12 Best Print-on-Demand Companies for Starting a Business in 2024
Print-on-demand companies have become increasingly popular as they offer a convenient and cost-effective way to print custom products.
With print-on-demand dropshipping, items are printed only as needed – there are no minimum order quantities or inventory storage.
There are many platforms available for the dropshipping business model. How do you select the best print-on-demand provider?
We’ve compiled a list of the 12 best print-on-demand companies for 2024. We’ve considered various factors, including shipping, printing options, integrations, product range, and pricing.
The 12 Best Print-on-Demand Companies in 2024
1. Printify
- Pricing: Free. Printify also offers two paid plans: Premium ($24/mo) and Enterprise (custom pricing), which secure up to a 20% discount on every product.
- Shipping: Printify sources and prints products from suppliers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Europe, and China, saving you shipping costs. Most orders leave the printing facilities 2-7 business days from the order submission date.
- Integrations: Major eCommerce platforms and marketplaces like Shopify, Wix, eBay, Woocommerce, BigCommerce, Etsy, Walmart, Squarespace, and PrestaShop Integrate with Printify API to create your own site.
- Product category highlights: T-shirts: Bella+Canvas 3001 and Gildan 5000, among others; hoodies and other apparel for children and adults; accessories like hats, backpacks, tote bags, and footwear. Home decor items, pet accessories.
- Best for: Printify is best for individuals with varying levels of experience, from beginners and skilled merchants to those who want to personalize their products.
Merchants can choose printing companies based on location, shipping, and fulfillment costs – making Printify one of the best print-on-demand companies on this list.
The Printify Catalog has over 800 products and a free Mockup Generator that allows artists and creatives to design their products in the app. Upload ready-made designs, add creative texts with the text edit tool, or use Shutterstock integration to browse millions of low-cost images.
Printify offers direct-to-garment printing (DTG), all-over printing (AOP), direct-to-film (DTF), and embroidery. Printify also delivers some of the best profit margins, allowing each merchant to set their own price.
Pros
- Free to use
- Free mockup generator
- Wide range of eCommerce integrations
- Upload designs or use Shutterstock integration to design your products
- 80+ printing facilities
- Print unlimited products – no order minimum or maximum
- Shipping calculator
- Huge product selection
Cons
- Print quality may be inconsistent
- No custom packaging
Start a POD Business With Printify
2. SPOD
- Pricing: Free to join and no setup costs.
- Shipping: SPOD has factories in the US and Europe and ships within 48 hours of placing the order.
- Integrations: SPOD integrates best with Shopify. They also offer WooCommerce, Squarespace, and Magento. Order Desk allows integration with eBay, Etsy, and Amazon. SPOD API is also available.
- Product category highlights: Adult and children’s clothing, workwear, pajamas, and accessories such as phone cases, backpacks, stickers, and buttons.
- Best for: Those who need their products fast – individuals and on-demand businesses. Guaranteed 48-hour (or faster) fulfillment.
This print-on-demand company promises merchants exceptional speed: all orders are fulfilled within 48 hours.
SPOD is an external app that charges for the order value and shipping costs, which depend on the type of delivery (standard, premium, or express) and the value of the products.
It’s also good for non-designers, as they offer over 50,000 free designs to use on print-on-demand products.
Pros
- 48-hour order fulfillment
- 200+ products
- Free mockup tool
- Shopify customization tool
- 50k+ available designs
Cons
- App exists in an external environment not connected to Shopify
3. Redbubble
- Pricing: Redbubble is free.
- Shipping: Redbubble ships from third-party printers in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US – based on delivery location and product type. They offer standard and priority shipping at an additional cost.
- Integrations: Because Redbubble is a marketplace and not an eCommerce platform, they do not offer integrations; instead, customers buy products straight from their website.
- Product category highlights: They sell everything from custom apparel, such as t-shirts and accessories, to phone cases, stickers, and more.
- Best for: Redbubble is the best choice for artists and creatives who don’t want to build a website or open their own store. It is also great for newbies, as the site is fairly easy to use.
