Best Printful Alternatives – Maximize Your Profits In 2024

Many POD sellers start with Printful because it’s well-known, has a reputation for good quality, and is easy to use.

But, once you’ve had a few orders come in you will probably start to look at your profit margins and wonder if there are Printful alternatives you should be using instead.

Some POD suppliers may be better for your needs, but Printful may still be the best option in some cases.

So before you migrate all your products to a new supplier, give this article a read.

Key Takeaways

Printify offers a vast network of printing partners, over 850 products to customize, prompt delivery leveraging its partner network, has easy integrations with popular e-commerce platforms, and is a robust solution for expanding merchandise range.

Gelato provides an extensive network of over 130 production facilities across the globe, offers faster international shipping, provides seamless integration with major platforms, up to 50% discounts on shipping costs, empowering global brand growth.

Inkthreadable is rooted in environmentally friendly printing techniques, offers sustainable customization options, provides fast shipping within the UK and Europe with eco-friendly logistics, has a UK-based production center dedicated to green practices, and aligns with ethical and eco-friendly business operations.

Why Look for Printful Alternatives?

Product Costs – For many products Printful costs more than many of the competition. We will compare pricing 

Variety of Products – Whilst Printful has a good-sized catalog many of the products aren’t available in all locations

Location – Printful has numerous fulfillment centers across the globe, but if they don’t have one near your customers, you may want to look elsewhere.

Printful Summarized

Printful is one of the largest print on demand suppliers.

Pricing – Standard pricing is higher than many POD suppliers. Recent price drops have bought them closer, as has their Growth Membership program.

Catalog – Over 350+ products, but not all of those products are available globally.

Fulfillment – Fulfillment centers across the globe including the US, UK, Spain and Canada

Integrations – More integrations than any other POD supplier I’ve seen. Integrates with 30+ ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Launch Cart, Etsy, woocommerce etc

Decoration Types – Printful offers DTG, All Over Print and emrboidery.

Software – Super easy to use and robust. Etsy integration allows order imports for non-connected products.

Branding – Printful offers a range of branding options, that allow you to customize your products with your logo, labels, and tags. 

Best Printful Alternatives

Gelato Print-On-Demand

My go-to POD supplier & my top choice, Gelato is an ideal Printful alternative.

Gelato Pricing

Gelato standard pricing is competitive and in a number of cases its the cheapest pod platform (before memberships).

Gelato offers three tiers of subscription Gelato+, Gelato Gold, and Gelato Platinum. Each brings a reduction in the shipping prices and additional features and tools e.g. premium mockups, AI-driven personalization tools.

Gelato Vs Printful Price Comparison

Printful Vs Gelato price comparison: Gelato is cheaper than Printful both on products and shipping.

Product	Printful	Gelato
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $20.90 + $6.25* To US: $18.55 + $8.23
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $8.21 + $4.16* To US: $8.14 + $4.66

Gelato Catalog

Gelato offers a smaller product catalog than Printful but all the basics are covered.

T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, phone cases and mugs etc.

As Gelato started as a gift card printer, there are a good number of paper-based products available.

Gelato POD Fulfillment

Gelato prides itself on its ability to print locally to your customer. With over 130 print partners spanning 32 countries, Gelato’s fulfillment capabilities are second to none.

I have yet to find a quicker print partner for UK-based orders.

Gelato POD Integrations

Gelato integrates with all the key ecommerce platforms, Etsy, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and more.

Not as many as Printful, but more than enough for most people.

Gelato Decoration Types

Gelato offers DTG and embroidery. No AOP products

Gelato Software

If you speak to Gelato (which I have) they will tell you they are a software company and they believe they have the best software in the industry.

I agree too. The software is easy to use, the Etsy integration is super fast and orders sync quicker than any other POD supplier I’ve used.

Gelato recently added AI-driven personalization for Etsy that automatically creates personalized artwork for you. Game Changer.

CJ’s Thoughts On Gelato

I’ve recently transferred the bulk of my product listings to Gelato. I didn’t start with them, as I didn’t know about them. I wish I had.

I’ve placed many orders through Gelato and fulfillment is fast. I’ve not experienced quicker UK fulfillment. Using Gelato for UK orders meant I could set my Xmas cut-off dates 4 days (with standard delivery) later than if I was using other UK providers.

