Best Printify Alternatives: Which POD Platform Should You Actually Use?

Printify is solid. Over 1,300 products, competitive pricing, and a massive network of print providers worldwide. But it's not perfect for everyone.

The multi-provider model means inconsistent quality across orders. Your customer might get a great shirt from one provider and a mediocre one from another. And while the free plan is generous, you need the $29/month Premium plan (or $24.99/month annually) to unlock the best discounts.

If you're here, you're probably frustrated with quality inconsistency, looking for better margins, want more branding options, or need faster fulfillment. Let's break down the alternatives that actually matter.

Quick Comparison: Printify vs The Competition

1. Printful - Best for Brand Builders Who Care About Quality

Printful is the closest like-for-like alternative to Printify. The big difference? Printful handles production in-house at their own fulfillment centers, while Printify connects you to third-party providers.

This matters because in-house production means consistent quality across orders. They use standardized equipment like Komit printers for DTG and Coloreel for embroidery. Your customer gets the same quality whether they order Monday or Friday, from California or Canada.

Printful Pricing

Printful is free to start with no monthly fees. You pay per product when orders come in. Their Growth plan costs $24.99/month and comes with a 14-day free trial. Once your yearly sales hit $12,000, you'll get the Growth plan for free for a whole year.

The Growth plan unlocks discounts of up to 33% on products, plus additional benefits like premium mockups, 7% off on branding, and priority support. Product costs are competitive now. A few years ago Printful was noticeably more expensive than Printify, but they've slashed prices significantly. A basic unisex t-shirt starts around the same ballpark as Printify's options.

What's Good

• Consistent print quality across all orders
• Strong branding options (custom labels, pack-ins, packaging)
• Excellent mockup generator with 300+ products
• Flat-rate shipping makes pricing predictable
• 24/7 support
• 20% off sample orders on the Free plan and 25% off with the Growth plan. You can place 1 sample order per month with up to 3 items per order.
• Free membership after hitting $12K annual sales

What Sucks

• Smaller product catalog (380+ vs Printify's 1,300+)
• Less flexibility on pricing since there's one provider
• Some niche products aren't available
• No free trial for Growth plan - you pay upfront

Bottom line: If you're building a real brand and customer experience matters more than squeezing every penny, Printful is the move. If you just want the cheapest possible product, Printify probably wins.

We've covered this matchup in detail - check out our Printify vs Printful comparison for the full breakdown.

2. Gooten - Best for Scaling Sellers Who Want Automation

Gooten flies under the radar compared to Printful and Printify, but it's legit. They have 500+ products (including 200+ exclusive items you won't find elsewhere) and a smart order routing system that automatically sends orders to the best supplier based on price, location, and fulfillment speed.

Gooten Pricing

Completely free to use. No monthly fees, no subscription costs. You just pay for products when they sell. Their pricing varies by product and supplier, but base costs tend to be competitive - often lower than Printful for comparable items.

They also have a VIM (Very Important Merchant) program that unlocks better pricing and dedicated support as your volume grows.

What's Good

• No subscription fees whatsoever
• Smart order routing optimizes for cost and speed
• Unique products (magic mugs, fleece blankets, candles)
• 99% order accuracy with under 3-day fulfillment SLA
• Good for high-volume sellers
• Bulk discounts available through VIM program

What Sucks

• Steeper learning curve than Printify
• Customer service gets mixed reviews
• You can't manually choose providers like on Printify
• Mockups aren't as polished as Printful's
• Quality can vary between different suppliers

Bottom line: Gooten makes sense if you're scaling and want hands-off automation. It's not great for beginners who want a guided setup experience.

3. Gelato - Best for International Sellers & Eco-Conscious Brands

Gelato takes a different approach: local production. They partner with 140+ local production hubs in 32 countries, so your customer's order gets printed as close to them as possible. Less shipping distance means faster delivery and lower carbon footprint.

If sustainability is part of your brand story, Gelato leans into this hard. They're not just greenwashing - local production genuinely reduces transportation emissions.

Gelato Pricing

Gelato's basic print on demand service is free to use-you only pay when a customer buys a product. There are no upfront fees or monthly commitments required to start.

