Print-on-demand platforms have become a cornerstone of creator commerce, providing artists, YouTubers, streamers, and brands with ways to monetize without the risk of inventory, upfront costs, or logistical headaches. 

As the creator economy matures, POD isn’t just about slapping a logo on a tee—it’s about building scalable product lines, testing ideas fast, and selling globally on your own terms. 

Among the crowded field of POD platforms, Printful has consistently stood out for its reliability, print quality, and deep eCommerce integrations. 

In this guide, we’ll break down what Printful actually offers, where it shines, and where it can fall short depending on your goals. 

We’ll also walk through a curated list of alternative print-on-demand platforms you should seriously consider this year. Because the “best” platform is the one that fits your creator business, not just the most popular name.

What is Printful?

Printful is one of the original heavyweights in the print-on-demand market—and yeah, there’s a reason it still gets name-dropped constantly. 

Launched in 2013, Printful lets creators, brands, and ecommerce merchants design, print, and ship custom products only after a customer places an order. No inventory. No storage nightmares. No bulk upfront costs.

At its core, Printful combines three things into one clean system:
product creation tools, deep ecommerce integrations, and end-to-end fulfillment. 

You design the product, connect it to your store (Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, etc.), and when someone buys, Printful handles printing, packing, and shipping behind the scenes.

With over 1 million registered users, 116+ million items fulfilled, and a global network of in-house production facilities, Printful has built a reputation for reliability, quality, and scale—especially for sellers who don’t want to gamble on sketchy third-party printers.

Printful’s Standout Features & Tools

High-Quality, In-House Printing

Printful’s biggest flex? It prints most products in its own facilities. That means tighter quality control, fewer surprises, and consistently sharp results. 

The platform supports DTG, DTF, embroidery (flat + 3D puff), sublimation, all-over print, UV printing, and cut-and-sew. Basically, every major POD method that matters in 2026.

Return rates due to quality issues sit below 0.2%, which is wild in POD terms.

Solid (But Not Massive) Product Catalog

Printful offers a little over 460 customizable products across apparel, accessories, hats, home goods, drinkware, and wall art. 

It’s not the biggest catalog in the game, but the trade-off is consistency and brand-name blanks from Adidas, Champion, Columbia, and Under Armour.

If you care more about premium feel than endless SKUs, this is a plus.

Best-in-Class Product Designer

Printful’s drag-and-drop design tool is clean, fast, and beginner-friendly. You get:

• 700+ fonts
• Built-in clipart and patterns
• PSD/PNG templates for external design tools
• 2,500+ lifestyle and flat-lay mockups

The only real miss? No custom font uploads. You’ll need to flatten text as images if you’re picky about typography.

Custom Branding That Actually Feels Custom

Printful offers some of the most flexible branding options in the POD space, helping your products feel like a genuine brand—not just generic merch. 

You can add inside and outside labels, customize sleeves and hats, include branded pack-ins such as stickers or thank-you cards, use white-label packaging, and even personalize order-tracking pages. 

Custom mailers are also an option, though they come with added storage and pick fees that can increase costs as you scale.

Product Personalization (Huge for Etsy & Gifting)

Unlike many POD platforms, Printful lets customers personalize products at checkout by adding names, text, or images. 

This works with embroidery, DTG, and wall art, and it’s a massive win for personalized gifting, Etsy sellers, and creator merch drops.

Deep eCommerce Integrations

Printful integrates with 21 platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and eBay. 

Orders sync automatically, products push in a few clicks, and fulfillment is hands-off once you’re live.

Printful Pricing: How It Really Works

Printful doesn’t charge a monthly platform fee. You can sign up, design products, and connect your store for free.

You only pay when you make a sale, and costs break down into:

• Base product cost
• Printing method
• Shipping

Example starting prices (US):

• T-shirts: $15.29 + $4.75 shipping
• Hoodies: $26.95 + $8.49 shipping
• Phone cases: $9.38 + $4.59 shipping

For sellers, Printful recommends roughly a 30% markup, but margins depend heavily on your niche and pricing strategy.

Printful Growth 

Printful Growth is designed for sellers who are ready to scale and want better margins without switching platforms. 

This membership unlocks up to 33% off select products, discounts on branding services and sample orders, free embroidery digitization, and support for unlimited integrated stores. 

You can unlock Growth automatically once you hit $12,000 in annual sales, or skip the wait by subscribing for $24.99 per month. 

