, Spreadshirt is a print-on-demand platform in which sellers can create and upload their own custom products. This platform is suitable for creators and artists who want to sell and promote their arts.

Spreadshirt offers a marketplace where you can list your design and find customers. Each store on Spreadshop can be customizable to match your brand.

How Spreadshirt work

Spreadshirt vs Printful

With regard to their product quality, Spreadshirt is very highly recommendable. It offers good products at fair prices. Moreover, if you are expecting to build an environmentally-conscious brand, Spreadshirt is right for you. It has sustainable and eco-friendly production, which aligns with your eco-friendly brand.

Besides, Spreadshirt also has its own Shopify app called SPOD, which makes it easier for you to connect to your Shopify store.

Who is most suitable to use Spreadshirt?

If you put a strong emphasis on the sustainability of your brand, consider using Spreadshirt’s service. However, it should be noted that Spreadshirt only supports sellers on their platform and Shopify stores. If you are running a store somewhere else, Spreadshirt is not an available option for you.

2.7. Teelaunch

Teelaunch is a popular print on demand Shopify app. After you integrate your Shopify store with Teelaunch, Teelaunch will automatically process all your orders, print the products, and ship them to customers.

Top Teelaunch unique products[/caption]

How Teelaunch works

Teelaunh offers great tools to create custom products and generate mockups. It also allows you to track the process conveniently without living your store.

Plus, since Teelaunch has facilities in different countries including the US, UK and Australia, international shipping can be processed efficiently, lowering the shipping time and expense.

Teelaunch vs Printful

When compared to Printify, Teelaunch doesn’t provide as many branding options and products. About the integration feature, Teelaunch is only available for Shopify users. To integrate Teelaunch with your Etsy store, you must have a store on Shopify first.

Who is most suitable to use Teelaunch?

Teelaunch is a built-in app for Shopify, making it a viable option for sellers who are running shops on this platform.

3. Are Print on demand sites good alternatives to Printful?

All the options above with the exception of Spreadshirt are all print-on-demand companies. These companies will only help you with the fulfillment and shipping. As a business owner, you are responsible for doing the design and marketing for your store. While you don’t have to worry about inventory management or shipping, there is a lot of work on your side when it comes to attracting traffic and sales.

But if you are just doing print on demand as a side hustle and don’t have much time to do all the work it takes, print on demand sites or print on demand marketplace is a great way to build a stream of passive income.

These platforms are the print on demand versions of the popular marketplace like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay. You can make use of the existing customers on these platforms to sell your products.

Compared to selling print on demand on the regular storefront, these sites require less maintenance. These platforms also do the advertising and marketing for you. The only thing you have to do is to create a winning design for your products. The rest will be handled by the print on demand sites. With their low-maintenance nature, these print on demand websites can be a good place to test the water before you go full force with your business ideas.

But the passive nature of the print-on-demand marketplace comes at an expense which is lower profit margins. A stable and good source of income won’t come easy.

2.8. Zazzle

Zazzle is one of the largest marketplaces for selling print on demand. On Zazzle, you only have to upload your design and the rest is handled by Zazzle themselves. Plus, you can make use of the big number of organic traffic on Zazzle.

The good thing about Zazzle is that it allows sellers to get the profit margins to your products. Sellers are allowed to set the profit margin somewhere between 5% to 99%. With the flexibility to set the price, you can adjust the pricing to create profitable products. Moreover, Zazzle has created a very user-friendly platform that makes it easy to use even for a newbie seller.

2.9. Teespring

Teespring positions itself as a marketplace for artists and content creators to sell their merchandise. After uploading your design to TeeSpring, the platform will be responsible for the printing and delivery.

TeeSpring is collaborating with popular platforms for content creators and online influencers like Youtube, Discord, and Twitch. Unlike other print on demand marketplaces on this list, Teespring still requires sellers to do the necessary marketing. It is an advantage for artists and influences who already have existing followers. If you have yet developed your personal branding, you will have a hard time getting sales for your products. In this case, Printify or other print on demand companies might be better options for you.