For paid plans, Gelato+ costs $23.99/month or $19.99/month billed annually ($239.88/year). The subscription includes product discounts of up to 25-35% depending on annual vs monthly, plus premium features like Magic Mockups, Instant Collections, Price Navigator tool, and Velocity Switch migration tool.

The cheapest t-shirt Gelato offers (Gildan 5000 Heavyweight) starts at $8.68 (without customization), making it competitive with other major POD platforms.

What's Good

• Local production in 32 countries = faster shipping worldwide
• Strong sustainability positioning
• Good for sellers with international customer bases
• Comprehensive customer support
• AI-powered migration tool (Velocity Switch)
• Competitive base pricing on products

What Sucks

• Smaller catalog than Printify (400+ vs 1,300+)
• Pricing can vary significantly by region
• Less control over which specific provider handles your order
• Some users report price increases on materials over time
• Personalization features moved to paid tier

Bottom line: If you sell internationally and want to reduce shipping times for customers outside the US, Gelato is worth testing. The local production network is its biggest advantage.

4. SPOD - Best for Speed Freaks

SPOD (Spreadshirt Print-On-Demand) is owned by Spreadshirt and focuses on one thing: fast fulfillment. They offer straightforward shipping costs and one of the fastest turnaround times in the industry-95% of orders are shipped within 48 hours. More than half of the orders received are actually ready for shipment within 24 hours.

That's significantly faster than the 2-5 business days you'll typically see from Printify.

SPOD Pricing

Free to use with no monthly subscription. Competitive product pricing, though the catalog is smaller than Printify's at 200+ product designs. SPOD operates on a pay-as-you-sell model with volume discounts for bulk orders.

What's Good

• Orders are fulfilled within 48 hours, and half are shipped in less than 24 hours
• No subscription fees
• Reliable quality (owned by established Spreadshirt with nearly 20 years experience)
• Good for US and EU markets with production facilities in both regions
• They produce more than 50k items daily with strong purchasing power
• Focus on sustainability with water-saving techniques and plastic-free packaging

What Sucks

• Limited product selection (~200 products vs competitors)
• Not ideal for global shipping outside US/EU
• Fewer customization and branding options
• No Canada, UK or Australia manufacturing yet
• Popular items can sell out quickly
• Cannot integrate with Amazon, Etsy or eBay directly

Bottom line: If fast shipping is your competitive advantage and you're focused on US/EU markets, SPOD delivers. Literally. The 48-hour turnaround is legitimately impressive.

5. CustomCat - Best for Fast US Production & Unique Printing Methods

CustomCat is a Detroit-based POD provider that's been quietly gaining traction. What makes them different? Their proprietary DIGISOFT® printing technology is engineered to outperform DTG and DTF, delivering consistent high-quality prints that are more vibrant & durable. DIGISOFT® printing is available on T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Activewear, & Bags.

Like Printful, CustomCat handles production in-house, which means consistent quality control. Most items are produced & shipped within 3 business days.

CustomCat Pricing

CustomCat has a free plan called CustomCat Lite, which gives you access to their full product catalog at regular wholesale prices. If you want better pricing, you can upgrade to CustomCat PRO for $25/month if paid yearly or $30/month if paid monthly, which offers 20-40% discounts on regular prices.

What's Good

• DIGISOFT® printing produces exceptionally vibrant, durable prints
• Fast 2-3 day production times in the US
• Wholesale pricing for higher profits and a direct line to your printer
• Excellent customer service - you can actually call them and talk to a human
• 500+ unique products including rare items like indoor doormats and enamel mugs
• Embroidery options for bags, polos, jackets, and caps
• Fast payout - CustomCat pays you within 48 hours after an item has been shipped

What Sucks

• Smaller product catalog than Printify (500+ vs 1,300+)
• Primarily US-based - not ideal for international sellers
• No sample order discounts
• Fewer ecommerce platform integrations than competitors
• Less brand recognition than Printful/Printify

Bottom line: CustomCat is an excellent choice for US-focused sellers who want fast production, superior print quality, and responsive customer service. The DIGISOFT® printing technology really does produce noticeably better prints than standard DTG.

6. Sellfy - Best All-in-One Solution

Sellfy is different from the others on this list. It's not just a POD fulfillment service - it's a complete ecommerce platform with built-in POD features. You don't need Shopify or Etsy. Sellfy handles your store, checkout, marketing tools, and print-on-demand fulfillment in one package.

