Printify + your favorite platform = more sales!
Looking for the best Custom Ink alternatives?
Whether you’re a small business, nonprofit, school, or creator, there are many platforms to design and sell custom apparel, t-shirts, and promotional products without relying on Custom Ink.
Some alternatives focus on low prices and bulk discounts, while others – like print-on-demand (POD) platforms – let you create, customize, and sell custom products online without holding inventory.
This guide compares the top Custom Ink competitors, highlighting their strengths, drawbacks, and best use cases. You’ll also see why Printify stands out as the best overall Custom Ink alternative for businesses that value flexibility, competitive prices, and international fulfillment.
1. Printify
Best overall Custom Ink alternative for POD
Printify is one of the most flexible platforms for businesses that want to sell custom apparel, everyday wear, and promotional products without holding inventory. With a Catalog of over 1,300 items – ranging from custom shirts and matching hoodies to tank tops, hats, mugs, bags, posters, phone cases, and even wall art – you can turn your creative ideas into a product line quickly.
Pros:
- The biggest advantage of Printify is its extensive network of Print Providers. That means businesses can compare prices, pick the best partner, and even route orders based on location for faster local production.
- There’s no minimum order size. Get one sweatshirt or hundreds – we’ve got it covered.
- The customization options go beyond standard shirt printing. Add your logo, branded labels, and packaging to give customers a professional experience.
- For sellers running an online store, Printify integrates with major eCommerce platforms, making it super easy to scale internationally.
Cons:
- Printify relies on multiple Print Providers, so the quality may vary slightly depending on which one you choose. That’s why many sellers order samples before launching.
- Since all orders are made on demand, fulfillment may take a bit longer.
Best for:
- Businesses and creators who want a low-risk, beginner-friendly way to test designs, maintain good profit margins, and grow a t-shirt business without investing in inventory.
Want to explore more POD platforms? Check out our guide on the top print-on-demand companies.
2. Printful
Premium quality and branding features
Printful is a well-known Custom Ink competitor that has built its reputation on consistent quality and strong branding tools. The product range includes apparel, hats, embroidery, wall art, and home decor, giving sellers plenty of options to choose from.
Pros:
- Printful’s biggest strength is quality control. Their final product output is reliable, and they offer premium mockups that make listings look polished and professional.
- Branding features like inside-neck labels, embroidered logos, and custom packaging help businesses create a cohesive brand image.
- Local production facilities shorten delivery times.
Cons:
- Printful’s product selection isn’t as large as some other Custom Ink alternatives and offers fewer niche items.
Best for:
- Brands and creators who care about premium quality and want strong branding options.
3. Gooten
Reliability for growing businesses
Gooten is another strong Custom Ink alternative, especially for sellers running larger operations. The platform emphasizes workflow automation, analytics, and a reliable network of providers that can help businesses grow.
Pros:
- Gooten’s dashboard makes it easy to track orders, analyze sales, and automate fulfillment.
- A wide range of products, from t-shirts and other apparel to home decor, makes it simple to expand your catalog without switching platforms.
Cons:
- Not as beginner-friendly as Printify, and the learning curve is steeper.
- While the customization options are good, they aren’t as flexible as those found with Apliiq or Printful.
Best for:
- Sellers who already have some experience and want a dependable partner for scaling their business.
4. Apliiq
Fashion-first customization
Apliiq stands out among Custom Ink competitors because of its focus on fashion and advanced garment customization. While the product selection is smaller, it offers unique options like woven labels, embroidery, relabeling, and sewn patches that help brands stand out.
Pros:
- Branded apparel that feels like it came from a boutique fashion line.
- Custom labels, logo embroidery, and other personalization touches elevate the final product, ensuring the fabric and finish feel far beyond standard POD shirts.
Cons:
- All those extras make Apliiq more expensive than most Custom Ink alternatives.
- The catalog is limited primarily to apparel. If you want to sell mugs, wall art, or phone cases, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Best for:
- Fashion-focused businesses and designers who want their branded apparel to feel like part of a premium clothing line.
5. RushOrderTees
Fast bulk screen printing for events
RushOrderTees specializes in quick turnaround times, offering both screen printing and digital printing. This makes it one of the best alternatives to Custom Ink for group shirts, especially for schools, nonprofits, or companies that need apparel for events on short notice.
Their focus is bulk screen printing, but they also offer embroidery and specialty finishes.
Pros:
- Fast delivery on bulk orders.
- Special effects like metallic ink, vibrant colors, or glow-in-the-dark prints that’ll help your design stand out.
- Responsive customer support team.
Cons:
- This Custom Ink alternative focuses on bulk orders, which means it isn’t ideal for creators who want to sell one-off products or run an on-demand shop.
- The product selection is narrower than what you’d find on POD platforms like Printify or Printful.
Best for:
- Teams, schools, and organizations that need high-quality shirts in large quantities and on tight deadlines.
6. Bonfire
Fundraising and group campaigns
Bonfire is a Custom Ink alternative built around community selling and fundraising. Instead of stocking products or running a full store, you launch a campaign, sell t-shirts and hoodies, and Bonfire takes care of production and delivery once the campaign closes.
