Boost Your Business with 11 Best Print on Demand UK Companies
So you want to start a print on demand UK based business but are struggling to find the right UK companies to partner with.
There are many big name print providers out there but most are US based that don’t cater well to the UK market.
Using US-based companies to serve UK customers causes slow delivery times and high shipping costs.
You’re in luck! I’ve tried most UK-based print-on-demand companies and know which ones you should and shouldn’t use to take your business to the next level.
In this roundup, I will rank and review some of the best print-on-demand companies in the UK based on my experience (pain and delight) using them.
I will look at products, pricing, integrations, and pros and cons – so that you can make an informed decision about which company is right for you.
- Largest Global Print Network
- Competitive Pricing
- Fast Fulfilment & Shipping
- Premium Subscription Plans
- Fast Etsy Integration
- Strong Sustainability Credentials
- Great Embroidery Offering
- High Quality
- Competitive Pricing
- Volume Based Discounts
- Easy to use
- Global Network
- Unlimited Color Embroidery
- Volume Based Discounts
This blog post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you purchase a product or service through an affiliate link on this site. This does not cost you or impact your purchase in any way.
What Are The Best Print On Demand Companies In The UK?
Here is my reviewed and ranked list of the best print-on-demand companies in the UK based on my experience using them to sell print on demand products online.
Gelato
Gelato is a print on demand company that was founded in 2013 and offers fulfillment centers in over 32 countries, including some based in the UK, through its network of print partners.
It offers a wide range of products from t-shirts and hoodies to mugs and phone cases. Gelato focuses heavily on sustainability, which is why they use eco-friendly inks and materials whenever possible. They also offset their carbon emissions through tree-planting initiatives.
Gelato Print on Demand Products
Unlike some UK print on demand companies Gelato provide a good range of cards, photobooks and wall art as well as the usual print on demand products such as t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts and mugs.
Integrations
Gelato integrates with the following ecommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Wix
- Squarespace
- BigCommerce
Gelato integrates with the following online marketplaces:
- Etsy
Gelato Pricing
Gelato are competitively priced and similar to Inkthreadable and AOP+ for the items they fulfill in the UK. As the items are printed in the UK Royal Mail shipping prices apply and are comparable to the print on demand companies already mentioned.
Fulfillment & Shipping Times
For a UK order, Gelato estimates a 4-7 business days production and shipping time which is similar to many other pod companies. I’ve found that they fulfill orders a little quicker than this.
For UK domestic orders Gelato uses Royal Mail for deliveries and also offers an express shipping option.
Support
Support is provided by email, and webchat on their website. There is not a Facebook group of note so you’ll just have to stick to the standard channels which should be sufficient for most peoples needs.
I’ve written detailed comparisons between Gelato Vs Printful and Gelato Vs Printify. Check them out to understand which is best for you.
Printful UK
Printful is one of the largest print on demand companies there is, shipping over one million products a month. It has a reputation for high-quality printing and has a number of fulfilment locations and has recently added a fulfilment center in the UK Birmingham.
Printful Print on Demand Products
Printful offers an extensive product catalog featuring over 365 products, however, only a small number of these are actually fulfilled in the UK. UK Fulfilled products include staples such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies as well as embroidered patches, tote bags aprons and scrunchies.
Unlike a lot of print on demand suppliers, Printful also offers an embroidery option for you to stand out in a saturated market.
Printful Integrations
Printful’s software is easy to use and integrates with more ecommerce platforms and marketplaces than most print on demand services making it a great choice if you are unsure of which eCommerce you’re going to sell on. As of time of publishing, Printful integrated with the following eCommerce sites:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Magento
- BigCommerce
- Ecwid
- Weebly
- Prestashop
- Shipstation
- Big Cartel
- Gumroad
- Shift4Shop
- Launch Cart
- Webflow
- Square
- Nuvemshop
- BASE
Printful also integrates with the following online marketplaces:
- Etsy
- Amazon
- eBay
- Storenvy
And if you have a big YouTube channel, Printful is one of a limited number of print on demand companies to be certified to integrate with YouTube so you can sell on your Youtube Merch shelf.