Sellfy Pricing

Plans start at $29/month. More expensive upfront than using Printify + a separate platform, but potentially simpler if you want everything in one place.

What's Good

• All-in-one: store builder + POD + marketing
• No need for external ecommerce platform
• Built-in email marketing and upselling tools
• Good for creators selling digital + physical products
• Simple setup process

What Sucks

• Limited POD product selection compared to dedicated providers
• Monthly fee adds up vs free platforms
• Less control over fulfillment compared to pure POD services
• Fewer customization options than platforms like Printful

Bottom line: Makes sense if you don't already have a store and want the simplest possible setup. If you're already on Shopify or Etsy, stick with a dedicated POD service.

7. Teelaunch - Best for Etsy Sellers

Teelaunch is a lesser-known POD platform that has a particularly strong integration with Etsy. They offer around 250 products and handle everything from printing to shipping with automated fulfillment.

Teelaunch Pricing

Free to use with no monthly subscription. You only pay for products when orders come in.

What's Good

• Excellent Etsy integration
• No monthly fees
• Automated order fulfillment
• Reasonable product pricing
• Also integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce

What Sucks

• Smaller product catalog (250 items)
• Less brand recognition than major players
• Quality can be inconsistent
• Customer service responsiveness varies

Bottom line: Worth considering if Etsy is your primary sales channel and you want tight integration. Otherwise, larger platforms offer more options.

8. Redbubble, Zazzle & Amazon Merch - Marketplace Alternatives

If you don't want to manage your own store at all, marketplace platforms handle everything - including traffic.

Redbubble

Redbubble lets you upload designs and sell through their marketplace. They handle production, shipping, customer service, and bring their own audience. The tradeoff? Lower margins (typically 15-25% royalties) and less brand control. You can't collect customer emails or build your own audience.

Best for: Artists and designers who want passive income without running a business. Upload your designs and forget about them.

Zazzle

Zazzle is similar to Redbubble but offers more customization options for buyers. Customers can modify your designs, which can increase conversions but also means less control. Royalty rates are similar to Redbubble.

Best for: Designers comfortable with customer customization and looking for an established marketplace with traffic.

Amazon Merch on Demand

Amazon Merch on Demand is the same concept but on Amazon. You get access to Amazon's massive customer base, and orders ship with Prime. The catch: you have to get accepted (it's invite-only based on application review) and competition is fierce. Royalties range from 13-37% depending on product and price.

Best for: Sellers with existing Amazon experience who can navigate the competitive landscape and leverage Amazon's traffic.

The Marketplace Tradeoff

These aren't direct Printify alternatives since you're not connecting to your own store. But if you just want to sell designs without building a business, they're worth considering. The built-in traffic is valuable, but you're essentially renting space in someone else's store.

Bottom line: Marketplaces are great for testing designs and generating passive income, but terrible for building a brand. Use them as a supplementary income stream, not your primary business.

9. Printify Alternatives Comparison: Production Speed

Fulfillment speed can make or break customer satisfaction. Here's how the major platforms stack up:

Key insight: SPOD and CustomCat consistently deliver the fastest turnaround times for US customers. Gelato wins for international speed thanks to local production. Printify and Printful are middle-of-the-pack.

10. Real-World Pricing Comparison: Who's Actually Cheapest?

Let's compare actual product costs for a basic unisex t-shirt (most popular POD item):

Winner for pure cost: Gelato with Gelato+ subscription offers the lowest total cost. However, CustomCat PRO and Printify Premium are competitive, and quality/speed differences matter.

Important note: Cheapest doesn't always mean best. Factor in print quality, fulfillment speed, and customer service when making your decision. A $1-2 difference per shirt matters less if quality issues create returns and bad reviews.

