In case you’re interested by beginning a brand new enterprise with print on demand, few issues are extra vital than choosing the proper firm to work with. Printful, Printify, and Gelato are three of the best-known choices within the business for a motive.
All of those firms have a superb status for providing a wide selection of high-quality merchandise, wonderful achievement providers, and handy integration choices for gross sales channels. The query is – which is finest?
For me, Printful and Printify each have an edge over Gelato – and now that the 2 firms are merging, I’ve little doubt they’ll create the very best Print on Demand expertise on the market.
Nonetheless, Gelato has its advantages too, notably for those who’re on the lookout for low costs, fast supply, and sustainability.
Right here’s my full comparability information of all three platforms, that will help you make the suitable alternative.
The Fast Verdict, Professionals and Cons
Since Printful and Printify determined to merge, that is actually a two-way comparability, as Printful and Printify will mix their advantages.
Nonetheless, I wished to provide a fast overview of the very best platforms for various use instances as they stand in the present day.
- Printful: Is likely one of the finest print on demand platforms throughout, it’s supreme for those who’re on the lookout for an enormous vary of integration choices, and persistently wonderful product high quality.
- Printify: Is essentially the most versatile platform by way of product choices, superior design instruments, and service provider choices, making it nice for scaling firms.
- Gelato: Is right for those who’re on the lookout for a lot of design sources, high-quality merchandise, and sustainable provide chains, it additionally has some very reasonably priced product choices.
The Professionals and Cons
Printful Professionals and Cons
Professionals
- Incredible product ranges with a lot of printing choices.
- Dozens of integrations with gross sales channels.
- Handy fast shops for US retailers.
- Distinctive international achievement providers.
- Varied add-on providers.
- Persistently wonderful product high quality.
Cons
- Limitations on buyer help.
- Fewer merchandise than some alternate options.
Printify Professionals and Cons
Professionals
- Enormous number of merchandise, together with distinctive choices.
- Glorious personalization and customization instruments.
- Excessive-quality AI design instruments
- Integrations with dozens of gross sales channels.
- Incredible international manufacturing community.
- Free pop-up retailer creator.
Cons
- Product high quality and supply occasions can fluctuate.
- Some buyer help limitations.
Gelato Professionals and Cons
Professionals
- International achievement community with native manufacturing.
- Quick manufacturing and supply occasions.
- Good vary of integration choices.
- Glorious product high quality.
- Spectacular low-price merchandise.
- A number of design sources and distinctive enhancing instruments.
Cons
- Fewer gross sales channels than some alternate options.
- Not as many distinctive merchandise and options.
Printful vs Printify vs Gelato: Core Options
Printful, Printify, and Gelato are all fairly related platforms at a look. They’re all print on demand options that provide you with entry to a variety of merchandise you may customise with built-in design instruments, and promote on varied gross sales channels.
Additionally they all supply international achievement, sustainable product choices, and wonderful subscription plans, with further advantages for customers who need to transcend the free tier.
Right here’s a fast have a look at the important thing options of every platform.
Product Choices and Customization
Total, for those who’re on the lookout for selection, Printify offers you the very best vary of merchandise to select from. Not solely are there greater than 1,000 merchandise on the platform, however you get a ton of distinctive choices you gained’t discover elsewhere, like dietary supplements, scented candles, and video games.
Printful gives barely fewer merchandise (greater than 370), however there are some nice distinctive choices right here too, together with footwear, eco-friendly gadgets, and premium merchandise.
Gelato’s product catalog is a bit more fundamental, specializing in common gadgets like clothes, calendars, wall artwork, and telephone instances.
The excellent news is all three firms supply varied high-quality printing choices, together with all-over print and embroidery.
Additionally they all provide you with incredible design instruments, for customizing no matter you need to promote.
I believe Printify’s design instruments are notably wonderful, because of the built-in AI artwork generator that may create distinctive photos for you.
Nevertheless, Printful has an excellent mockup generator, and provides you a ton of nice sources for optimizing design information, like an AI “upscaler”.
Gelato actually excels at giving customers free instruments to edit and improve their merchandise too. You may select from 1000’s of free graphics and property, together with Shutterstock photos.
On a broad scale, Printful and Printify undoubtedly supply the most important assortment of merchandise, customization choices, and superior design instruments.
Once they merge, their providing goes to be much more spectacular, serving to them to take care of an edge over Gelato.
Product High quality and Profitability
From a product high quality perspective, all three firms have a incredible status. Printful and Gelato are much more constant with regards to high quality, nonetheless.
Each of those firms are recognized for producing superb, vibrant prints, and utilizing high-quality supplies for every product.
Additionally they each comply with strict high quality assurance requirements, to make sure there are not any points with the product by the point it reaches your clients.
Whereas Printify can be dedicated to creating incredible merchandise, the truth that they don’t produce gadgets in-house, however as an alternative companion with a variety of worldwide producers signifies that print and merchandise high quality can generally fluctuate.
Nonetheless, for essentially the most half, I don’t suppose you’ll want to fret about high quality points with any of those firms.
