Comparing Printify and Printful can be a difficult task as both are popular options in the print-on-demand market. The custom T-shirt printing niche alone is expected to reach $10 billion by 2025, making it an attractive option for those looking to start an ecommerce business. Both Printify and Printful are well-established, print-on-demand services that offer a wide range of products and customization options.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at the key factors that set these two platforms apart, such as ease of use, pricing, order fulfillment, customer support, print quality, and integrations. We will also provide an in-depth comparison of their strengths and drawbacks, so you can make an informed decision about which platform is the best fit for your ecommerce business. But before we delve into these details, let’s first define what print-on-demand entails.
What is Print on Demand service?
Print-on-demand (POD) service is a type of manufacturing model in which products are only printed or produced once a customer has placed an order. This means that there is no need for a large inventory upfront, as products are only created once a customer has ordered them. This allows businesses to offer a wide range of products without having to invest in large quantities of inventory, reducing financial risk and storage costs. POD services typically involve digital printing technology, which allows for customized or small-batch printing of products such as t-shirts, mugs, posters, and more. POD services can be used by businesses of all sizes, from small online retailers to large e-commerce stores.
How Printful dropshipping service works?
Printful is a print-on-demand company that operates production houses in the USA, Mexico, and Europe to fulfill customer orders in a timely manner. To use their service, you must first sign up and connect your store to Printful. This integration allows you to create custom products using the mockup generator, which is a design tool that helps you create high-resolution images of your products. Printful offers a wide range of products, including clothing, accessories, bags, home & living items, and collections, with over 200 options to choose from. Once your mockups are complete, you can import them to your store and promote them to your target audience. Printful then handles the printing, packing, and shipping of orders made through your store, with the cost of fulfillment being paid by the drop shipper. This allows for easy calculation of profit margins and competitive retail prices on your listed products. Overall, Printful offers a simple solution for managing the print-on-demand process.
How Printify dropshipping service works?
Printify aims to simplify the order automation process by providing a user-friendly mockup generator with easy drag-and-drop tools. They offer a wide range of color options to create high-quality 3D product images and a rich product catalog to work with. Printify partners with print designers and brands using state-of-the-art technology to improve the quality of products. They also allow users to select their preferred print provider based on best-selling, location, and prices. This allows for a convenient option for both the business and customers, as it allows the business to maintain its brand’s authority by working with the most suitable print provider. Printify also offers the option to request samples, and handles the fulfillment process, including quality control and shipment tracking. The user is only responsible for deciding on the marketing strategy. Overall, Printify offers an easy and quick way to create products with your designs, similar to its competitor Printful.
Printify vs Printful: Pricing
When selecting a print-on-demand solution, cost-effectiveness is an important factor to consider. Both Printful and Printify are transparent with their pricing and do not have any hidden fees.
Printful’s pricing plans
Printful offers a variety of customization options for their products, each with its own price. For example, adding an inside label with your brand’s information is $2.49 per label. They also offer outside labels, long sleeve prints, short sleeve prints, and embroidered logos. Additionally, they offer a free option to print your logo on packing slips, and charge $0.75 per order for pack-ins such as flyers, business cards, or stickers.
To help with profit margins, Printful has a profit calculator that suggests practical profit margins and shows the expected net profit per product sold. They recommend a minimum profit margin of 30% and offer volume discounts to users who reach a certain amount of sales per month.
Printify’s pricing plans
Printify offers three different plans for its customers. Each plan includes access to an advanced mockup generator, integration with various selling channels such as Shopify, eBay, Etsy, and WooCommerce, 24/7 live support, and manual order creation.
The Free plan is recommended for merchants just starting their dropshipping business. It allows for unlimited product designs to be uploaded to the online store and integration with up to 5 POD dropshipping stores.
The Premium plan is ideal for merchants with multiple stores, as it allows for integration with up to 10 stores and comes with a 20% discount on all ordered products. It also offers the ability to sell personalized products in your store, which is not available on the free plan.
The Enterprise plan is designed for high volume businesses, allowing for unlimited store integration and providing a dedicated customer support team to help resolve any issues. It also offers custom API integration and prompt updates on new features added to the platform.
Although Printify’s pricing is cheaper, it is not as clearly defined as Printful’s, which classifies all its services accordingly (such as in-labels and packing slips).
