The Absolute Best Print-on-Demand Companies
So, which print-on-demand companies can you work with to streamline your e-commerce business? Here are some of the best print-on-demand services available to business owners.
Table of Contents
Omar's Take
You’ll never go wrong with Printify regarding product quality. They provide some of the best all-over-print output for t-shirts and tote bags, making them a great option.
Their other print-on-demand products are also very competitive in pricing.
Best For:
Large-scale custom designs
Price:
Starts at $29 monthly
Annual Billing:
Starts at $24.99 monthly
Promotion:
Free plan
Printify is another POD service with a vast network of printing partners worldwide. This way, you can pick the fastest supplier with the most competitive prices in your country.
This way, your customer gets your products faster while you improve your profit margins.
Features
Integrations with Major Online Platforms
Printify doesn't offer you an online storefront. Still, it seamlessly integrates and syncs with online store platforms so that your orders move into production and fulfillment as soon as your online store gets the order.
845+ Products
With this print-on-demand company, you can choose from more than 250 custom products, including pet beds, t-shirts, phone cases, and more. You also have various printing options to help you achieve the best design application.
Various Printing and Embroidery Services
Your printing options with Printify include embroidery, sublimation, cut and sew, and direct-to-garment printing, among others.
Enterprise Plan Discounts
With Printify's Premium and Enterprise plans, you can get significant discounts on each product ordered.
Cons
While it’s one of the best print-on-demand sites in terms of user experience, Printify is a bit lacking on the customer service side.
Pricing
Here are Printify’s pricing plans.
- Free – $0
- Premium – $29 monthly
- Enterprise – Custom Pricing
Omar's Take
Gelato is a print-on-demand provider with over 130 hubs in 32 countries. With a wide variety of production hubs, shipping times are much faster than with some smaller POD companies.
Gelato claims that they print and ship ~90% of their orders from the same country of destination, making it an excellent choice to consider for your POD business, especially considering that, based on user feedback, the product quality is very high compared to other companies in the market.
Best For:
Global Sellers
Price:
Starts at $14.99 / mo
Annual Billing:
Starts at $139 / year
Promotion:
Free Plan Available
Gelato is an excellent POD platform that has a near-perfect reputation in the market with an average of 4.7/5 rating on Trustpilot, being the highest in the market.
Features
Fulfillment Locations Around the Globe
Gelato boasts a global network that spans 32 countries and has 130+ production partners.
Their network of high-quality production partners allows them to automatically connect to the order to
the nearest production partner and fulfill it quickly.
This means that the end customers get faster and cheaper delivery with reduced carbon emissions.
Fast Shipping
Hyper-localized production ensures reduced shipping time, and you can rest easy knowing
your business is not done at the planet's cost.
Reliable Products
Everything listed in their catalog is consistent in look, feel, and quality. You get what you
pay for. Gelato also strives to reduce its carbon footprint. This company may be an excellent solution if you want to start an eco-friendly ecommerce business.
Easy Integration
Gelato supports the integration of your own website or e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, and eBay.
Customer Support
If there are any issues, their customer support is on standby 24/7, ready to assist and guide.
Personalization
You can personalize your orders with custom packaging inserts and branded labels without the storage or minimum order requirements, allowing you to make your brand more visible to customers.
Cons
Gelato does not own or operate any of the printing warehouses, this means they subcontract the printing to various local producers. If, in a rare case, you need extra help with an order, you might need to contact the local supplier.
However, they are highly reliable and based on my research, the issues are minimal overall (less than 1%).
Pricing
Here are Gelato's pricing plans.
- Gelato Free – $0
- Gelato+ – $14.99/mo or $139/year
- Gelato+ Gold – $99/mo or $999/year
- Gelato+ Platinum – Custom
Depending on the number of orders you have per month, you can unlock access to exclusive discounts, a large selection of premium visuals and graphics, and advanced personalization tools in the design editor. It will help you slash shipping costs to a considerable extent.
Omar's Take
Printful is one of the best print-on-demand companies because it’s easy to use, complete, and highly competitive.
I’ve seen many companies succeed with Printful when they start selling because it’s business-friendly and effective.
Best For:
E-commerce business owners
Price:
Starts at $9 monthly
Annual Billing:
$99 annually
Promotion:
Free plan
Printful is one of the best print-on-demand companies. Apart from being famous, it’s relatively easy to use.