For high-volume sellers, the savings can quickly outweigh the cost.

Why You Might Want to Look for a Printful Alternative

Although Printful has earned its reputation as one of the most reliable print-on-demand platforms on the market, reliability doesn’t automatically mean it’s the perfect fit for every creator. 

As creator businesses mature and margins, flexibility, and scale become more important, some sellers start to feel the limitations of Printful’s model. 

📈 Product Prices Are Higher Than Some Competitors

Printful’s in-house production and premium quality control come at a cost, and that cost shows up in base product pricing. 

While the quality is consistently strong, higher per-unit prices can squeeze margins, especially for creators selling lower-priced merch or running frequent discounts.

 In price-sensitive niches, this can make scaling more difficult without raising retail prices.

🛍️ Smaller Product Catalog Compared to Larger POD Networks

With around 400 products, Printful’s catalog is solid but not expansive. 

Platforms like Printify offer access to over 1,000 SKUs, giving creators more room to experiment with niche products, seasonal items, or trend-driven drops. 

If variety and rapid product testing are core to your strategy, Printful may feel limiting.

🏷️ Branding Features Often Come With Extra Fees

Printful offers excellent branding tools, but many of the most impactful options, such as custom labels, pack-ins, and branded packaging, come with additional costs. 

As order volume increases, these fees can quietly add up and eat into profits. For creators focused on lean operations, this can become a friction point.

📞 No Phone Support for Urgent Issues

Printful provides 24/7 live chat and email support, which works well for most situations. 

However, the lack of phone support can be frustrating when time-sensitive fulfillment or shipping issues arise. 

Some creators prefer platforms that offer direct phone access when problems need immediate resolution.

🏭 Limited Flexibility in Fulfillment Partners

Because Printful handles most production in-house, you don’t get much choice in where or how products are fulfilled. 

While this improves consistency, it removes the ability to shop around for cheaper printers or faster regional partners. 

Creators who want more control over fulfillment logistics may find this restrictive.

💰Tight Margins on Low-Priced Merch

Printful shines with premium apparel and branded products, but margins can feel tight on budget-friendly items like basic tees or impulse-buy merch.

When combined with shipping costs and platform fees, profits can quickly thin out. For creators focused on volume-driven sales, alternatives with lower base costs may make more financial sense.

Overall Thoughts

Printful is one of those platforms that’s earned its reputation the hard way, by being consistently good at the stuff you don't want to worry about, like print quality, fulfillment, and not screwing up orders.

If you’re a creator who wants merch that feels legit, ships reliably, and won’t torch your brand with bad prints or delays, Printful is a very safe pick.

The trade-off is cost. Premium production means slimmer margins, especially if you’re pushing lower-priced or impulse-buy merch.

It’s best suited for creators thinking long-term brand, not quick flips or race-to-the-bottom pricing.

However, if you want polish, trust, and fewer headaches, Printful delivers; if you want max margins, endless SKUs, or total control over fulfillment, it’s worth shopping around.

Top 10 Printful Alternatives for Print-On-Demand

1. Fourthwall

Now, I know we sound a little biased, but sue us! When it comes to print-on-demand, Fourthwall excels with extensive customization options and an impressive, user-friendly interface, making it a top choice for established creators with loyal audiences.

With an intuitive custom storefront builder, creators can effortlessly design their own ecommerce store without any coding knowledge, establishing a unique online presence.

The platform boasts an extensive product catalog of over 370 retail-quality print-on-demand items, including apparel, accessories, and digital products, offering creators numerous opportunities to monetize their creativity.

Fourthwall’s competitive pricing, especially for apparel, ensures maximum profitability for creators. The platform supports various printing options, including DTG, DTFX, screen printing, embroidery, sublimation, and UV printing, enabling vibrant, precise designs on your products.

With worldwide shipping from fulfillment centers in the US, EU, and AUS, Fourthwall guarantees fast, affordable delivery for users.

In addition to its robust product and printing offerings, Fourthwall provides creators with a range of exceptional features designed to enhance their selling experience.

These features include personal mobile apps for shops, promo codes for customers, social media integration features, and comprehensive analytics tools that provide insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and overall store metrics.

💰Pricing: Fourthwall’s free plan includes a 5% fee on all memberships and digital product sales, while Fourthwall Pro starts at $19/month (or $180/annually) and reduces fees to just 5% on memberships.