Printify

Printify is the most well-known alternative to Printful as it’s grown massively in recent times and is all over YouTube.

Printify is a network of print suppliers which, unlike some in this list (Gelato) you get visibility of the suppliers and have to choose which one you want to use.

If they are out of stock, the order can be rerouted to another of Printify’s partners, but it’s a layer of complexity that shouldn’t exist for users.

Printify Pricing

Printify is known for having low prices and that reputation is well founded.

Printify Premium brings a further 20% reduction on the base costs of products too making them very hard to beat on price.

Printify Vs Printful Price Comparison

Printful Vs Gelato price comparison: Gelato is cheaper than Printful both on products and shipping.

Product	Printful	Printify
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $22.13 + $5.99* To US: $20.34 + $8.49
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $7.93 + $3.99* To US: $9.28 + $7.99

Printify Catalog

The Printify catalog is one of the biggest offered by POD suppliers.

There are 850+ products offered by suppliers all over the globe. Whilst the catalog is large, some products are only offered by one or two suppliers in the Printify network. This becomes challenging when the only option is a China-based supplier.

Printify Fulfillment

The fulfillment of products by Printify is carried out by their network of suppliers.

Printify has many print providers across 110+ print facilities that span the globe, the auto-order rerouting allows orders to be printed by a supplier closer to your customer.

Not all suppliers in the Printify network are equal though, some provide lower quality and different print areas which can cause a few issues.

Printify Integrations

Printify integrates with all the key ecommerce platforms including:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• Walmart
• eBay
• PrestaShop
• BigCommerce
• Wix
• WooCommerce
• Squarespace
• Launch Cart
• Printify Pop-Up Store

Printify Software

Prrinty’s software platform is really easy to use, and powerful and I’ve never had an issue with the software itself.

Like the better platforms, it allows you to import orders for products that aren’t synced with your store.

Got more than one store? Printify makes it easy to copy your products to another store.

Printify recently released their Printify Pop Up Store capability that enables you to use Printify’s software and bypass the need for an ecommerce platform. You can sell direct.

CJ’s Thoughts On Printify

Printify offers great pricing and a large product catalog. It’s easy to get started and once you start getting a few orders in Printify Premium enables you to make even more profit.

If you’re selling just to US-based customers, Printify is hard to beat. If you sell to other markets Gelato is a better bet.

Inkthreadable

A UK-based pod supplier with a focus on sustainability, high-quality printing and good customer service.

Inkthreadable Pricing

Inkthreadable pricing is competitive if you are selling within the UK. If you sell to other countries, like the US, then Inkthreadable isn’t really a viable option due to high shipping costs.

You can achieve a 10% cost discount with Inkthreadables reward pricing based on your volume of sales. If you sell more than £500 of products a month you get 5% discount. Sell more than £7500 and you can get 10% off.

Inkthreadable Vs Printful Pricing Comparison

Like several European POD Suppliers, Inkthreadable doesn’t sell the Gildan 18500 instead they sell the AWDis College hoodie, which is a very similar product.

Product	Printful	Printify
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $20.19 + $7.99* To US: $20.19 + $16.49
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $8 + $3.99* To US: $8 + $9.99

You can see that if you are selling within the UK, Inkthreadable offers better pricing than Printful. However, if you are selling to the US, then Inkthreadable just aren’t a viable option, unless you can get your customer to pay a lot for shipping.

Inkthreadable Catalog

Inkthreadales Catalog includes 250+ products covering clothing, accessories and homeware.

They have a strong collection of organic & vegan-friendly clothing products stocking a significant range of high-quality Stanley/Stella apparel.

Inkthreadable has implemented a Core Products concept, which are popular products that they keep in stock at all times meaning they can print and ship your order quicker.

Inkthreadable Fulfillment

Inkthreadable fulfillment is carried out at their base in north west England.

If you sell to the UK this is ideal, however, with no other printing locations, customers from other countries will have to wait longer and pay more for shipping.

Want a real sustainability focus? How about no plastic used in packaging. Thats Inkthreadables approach. Eco to the core.