Printful’s signature features include a mockup generator and integrations with the most popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify.
Features
Fulfillment Locations Around the Globe
The POD service also has fulfillment locations all over the globe, helping online sellers reach a global audience if they wish to.
Extensive Print and Embroidery Services
Printful also provides direct-to-garment printing and sublimation, which help simplify printing and fulfillment for POD stores. You can also sell embroidered products through Printful.
Video Production Services and Customizations
You can have Printful take care of your video production and create customized stickers and personal notes to go with orders to improve your customer experience.
Integrations with Major E-commerce Platforms
Printful integrates with all major ecommerce platforms so that you have an automated delivery system for your print-on-demand business. You simply take the orders, and Printful produces and ships the final product to your customers.
You can even order products in bulk from your Printful store to sell at offline retail channels.
Cons
The fixed monthly subscription is a bit on the higher side, but only because Printful has many features that could help your online store greatly.
Pricing
Here are Printful’s pricing plans.
- Printful Free – $0
- Printful Plus – $9 monthly
- Printful Pro – $49 monthly
Omar's Take
SPOD is superior in print quality. I especially like their sew-all-over print products and the quality of their apparel products.
If you’re looking to integrate a company with a sustainable mission into your own store, SPOD is a great option as they try to recycle as much solid waste for their packaging items. They use zero-plastic packaging as well to lower plastic waste.
Best For:
Sustainable businesses
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
Free forever
The next best print-on-demand company is SPOD. This quick and accurate provider ships 95% of orders within 48 hours, helping you create a highly-satisfying experience for your customers.
Features
Easy-to-Use Product Designer
SPOD offers an easy-to-use product designer that anyone can learn, making it the best print-on-demand marketplace for beginner sellers. It also boasts a simple shipping model based on the value of the items you order.
Customizable Shipping Rules
This print-on-demand site also lets you create shipping rules based on order value and use cross-selling and upselling to extend your customer lifetime value.
Extensive Customization Tools
You can customize products based on your preferences with SPOD's customization tools when you upload your designs for t-shirts, tote bags, phone cases, and other products.
Cons
Because SPOD is so popular, there can be some delays to your fulfillment at times. This could cause some frustration on the part of your customers.
You can also work around this by setting expectations before selling through SPOD.
Pricing
Here are Spod’s pricing plans.
- Men’s apparel – Starts at $8.18
- Women’s apparel – Starts at $9.09
- Kid’s and babies – Starts at $9.33
- Accessories – Starts at $6.56
Omar's Take
If you have a personal brand on social media, YouTube, or podcast that you want to monetize, you can use Apliiq to start a merchandise line.
You can sell t-shirts and other apparel products through this print-on-demand service.
Best For:
Personal brands
Price:
Varies depending on the product.
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
Free Plan
Apliiq is another POD company that allows you to create retail-quality private-label products to sell through online retail channels.
Production takes up to seven days, depending on your order size. Apliiq offers weight-based shipping starting at $3.99 and ships internationally to over 150 countries.
Features
Wholesale Discounts
This print-on-demand company offers great wholesale discounts for bulk buyers.
Customizations
You also have extensive print customizations available with this print provider. Accordingly, you can configure design requests like the interior lining of hoodies, short sleeves, and long-sleeve t-shirts.
Additional Pockets and Patches
Apliiq also lets you add pockets and patches to your clothing.
Rush Order for An Additional Fee
You can also request a rush order or expedited shipping for an additional fee for more urgent orders.
Cons
Apliiq has a limited product line. So, this service might not be the best option if you want a wide variety for your print-on-demand business.
Pricing
Price depends per item.
Omar's Take
If you’re an apparel business, CustomCat might be the option you’re looking for. You can use their free plan when you’re starting and upgrade to their Pro account if you want lower prices per item.
Best For:
Apparel businesses
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
$300 a year for pro account
Promotion:
60-day free trial on pro account
If you’ve looked into print-on-demand apparel, you’ve likely heard of CustomCat. This POD site has a large selection of print-on-demand products in categories like clothing, homewares, and accessories.
Features
Simple Mock-up Generator
CustomCat has a simple mockup generator that creates stunning images for your product pages and promotional materials.