Printful Pricing
If you are just starting our Printful is more expensive than other print on demand suppliers which can make it hard to achieve the profit margins one would like.
In May 2023 Printful reduced their prices on key items. They are still more expensive than other print on demand suppliers but not by as much as they once were.
Printful entices customers with 20% off sample orders, up to 30% off bulk orders, and a monthly discount program based on the number of products you’ve sold with them in the previous month. comes into its own once you start selling bigger volumes as offer a volume price discount where you can achieve up to 9% discount based on your sales in the previous month (see below).
Shipping costs for a standard t-shirt shipped to a UK customer is £3.29 using Royal Mail RM48 service which is pretty standard and includes tracking which is great for customers and helpful for marketplaces like Etsy.
Fulfillment & Shipping Times
For products that Printful can fulfill within the UK (which is not all their products) fulfilment takes 4 to 7 business days. Items not shipped from facilities in the UK will take longer.
Support
Printful, like many print on demand companies, offers a number of ways to get support including email, chat bot and live chat on their site as well as a Facebook group in which Printful staff comment. They also have over 350 Youtube videos giving you help and tips on how to use the platform and also print on demand in general.
AOP+
AOP+ Overview
AOP+ is a UK operated print on demand company (incorporated in the US) that is growing significantly. It offers a wide range of standard products, like t-shirts and hoodies to mugs and phone cases as well as specializing in all over print sublimation and cut-and-sew products. They do all their printing and fulfillment in-house ensuring they control print quality and they offer worldwide shipping.
Print on Demand Products
AOP+ offer over 140 different products with more added regularly. Products include the standard t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and mugs as well as the more specialized all-over sublimation printing products which include high-quality cut and sew products.
Oh and don’t forget their famous custom-shaped pillows that I am yet to find offered by any other print-on-demand company. These are great if you want your pod business to stand out from the crowd.
AOP+ Integrations
AOP+ integrate with a small number of eCommerce platforms and marketplaces but they have plans to add a lot more in the coming year. They also offer a manual order process so you can sell on an online store on any platform and place the order on AOP+’s site:
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
Marketplaces
- Etsy
AOP+ Pricing
Because AOP+ are incorporated in the US there is no VAT to pay on their products which does give them an advantage over other print-on-demand companies however prices can fluctuate based on the exchange rate (GBP to USD).
AOP+ offer monthly and annual membership plans for a monthly fee of $9.99 or $19.99 per month which reduce the costs of products by 5% and 10% respectively. If you start making any sort of volume of sales the memberships can pay for themselves and enable your to make better profit margins.
Shipping and fulfillment costs are £3.29 for a standard T-shirt using the Royal Mail RM48 service (other options are available). Their shipping costs to the USA are cheaper than some other print-on-demand suppliers.
Fulfillment & Shipping Times
Processing time is 3-5 days with delivery depending on the shipping option you select.
Support
This is where AOP+ excels as AOP+ is one of the best print on demand companies when it comes to support. If you need to contact them you can via email and live chat on their website. Their response time on live chat is super impressive and have always resolved any queries really quickly and in a customer-friendly way.
Their Facebook group has a great community feel to it and their support team as well as the owner himself are often in the group providing answers to questions and seeking feedback from users.
Inkthreadable
Overview
Inkthreadable is a UK print on demand company based in the north of England, that was founded in 2013. It is one of the fastest growing companies in Europe and offers a wide range of products from t-shirts and hoodies to mugs and phone cases and focuses heavily on sustainability. If you are looking for a UK print on demand company with sustainability credentials, then InkThreadable are a great choice. They do all their printing and fulfilment in house so print quality is high as they are not reliant on other print partners.
Print on Demand Products
Inkthreadable offers over 280 print on demand products including all the staple print on demand products along with a range of t shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and more from eco friendly suppliers such as Stanley/Stella.
A range of active wear products has been recently added and Inkthreadable offer embroidery options enabling you to create premium products that are differentiated from the normal direct to garment (DTG) products.