11. Which Printify Alternative Should You Choose?

Here's the quick decision framework:

• Want consistent quality and brand control? → Printful
• Scaling and want automation? → Gooten
• Selling internationally? → Gelato
• Need fast shipping in US/EU? → SPOD
• Want premium print quality and US production? → CustomCat
• Want everything in one platform? → Sellfy
• Don't want to manage a store? → Redbubble, Zazzle, or Amazon Merch
• Primary sales on Etsy? → Teelaunch or Printful

12. Advanced Strategy: Using Multiple POD Platforms

Here's a secret: Many successful POD sellers use multiple platforms simultaneously. Here's how to do it strategically:

The Quality Tier Approach

Use different platforms for different product tiers:

• Premium products: Printful for hero items where quality is paramount
• Budget products: Printify for volume items where price matters more
• Speed-critical items: SPOD or CustomCat for products you market as "fast shipping"

The Geographic Approach

Optimize fulfillment by customer location:

• US customers: CustomCat or SPOD for fastest delivery
• European customers: Gelato or SPOD (EU facilities)
• Global customers: Gelato for local production
• Mixed markets: Printify to access different regional providers

The Product Specialization Approach

Different platforms excel at different product categories:

• Apparel: Printful or CustomCat for best quality
• Home décor: Gelato for art prints and wall art
• Accessories: Printify for widest selection
• Unique items: Gooten for exclusive products

Pro tip: Use order management software like OrderDesk to automatically route orders to the right fulfillment partner based on product type, customer location, or other criteria.

13. Common Mistakes When Switching POD Providers

Avoid these pitfalls when transitioning from Printify:

Mistake #1: Not Ordering Samples First

Never assume quality is consistent across platforms. Order samples of your best-selling products from each provider you're considering. Check print quality, colors, sizing, and packaging. The $50-100 you spend on samples can save you thousands in returns and bad reviews.

Mistake #2: Forgetting About Mockups

Your product images need to be updated when you switch providers. Different platforms have different mockup generators and product blanks. Budget time to recreate your product listings.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Shipping Cost Differences

A platform might have cheaper product costs but higher shipping fees, erasing any savings. Always calculate total delivered cost, not just product price.

Mistake #4: Not Testing Customer Service

Before committing, test customer support with a few questions. How fast do they respond? Are they helpful? When an issue inevitably arises, you'll be glad you chose a platform with responsive support.

Mistake #5: Switching Everything at Once

Don't migrate your entire catalog overnight. Test a new platform with 5-10 products first. Run both platforms simultaneously for a month to compare quality, speed, and customer feedback before fully committing.

14. POD Platform Integration Requirements

Different platforms work with different sales channels. Here's what integrates with what:

Shopify Integration

All major platforms integrate well with Shopify: Printify, Printful, Gelato, SPOD, CustomCat, Gooten, Teelaunch. This is the most universally supported platform.

Etsy Integration

Supported by: Printify, Printful, Gelato, Teelaunch. Note: SPOD and CustomCat don't have direct Etsy integration (you'll need OrderDesk as middleware).

WooCommerce Integration

Supported by: Printify, Printful, Gelato, CustomCat, SPOD. Good support across the board for WordPress users.

Amazon Integration

Limited support. Printify and Printful have Amazon integrations, but they're more complex than Shopify or Etsy. Most platforms require manual order processing or third-party middleware for Amazon.

eBay Integration

Printify and Printful support eBay. Most other platforms don't have direct integration.

Bottom line: If you sell on multiple channels, verify your chosen platform supports all of them before switching.

15. Sustainability Comparison: Which Platform Is Greenest?

If eco-friendliness matters to your brand:

Most sustainable: Gelato wins hands-down. Local production in 32 countries dramatically reduces shipping distances and carbon emissions. They're transparent about their environmental impact and actively promote sustainable practices.

Runner-up: SPOD emphasizes water-saving production techniques, cruelty-free inks, and plastic-free packaging. They're owned by Spreadshirt, which has established sustainability commitments.

Middle ground: Printful offers some organic and eco-friendly product options and has made efforts to reduce environmental impact, but doesn't emphasize sustainability as a core value.

Less focused: Printify, CustomCat, and Gooten don't emphasize sustainability in their marketing. This doesn't mean they're not making efforts, but it's not a primary differentiator.

If you're building an eco-conscious brand, Gelato or SPOD should be at the top of your list.

16. The Hidden Costs of Print-on-Demand

Beyond product and shipping costs, factor these into your profitability calculations:

Ecommerce Platform Fees

If you're using Shopify ($39+/month), WooCommerce (hosting + plugins), or Etsy (listing fees + 6.5% transaction fee), these eat into margins. Only Sellfy includes the store in one price.

Payment Processing Fees

Stripe and PayPal typically charge 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. On a $25 t-shirt, that's $1.03 in fees.