Inkthreadable Integrations

Inkthreadable integrates with a limited number of ecommerce platforms and marketplaces but these should be more than enough to keep most people happy.

• Shopify
• Etsy
• TikTok
• Big Cartel
• WooCommerce
• Wix
• Squarespace
• Order Desk

Inkthreadable Decoration Types

Inkthreadable offers three decoration types:

• Direct To Garment (DTG)
• Embroidery
• Unlimited Color Embroidery

The last option in the list is a game changer and something not offered by any other supplier in the UK (yet).

Unlimited color embroidery is exactly what is says. You can have a design embroidered with no limit on the number of colors you can use.

Inkthreadable Software

Inkthreadable recently upgraded its platform that gives it a great base to build from to add additional features.

How about a free automated personalization feature for Shopify sellers?

The platform is not quite as easy to use as Printful but it is robust and I have had no issues with the platform itself.

CJ Thoughts On Inkthreadable

Printful print and ship quicker than Inkthreadable which isn’t surprising given their scale.

I’ve always received positive customer reviews when selling Inkthreadable fulfilled items and their embroidery is on point.

If you’re in a niche that would pay a premium for high-quality organic products printed by a sustainably focused company, Inkthreadable could be a better choice than Printful.

AOP+

AOP+ is a leading UK based print on demand company that offers some unique products not found elsewhere with competitive pricing and friendly customer service.

AOP+ Pricing

As AOP+ is incorporated in the US, UK customers do not have to pay VAT. This ensures AOP pricing is better than most.

AOP+ offers two levels of membership subscription that bring the price down by 5% and 10% for $9.99 per month and $19.99 per month respectively. Taking one of these options ensures, AOP+ pricing is hard to beat.

AOP+ Vs Printful Pricing Comparison

Like Inkthreadable AOP+ doesn’t sell the Gildan 18500 instead they sell the AWDis College hoodie, which is a very similar product.

Product	Printful	AOP+
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $18 + $7.99 To US: $18 + $13
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $9.99 + $3.99 To US: $10.99 + $5.99

For US orders Printful edges it from a pricing perspective.

AOP+ Catalog

AOP+ has a small catalog of 140+ products with all the usuals, t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, hoodies, and also high-quality all-over print products.

One product they offer is the custom-shaped pillow. Really fun product. A great Xmas gift.

AOP+ Fulfillment

AOP+ Fulfillment takes place at its London UK base which makes it ideal for UK-based sellers.

I have found that AOP+ is slower to get items printed and shipped than Printful (and Gelato) but they are consistent in meeting the expectations they set.

AOP+ Integrations

AOP+ Integrations are limited to Shopify, Etsy and BigCommerce.

AOP+ Decoration Types

AOP+ only offers DTG printing and AOP sublimination printing. There is no embroidery offering.

AOP+ Software

AOP+ Software has its pros and cons. It’s pretty basic and requires you to upload your design using set dimensions with very little in the way of adjustments once uploaded.

The platform does make it easy to apply designs to multiple products in one go.

Etsy orders are slow to sync too which can get frustrating.

CJ Thoughts On AOP+

I started using AOP+ in early 2020, just before the pandemic. As a company, they rose to the challenge. They were transparent and communicated really well throughout.

Having continued to use AOP+ , I feel the company has stood still (or even gone backward) whilst its competitors (Printful and Inkthreadable) have moved on with new capabilities.

Whilst AOP+ pricing is competitive, I would not consider them as an alternative to Printful unless you are a UK seller and even then there are better options.

Teelaunch

Teelaunch is a well-established POD supplier with a US focus and UK, Spain, Canada and Australia-based fulfillment centers.

Teelaunch is known for its innovative products often leading the way as other suppliers struggle to keep up.

Originally focused on Shopify stores, Teelaunch has added additional integrations which have helped it become an excellent alternative to Printful.

Teelaunch Pricing

Teelaunch Pricing for products shipped to the US, is similar to Printful but a touch higher.

If you are looking to sell globally then Printful is a better option due to its fulfilment centers outside of the US resulting in cheaper (and quicker) shipping.

Teelaunch Vs Printful Pricing Comparison

Product	Printful	Teelaunch
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	Not available
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $9 + $10.50 To US: $9 + $6

Due to higher shipping charges, Printful comes out cheaper than Teelaunch for the Gildan Tshirt.

