12 Printful Alternatives: Finding The Right POD For Your Business
July 9, 2024
9
mins read
Print-on-demand (POD) services allow businesses to create custom-designed products as needed. You can ship products like home decor and apparel to customers without fulfillment or warehousing.
With a projected global market size of $38.21 billion by 2030, more businesses will embrace these services. Printful is one of the platforms pioneering this growth.
Printful offers shipping services, warehousing, and on-demand printing. However, entrepreneurs want an alternative to Printful for cheaper solutions and product categories.
In this post, we’ll explore 12 Printful alternatives. We'll discuss their features and pricing to help you find the right POD for your business.
Let’s get started.
What to Consider When Selecting a POD Platform
Before reviewing the top Printful alternatives, let’s discuss the key factors to consider when choosing a POD platform. Selecting a service that meets your business requirements is essential.
Product Quality: Assess the quality of a service provider's materials and printing methods. You want to maintain customer satisfaction and brand reputation.
Pricing: Evaluate their pricing structure to determine profitability margins. Striking a good balance between quality and profitability is necessary.
Ease of Use: Consider the platform’s user interface, order management systems, and design tools. You want a platform without a steep learning curve.
Integration Capabilities: Ensure the POD platform is compatible with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or WooCommerce.
Range of Products: Explore various customizable products on the platform. Ensure you can diversify your product offerings and cater to multiple target markets.
Customization Options: Look for customization features for creating unique products. Consider branding options, product personalization, and design templates.
Customer Service: Review the platform's customer support responsiveness and reliability. You want a platform that resolves issues and addresses customers’ concerns quickly.
Shipping Policies: Review global shipping capabilities, delivery times, and options. Ensure your chosen platform offers timely and efficient order fulfillment.
Podbase brings you end-to-end POD solutions, from printing to order fulfillment and shipping.
Printify provides a vast network of print providers worldwide. This makes it one of the best Printful alternatives.
It offers a range of customizable items, like clothes, journals, and drinkware. It also integrates seamlessly with popular e-commerce platforms like Etsy, WooCommerce, Shopify, Walmart, Prestashop, and BigCommerce.
Printify’s automated order routing streamlines your printing process. It also offers white-label packaging options, bulk discounts, and competitive pricing.
Key Features
Automated order routing
White-label packaging
Large product catalog
Global shipping network
Real-time tracking
Mockup generator
Pricing Plan
Printify offers a free plan and two paid subscriptions.
Free: 5 stores per account
Premium: $29/month for 10 stores per account
Enterprise: Custom pricing for unlimited stores per account
Pros
User-friendly interface
Wide product library
Extensive network of print providers
Easy integration with e-commerce platforms
Offers bulk discounts
Cons
Lacks in-house printing, resulting in limited quality control
Podbase is a comprehensive POD platform. It provides creatives and entrepreneurs with efficient order fulfillment and customization services.
It offers an extensive catalog of customizable products, like tech accessories, wall art, and drinkware.
The platform also offers advanced personalization tools for creating unique designs. You can tailor products to your target audience. Podbase streamlines operations with its integrated fulfillment and warehousing services.
Key Features
Advanced customization options
Integrated inventory and warehousing management
Global shipping options
Integration with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce
Quick turnaround time of 1-3 days
Free mockups
Pricing Plan
Podbase offers a tiered pricing structure based on order volume and product type.
Gelato is another POD website like Printful. Its extensive global printing network is ideal for businesses with international target audiences.
The platform boasts automated order processing and seamless API integration. It streamlines the workflows of businesses of all sizes. It integrates with platforms like Amazon, eBay, BigCommerce, Wix, WooCommerce, Etsy, and Shopify.
Gelato provides various customizable products, like mugs, bags, marketing materials, accessories, and clothing. It has a mobile app that lets you run your business from anywhere.
Key Features
Customizable packaging, labels, and product hashtags
Intuitive design tools
Automated order processing
Wide variety of product categories
Easy e-commerce store integration
Global POD network
API integration for seamless workflows
Mobile app support
Pricing Plan
Gelato also has a limited free plan and three paid plans.
Free
Gelato+: $24/month
Gold: $119/month
Platinum: Custom pricing
Pros
Wide range of product offerings
Custom branded labels
24/7 live support
Easy-to-use interface
Cons
Dedicated support for migrating products is only available in the highest-tier plan
You need to have a paid subscription to get shipping discounts
AOP+ focuses on all-over-print products. It allows you to create exciting designs on the surface of an item. You can apply the designs to phone cases, hoodies, t-shirts, accessories, and home goods.
AOP+ has a diverse catalog of sublimation-ready products. Creators can unleash their creativity without any limitations. Its customizable packaging options can improve your customers' overall brand experience.
