Gelato Print On Demand Review – The Best POD Global Sellers?

In this Gelato print on demand review, I examine a POD platform known for its fast shipping capabilities through an extensive global network of partner fulfillment centers.

This Gelato review explores whether their print-on-demand services truly deliver environmental benefits through local production.

But is Gelato a good Printful or Printify alternative? Based on my testing for this review, yes it is!

So much so, that I have replaced Printful with Gelato in my main Etsy e-commerce store after thoroughly evaluating their service.

Gelato claims to be smarter, faster, and greener—this review investigates if that’s true.

How Does Gelato Print On Demand Work?

In evaluating how Gelato print on demand works for this review, I found they operate a global footprint with print partners across the globe.

They do not own any printers (think Uber for POD). Instead, this print-on-demand review shows they built a software platform and partner with printers worldwide to deliver a seamless experience for customers.

Did You Know: Gelato has the largest (their claim) printing and logistics network in the world, with over 100 print partners spanning 33 countries enabling local production and delivery to millions of customers across the world.

The Gelato print network reduces carbon emissions through its efficient delivery model, which impressed me during this POD review. Their advanced technology and 24/7 customer support allow anyone to start creating custom products with Gelato’s print on demand service.

Gelato POD operates in 33 countries, making it one of the most globally accessible services I’ve reviewed.

Simply sign up to Gelato, and connect it to your chosen e-commerce platform or marketplace.

Choose the product you want to sell, upload your design, enter product details and publish it to your store.

When you receive an order, Gelato will print and ship the item to your end customer. It’s as simple as that.

Gelato Platform & Software

For this Gelato print on demand review, I tested their software extensively and found it among the best available—simple to use and feature-rich.

How you interact with Gelato depends on which ecommerce platform or online marketplace you use. Most tasks can be accessed from the Gelato dashboard, which I found intuitive during my review testing.

If you use Shopify you can install the Gelato App on Shopify which syncs your products, orders, and order status automatically from your store and Gelato.

If you use Etsy you need to connect your store to the POD supplier to achieve the same result—a process I document in this review.

You can connect numerous stores across the various integrations they offer.

They also process manual orders for those selling on platforms that aren’t supported or selling without an online store.

The platform is simple to use and resembles many other print providers I’ve reviewed. You choose your product, upload your design, adjust it and enter details. Then simply publish it to your platform of choice.

One feature I find valuable in this Gelato review is the ability to import orders for products that weren’t created on their dashboard.

So if you use one of the many other POD suppliers as your main supplier and an item goes out of stock, you can import the order, upload the design, and have Gelato fulfill it instead.

I find the syncing of orders from Etsy to Gelato to be quicker than any other platform I’ve reviewed.

Gelato POD Mobile App

This Gelato print on demand review includes testing their free mobile app, which provides excellent functionality for managing orders on the go.

It provides notifications of receiving and shipping of orders and alerts you to any problems with your orders.

It’s easy to see the status of orders as well. While the app isn’t crucial to running a store, it’s definitely helpful based on my review experience.

AI-Driven Etsy Personalization

A standout feature in this Gelato review is their product personalization that uses AI to reduce manual effort.

Gelato has offered personalization for Shopify and Etsy for a long time, however, they’ve upgraded their software for Etsy sellers—a significant improvement I noted in my POD review.

Using Gelato’s new Personalization Studio feature for Etsy sellers, you can enable your Etsy buyers to personalize their items, and the Gelato Personalization Studio will automatically update your artwork and progress the order.

Apparel Print Area

In reviewing Gelato’s apparel capabilities, I found they enable printing in multiple areas on your apparel products.

You can print your design on the front and back (like everyone else does) but also inner neck and outer neck (great for branding) and on either or both sleeves. This is excellent if you want your products to stand out in a crowded market.

Making Designs

Unlike many other software platforms I’ve reviewed from POD suppliers, Gelato enables you to actually create designs within the platform. They provide graphics, text, and shapes to use to create designs, removing the need for additional software.

Product Personalization Tool

Gelato offers a market-leading product personalization tool that impressed me during this review. If you run an e-Commerce shop, your customers can use the Personalize Design button to launch an in-store editor to personalize their product directly during the purchase process.

Those selling on WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, and BigCommerce can also create personalized items. They access the editor for personalization via a link in an email after their order is submitted. Kindly note that the design editor might look slightly different when you configure your product in Gelato. You can read more about this workflow here.