Teespring is a great option for online content creators, influencers who want to create a stream of income with their existing customer base. These people are familiar with online marketing and personal branding, which can come as an advantage to promote their products on TeeSpring’s marketplace.

2.10. Society6

Society6 is another print-on-demand marketplace that can be a good Printful alternative. Similar to Zazzle, sellers on Society6 can create their own accounts, add new designs and publish on the platform. It will require a small fee of 1 dollar to sell on Society6.

Society6 markets itself as a marketplace for individual artists to create and sell merchandise. Compared to the Printful or other print-on-demand marketplaces, Society6 is more focused on art print products. The audience on this platform is also geared toward the artsy side, making it an ideal place for artists to sell their artworks in the form of print-on-demand products.

Moreover, Society6’s supply system is not as optimized as Printful. The shipping time on this platform can take up to 5-10 days for the standard shipping option. For international shipping, the shipping time can even go up to 10 to 15 days.

With the expectation of some products like art prints, canvas, framed art, Society6 does not allow sellers to decide how much they can profit from a sold item. In most cases, the sellers can get 10% off the retail price.

2.11. Redbubble

Redbubble is not a strange name to the print on demand sellers. Redbubble is another name that you can add to your list of potential Printful alternatives.

Artists and designers can upload their art and put them on different products to sell on this platform. Redbubble has a strong competitive advantage of good traffic to the website. Since it’s a famous print-on-demand website, the competition here is very high. It is hard for regular designs to stand out in this sea of incredible designs and products.

Individual sellers or artists can find Redbubble a good place to start their print-on-demand business. Redbubble offers a place where you can put out design and test the buyer sentiment before making bigger investments.

AOP+ 

If you’re searching for a print-on-demand service that can turn your designs into striking all-over images, AOP+ is worth considering. Its dye sublimation process brings your plans to life in full colour, covering your choice’s entire garment or item.

AOP+ offers a variety of products, such as t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, and more, allowing you to pick the items that suit your needs best. With in-house printing, you can ensure that the quality is top-notch.

Orders can be shipped from fulfillment centers in the UK, US, or Europe, making it easy to reach your customers, no matter where they are. Additionally, you can add custom packing slips to your orders, giving your brand a more professional look.

AOP+ offers a variety of branding options, including private labeling and packaging stickers, to help you elevate your brand further. The service also provides up to 10% discounts, making it a budget-friendly option.

Who is most suitable to use AOP+?

AOP+ is an excellent choice for store owners who want to quickly create unique, high-quality print-on-demand products. If you need something specific or have questions, AOP+ has a live chat and email support to assist you.

T-Pop

T-Pop is a prodigious and outstanding European Print on Demand (PoD) solution that operates a top-tier production line in France, rendering it the epitome of ethical and eco-friendly practices. T-Pop is deemed an excellent preference for conscientious brands since all its products are guaranteed to be of paramount ethical and eco-friendly standards and are of remarkable quality.

By embracing T-Pop, you can infuse your designs into various products, including direct-to-garment printing or sublimation. T-Pop also offers a wide variety of branding alternatives, including the prospect of seamlessly including your brand logo in the packaging of your choice.

T-Pop has artfully automated many of the convoluted intricacies of operating a business, including fulfilling orders and proffering many products, ranging from tote bags to baby bibs, to match your clientele’s preferences impeccably. Consequently, orders require a relatively short duration of approximately 2-4 days to be prepared for shipping and are projected to arrive at their destination within 2-7 days.

Who is most suitable to use T-Pop?

T-Pop is an excellent PoD alternative to Printful for European business owners searching for an ethically conscious and ecologically sustainable partner. The eco-friendly products and packaging options are undoubtedly beneficial for companies that seek to distinguish themselves in a crowded market.