This print-on-demand company doubles as a marketplace – you don’t need your own website, but you get to keep your cut of the profits. On the downside, there are no options for custom branding.
The designer receives an “artist margin” of 10%-30% of the purchase price.
Remember that someone making a purchase on Redbubble is not buying from you – they are buying Redbubble products with your designs on them. Redbubble keeps all customer information and contact details.
Pros
- 48-hour order fulfillment
- 200+ products
- Free mockup tool
- Shopify customization tool
- 50k+ available designs
Cons
- Low profit margin
- Possibility of your designs being copied
- Inconsistent print quality
- People buying on Redbubble are not your customers – they’re only buying products that have your designs
4. Printful
- Pricing: Like Printify, Printful offers a free version and two paid plans – Plus ($9/mo) and Pro ($49/mo).
- Shipping: Printed products are usually ready to leave the facility within 2-5 business days from their US, Mexico, or Europe fulfillment centers, which also use cost-effective shipping.
- Integrations: Print-on-demand marketplaces and platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Webflow, Ecwid, PrestaShop, BigCommerce, Amazon, and eBay.
- Product category highlights: Over 400 print-on-demand products: men’s and women’s t-shirts and other clothing, kidswear, and accessories.
- Best for: Novice and seasoned entrepreneurs who want to sell t-shirts or other apparel and accessories online.
They also offer warehousing fulfillment – storing your products and fulfilling your orders. It’s possible to add custom branding to your products and packaging for an extra cost, including inside labels and packaging inserts.
Printful also offers graphic design and photography services.
Pros
- Sell white label products under your brand
- Warehousing services
- Custom packaging
- No minimum order
- Simple mockup generator
Cons
- Low profit margins
- High product prices
- Some products can’t be shipped worldwide
- Limited product selection
- Limited product mockups
5. JetPrint
- Pricing: JetPrint is free.
- Shipping: All orders air-freighted from China. Guaranteed 3-day production and 7-day global express delivery.
- Integrations: Shopify and WooCommerce.
- Product category highlights: 400+ apparel, shoes, watches, tapestries, bags, and more.
- Best for: Creating unique custom rugs, watches, tote bags, and shoes using direct-to-garment, screen printing, sublimation, and heat-transfer techniques.
JetPrint makes POD profitable, thanks to its geography. All products are made and printed in China.
They have a straightforward mockup generator to easily upload and place designs onto the desired product. JetPrint has a wide selection of shoes and sneakers to decorate with your own designs, setting them apart from other print-on-demand services.
JetPrint has received great reviews on the Shopify App Store, making them a trustworthy print-on-demand service.
Pros
- Extensive product catalog
- Fast shipping
- Unique products like watches, shoes, and rugs
- Real-time mockup generation
- Competitive prices
- Custom design options
Cons
- Sub-par customer service
- Slow mockup generator
6. Gelato
- Pricing: Gelato offers three pricing tiers: free, Gelato+ ($14.99/month or $139/year), and Gelato+ Gold ($299/month, or $1499/year).
- Shipping: Gelato works with an international network of printers, so items are fulfilled as close to your customer as possible. They offer 30% to 50% shipping discounts to paid subscribers, depending on the subscription type.
- Integrations: Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, and Gelato API.
- Product category highlights: Wall art – posters, canvases, acrylic, aluminum, wood print, calendars, and cards. Basic apparel items like t-shirts, hoodies, and tank tops are also available.
- Best for: Creating high-quality wall art. Those who care about the environment put a huge emphasis on sustainable production. Gelato encourages designers to produce only what they sell to reduce waste.
Gelato is a print-on-demand platform that utilizes third-party companies for printing. It offers an easy-to-use product customization tool for personalizing designs and unique integration with Canva for ordering straight from the app.
Shopify users can customize during purchasing, and it can be used without an eCommerce store for manual order entry.
Pros
- 30-day free Gelato+ trial
- Easy-to-use Design Editor
- Locally sourced print solutions for limiting your carbon footprint
- Order personalized products without having an online store
- Image filters with Gelato+
- Set shipping margins with Gelato+ Gold
Cons
- High-quality stock images only available with Gelato+
- Volume-based discounts only available if a minimum $5000 of products are ordered per month
- All the best perks are only available to paid users
7. Apliiq
- Pricing: This print-on-demand company does not require a subscription to create an account and is free to design and sell products on the platform.