You can also use the Personalisation option on Etsy and automatically have the designs updated to incorporate the personalisation.

Overall, this Gelato print on demand review finds the platform easy to use and offering more functionality than many POD suppliers.

 You can read more about this workflow here.

Gelato Product Catalog

In reviewing Gelato’s product catalog, I found it has seemed somewhat limited but they continue to add new product lines. They have all the main categories that will meet most sellers’ needs.

Phone cases

5 Different phone case types are offered by Gelato—all 5 are only offered for Samsung devices and iPhones, which I tested for this POD review.

The Slim Case and Tough Case are fulfilled in Australia, Canada, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

While the Bio, Flexi, and Clear cases are fulfilled in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, Singapore, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

I love the Tough Case—it feels premium and therefore can sell for higher margins, making it a standout product in this review.

Mugs & Bottles

The product catalog includes the standard white mug and color-changing mug similar to other large print fulfillment companies I’ve reviewed.

Gelato also offers a white porcelain slim mug and a 17oz Latte Mug which are not offered by many mainstream suppliers. The products are offered across 5 to 18 fulfillment centers globally.

Paper Based Products

Did You Know: Gelato owns Optimalprint, a photo-product business operating in 23 countries. Its orders are fulfilled by the same network Gelato gives you access to, so they really do use their own software and services.

Given the above, it is no surprise to see in this review that Gelato offers a strong range of paper-based and stationery products.

Products include:

• Calendars – fulfilled in 22 countries
• Photo books – Soft Cover and Hard Cover
• Cards (packs of 10)

Wall Art

One area in which Gelato excels in this POD review is in its Wall Art category. They offer posters, canvas prints, and wood prints which is a product where your design is printed onto wood so the grain shows through.

Wall Paper

Yes, that’s right, print on demand wallpaper—an innovative offering I haven’t seen from any other mainstream POD company during my reviews, and selling this would definitely help your store stand out from the crowd.

Stationery & Business

The stationary category includes the following, which is mainly aimed at businesses but could be an interesting addition to your print on demand store.

• Flyers
• Single fold brochures
• Multi-page brochures
• Roll fold brochures
• Accordion fold brochures
• Folders
• Letterheads
• Roll-ups

Apparel

Many sellers sell clothing in their online stores and therefore the quality and range of a supplier’s apparel products are key considerations in this Gelato print on demand review.

Gelato offers men’s, women’s and children’s clothing categories. The men’s and women’s range includes the following which should meet most people’s needs:

• T-shirts
• Tank Tops
• ¾ Sleeve shirts
• Long sleeve
• Hoodies
• Sweatshirts
• Organic
• Premium
• Sportswear

In the t-shirt category, Gelato includes the Gildan 5000, Gildan 64000 (my favorite), and the Bella & Canvas 3001—all quality options I tested for this review. All three shirts come in enough colors (10, 11, 9 respectively) to suit most sellers’ needs, but fewer colors than those offered by Printify.

The Gildan 64000 for example can be printed in 11 countries meaning quicker delivery times, cheaper shipping, and lower carbon emissions helping with your sustainability goals.

Gelato Pricing

Example Pricing

To give an insight into Gelato pricing here are a couple of examples:

Gelato: A medium black Gildan 64000 delivered to a USA-based customer costs $6.96 (ex vat) plus $4.54 shipping.

For comparison, Printful charges $8.95 and $4.59 shipping & Printify charges around $8 and $6 shipping

Gelato: A medium black Gildan 18500 hoodie to a USA-based customer costs $16.75 plus $7.24 shipping

For comparison, Printful charges $20.75 and $6.99 shipping & Printify charges $18 and $7.99 shipping

The above examples show that Gelato pricing is competitive.

Gelato Subscription Plans

An important aspect of this Gelato print on demand review is their subscription plans that reduce product costs and offer members additional benefits.

Gelato is free to use and they also offer subscription business model which provides discounts and additional features.

Gelato+

Gelato+ costs $24 per month and provides the following benefits:

• Up to 20% off product prices
• Premium Mockups
• Millions of stock images that can be used in designs
• Access to the product personalization tool
• And more

Gelato Gold

Gelato Gold costs $119 per month and provides the following benefits:

• Upto 25% off product pricing
• Product migration assistance
• Automatically fulfill custom orders
• Dedicated custom success manager
• And more

Gelato Software Integrations

During this Gelato print on demand review, I tested their integrations. Gelato has a limited number of integrations, but they integrate with the main platforms and offer both manual ordering and an API to link to your own site.