Key Features
140+ high-quality products
In-house production
Stock design options
Branding capabilities
Worldwide shipping
Automated order fulfillment
Easy integration with e-commerce stores
Pricing Plan
AOP+ offers a free plan along with two paid plans.
Start-up member: Free
Super Member: $11.99/month
Hero Member: $19.99/month
Pros
Offers all-over-print patterns
Provides design tools for mockups
Customizable packaging and labels
White label option
Wide range of sublimation-ready products
No minimum order requirements
Cons
Steeper learning curve
Limited customization options for non-sublimation products
Unlike the name suggests, Teelaunch doesn’t offer only t-shirts. It provides other products that make it one of the top Printful competitors.
This includes:
Office items
Lifestyle
Jewelry
Home goods
Drinkware
Pets
Wall art
Accessories
Kitchenware
This Printful alternative also offers user-friendly design tools. It seamlessly integrates with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
There are no monthly fees or upfront costs, making it a good choice for small businesses.
Key Features
Extensive product catalog
Global shipping network
Integration with popular e-commerce platforms
Pricing Plan
There are no subscription plans on Teelaunch. Designing is free, but the product, design, and order volume determine the cost.
Gooten stands out as one of the most versatile POD companies, like Printful. It offers a range of customizable product categories, like:
Fashion and apparel
Home and lifestyle
Wall art
Accessories
Pets, and baby products
Gooten provides global fulfillment and automated order processing capabilities for a hassle-free experience. It offers scalable pricing, making it a good fit for businesses of all sizes.
Its worldwide fulfillment network enables you to serve customers across continents without logistics.
Key Features
An extensive library of 260+ customizable products
Seamless integration with popular e-commerce platforms
Development-free workflow for personalizing products
Direct-to-film printing
70+ global production locations
Pricing Plan
Gooten doesn’t have a membership cost or fee. Prices depend on the order volume and design. You can view this in the product catalog on the Gooten Admin page.
Teemill enables creators and startups to build free e-commerce websites. Existing businesses can order custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers, workwear, and merch.
Organic and renewable energy-printed products are also available on the platform. It also provides creators with a customizable storefront.
Key Features
Customizable storefronts
Wide range of products
Customizable branding capabilities
Screen and DTG printing
Free store builder
Pricing Plan
Teemill is free to use. However, the product type, number of prints, print complexity, and order quantity determine the price.
Pros
Performs quality checks
Worldwide printing and fulfillment centers
Seamless integration with popular e-commerce stores
Cons
Varying prices
Using eco-friendly materials results in higher product costs compared to other platforms
CustomCat offers a wide range of customizable products for businesses of all sizes. Businesses can customize hats, mugs, doormats, or tote bags. The platform focuses on flexibility and efficiency. It’s easy to create and sell personalized products.
CustomCat provides automated order processing and white-label branding options. It also seamlessly integrates with e-commerce platforms. These features enhance the customer experience and brand visibility.
Key Features
Automated order processing
White-label branding options
Diverse, customizable products
Integration with popular e-commerce stores
Pricing Plan
CustomCat offers a free subscription and two paid plans.
CustomCat Lite: Free
CustomCat Pro: $30/month
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
Wider collection of products
User-friendly interface
Powerful editing tools
Cons
Relies on integration with third-party e-commerce platforms
Print Aura has a wide selection of over 360 products. They include t-shirts, masks, tank tops, drinkware, bags, wall art, and accessories.
The platform also offers multiple branding options, like neck label removal, hang tags, and custom packaging. It provides a pricing wizard for calculating prices and determining profit margins.
Print Aura offers a design tool for creating mockups of designs on different products. It also integrates with platforms like Opencart, Storenvy, WooCommerce, Etsy, and Shopify.
Key Features
Global shipping capabilities
A design tool for creating mockups
Multiple branding options, like packing slips and return labels
Direct-to-garment for full-color printing
Large daily printing capacity of up to 500 per day
Pricing Plan
Print Aura doesn’t offer any paid plans. Prices depend on the product, printing specifications, and shipping destination.
Teespring allows you to launch a free store or connect a custom domain. You can also link your social channels to sell your products.
The platform offers over 180 products. It manages fulfillment and the end-to-end customer experience.
Teespring has production and shipping centers across Australia, Europe, and North America. This ensures efficient worldwide deliveries. It also has a Teespring Booster Network tool for marketing your product. Its Teespring Launcher tool designs and customizes products.
Key Features
Intuitive design tools
Integration with social channels like YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Discord, Streamlabs, and Instagram
Optional marketing services
Customizable storefronts
Optional fulfillment services, including inventory and warehousing management
Pricing Plan
Teespring is free to use. Creators can set their selling price and keep all the profit. However, the prices of products depend on the design and pricing discounts.