Unfortunately Teelaunch doesnt sell the Gildan 18500 hoodie so we cant compare it to Printful.

Teelaunch Catalog

The platform features a diverse range of more than 120 product options beyond T-shirts, including distinctive items such as power banks, cork coasters, dog bandanas, and various jewelry pieces.

They are known for having some unique products like those shown below.

Teelaunch Fulfillment

Teelaunch fulfillment is carried out across 19 fulfillment centres 4 of which are outside the US.

Not all products are available across all locations which is a bit disappointing.

As with many others, Teelaunch is heavily USA-focused.

Teelaunch Integrations

Teelaunch originally centered on its Shopify app but has now added integrations with Etsy, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. 

Teelaunch Decoration Types

Teelaunch only offers DTG printing, but it also sells die-cut metal signs which can be sold for high margins.

Teelaunch Software

If you sell on Shopify you need to use the Shopify app. If you sell on Etsy or WooCommerce you need to use the Teelaunch site.

Both the app and the website are super easy to use even for beginners.

Orders sync quickly, but not quite as quickly as Gelato & Printful.

CJ Thoughts On Teelaunch

Teelaunch is a good choice if you are looking to add alternative items to your store.

The die-cut metal signs are big sellers and the basketballs and golf balls give sellers something different to stand out from the crowd.

However, if you sell outside of the US then there are better options, which include Printful.

SPOD

SPOD is the POD arm of Spreadshirt the POD platform where you can sell directly to customers.
They have been around for 20+ years and are known for speedy printing

When you sign up to Spod you have to select either US or EU fulfillment. They are run as separate companies.

Im not sure why they have done this as it puts people off. If you sell in both regions, you’re a bit stuck and you’re better off with Printful.

SPOD Pricing

SPOD Pricing is standard only as there are no subscription / memberships on offer to reduce the pricing.

SPOD Vs Printful Price Comparison

Product	Printful	SPOD
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $22.43 + $9.89 To US: $22.43 + $5.99
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $11.94 + $6.99 To US: $11.94 + $4.47

Surprisingly Printful comes out cheaper than SPOD for both US and UK-based orders.

SPOD Catalog

The SPOD Catalog consists of 200+ products. Most of the bases are covered from an apparel perspective and they do offer alternative brands.

For example, they don’t stock the Gildan 5000 but do stock the Bella canvas 3001, fruit of the Loom and Spreadshirts own brand t-shirts.

There is nothing remarkable about SPODs catalog (but I like the bears below) but for those selling the standard apparel items you’ll be fine.

SPOD FulFillment

SPOD states that 95% of orders are printed and dispatched within 48 hours. That’s pretty good unless you are selling into a different region than you’ve signed up for.

They have four fulfillment locations, one in the USA and 3 in Europe.

If you have signed up to use their US location and have an order from Germany, it will still be printed and shipped from the US. Madness right?

• Las Vegas (United States)
• Leipzig (Germany)
• Krupka (Czech Republic)
• Legnica (Poland)

SPOD Software

SPOD software is quite different from many other POD suppliers in terms of how it’s laid out. There is a Shopify app that works well with orders syncing quickly.

You can also use the SPOD website to create products and publish them to your store.

SPOD Integrations

SPOD integrates with the following ecommerce platforms

• Shopify
• SquareSpace
• Magento
• WooCommerce
• Etsy via OrderDesk

The inclusion of OrderDesk enables you to use other platforms and sync via Order desk instead of directly from Etsy to SPOD for example.

CJ’s Thoughts On SPOD

If you’re a US-based seller selling to US customers using Shopify then SPOD is an OK choice.

If they merged their US and Europe-based fulfillment into one company then they would be able to compete with the POD suppliers who have more of an international reach.

In short, Im not sure why one would choose SPOD over Printful, especially given that Printful now has the Growth Membership which makes them even cheaper.

CustomCat

CustomCat is one of the more established Printful Alternatives. They have been in operation for over 20 years, do all their printing in-house, and have an average dispatch time of 1.5 days.

CustomCat Pricing

CustomCat has a free plan and a subscription for $30 per month that reduces the cost of their products.