✅ Pros

• Full-featured eCommerce platform
• Ability to sell digital and physical products
• Built-in website builder
• Variety of printing options
• Dozens of eco-friendly custom products
• Professional-grade 3D mockup generator
• Offers competitive apparel costs
• Worldwide shipping
• Custom inserts for packaging
• Full-service customer support
• Users own their own data
• Integrated shopping features, including YouTube Product Shelf, TikTok Shop, and Twitch Gifting

❌ Cons

• Limited product options in some categories (e.g., makeup, sports products, and CPG goods)

2. Printify

Printify stands out in the print-on-demand industry for its extensive network of international printing suppliers, which offer creators comprehensive production tracking and excellent customer service.

With over 900 products available and competitive pricing, Printify offers creators a diverse range of options, enabling them to cater to a wide variety of customer preferences.

The platform's integrations with online marketplaces, including Shopify, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and Etsy, enable significant growth potential and easy access to large customer bases. 

Printify is free, user-friendly, supports unlimited POD product designs, and is accessible to beginners.

However, while Printify offers many advantages, its longer shipping times and inconsistent printing quality can be drawbacks.

Product quality can vary depending on the chosen print provider, so thorough research is necessary to ensure consistent quality.

💰Pricing: Free plan allows up to five stores per account with unlimited product designs. Paid plans start at $29/month.

✅ Pros

• Good customer service
• Extensive production statistics and process tracking
• Large network of international printing suppliers
• Good integration with other online marketplaces
• Free to use and easy for beginners

❌ Cons

• Longer shipping times
• Print quality varies depending on the provider
• Smaller catalog compared to some competitors

3. Gooten

Gooten offers a diverse product selection and affordable printing prices, making it a great choice for creators seeking a balance between cost and variety.

The platform draws on several sources, offering a diverse catalog that includes unique merchandise such as metal prints and woven blankets.

With an intuitive platform that's easy to navigate, Gooten lets creators filter by categories ranging from apparel to home decor.

Unlike Printify, Gooten employs a multi-routing system with fixed printing providers, ensuring consistency but limiting choice.

The platform doesn’t charge subscriptions or require upfront payments, making it accessible to new users.

However, it’s essential to note that Gooten's high international shipping costs and the requirement for technical support for Amazon integration can pose drawbacks.

Despite these challenges, Gooten integrates seamlessly with Shopify, BigCommerce, Etsy, and WooCommerce, and offers a custom API for connecting to Amazon, eBay, or stand-alone sites, making it a versatile option for US-focused merchants.

💰Pricing: Free to use, pay per product ordered.

✅ Pros

• Varied product selection
• Affordable printing prices
• Intuitive platform
• 40 print facilities
• No subscription fees

❌ Cons

• High international shipping prices
• Fixed printing providers
• Amazon integration requires technical support
• Smaller catalog compared to some competitors

4. CustomCat

CustomCat offers a wide range of products and competitive prices, making it a popular print-on-demand alternative to Printful, especially among US Shopify store owners.

With over 20 years in the market, CustomCat has established its own printing facilities, allowing it to manage production and shipping efficiently.

The platform boasts a catalog of over 300 products, with a strong focus on T-shirts and athletic apparel, and features unique merchandise, including pack coolers.

CustomCat stands out for its quick turnaround time, typically delivering within two to three days in the US.

However, the platform has some limitations, including slower international shipping and a limited set of branding features.

Additionally, while it integrates well with Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, and BigCommerce, and via API, it offers fewer marketplace integrations than some competitors.

CustomCat's shipping pricing, divided into four confusing weight-based tiers, can also be a drawback for some users.

💰Pricing: Free plan for new sellers; Paid plans starting at $30/month.

✅ Pros

• Wide product collection
• Competitive prices
• Quick turnaround time for US customers
• Solid range of athletic apparel and T-shirts

 ❌ Cons

• Slow international shipping
• No branding features
• Few integrations with other marketplaces
• Confusing shipping pricing structure

5. Podbase

Podbase is a great alternative to Printful for entrepreneurs who value speed, quality, and simplicity.

Unlike many providers that outsource fulfillment, Podbase runs in-house production, ensuring tighter quality control and a faster turnaround time of just 1–3 days on most orders.

Its catalog is tailored to high-demand products, such as tech accessories, wall art, and drinkware, providing sellers with a focused selection that appeals to lifestyle-driven audiences.