3D Dye Infusion Printing
Besides standard printing options, you can also offer products with 3D dye diffusion, a printing technique that embeds ink in the fabric so that prints last longer.
Competitive Fulfillment Prices
CustomCat also provides a competitive fulfillment service at par with other POD providers in terms of pricing and shipping times.
Cons
Creating products on their dashboard isn’t as user-friendly as other options on this list.
Pricing
- CustomCat Lite - Free
- CustomCat PRO - $30 monthly - gives you 20-40% off standard wholesale prices
Omar's Take
If you plan to sell only shirts in your business and not other custom products, then Teelaunch might be a good enough supplier for you.
It’s got some great t-shirt printing options and superb fabric quality, meaning your customers will only get the best shirts from your store.
Best For:
Selling t-shirts
Price:
Varies depending on the product.
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
N/A
Teelaunch is another print-on-demand company that lets you dropship t-shirts and other items online. In many regards, they’re also one of the best providers of customized products.
Features
Integrations with A Handful of Popular Sites
With Teelaunch, you can sell print-on-demand goods on sites like Shopify, Bigcommerce, or Etsy. The service offers great printing options, including direct-to-garment, cut-and-sew, all-over printing, and laser etching.
Competitive Production
Teelaunch’s production typically takes three to six business days, depending on your order.
Bulk Order Feature
Additionally, a manual order tool lets you bulk order products to sell offline or stock up on-hand merchandise. You’ll also get some great bulk discounts.
Cons
Teelaunch has fewer integrations than other options to this list, so you won’t be able to automate as many selling channels. The company's fulfillment is also outsourced, so you won’t have much control over that process.
Pricing
Teelaunch’s pricing varies per product.
Omar's Take
If you’re looking for a POD company that’s known for its speed of delivery, Jetprint could be one of the best options out there.
It’s even greater that they have expedited shipping at very reasonable rates. As their tagline implies- you can create, they will fulfill. They do a very good job, as well.
Best For:
Custom brands
Price:
Varies depending on product type.
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
N/A
JetPrint is one of the best print-on-demand companies if you want to sell watches, yoga accessories, and home decor.
Speed is of the essence with this provider, as the name implies, as they aim to print excellent quality products and send them out to your customers as fast as possible.
Features
Professional Looking Product Mockups
Using this print-on-demand service, you can produce professional-looking photos from multiple angles to showcase your products.
Fast Production Times & International Shipping
Production times will normally last three to five business days with JetPrint. The company offers free global shipping, albeit with longer delivery times. International shipping usually takes 14 to 20 business days.
Expedited Shipping
If you want faster shipping, you can get express shipping for an additional $15. Base shipping costs depend on the size of the order and destination.
Cons
While it’s fast, there have been reports that the quality might miss the mark every now and then with JetPrint.
Pricing
The app itself is free to use. The prices of products vary depending on the product.
5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Print-On-Demand Supplier
Your choice of print-on-demand company will significantly impact your business. So every print-on-demand entrepreneur should ask, “how do you know if a print-on-demand company is an ideal choice?”
Print-on-demand businesses should study these considerations when choosing a print-on-demand provider.
1. Quality Products
A beautiful design won’t matter if the product is of terrible quality.
Check the quality of a print-on-demand company’s products by ordering test samples before deciding which one to go for. You can do this with several suppliers too.
It will entail a specific cost, but it will be worth it if it means avoiding the painful mistake of working with the wrong POD company.
Moreover, you should get a sense of the quality of other POD products that you might not sell immediately so you have room to expand your product line.
2. Customization and Printing Options
Print-on-demand companies often offer a wide range of customization options. Printing and customization options vary, so choose a company that can give you what you need.
Whatever print-on-demand site or customization option you choose, ensure it fits your printing and design requirements.
3. Quick Shipping Times
With services like Amazon Prime and combined shipping on eBay, customers can expect fast shipping when shopping online.
Building a good brand and getting repeat business will be difficult if your products don’t arrive on time. You should consider the average shipping time when choosing a print-on-demand company before deciding which one to go for long-term.
The ideal time for customers to receive their products is within one week of placing the order. This could vary, of course, so the rule of thumb is to find the fastest delivery provider.
4. Reasonable Product Costs and Shipping Rates
Another essential consideration when choosing a print-on-demand service is your business cost. Shipping rates, printing costs, and monthly fees are the major make-or-break expenses in your print-on-demand business.