Integrations
As of July 2022 Inkthreadable integrate with a good number of ecommerce platforms and marketplaces and also offer a manual order process so you can sell on an online store on any platform and place the order on Inkthreadable site. Current ecommerce integrations include:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Wix
- Squarespace
- BigCommerce
Marketplaces
- Etsy
Pricing
InkThreadable offer very competitive pricing. For example their Gildan 64000 t shirt costs nearly 20% less than Printful with similar shipping costs. This clearly shows that Inkthreadable are a great choice for your online store. They have recently introduced a volume spend discount programme that makes them even more attractive.
Support
Support is provided via email or the chat function on their site. There is also a very active Facebook group run by the team where you can get answers to generic queries.
Most of Inkthreadables negative reviews come from 2+ years ago. Many companies struggled through Covid. However, Inkthreadable have really grown and improved their processes, shown by all the more recent positive reviews.
Two fifteen
Overview
A UK print on demand company based in Blackpool, Two Fifteen do all their printing in-house.
Print on Demand Products
Two Fifteen offer a smaller range than other print suppliers (180+) but still more than enough for most online stores. The range includes the usual Gildan and Bella Canvas t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies as well as eco-friendly brands and activewear.
Integrations
Two Fifteen integrates with the following eCommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Big Cartel
- EKM
- BigCommerce
Two Fifteen integrates with the following online marketplaces:
- Etsy
Pricing
TwoFifteen is competitively priced offering products at a similar price point to AOP+ and Inkthreadable and cheaper than Printful.
Contrado
Contrado is a UK based print on demand company that was founded in 2002. It offers the ability to build your own store on its platform but also offers the standard print on demand dropshipping service.
Print on Demand Products
Contrado offers a range of 470+ premium custom products with some that you will not find elsewhere, such as wallpaper.
Integrations
Contrado only integrates with Shopify meaning your options are limited from a sales platform perspective but you can build a shop on their site.
Pricing
A little more expensive than other print suppliers and similar to Printful for UK fulfilled items.
Support
Support is provided by online chat on their website as well as the usual email channel.
Printify UK
Overview
Printify is a US based Print on Demand company that has a global print on demand supplier network. With an overall catalog of over 500 products, they are one of the major players in the print on demand industry. However, there are only two suppliers within their network that are located in the UK, WaaS, Prodigi (only some of their catalog) and T Shirt and Sons being the key ones.
Print on Demand Products
As the focus of this article is UK-based print-on-demand companies I will only mention the products that are fulfilled by UK-based print partners. The offering is somewhat limited when compared to catalog available to those across the pond, but the basics are covered as well as high-quality phone cases and some paper and art products via Prodigi.
Integrations
Printify integrates with the following eCommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- PrestaShop
- BigCommerce
- Wix
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
Prinitfy integrates with the following online marketplaces:
- Etsy
- eBay
Pricing
The pricing on Printify depends on which print supplier you use with the pricing ranging from expensive to competitive. However, Printify offers a membership plan (Printify Premium) which costs $24.99 but saves you 20% of the product costs. If you start selling high volume, this becomes very attractive.
Support
As Printify is one of the largest POD suppliers out there, support is offered across a number of channels including webchat, email and an active Facebook group. They also provide lots of training via self-hosted webinars and the a significant number of YouTube videos.
Prodigi
Overview
Prodigi is a global print on demand company headquartered in the UK. Prodigi’s mission is to make global printing, local by offering printing facilities located in the UK, the US and mainland Europe, as well as having a global network of print on demand fulfilment partners across the globe.
They see themselves as a POD platform, bringing together significant print on demand capability.
Print on Demand Products
Prodigi is known for its Wall Art products as it offers a large number of options for paper-based products so it is well loved by artists. The usual apparel products are available as well as a number home products, and technology cases that could be a good addition to your print on demand business.
Integrations
Prodigi integrates with the following eCommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- Wix
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
Prodigi integrates with the following online marketplaces:
- Etsy
Pricing
Pricing for UK products is a little higher than Inkthreadable and AOP+ but Prodigi arent targeting customers solely based on prices.
Support
Support is provided via online chat, email and Facebook group.
Snuggle
Overview
Snuggle is a UK based print on demand company that mainly works with the trade, but a print on demand service providing direct-to-garment (DTG) printing.
Print on Demand Products
Snuggle offer a fairly standard range of print on demand products including Stanley/Stella range due to their sustainability focus.