With advanced personalization tools, you can create custom designs that resonate with your target market while relying on Podbase’s streamlined fulfillment system to handle the rest.

Podbase integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce, making it simple to sync products, manage inventory, and scale without added complexity.

Free mockups, built-in warehousing management, and global shipping options make it an end-to-end solution for growing online brands.

Pricing: Free to use, pay per product ordered. 

Pros:

• Lightning-fast 1–3 day fulfillment
• In-house production for consistent quality
• Free mockups and beginner-friendly tools
• Global shipping and warehousing support
• Smooth Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce integrations

Cons:

• Smaller product range compared to POD giants

6. Redbubble

Redbubble is renowned for its extensive product options and user-friendly design tools, making it an excellent choice for independent artists aiming to monetize their designs.

The platform enables creators to showcase their work on a range of products, including apparel, accessories, and home decor, while managing the entire process from manufacturing to shipping.

One of Redbubble's standout features is the ability for creators to easily edit their profit margins, giving them control over their earnings.

The platform's intuitive interface makes it easy for artists to upload and customize their designs.

However, despite these advantages, Redbubble has some drawbacks, including slow shipping times and a highly competitive marketplace that can make it challenging for new artists to stand out.

Additionally, Redbubble does not offer integrations with other marketplaces, limiting the potential to expand sales channels.

💰Pricing: Free to join. Artists set their own profit margins (starting at 20%) on top of Redbubble’s base product prices.

✅ Pros

• Extensive product options
• Editable profit margins
• User-friendly design tool
• Worldwide accessibility with global shipping
• No upfront costs; free to sign up

❌ Cons

• Slow shipping times
• Highly competitive market
• No integrations with other marketplaces

7. Teelaunch

Teelaunch is an excellent print-on-demand alternative to Printful, offering a cost-effective solution with a range of unique features.

One of Teelaunch's standout features is its automated profit calculation tool, which lets sellers set prices and automatically calculate profits based on production and shipping costs.

This simplifies financial management for running an ecommerce business, enabling creators to focus more on their designs and marketing strategies.

Additionally, Teelaunch requires no subscription fees, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious individuals or those just starting out in the POD industry, as users only pay for the products they sell.

The platform offers a wide range of high-quality, branded products, including apparel, accessories, home goods, and tech products, enabling creators to offer their customers a comprehensive, customizable selection.

However, while Teelaunch excels in pricing and customer support, it offers fewer integrations with other e-commerce platforms and fewer white-labeling options than Printful.

💰Pricing: Free to use, pay per product ordered.

✅ Pros

• Automated profit calculation simplifies financial tracking
• Branded products add a professional touch
• No subscription fees reduce upfront costs
• Competitive pricing on a wide range of products
• Responsive customer service

❌ Cons

• Limited integrations with other eCommerce platforms.
• Limited white-labeling options
• Smaller product catalog compared to Printful
• Limited international fulfillment options

8. Spring (a.k.a TeeSpring)

Spring, formerly known as Teespring, has been well-known in the print-on-demand industry for a long time. It offers a robust product catalog while efficiently managing production and shipping costs.

The platform offers a wide range of customizable items, including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters, and phone cases, enabling creators to appeal to diverse audiences and expand their product offerings.

With its no-subscription model and user-friendly design tool, Spring simplifies the creative and selling process for creators.

A standout feature is its innovative integration with platforms like YouTube and Twitch, allowing creators to directly link their merchandise to their videos and channels.

This seamless integration enables viewers to purchase products directly on the platform, helping creators leverage their existing audiences and boost sales.

Additionally, Spring offers a range of promotional tools and analytics, including discount codes, email marketing campaigns, and social media sharing options, to help creators optimize their sales strategies.

Despite some limitations in customer support and product selection, Spring's comprehensive features and collaboration programs make it an excellent choice for creators.

💰Pricing: Free to sign up.

✅ Pros

• Impressive marketing tools and partnership integration features
• Impressive product catalog
• Can ship products to over 180 countries around the world
• Integration tools for YouTube and Twitch creators

❌ Cons

• Higher prices for certain products
• Delayed payouts
• Lack of customer support

9. Spreadshirt

Spreadshirt is a strong contender in the print-on-demand market, distinguished by its eco-friendly production practices and an established customer base.