From a profitability perspective, all three platforms are wonderful too. Printify used to supply essentially the most reasonably priced merchandise throughout (which meant larger potential revenue margins).
Nevertheless, Printful and Gelato have each just lately diminished the bottom costs for his or her gadgets, which suggests all three firms supply related costs for many merchandise.
Notably although, Printify and Printful’s premium plans do provide you with entry to extra reductions, if you’re scaling your enterprise.
Achievement and Gross sales Channels
The extra gross sales channels you may select from with a print on demand supplier, the more cash you may doubtlessly make.
For me, Printful wins by way of general integration choices, with dozens of channels to select from, together with social media channels, marketplaces, and ecommerce platforms.
Printify follows carefully behind with a lot of choices starting from Shopify to Amazon, Etsy, and past.
One space the place Printify does stand out is with it’s “Pop-up Retailer” choice, which lets you create a easy retailer and begin promoting with none integrations in any respect.
Whereas Printful additionally gives an analogous service, it’s presently solely accessible to US retailers. Nevertheless, that might change now that Printful and Printify are becoming a member of forces.
Gelato falls behind slightly by way of gross sales channels, with completely no “pop-up retailer” choice, and fewer integrations general.
Nonetheless, there are nonetheless one-click connection choices for varied social media channels, marketplaces like Etsy, and platforms like Shopify.
Plus, it’s price noting that every one three distributors do help APIs, so you may create your personal customized workflows.
On a broad scale, Printful and Printify provides you with extra scope to scale your enterprise, for my part, however Gelato continues to be an ideal alternative throughout.
Ease of Use and Buyer Help
I’ve used dozens of print on demand platforms through the years, and I’ve but to search out one which isn’t user-friendly or intuitive.
Printful, Printify, and Gelato are all exceptionally simple options that make it straightforward to create an account, design merchandise, and begin promoting on-line.
Printful and Printify may need a barely larger studying curve, just because they provide extra options to discover.
As an illustration, Printify has it’s AI artwork generator, and Printful offers you entry to superior design instruments, studies, and even instruments for creating on-line promotions.
Gelato gives fewer options, which suggests you may spend much less time getting every thing up and working, however you’ll even have a barely more durable time scaling your enterprise.
Nonetheless, all three platforms are quite simple and nice for rookies.
From a buyer help perspective, all three platforms include some incredible self-help sources, similar to guides, FAQs, and movies.
I believe Printful and Printify’s sources are slightly extra in-depth, however you may nonetheless discover loads of steerage from Gelato.
Printful, Printify, and Gelato all supply 24/7 reside chat and e mail choices, although I couldn’t discover any choices for getting in contact over the telephone.
Moreover, it’s price noting that every one of those firms do supply premium plans which may include further help.
Plus, all of them enable customers to entry extra providers and help with issues like design, branding, and advertising and marketing.
Printful vs Printify vs Gelato: Plans and Pricing
Lastly, like most print on demand platforms, Printful, Printify, and Gelato all give firms a chance to begin creating and promoting merchandise at no cost.
You don’t want a subscription plan on any of those platforms – you may merely pay the bottom value for creating every product you need to promote.
Nevertheless, for those who do need extra advantages and options, all the firms additionally supply “premium” subscription plans.
Printful’s Development plan, beginning at $24.99 per thirty days, is the very best worth. It offers you a ton of extras like reductions on a variety of merchandise, and entry to extra branding choices and distinctive design capabilities. It’s additionally accessible to entry at no cost for customers incomes greater than $12k per 12 months.
Printify gives a Premium plan for $29 per thirty days with an as much as 20% low cost on all merchandise, and order administration with Printify Join. There’s additionally an enterprise plan for high-scale firms, with extra reductions.
Gelato offers you the most important vary of plans to select from, beginning with Gelato+ for $24 per thirty days with as much as 20% of merchandise, branded labels and packaging inserts, and premium mockups.
The Gold plan for $119 per thirty days offers you as much as 25% off merchandise, 30% off packaging and branded labels, and superior value setting options.
Lastly, the Platinum plan, with customized pricing comes with bespoke reductions, a devoted buyer success supervisor, implementation providers, and entry to premium neighborhood occasions.
Printful vs Printify vs Gelato: The Verdict
So, which platform is finest general? Personally, I believe Printful and Printify are the very best general, Printful has a slight edge over Printify by way of product high quality, however Printify does have higher design instruments, and a wider vary of merchandise to select from.
When these two firms be a part of forces, they’re most likely going to create the very best print on demand platform I’ve ever seen – miles forward of something you should use proper now.
Gelato is great, but it surely does have some limitations by way of integrations and general product choices.
I believe for those who’re on the lookout for essentially the most scalability, and the very best general expertise, it’s best to select both Printful or Printify – or just anticipate the 2 to merge, so you may get the very best of each worlds from these world-leading POD manufacturers.
Nonetheless, if you’d like a easy, simple, and reasonably priced POD firm, Gelato is a worthy alternative.