CustomCat Vs Printful Price Comparison

Product	Printful	CustomCat
Gildan 18500 Hoodie (L)	To UK: $21.95+ $6.99* To US: $21.95+ $8.49	To UK: $21.99 + $16.25 To US: $21.99 + $13
Gildan 5000 T-shirt (L)	To UK: $9.25 + $4.59* To US: $9.25 + $4.69	To UK: $9.58 + $9.25 To US: $9.58 + $4.99

Prinful are cheaper than CustomCat for both US and UK delivered items.

CustomCat Catalog

The CustomCat catalog is a similar size to Printfuls offering 370+ items.

There are some cool jackets that could work really well in some niches, and some nice caps. All the standard apparel items are covered too.

CustomCat Fulfillment

CustomCat Fulfillment is carried out at their single Detroit USA location.

This is ok for US orders, but international orders will take some time to get to your customers and cost quick a bit more.

CustomCat Integrations

CustomerCat integrates with Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.

There is also an API that could enable you to integrate with other platforms.

CustomCat Decoration Types

CustomCat decoration types include DTG, AOP but no embroidery.

CustomCat Software

The CustomCat software is ok. It isnt as feature rich or as easy to use as Printfuls, Gelato’s or Printifys though, but it is functional.

CJ Thoughts On CustomCat

CustomCat is a decent, reliable yet unremarkable choice for US sellers who focus on the US market.

If you sell globally Printful and Gelato are better choices.

Other Printful Alternatives

Above we’ve covered the best Printful alternatives. Here are a few others that are worth a mention if the above arent right for you.

Gooten

Gooten is a dependable and scalable print-on-demand option, well-suited for more substantial enterprises.

It has manufactured and delivered millions of items, with 95% of those products dispatched on time.

Gooten is a US-focused POD supplier but has 70+ print partners. Its pricing is competitive but again, if you sell outside of the US you may want to stick with Printful.

Gooten Pricing is competitive if you’re selling within the US only. Once you start selling internationally then Printful could still be a better option due to its international fulfillment centers.

Print Aura

I nearly didn’t include Print Aura in this list on principle. If you go to their website you’ll see why.

It looks like it was designed in the 90’s and hasn’t been updated since.

Whilst that may not be reason enough to avoid them. Why would you even consider them as a Printful alternative is beyond me?

Print Aura Pricing

Print Aura come in more expensive on both product and shipping for the Gildan 18500 and Gildan 5000.

Overall, they are consistently more expensive than Printful

Print Aura Catalog

The Print Aura catalog includes  360 items including all the standard POD products like mugs, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies.

Print Aura Fulfillment

Print Aura does all their fulfillment from their base in the USA.

So if you are selling anywhere other than the US don’t bother. If you are selling within the US, I would also not bother with Print Aura.

Print Aura Integrations

Print Aura integrates with:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• Woocommerce
• StoreEnvy
• OpenCart

Decoration Types

Print Aura only offers DTG printing

Print Aura Software

As mentioned above, the site, which is where you create your products, is functional but very very dated.

It works, but I cant say much more than that.

CJ Thoughts On Print Aura

Just don’t. They shouldn’t be considered as a realistic Printful Alternative.

Prodigi

Prodigi print on demand is a global POD provider that specializes in art prints. It has a global POD print network across the US, Europe and the UK.

It has a limited (but acceptable) catalog of other POD items but art prints are where they jump to the front of the queue. Their wall art is as good as it gets.

They also offer artwork panels made from premium materials like aluminium and acrylic and wood.

 They integrate with Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce and Etsy.

Wrap Up – Alternatives To Printful

So, I’ve run down the top Printful alternatives available for your POD business.

If you are in the US and your customer base is in the US Then Printify would be a great choice due to the range of products offered, the pricing, and the fact they integrate with all major ecommerce platforms.

If you sell globally then Gelato would be a good choice for your print-on-demand business. They offer competitive pricing, global print network and slick software. They also make it easy to migrate your products to them if you have an existing store.

If you sell solely to the UK AND place high value on sustainability then Inkthreadable should be the best alternative to Printful especially if you sell organic vegan friendly products.

If I had to pick just one?

It would be Gelato.