Integrations
Snuggle integrate with the following ecommerce platforms:
- Shopify
- EKM
Sunggle doesnt directly integrate with marketplaces but you can use their order import functionality to import orders from the following:
- Etsy
- Amazon
- eBay
Pricing
Snuggle’s pricing is very competitive shown by the price of a standard Gildan 64000 tshirt which comes in cheaper than most other UK print on demand companies.
Shipping costs are similar to many other UK print on demand companies as Royal Mail is used so the cost to ship a standard t-shirt in the UK is a little over £3.
Support
Support channels are limited to email and phone.
Yourdesign
Overview
Yourdesign is one of the smaller print on demand companies located in the UK that feature in our list but with eco friendly packaging and fast dispatch, they may still be a good option.
Print on Demand Products
Snuggle have a standard range of print on demand products but there is one product I haven’t seen anywhere else, the personalized temporary tattoos.
Integrations
Snuggle only integrate with Shopify or Etsy, but for many, that will be more than enough.
Pricing
Pricing is competitive and but not as low as AOP+ or Inkthreadable.
Support
Support channels are limited to phone or email.
Zazzle
Overview
Zazzle is a free to use platform that allows people to create and sell products with their own designs on them. It is different from the other print on demand companies on this list as users do not need their own store on a platform like Shopify or Etsy.
So if you don’t want your own online store, but want to sell clothing online then Zazzle could be ideal for your print on demand business.
Wrap Up
Whilst the UK isn’t as well served as the US in terms of local print on demand fulfillment, there are still a significant number of quality print on demand sites with UK fulfillment to choose from for your online business.
Many offer quality printing service on the usual collection of POD products. Some of the global suppliers in the list dont offer all their products from the UK so its worth double-checking.
If you are looking for a high-quality print supplier and are willing to forgo some profit, then Gelato is the best choice. If you are focused on sustainability and eco credentials then Inkthreadable is hard to beat.
Im hoping over time I can add more to this list of 11 print on demand companies that offer UK fulfillment but for now, there is enough for most ecommerce businesses to get started with and grow.
FAQ’s
What Is Print On Demand (POD)
Print on demand is a printing technology and business process in which print jobs are not printed until the customer orders them. This differs from traditional printing, where large print runs are produced in advance and stored until needed.
How Does Print On Demand Work?
Print on demand works by connecting your online store to a print on demand provider. When a customer places an order on your store, the print on demand provider will produce and ship the product to the customer on your behalf. This all happens automatically – you don’t have to lift a finger!
What Are The Benefits of Print On Demand?
There are many benefits of print on demand, but the main ones are that it is a low-risk way to start an online store, and that you don’t have to worry about inventory or warehousing. Print on demand also allows you to offer a wide range of products without having to invest in large quantities upfront.
Is Print on demand still profitable?
Print on demand can be a very profitable business model, but it is important to do your research and choose the right products to sell. With the cost of advertising increasing, selling print on demand products on your own website can be challenging as the average ad cost per sale is now well above $10.
As more and more print on demand companies enter the market new innovative products become available often with far higher profit margins which can really help ensure your print on demand store is profitable and help you stand out from the crowd.
What are the best print on demand companies in the UK?
Some of the best print on demand companies in the UK include Gelato, Printful, AOP+ and Inkthreadable.
WHAT IS PRINTFUL?
Printful is a print on demand platform that offers printing and fulfillment services for products such as t-shirts, hats, and mugs. They have a presence in the UK and are known for their high quality and fast shipping.
WHAT IS PRINTIFY?
Printify is a print on demand platform that connects business owners with printing providers in the UK and around the world. They offer a wide range of printing methods and have a user-friendly interface.
Are there any UK-based print on demand companies?
Yes, there are several UK-based print on demand companies including Gelato, Printful, AOP+ and Inkthreadable.
IS PRINT ON DEMAND A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL?
Yes, print on demand is generally considered a sustainable business model as it reduces waste and eliminates the need for excess inventory.
HOW CAN I START SELLING PRINT ON DEMAND PRODUCTS?
To start selling print on demand products, you can sign up for free on platforms like Etsy, or create your own print on demand business using Shopify or Launch Cart.