If you’re thinking about starting a print-on-demand (POD) business, you might have come across two big names already: Printful and Printify. These companies dominate the POD industry in the US, which makes them a reputable place to start.
Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of Printify vs. Printful, get familiar with the print-on-demand landscape, and discover the best option to grow your online store.
What does print-on-demand mean?
With a print-on-demand model, companies like Printful and Printify handle product production, storage, and order fulfillment. Print-on-demand sellers—like your potential business—are only responsible for designing and marketing products. Print-on-demand products are made-to-order, so you only pay for items after a customer makes a purchase from your online store.
Many ecommerce businesses use this model to manage logistics and reduce overhead costs. Entrepreneur Raven Gibson used print-on-demand to launch Legendary Rootz, an apparel business dedicated to empowering and uplifting Black women. Using the POD model gave her the freedom to test designs without taking on the financial risk of producing products upfront.
Printful vs. Printify: How do they differ?
- Production process
- Product selection
- Product customization
- Print quality
- Pricing
- Integrations
- Warehousing
- Delivery speed and range
Printful and Printify are two of the most popular companies in the print-on-demand industry. Both options are Shopify-compatible and provide a reliable service for custom product designers. Here are the key differences between these print providers:
Production process
The production process is one of the major differentiators between Printify and Printful. Printful owns its entire fulfillment process. It prints, stores, and ships products from company-owned facilities, and produces all Printful products at one of its five fulfillment centers.
Printify, on the other hand, uses a network of more than 100 third-party print companies to produce designs. These print providers are distributed across 12 countries in North America, South America, and Europe.
Product selection
POD companies provide a catalog of preselected garments, textiles, and accessories for designers to choose from. Both Printful and Printify offer a large array of t-shirts, sweatshirts, baby clothes, and accessories, including hats and home items. Printful’s catalog holds a total of 388 products. Printify’s product range is significantly wider, offering more than 1,300 items.
While Printify’s extensive product collection may be advantageous if you have a very specific product in mind, it doesn’t offer a wide selection for every product. Even though Printify offers more products overall, Printful has more options in certain categories. For example, while Printful has six different blank bucket hats, Printify has only three. On the other hand, the Printify catalog contains 21 different smartphone cases, while Printful offers just eight.
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Product customization
Printful and Printify both offer the following product printing methods:
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Direct-to-garment printing
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All over print
You can create custom designs with all of these methods. The best one for you will depend on your specific designs. When it comes to embroidery, Printful options are slightly more advanced. Both companies allow up to six colors per design for standard embroidery, but Printful also offers an unlimited color option using digital printing technology to print detailed designs with any number of colors.
Both Printful and Printify offer a range of custom branding options to help businesses create a cohesive, professional identity. With either service, you can go beyond simply printing a logo on a product. Features like custom neck labels, branded packaging, and custom packaging inserts allow you to reinforce your brand at every touchpoint, from unboxing to long-term wear. These options make it easy to present your business as polished, memorable, and uniquely you.
Print quality
Regardless of the company you choose, Raven Gibson, founder of Legendary Rootz, emphasizes the importance of ordering samples to assess product quality.
“I get a sample just to make sure that it looks how I envisioned it and that the colors are printed how I want them to look,” she says. “That helps to eliminate any future problems.”
Reviewing samples is one of the most important tools online store owners can use to guarantee customer satisfaction. Printful and Printify both offer sample discounts as part of their premium plans.
Printful’s in-house production process helps provide consistent quality. It has standardized production methods across printing facilities—each location uses the same machinery, inks, dyes, and threads.As a result, when one customer places an order in Canada and another customer places an order in Florida, both products look like the sample you approved.
Printify’s quality is more variable due to its wide printing partner network. Different print providers may use slightly different machines or brands of ink. Even if you order a sample product, the item you receive will reflect the quality of the one printing facility—not Printify at large.
Pricing
Printify and Printful both offer free plans and premium subscriptions. Printful’s paid subscription costs $25 a month, while Printify’s paid tiers start at $30 per month.
Although its premium plan is slightly more expensive, Printify offers competitive pricing on products. A Gildan crewneck sweatshirt, for example, begins at $13 with Printify Premium and $14 with Printful Growth. The exact difference varies depending on the item, but Printful pricing per item tends to be higher.
Integrations
Printful and Printify both offer seamless Shopify integration. For merchants active on multiple platforms, Printful has a slight advantage. It’s compatible with a total of 19 different marketplaces and ecommerce stores, while Printify supports 10. Both companies include TikTok and eBay integrations, but Printify’s TikTok Shop feature is available only in the US.
Raven emphasizes the importance of choosing a print-on-demand supplier that integrates with your preferred ecommerce platform.
“I’ve worked with a couple of print-on-demand companies, and I really appreciate the ability to connect everything together,” she says. “I have an idea. I’m able to go in, see if they have a product that serves me or serves that idea that I have, and get a sample created. Once it’s approved through me, I’m able to go in and it’s all connected to Shopify. I love it.”
Warehousing
Printful offers a convenient warehousing service, so business owners can store all of their products in company-owned facilities. Storage fees range from 80¢ to $1.60 per square foot, with a required minimum of $150 per month. One fee provides access to all of Printful’s storage locations.
Printify itself does not offer warehousing services. Printify users must work directly with Printify’s print providers to set up storage; fees may vary depending on the partner. Working with multiple print providers may result in multiple fees.
Delivery speed and range
Printful lists a product turnaround time of two to five days. Printify’s production process is slightly slower. The company’s stated turnaround time is between two and seven days, but timing may vary due to the distributed printing network. In addition to reviewing Printify’s average speeds, business owners can review the status of chosen printing partners.
Printful and Printify both fill orders across the US and offer international shipping. With Printful, orders are automatically directed to the fulfillment center nearest your delivery location. Close proximity can minimize shipping time. Business owners can use Printful’s shipping costs calculator to discover the exact rate for individual items. Predicting shipping costs can be difficult with Printify, as different printing partners charge different rates.
Printful vs. Printify FAQ
Does Printful have a monthly fee?
Printful offers both free and paid plans. The Printful Growth plan costs $25 per month. Printful’s premium plan benefits include a 33% discount on products, an additional 5% discount on sample orders, and an unlimited number of storefronts.
Is it possible to make money with Printful?
Yes. Business owners can earn income with Printful by making strategic pricing decisions, creating appealing designs, and marketing their products. Calculating a sufficient profit margin is essential for making money with a print-on-demand business.
Is Printful or Printify better for my print-on-demand business?
Printful and Printify are leading print-on-demand businesses in the US. Printify is generally less expensive and boasts a wider product range. Printful offers a higher print quality and provides better quality control.