It offers creators the opportunity to earn income by selling or designing unique products, positioning itself as a versatile platform similar to Spring.

With over 150 custom-printable items, including popular options like t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, and phone cases, creators have a diverse range of products to personalize with their designs.

Getting started on Spreadshirt is straightforward. Creators simply create a seller account and begin designing artwork for their chosen products.

Additionally, for those with Shopify stores, Spreadshirt allows direct publishing of products to their storefronts, while others can opt to sell their designs in the Spreadshirt marketplace.

Despite its small product selection and higher prices, Spreadshirt’s dual functionality as a print-on-demand website and marketplace, combined with its eco-friendly approach, provides creators with effective tools and support to showcase and monetize their creativity.

💰Pricing: Free to use, pay per product ordered.

✅ Pros

• Wide range of product options
• Good quality prints
• Easy-to-use interface
• Integration with YouTube Merch Shelf
• Impressive customer support

❌ Cons

• Limited product varieties
• Limited customization options for storefronts
• Shipping costs can be high
• Three-color maximum for higher-quality print designs

10. JetPrint

JetPrint is a versatile print-on-demand platform offering a wide range of unique products, such as shoes, hoodies, watches, and facemasks, that are not typically available from most POD partners.

With a 3-day production time and delivery within 7 to 10 days, JetPrint ensures timely fulfillment regardless of the destination.

The platform is particularly appealing due to its various design options, including all-over printing and simple image additions.

JetPrint is user-friendly, featuring automatic order processing and an express shipping service for urgent orders. Additionally, the company frequently updates its product offerings, keeping the catalog fresh and exciting.

However, Jetprint has some drawbacks, including limited customer service and a less intuitive interface, which can be challenging for some creators.

Processing and delivery times can also be slow, and the service can be relatively expensive.

💰Pricing: JetPrint is free to sign up for with no monthly charges.

✅ Pros

• Wide range of unique POD products
• Easy-to-use backend environment with product tracking numbers
• No order minimums
• No paid subscriptions
• Advanced product tracking system

❌ Cons

• Minimal customer service
• Less intuitive interface
• Processing and delivery times can be quite slow
• Can be quite expensive

Start Selling Your Products With Ease on Fourthwall!

As we've explored, numerous print-on-demand (POD) platforms beyond Printful cater to various needs, whether you're looking to reduce production costs, expand product selection, enhance customization options, or simplify integration.

Among these options, Fourthwall stands out for its unparalleled design control, advanced features such as in-depth mockups, membership benefits, and robust analytics.

Start selling your products easily with Fourthwall and experience the difference a creator-focused platform can make!

FAQ: Printful Alternatives

Can you make a good income on Printful?

Yes, you can make a good income on Printful, but success largely depends on your marketing strategy, niche, and how you price and sell your products. 

Since Printful is a print-on-demand platform with no upfront costs, you keep the profit margin after base and shipping fees, making it scalable if you choose the right designs and audience. 

Many creators pair Printful with integrations like Shopify or Etsy to maximize reach and grow long-term revenue.

Which POD company is best for me?

The best print-on-demand (POD) company depends on your specific business needs.

If you're a content creator, Fourthwall is a great option for selling customized products directly to your audience with minimal effort.

However, if you're focused on product variety, Printify or CustomCat might be ideal, while Teespring and Redbubble are perfect for those looking for an easy-to-use platform with a broad market reach.

What other companies are like Printful?

Platforms like Fourthwall and Teespring go beyond standard fulfillment by offering tools such as a built-in mockup generator, memberships, and digital product sales, making them strong choices for creators seeking the best print quality and additional features. 

While most are free to use, some offer a paid plan with added benefits for scaling.

How do I set up a print-on-demand store?

To set up a print-on-demand store, start by choosing a POD platform like Printful, Printify, or Fourthwall.

Utilize their tools, such as a mockup generator or free mockups, to create customized products. Then, integrate the store with your website or marketplace (like Teespring or Redbubble).

Once set up, focus on driving traffic and selling products while the POD company handles fulfillment and shipping.

Are there any copyright concerns with print-on-demand?

Yes, copyright concerns can arise with print-on-demand services if you use copyrighted materials without permission.

Ensure that the designs you upload to platforms like Printful, Podbase, or CustomCat are your own or licensed for use.

Many POD companies provide guidelines to help you avoid copyright violations when selling custom products.