Which printing platform is best for you?

Are you considering starting a print-on-demand business, but not sure which platform to use – Print or Print?

The two most popular options out there are printing and printing. They sound similar, and even do similar things, but when you dig deeper, they actually vary greatly.

I have always received questions about both platforms from readers who start their first online business or start a clothing brand on Etsy.

So today, I’ve shared a complete breakdown of Printify with Printful to help you understand the pros and cons of everyone and choose the best platform for your goals.

Spoiler: You don’t have to choose the perfect one on the first day. If you’re on a fence, I always recommend you try it at the same time.

What is printing on demand?

Before comparing Printify with Printful, let’s talk about the basics.

Print on Demand (POD) is a business model that allows you to sell custom designed products without having to buy inventory, store anything or handle shipping.

Here is how it works:

• You create a design.
• The customer ordered the product of the design from your store (such as Etsy).
• The POD company prints it, packs it and sends it to customers.

This is a low-risk way to start a busy or even full-time business. You can sell T-shirts, candles, cups, tote bags, stickers, hats and hundreds of other products – all of which won’t touch the stock on your own.

Printing on demand is popular because it is beginner-friendly, scalable and creative. Printify and Printful are the two most famous companies in the field.

Now let’s talk about what makes them unique, because I’m sure you want to know which one you should use!

Printify and Print

Before we dig into the details, here is a high-level comparison:

feature	print	Printable
fulfillment model	Network of more than 100 independent printing providers	Internal fulfillment of printing facilities
Product Catalog	More than 1,300 projects	~400 products
Pricing	Lower base price; optional premium plan	Higher base price; free or growth plan ($24.99/month)
Print quality	Providers vary	Consistent, high quality (press manages all)
Shipping	Depend on the printing provider	Predictable shipping comes from Printful’s own warehouse
integrated	Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, etc.	Same as printify, plus extra tools like model generator

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1. Achieve and print quality

print is a platform that can contact more than 100 printing providers around the world (USA, Spain, Latvia, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Canada and China). You can choose the provider you want to use for each product based on price, location and shipping time.

shortcoming? Since you are using a third-party provider, the quality may vary. Some vendors are great. Others…not that many.

This means you may need to test some to find the best one.

PrintableOn the other hand, there are their own fulfillment centers in the United States, Spain, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Everything is handled internally, which means better quality control and consistent print results.

If you are looking for reliability and don’t want to worry about vendor differences, Printful is a great option.

2. Product selection

print Win when it comes to the size of the directory and the number of print products you can choose. They have over 1,300 product types, including clothing, accessories, environmentally friendly products, beverage software and more, through their global printing network.

Printable There are about 400 products. It is still a wide range of options, but the catalog is more curated. They focus more on clothing and essentials with consistent quality.

So if you want to own many varieties or find unique items, win. However, Printful still has about 400 products to choose from, which is a lot!

3. Pricing and profit margin

Printify usually costs less than print products when it comes to basic prices. This is especially true if you upgrade to print premium ($29 per month), which gives you a 20% discount on most products.

Here is an example:

• Classic Universal T-shirt
  • Printify: $10.39 (with premium)
  • Printing: $13.38

Priced at $25:

• Printify Profit: ~$9.61
• Printing profit: ~$8.81

That said, Printful doesn’t charge a monthly fee (unless you upgrade to their growth plan), so if you’re just starting out and want to test things, that’s even better.

Printify is very useful for those who want higher profit margins or want to scale faster.

4. Shipping time and delivery

Printify’s shipping time is entirely dependent on the printing provider you choose to use.

Some providers ship within 2-3 days, while others may take a week or more. Delivery fees vary from provider to destination.

Printful has more predictable shipping and is usually shipped within 2-5 business days because they handle it themselves.

Prints are usually more reliable if you want more control over your delivery schedule.

5. Brand and customization

This is one of the biggest advantages of print products.

Printful has the following brand features:

• Internal shirt tags
• External sleeve printing
• Custom packaging list
• Brand Insert
• Custom packaging

If you want to build a strong, memorable brand (like your own fashion collection), these are huge professionals.

If the brand is important to you, printing is a better choice.

6. Design tools and ease of use

Both platforms are easy to use and beginner-friendly.

Printful has built-in model generator, product templates and design tools. You can even create designs inside the dashboard without using external applications.

Printify also has a model generator, but the design tools are simpler. However, if you have a work of art ready (such as from Canva), you can get the job done.

Overall, Printful has more advanced built-in tools, but both are perfect for beginners.

7. integrated

Both platforms integrate with major e-commerce platforms:

• Etsy
• Shopping
• WooCommerce
• Square
• BigCommerce
• ebay
• Wix

Printify also has a “pop-up store” feature that allows you to start selling without a separate website. It looks simple, but works.

8. Customer Support

Both platforms have helpful customer support for Help Center, Tutorials, and Email/Chat Support.

• Printful has 24/7 live chat and email support.
• Printify support is available during working hours and has fast response times.

So when it comes to this, you can’t go wrong.

Which printing platform should you use?

I suggest choosing the following:

• Using Printify If you:
  • Want lower prices and higher profits
  • Want more product varieties
  • Don’t mind testing vendors to find the best one
• Use Prints If you:
  • Want the highest quality print every time
  • Care about building a strong brand
  • Want fast and reliable transportation

You can also use both to see which one you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about Printify vs Printful.

Is the quality of the print better than printing?

Yes, this is true. Since prints can be processed in-house, they maintain a more consistent print quality. Printify quality may vary depending on the third-party printing provider you choose.

Which platform (print or printing) has a higher profit margin?

Printify usually has higher profit margins due to its lower base price and prints premium discounts.

Are printing and printing companies the same company?

No, they are two separate companies with different fulfillment models and pricing structures. However, they are partners and merged in 2024 (but the platform is still separate).

How much money can you make on Printify?

It depends on your price and quantity. Many sellers earn between $500 and $5,000 per month, but it takes time to grow. If the price is correct, your profit per T-shirt is about $9.

Is the printing fee monthly?

No, Printify is available for free. They have a premium plan of $29 per month that offers you an extra discount.

How much does it cost to print each month?

Printful has a free plan and optional growth plan for $24.99 per month and features additional branding and support features.

Printify and Printful: Which POD platform is best for you?

I hope you enjoyed my Printify comparison with printing.

Starting a print-on-demand business is one of the best ways to create a revenue stream at home.

Printify and Printful are great choices, and the right choice depends on the most important choice:

• Lower price? Try Printify.
• Premium brand? Try printing.
• Still uncertain? Test both!

Both platforms are free to try, so there is no reason not to see which one is best for you.

You can sign up to print by clicking here.

You can sign up to print by clicking here.

If you do start printing on demand stores, please let me know – I would love to see your creations!

Which on-demand printing website do you think you would use – Print or Print?

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