- Shipping: Apliiq provides different shipping options, including international shipping to over 150 countries. They ship from two US warehouses located in LA and Philadelphia.
- Integrations: Shopify and WooCommerce. They also offer to use their website as a marketplace.
- Product category highlights: Apliiq specializes in streetwear apparel – hoodies, t-shirts, hats, pants, jackets, kidswear, and patches. They encourage merchants to work with their artists to design clothing and labels.
- Best for: Those who want to design a custom streetwear collection under their own branding.
This print-on-demand service offers diverse printing methods: digital printing, screen printing, embroidery, and applique (create your design from fabric and stitch it to custom products.
All of Apliiq’s printing techniques are environmentally friendly – non-toxic, vegan-friendly, organic, non-hazardous, and biodegradable.
Various customization options are at your disposal: custom clothing tags, custom packaging, and packaging slips. These options are only available if you have more than 250 orders per month.
Pros
- Extensive product catalog
- More control – manage inventory, production, shipping, and returns yourself
- No monthly fees
- Full customization – from products to packaging
Cons
- Focus on streetwear
- Limited integrations
- Limited fulfillment centers
8. Spreadshirt
- Pricing: Free to create an account and start designing; no monthly fee. Base price for each product, as well as additional costs for customization.
- Shipping: Spreadshirt ships worldwide. The shipping cost will depend on the destination and the weight of the package. They also have a delivery estimator on their website.
- Integrations: Spreadshirt integrates with popular eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, Wix, Etsy, and WooCommerce, and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Product category highlights: T-shirts and other clothing, accessories, kids and babies, home and living, and stickers.
- Best for: Create custom clothing and accessories, including for individual customers, businesses, and organizations. It’s a good option for artists and designers that want to monetize their designs with online sales.
Spreadshirt is a print-on-demand company that allows users to create and sell custom clothing and accessories. Upload designs, choose from a selection of products, and sell them on the Spreadshirt marketplace or through their online print-on-demand store.
This print-on-demand company has a partner program that allows businesses and organizations to create custom merchandise for their employees or members. There is a “Spreadshop” feature that allows you to create your own online store in just a few clicks, with no upfront costs.
Pros
- User-friendly and easy to navigate
- Wide range of products
- Easy customization
- Spreadshirt’s partner program allows businesses and organizations to create custom merchandise
- “Spreadshop” create your own online store with no upfront costs
Cons
- Limited design options: Users can upload their own designs, but customization options are quite basic
- No control over production
- Spreadshirt takes a percentage of the listing price as a distribution fee
- Shipping costs: Shipping costs depend on the destination country and can be high
9. Teelaunch
- Pricing: Teelaunch is free, with a base price for each product and additional costs for customization.
- Shipping: Teelaunch ships worldwide. Printing facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia, offer quick turnaround and low shipping costs.
- Integrations: eCommerce platforms and print-on-demand marketplaces like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, API.
- Product category highlights: Apparel such as t-shirts and hoodies, accessories, drinkware, home goods, jewelry, kitchenware, and pet products.
- Best for: A great option for businesses and entrepreneurs to sell custom merch online.
Teelaunch offers print-on-demand services that allow users to create and sell high-quality products under their own brand.
Teelaunch has a library of pre-made designs that can be customized to fit your needs. The company offers a variety of customization options, including adding text and images to products.
Teelaunch offers a Packaging and Labeling feature to customize packaging and labeling.
Pros
- Easy integrations with various platforms and marketplaces
- No upfront costs
- Worldwide shipping
- Packaging and labeling feature
- No minimum order
Cons
- Limited design options
- Primarily made for Shopify, requires Shopify account
- Limited product options
10. Gooten
- Pricing: Free.
- Shipping: Global fulfillment by hundreds of third-party manufacturers. Shipping is calculated based on the customer’s location and chosen shipping method.
- Integrations: BigCommerce, Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and API plugin. Also manual one-off orders.