Marketing Costs

Facebook and Google ads, influencer partnerships, SEO tools - successful POD stores typically spend 15-30% of revenue on marketing.

Design Costs

Unless you're a designer, you'll pay $50-200 per professional design on platforms like Fiverr or 99designs.

Sample Costs

Budget $200-500 for initial samples when testing products and providers.

Return and Refund Costs

Even with quality providers, expect 2-5% of orders to have issues. You'll eat the cost of replacements and lost profit on returns.

Reality check: After all costs, successful POD stores typically net 15-25% profit margins. Plan accordingly.

So Which Printify Alternative Should You Choose?

After analyzing all these platforms, here's the honest truth: there's no single "best" alternative to Printify. It depends entirely on your specific situation.

You're a brand builder focused on quality: Printful is your platform. Pay the slightly higher cost for consistency.

You're scaling past 100 orders/month: Look at Gooten for automation or upgrade to premium plans on Printful/Gelato for better discounts.

You sell internationally: Gelato's local production network is unmatched for reducing shipping times and costs.

Speed is your competitive advantage: SPOD or CustomCat for the fastest US fulfillment.

You want the best print quality: CustomCat's DIGISOFT® technology or Printful's in-house production.

You're just starting out: Stick with free plans from Printify, Printful, or Gelato. Don't pay for premium features until you're making consistent sales.

Honestly? Many successful POD sellers use multiple platforms. Printify for variety, Printful for premium products, Gooten for unique items, Gelato for international orders. Test a few, order samples, and see what works for your specific products and audience.

One More Thing: You Can Still Use Printify

If you're not ready to switch completely, consider using Printify alongside another platform. Cover your bases with Printify's massive catalog, then use Printful for your hero products where quality matters most. Or use Gelato for international orders while keeping Printify for US customers.

There's no rule that says you can only use one POD provider. Smart sellers optimize by using the right tool for each job.

Want to know more about Printify specifically? Check out our full Printify review and Printify pricing breakdown to see if the issues you're experiencing are deal-breakers or just minor annoyances.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Printful actually better quality than Printify?

Generally yes, because Printful handles production in-house with standardized equipment and processes. Printify connects you to third-party providers, so quality varies by which provider fulfills your order. However, if you manually select high-quality Printify providers and stick with them, you can get comparable quality at lower cost.

Can I use multiple POD platforms on one store?

Absolutely. Most successful POD sellers use 2-3 platforms simultaneously. You can integrate multiple POD apps into Shopify, Etsy, or WooCommerce. The key is staying organized and tracking which products come from which provider.

Which platform has the fastest shipping?

SPOD and CustomCat consistently deliver the fastest fulfillment for US customers, with 48-hour production times. Gelato offers the fastest international shipping thanks to local production in 32 countries.

Do I need to pay for premium plans?

Only if you're making consistent sales. Premium plans from Printify ($29/month), Printful ($24.99/month), and Gelato ($19.99-23.99/month) offer 20-35% product discounts. If you're selling 15+ items per month, the subscription pays for itself in savings.

Which platform is cheapest overall?

Gelato with a Gelato+ subscription typically offers the lowest total delivered cost. However, factor in quality and speed - paying $1-2 more per item for better quality and faster fulfillment often increases customer satisfaction and repeat purchases.

Can I switch POD providers without changing my product listings?

You'll need to update product mockup images and possibly adjust pricing. The actual product descriptions can often stay the same if you're selling the same blanks (e.g., Bella+Canvas 3001). Budget time for recreating listings - it's not instant.

Which platform is best for Etsy sellers?

Printful has the smoothest Etsy integration and best reputation among Etsy sellers. Teelaunch is also Etsy-focused. Both handle the technical requirements of Etsy POD well and have experience with Etsy's specific policies.

Are marketplace platforms like Redbubble worth it?

For passive income and design testing, yes. For building a real business, no. Marketplaces are great supplementary income but terrible for building brand equity or customer relationships. Use them in addition to your own store, not instead of it.

Ready to start selling? Try Printify free - it's still one of the best options for most POD sellers. Or explore Spocket if you're interested in dropshipping beyond POD with curated US and EU suppliers.

Need more tools to grow your business? Check out Smartlead for cold email campaigns, Clay for data enrichment, or Canva for professional design work without hiring a designer.