Pros
No subscription fees
Easy-to-use in-app design tool
User-friendly interface
Cons
Requires a minimum number of product sales
Designs created on the platform expire after a short time
JetPrint collaborates with over 200 manufacturers to provide an extensive catalog of over 400 products. It has a selection of US-made merch from renowned brands like Delta, Gildan, and Bella+Canvas.
As a worthy alternative to Printful, the platform offers unique embroidery and merch options. It also offers a wide range of embroidery customizations, like doormats, bags, curtains, socks, and hats.
JetPrint supports different printing techniques, like heat transfer, sublimation, screen printing, and direct-to-garment printing.
Key Features
Free mockup generator for designing products
Optional automated management and order processing
Global shipping services
Live preview for adjusting the position of product designs
Collaboration with delivery companies like DHL, FedEx, and YunExpress
Custom shoe labels and service
Integration with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce
Pricing Plan
JetPrice is free. However, product prices depend on the product type, print method, order quantity, and fulfillment location.
Pros
No minimum order requirement
Bulk order discounts
Extensive product offering
Versatile design tools
Cons
Shipping costs vary depending on the chosen fulfillment center
Fewer e-commerce integrations compared to other platforms
T-Pop focuses on accessories and apparel. It allows you to customize and brand the packaging and packing slip.
The platform lets you trademark product labels after 100 monthly sales.
T-Pop is committed to environmentally friendly shipping practices. It uses recycled paper packing slips and zero-plastic packaging.
Key Features
Fully customizable packing slips
Large product catalog
Direct-to-garment printing and sublimation dye options
Supports international delivery
Automated order fulfillment
Pricing
T-Pop offers a free plan and two subscription plans.
Free
Plus: $32.43 (€30)/month
Pro: $75.68 (€70)/month
Pros
Offers a fully featured website in its free plan
Automated delivery calculation
Worldwide delivery service
Easy-to-use interface
Supports multiple languages
Cons
Limited integration. It only offers 3 external integrations in its highest pricing plan
Limited product range compared to other platforms
Comparative Analysis
KEY FEATURES
Printify
White-label packaging
Large product catalog
Real-time tracking
Podbase
Advanced customization options
Integrated inventory and warehousing management
Quick turnaround time of 1-3 days
Free mockups
Gelato
Customizable packaging, labels, and product hashtags
Wide variety of product categories
API integration for seamless workflows
Mobile app support
Free
AOP+
140+ high-quality products
In-house production
Stock design options
Teelaunch
Extensive product catalog
Global shipping network
Integration with popular e-commerce platforms
Gooten
Extensive library of 260+ customizable products
Development-free workflow for personalizing products
Direct-to-film printing
70+ global production locations
Teemill
Customizable storefronts
Wide range of products
Screen and DTG printing
Free store builder
CustomCat
Automated order processing
White-label branding options
Diverse, customizable products
Print Aura
A design tool for creating mockups
Multiple branding options, like packing slips and return labels
Direct-to-garment for full-color printing
Large daily printing capacity of up to 500 per day
Teespring (Spring)
Integration with social channels like YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Discord, Streamlabs, and Instagram
Optional marketing services
Customizable storefronts
JetPrint
Free mockup generator for designing products
Live preview for adjusting the position of product designs
Collaboration with delivery companies like DHL, FedEx, and YunExpress
Custom shoe labels and service
T-Pop
Fully customizable packing slips
Large product catalog
Direct-to-garment printing and sublimation dye options
PRICING
Printify
Free – up to five stores per account
Premium – starts from $29/month
Enterprise – custom pricing
Podbase
Tech Accessories – from $6.43 (€5.95)/unit
Wall Art – from $5.35 (€4.95)/unit
Drinkware – from $7.51 (€6.95)/unit
Gelato
Free
Gelato+ – $24/month
Gold – $119/month
Platinum – Custom pricing
AOP+
Start-up member – Free
Super Member – $11.99/month
Hero Member – $19.99/month
Teelaunch
No subscription plan
Gooten
No membership fee
Teemill
Custom pricing for each order depends on the product, design, and shipping location
CustomCat
CustomCat Lite – Free
CustomCat Pro – $30/month
Enterprise – Custom pricing
Print Aura
Prices depend on the product, printing specifications, and shipping destination
Teespring (Spring)
Product prices depend on the design and pricing discounts
JetPrint
Custom pricing depends on the product type, print method, order quantity, and fulfillment location
T-Pop
Free – up to 100 products
Plus – $32.43 (€30)/month
Pro – $75.68 (€70)/month
Conclusion
Printful is an excellent POD platform. However, there are affordable alternatives with enhanced technology and a wider product range to choose from.
When choosing your Printful alternative, consider the product quality, pricing, and ease of use. Consider the integration capabilities, the product range, and customization options as well. This ensures that you pick the right fit for your business.
Go ahead and analyze the platforms we have discussed above. Choose the best Printful alternative for your business.
Generate unique designs on drinkware, wall art, and tech accessories with Podbase.
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