- Product category highlights: Over 150 products: t-shirts, hoodies, leggings and other apparel, bandanas, notepads, blankets, bags, custom drinkware, and more.
- Best for: Easy-to-use interface and relatively small product selection is great for novice entrepreneurs.
Gooten is user-friendly and offers a limited yet high-quality selection of custom goods to sell under your brand, primarily focused on customers in the US. They have strong customer service and carefully chosen printing partners.
They also launched the VIM (Very Important Merchant) loyalty program in 2020, the first of its kind in the print-on-demand industry. Gooten is considered among the best print-on-demand service providers.
Pros
- Extensive catalog with unique products
- Competitive product prices
- Simple user interface
- Ships products from facilities close to your customers
- Flat shipping rates
Cons
- Inconsistent product quality, can’t choose where products will be printed
- Limited integrations
11. Zazzle
- Pricing: Signing up is free. Subscribe to Zazzle Plus for additional benefits ($19.95/year and Zazzle Plus Premium $49.95/year).
- Shipping: Located in the US, domestic and overseas shipping to most countries. Most products are manufactured and dispatched from San Jose, California. Shipping times and rates here.
- Integrations: Zazzle does not integrate with any platforms or marketplaces.
- Product category highlights: Over 1300 products, anything in the world that you can decorate with your designs.
- Best for: Those who like a wide selection of customizing possibilities and want to sell their designs online.
Zazzle is a popular print-on-demand service thanks to its massive product selection. They not only allow you to sell tangible goods but also digital products – publish your designs and set your royalty rates, and make a living as a “Creator”.
Printing options: direct-to-garment, engraving, embroidery, sublimation, screen printing, heat transfer.
It is not the most easy-to-use platform, as the structure for sellers is rather complex. Once through the process, creating and selling is fairly simple.
Pros
- Easy-to-use design tool
- Extensive product catalog
- Beautiful product mockups
- Tons of templates
- Multiple ways to earn money – designer, maker, affiliate
- Real-time order status updates
Cons
- Seller page is hard to use
- You must be consistent with uploads to be found by search engines
- No warning if uploaded file doesn’t meet size or resolution requirements
12. Lulu xPress
- Pricing: Signing up is free. Check their pricing calculator for product prices and shipping rates for accurate data. Bulk discounts.
- Shipping: Within 3-5 business days worldwide from the US, Canada, Europe, or the UK.
- Integrations: Shopify.
- Product category highlights: Magazines, print books, comic books, and calendars.
- Best for: Authors, illustrators, and creatives who want to monetize their skill or audience by self-publishing products such as books or calendars.
Lulu xPress differs from other print-on-demand platforms, offering self-publishing for customizable print products like books, magazines, calendars, and comic books. It’s a good choice for writers, photographers, and creatives who want to monetize their skills and audience by self-publishing.
It also allows you to transform digital products into physical goods. They distribute printed books to Amazon, the Ingram network, Barnes & Noble, and other channels, but they take a 50-60% distribution fee off the listing price.
Pros
- Great for self-publishing books
- No monthly fees & upfront costs
- No order minimum
- Offers volume discounts
- Support via email and phone
- Good product customization options
- Useful Help center
Cons
- Using their distribution channels results in significantly lower royalties
- Small profits via print book sales
- Not great for e-books
- Customer support is slow
- No in-house designing or editing services
Start Your Print-on-Demand Journey With Printify
Choose Your Print-On-Demand Company Wisely
If you’re ready to start selling your own designs on amazing products, there are a load of excellent print-on-demand companies out there.
When deciding which POD dropshipper to use – whether it’s Printify, with its range of products and amazing Mockup Generator, or Lulu xPress for self-publishing your first comic book – make sure you take all important factors into account.
How much will you spend on subscription and transaction fees? How quickly do they ship the printed products? Do they offer only the best quality products and services?
Decide by weighing all the pros and cons based on what you want to accomplish. There’s something for everyone in this list of print-on-demand companies. Which one is for you? Take your pick and start your online business today.
Make It Happen Today!
Written by
Zane Bratuskina
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