Choosing a print-on-demand company with high product and shipping costs likely means that you’ll make less profit per sale.
To grow your business, find lower-cost suppliers to improve your margins. This way, you bring a higher take-home pay or have more budget to invest in content marketing and paid ads.
While you want to save on expenses, you don’t want to compromise on your product’s durability and print quality. Finding that sweet spot between cost and quality will be a game-changer for your business.
5. The Ability to Integrate With Other Platforms
A print-on-demand service should let you sell on multiple platforms to reach more people.
Some standard integrations with other marketplaces include Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and your own ecommerce website built on either Shopify or WooCommerce.
Remember to leave room for growth by not discounting the possibility of you selling on channels you might not yet have. Doing so will help you avoid the hassle of switching between print-on-demand services down the road.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Print-on-Demand?
Print-on-demand (or POD) is a dropshipping business model that gives you a full ecommerce fulfillment service to focus on selling custom products.
Print-on-demand companies oversee sourcing, storing, printing, packaging, and shipping products to customers.
By working with print-on-demand companies, your only tasks will be to design the prints, set up your website, and market them to potential customers.
84% of ecommerce sellers said finding a good supplier was the biggest obstacle to starting a business.
You can solve this recurring problem with print-on-demand, primarily if you work with vetted providers with proven results. This is where it helps to know which print-on-demand companies to use.
What Are the Different Types of Print-on-Demand Companies?
Print-on-demand sites generally fall into two categories:
Print-on-demand services – allow you to sell products under your own brand on third-party marketplaces such as Etsy.
Print-on-demand marketplaces – have dedicated print-on-demand platforms where you can sell your designs. A print-on-demand marketplace is an excellent option if you don’t want to build your own online store.
The downside of selling on a marketplace is that they’re often saturated with other vendors, increasing your competition.
What Products Can You Sell Through Print-on-Demand Company?
Print-on-demand services typically offer the following POD products:
- Bags
- Hoodies
- Mugs
- Notebooks
- Phone covers
- Posters
- Stationery
- Stickers
- Towels
- T-shirts
Some print-on-demand companies offer less conventional products, including the following:
- Bags and bottles
- Bedsheets and blankets
- Face masks
- Garden accessories
- Headphones and speakers
- Jackets and sweatshirts
- Kids’ clothing and toys
- Kitchen accessories
- Pillows and throws
- Sneakers, boots, and flip-flops
- Wall art
- Watches and jewelry
- Yoga pants, leggings, joggers, and jeans
How Do You Price Print-on-Demand Products?
When pricing your print-on-demand products, follow these steps and best practices:
Evaluate your product costs (design, production, shipping, taxes, and platform fees).
Add your own profit margin to the product cost: product cost + profit margin = retail price.
Determine your minimum orders by dividing your other monthly costs by your profit: Other monthly costs ÷ profit = minimum orders.
Set a price that covers all your expenses and leaves room for profit.
Can You Make Money With a Print-on-Demand Business?
Printed-on-demand (POD) has been around for a while.
You might think many eCommerce stores and stand-alone print-on-demand marketplaces have already saturated the market.
However, the print-on-demand industry is still in its early stages and continues to grow year-on-year.
In 2021, print-on-demand t-shirts alone were worth $3.96 billion. With a compound annual growth rate of 9.7%, that value will reach $9 billion by 2032.
However, this doesn’t mean anyone who starts print-on-demand stores will thrive. Like any business, print-on-demand pays back what you put in.
Building an audience and serving them quality designs are still crucial to succeeding at launching your print-on-demand store.
Bottom Line
So there you have it. These are the seven best print-on-demand companies and all considerations and insights needed to start selling products through POD dropshipping.
In retrospect, there’s no single best print-on-demand company. Your choice should be contextual to your needs as a business owner and the kinds of print-on-demand products you want to sell.
The right print-on-demand company will depend on the type of print-on-demand dropshipping business model you want to start.
All in all, keep in mind that you should be passionate about the whole process. You can streamline your business with dropshipping, but you will have to put a lot of hard work into it initially.
Don’t forget to enjoy the process. If you do, your ecommerce store will inevitably grow as you invest time, energy, and love into your online business. All the best!