Pros:
- Functions as a marketplace, so no need to set up your own line store on another platform.
- Makes it easy for nonprofits, schools running time-limited fundraisers, or creators who want a place to sell their custom merchandise without managing production, shipping, or client contacts.
Cons:
- Limited flexibility. You can’t build a long-term shop or add custom branding the way you can with Printify or Printful.
- The product selection is also quite narrow.
Best for:
- Fundraisers, nonprofits, and groups looking for a simple way to raise money with no upfront costs.
7. Vistaprint
One-stop shop for businesses
Vistaprint is a household name for business printing, offering everything from flyers and business cards to mugs, drinkware, bags, and custom apparel. It’s a versatile Custom Ink alternative for small businesses that want both marketing materials and branded apparel in one place.
Pros:
- The site has a huge variety of promotional products, making it easy to maintain a consistent brand across items such as shirts, stationery, mugs, and labels.
- Beginner-friendly interface.
- Templates that simplify the design process.
- Discounts on bulk orders.
Cons:
- Limited apparel options compared to other POD platforms.
- Branding features and customization are less advanced.
Best for:
- Small businesses that want to purchase both apparel and marketing materials from one provider without juggling multiple sites.
See our breakdown of sites like Redbubble to find the best place for buying your branded items.
8. Zazzle
Marketplace with a built-in audience
Zazzle is a print-on-demand platform and marketplace that lets you add your designs to products and sell directly on the site. Their product selection includes furniture, decor, sports and games items, apparel, and paper goods such as wrapping paper, cards, and stationery.
Zazzle features themed sections for special occasions, including weddings, baby showers, and birthdays. These appear both as standalone categories and within larger product groups such as stationery, making it easy for shoppers to browse by life event.
Pros:
- Instant access to millions of customers, making it easy to sell creative merchandise without doing a lot of your own marketing.
- Their design platform includes free templates, making it fast and straightforward to create t-shirts, stationery, mugs, and bags.
Cons:
- You don’t have much control over branding.
- Margins are lower since you’re competing with thousands of other sellers on the same site.
- It’s also harder to build a standalone brand compared to other Custom Ink alternatives.
Best for:
- Designers who want an inexpensive Custom Ink alternative to test designs and start selling without building a full store.
9. Redbubble
Marketplace for independent artists
Redbubble is another Custom Ink alternative built to help artists sell designs directly to a built-in customer base. It’s especially focused on art-driven products like wall art, phone cases, stickers, and apparel.
Pros:
- A built-in large and active audience, making it easy for artists to start making sales without marketing.
- Free setup.
- Add your designs to a wide variety of products quickly.
Cons:
- Branding control is limited compared to other Custom Ink alternatives like Printify and Printful.
- Profit margins are often lower than on standalone POD platforms.
- There’s a risk you’ll see designs that infringe someone else’s copyright/trademark, and enforcement can be inconsistent. While Redbubble has policies (like a notice-and-takedown system and repeat infringer rules), some content violations persist, so creators must be vigilant.
Best for:
- Independent artists who want to monetize their designs quickly without managing inventory or marketing.
How to start a print-on-demand business with Printify
Printify is the best Custom Ink alternative for those looking for a wide product selection, branding options, great prices, and fast fulfillment. Here’s how you can launch your own print-on-demand store today.
- Sign up for free. Create your Printify account in minutes and explore the platform.
- Browse the Product Catalog. Choose from over 1,300 items, including tees, hoodies, mugs, hats, bags, and more.
- Add your custom design. Upload a file, experiment with our free fonts, or customize ready-made templates directly in the Product Creator.
- Connect your store. Sync Printify with Shopify, Etsy, Wix, or another eCommerce site to start selling right away.
- Start selling worldwide. Once customers order, Printify handles production and delivery under your company name.
Want a more thorough walkthrough? Check out our full guide on how to start a print-on-demand business.
FAQ
CustomInk competitors include Printify, Printful, Gooten, Apliiq, RushOrderTees, Bonfire, Vistaprint, Zazzle, and Redbubble. Each platform offers different customization options, prices, and fulfillment models.
RushOrderTees and Vistaprint often offer the best bulk discounts for orders of 100+ shirts. For long-term sales, Printify is cost-effective due to its extensive network of Print Providers.
RushOrderTees is better for bulk, fast screen printing with guaranteed deadlines. Custom Ink works well for promotional products in smaller quantities.
Printify is the best option for businesses, sellers, and creators who want to sell custom t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and more without keeping inventory.
Summary
Businesses today have plenty of Custom Ink alternatives to pick from. Printify stands out as the best choice for user-friendly POD, low prices, a large Product Catalog, and local production options.
Other Custom Ink competitors like Printful, Gooten, Apliiq, and Bonfire serve different niches, while marketplaces like Zazzle and Redbubble help artists reach customers with minimal effort.
If you’re ready to create high-quality products, grow your brand, and get worldwide fulfillment, Printify is the best Custom Ink alternative to start with today.