Gelato integrates with the following:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• Amazon
• TikTok Shop
• Wix
• WooCommerce
• Squarespace
• API

Gelato Print Quality

In this Gelato print on demand review, I carefully examined print quality and found it to be very high.

I have purchased many sample orders and seen for myself that the Gelato print quality is brilliant—a critical finding in this review.

I’ve sold many products using Gelato and I haven’t had to request Gelato reprint an order due to poor quality or print issues.

Gelato Embroidery Service

An exciting addition covered in this Gelato print on demand review is that Gelato now provides an embroidery service. The Gelato embroidery service allows you to offer embroidered designs using up to 6 colors.

Embroidery has a higher perceived value than normal printing so it can help you increase your profit margins—a benefit I confirm in this POD review.

Check out this page on how to design for embroidery.

Support & Customer Service

The support and customer service provided by Gelato is quick and helpful based on my review testing. On the Gelato site, there is a live chat feature to get swift support. There is also a help center that offers a large number of articles on the topics shown in the graphic below.

On the rare occasions I have had to contact them during this review process, they have responded quickly with answers to my queries.

Gelato Print On Demand Reviews

In researching for this Gelato print on demand review, I found that Gelato scores a 4.7 on TrustPilot.

Here are a summary of the points other customers made:

1. Exceptional Customer Support:
   • Many customers praised Gelato’s customer service agents, noting their helpfulness and quick responses. Agents like Charlo, Igon, and Giselle were specifically mentioned for their dedication to resolving issues promptly.
2. User-Friendly Platform:
   • Users frequently commended the Gelato platform for its ease of use. The design tools and ordering process are described as straightforward, making it accessible for creators of all skill levels.
3. High Quality and Variety of Products:
   • Reviews often highlight the impressive quality of prints and a diverse range of products offered. This variety allows creators to provide unique options to their customers.
4. Efficiency and Speed:
   • Many customers experienced fast shipping and effective order processing, which helps businesses meet tight deadlines and satisfy client expectations.
5. Sustainable Practices:
   • Gelato’s model of local production helps reduce carbon emissions and eliminates the need for inventory management. This appeals to environmentally conscious creators looking to minimize their impact.

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Negative feedback

1. Technical Issues:
   • A few users experienced technical difficulties, such as problems with saving designs. These issues caused stress, especially for those with looming deadlines.
2. Communication Challenges:
   • Some customers expressed dissatisfaction with the clarity of communication from the support team, feeling that their concerns were not adequately understood or addressed.

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Gelato continues to be a popular choice among print-on-demand creators based on customer reviews, balancing impressive service with areas for improvement. As they refine their operations, many remain optimistic about the potential for growth and enhanced customer experiences.

Best Gelato Alternatives in 2026

When conducting this Gelato print on demand review, I also compared alternatives.

The obvious Gelato alternatives are Printful and Printify, but you need to consider your requirements carefully.

Check that the alternative sells the products and the variations you are looking for. Do they ship to your target market?

There is no point using a US-focused supplier when you are planning to only sell in the UK.

Gelato Review Conclusion

Based on this comprehensive Gelato print on demand review, Gelato is a very professional POD supplier with market-leading software and the best Etsy integration I’ve used.

Gelato’s products together with printing technologies mean you get high-quality print at a good price point. The global reach ensures cheaper and faster shipping times which is also greener as the products don’t need to be transported as far.

I strongly recommend you consider using Gelato if they sell the products you sell in your eCommerce store even if you only use them as a back-up to other suppliers.

Gelato Review FAQ

Is Gelato compatible with Etsy?

Yes. You can integrate your Etsy store with Gelato so that they can fulfill your print on demand orders.

How do I integrate Gelato with Etsy?

Create a Gelato account on Gelato.com then from your dashboard click stores. Under Connect a New Store click Etsy and follow the simple instructions.

How Do I Use Gelato on Shopify?

Once you have a Shopify account and store created, click on Apps and search for Gelato. Once you have found the app, click install and follow the instructions to log in to your Gelato account.

Does Gelato Work In The UK?

Yes, Gelato works in the UK. Gelato offers UK based printing services so you can get your print on demand items printed and shipped to your UK customers quicker.