JetPrint

JetPrint is an undeniably phenomenal Print on Demand (PoD) app that offers a diverse range of customizable products far exceeding that of its competitors. In addition to the more conventional products, like hoodies and facemasks, JetPrint provides a more eclectic and avant-garde range of products, such as custom-designed shoes, watches, and a whole plethora of items that are otherwise unavailable through standard PoD partners.

In terms of production and delivery, JetPrint boasts an impressive 3-day production time for most products, and customers can expect delivery within 7 to 20 days, regardless of how far the product needs to travel. What sets JetPrint apart is its unparalleled flexibility, offering a diverse array of options for product customization, including all-over printing or a simple image adorning one product.

JetPrint is exceptionally user-friendly, equipped with a sophisticated automatic order processing system and express shipping service, thereby ensuring swift and efficient delivery for urgent orders. Furthermore, JetPrint frequently updates its product options, keeping abreast of the ever-changing industry demands and trends.

Who is most suitable to use JetPrint?

If you’re eager to explore unconventional POD products, like watches and shoes, JetPrint should unquestionably be at the top of your list. JetPrint offers an ingenious mockup generator to enable you to showcase your designs professionally and proficiently.

Spocket

Spocket offers an intriguing approach to Printful, an app that integrates with WooCommerce and Shopify stores rather than a combined design system and marketplace. This means you won’t have to create a new identity on sites like Etsy; instead, you’ll add the dropshipping functionality to your current store.

The marketplace in Spocket is enormous, enabling you to browse through various print-on-demand items and other dropshipping goods. The vast range of suppliers allows you to sell products automatically through multiple channels and automate a large portion of your sales process, so you can focus on scaling your business. It’s worth noting that supplier locations are limited, and you need help to personalize your packaging.

When pricing your products, it’s essential to consider the extra costs of customs and taxes to prevent scaring away customers. Prices can also differ based on the supplier you work with.

Who is most suitable to use Spocket?

Spocket may be an excellent choice if you’re using the dropshipping model to sell various products, not just print-on-demand ones. If you want to explore multiple items and continue using your current site, Spocket could be the perfect solution for you.

Sellfy

Sellfy has emerged as a fascinating alternative to conventional Print on Demand (POD) services. It offers print-on-demand services and enables you to create your eCommerce store from scratch. In fact, with Sellfy, you can sell an array of digital and physical merchandise, from t-shirts to ebooks.

Sellfy also boasts built-in email marketing, tracking pixels, discount creation, and upselling tools that help promote your products, plus analytics functionality allowing you to conveniently monitor your sales from your dashboard.

As far as costs are concerned, Sellfy offers three pricing tiers, starting with the Starter Plan of $29 a month, up to the Premium plan, which costs $159 a month and is billed monthly. The Premium plan comes with your web domain name, unlimited product listings, and marketing tools.

Who is best for Sellfy?

Sellfy is an excellent choice for startups looking to experiment with POD and seeking an all-in-one platform for hosting and marketing their products. Since you don’t need an existing store, you can begin selling immediately.

Gelato

Gelato is a perplexing Printful alternative that provides unparalleled access to international markets. With more than 130 production locations worldwide, you can offer lightning-fast and eco-friendly shipping across Europe, America, Asia, Canada, and Australia.

While Gelato can’t match Printful’s impressive product catalog, which extends beyond wall art to home items, it offers print-on-demand items across various niches, including apparel, phone cases, mugs, wallpaper, photo books, calendars, cards, and tote bags. Gelato’s seamless integration with all major eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, BigCommerce, Wix, and Squarespace, makes it a no-brainer for online sellers.

Gelato is free to use, but it has two paid plans that cost $14.99 per month and $99.99 per month, respectively. These plans provide access to additional design assets, more store integrations, different user accounts, and excellent shipping discounts.

Who is most suitable to use Gelato?

Gelato is ideal for sellers seeking to expand their global reach more sustainably. It covers several popular product categories, including wall art, apparel, mugs, and more.

4. Printful competitors comparison chart

Turnaround time comparison

Printing options

Facilities

Integration

Branding option

Pricing