Printify vs Printful: Integrations
Both Printful and Printify offer built-in APIs for integration with various ecommerce platforms. Both platforms can integrate with Shopify and WooCommerce, but Printful has a wider range of integration options, including Squarespace, BigCommerce, Weebly, Ecwid, PrestaShop, Big Cartel, Gumroad, Magento, 3rdcart, Launch Cart, and Wix. Printify’s Premium plan only integrates with Etsy and eBay, while Printful also integrates with other platforms such as Amazon, Storenvy, Inktale, Wish, and Bonanza. Printful recommends Shopify, Etsy, Ecwid, and BigCommerce for quick setup and easy order fulfillment process. If you plan to use an enterprise-oriented channel such as Magento, it is recommended to hire a developer to assist in launching your POD store. Overall, Printful’s integration options are more extensive.
Printify vs Printful: Shipping costs, Fulfillment
Timely shipping is crucial for maintaining sales in a dropshipping business. Printful provides detailed information on their fulfillment process, including how long it takes to produce products (2-7 business days for apparel and 2-5 business days for non-apparel) and how long it takes for shipping (4 business days on average). They work with global carrier companies such as FedEx, DHL, USPS.com, and DPD and provide a guide for calculating shipping rates. They also offer different shipping rates for different locations and customers may be subject to customs fees based on their location.
Printify also partners with carrier companies, including local fulfillment companies to support international orders. However, their shipping times may be longer, with delivery taking 7-15 business days within the USA, 10-15 business days in Canada, and 10-30 days for international orders. They do not provide as much information on their production time. They also offer faster shipping options for merchants using the Advanced Shopify plan. Overall, Printful provides more transparent and detailed information on their shipping and fulfillment process.
Printify vs Printful: Customer support
Both Printful and Printify offer various resources and support options for their customers. Printful provides an onboarding session at no cost and has a blog with useful insights on running a successful POD business. They also offer various methods of contact such as phone, chat, and email. Printify has a help center with articles on important topics and a blog with tips on marketing, design trends, and success stories. However, Printify does not offer 24-hour live support. Online reviews of Printful’s customer support are mixed, with some praising its responsiveness and others criticizing its response time. Overall, both platforms offer similar resources and support options, with some minor differences.
Printify vs Printful: Overall features
When comparing Printful and Printify, it’s clear that Printful has an advantage in terms of organization and services. The ecommerce photography service offered by Printful is a unique feature that is not commonly found in other POD services. Additionally, Printful offers discounts on bulk orders and same-day fulfillment for orders made before noon. The pricing calculator provided by Printful also helps users set competitive retail prices. Printify, on the other hand, has a wide range of products available in its catalog, but falls short in terms of design services. Printful offers a variety of graphic design options for business branding, promotions, and accessories. Printful also has a professional team of in-house graphic designers and showcases their work on their official page. Overall, Printful is the clear winner in this comparison.
Product design and quality in Printful and Printify POD services
It is difficult to determine which platform has the upper hand when it comes to product quality, as it varies based on user-generated reviews. However, it appears that Printful has a stronger focus on curating trendy merchandise and maintaining product quality through their investments in printing equipment and an in-house team. Printify, on the other hand, may have issues with print quality due to their reliance on third-party companies for printing services.
How does Printful and Printify compare to Print Aura?
Print Aura is less effective than Printify and Printful. The website is static and not user-friendly, which can hinder the order fulfillment process. The shipping speed is slightly faster than the other two services, but the mockup tool is not as advanced and the design tool’s page is slow to load. Print Aura is recommended for beginners with basic print design needs, but it may not be the best option for those looking for more advanced workflow precision and design options. Printify offers an upgrade to an advanced plan, and Printful has a diverse production network that allows for more freedom in choosing a print designer.
How does Printful and Printify compare to Sellfy?
Sellfy is a POD service similar to Printful and Printify, catering to entrepreneurs looking for a simple and effective way to sell POD products. The platform is user-friendly and includes a built-in 3D mock-up for testing designs and customizing products. Although the product range is smaller than some competitors, Sellfy offers a variety of color, size, and labeling options, as well as embroidery, direct-to-garment printing, and eco-friendly material options. Shipping times are generally quick, with an average fulfillment time of five days, but can take up to 20 days for international locations. Sellfy does not allow for selecting the fulfillment location or specify where their fulfillment centers are located, and does not offer integrations with dropshipping apps or third-party carriers. The platform is competitively priced and includes built-in marketing and analytics tools, but could improve in terms of fulfillment flexibility and dropshipping integration to match its competitors.
How does Printful and Printify compare to Teelaunch?
All three solutions have a straightforward customer support system. However, Teelaunch is designed specifically for Shopify users and is not as well-known as Printful and Printify in the print-on-demand market. Despite this, Teelaunch offers unique products that are difficult to find on other platforms, such as branded power banks, shower curtains, UV printed bracelets, and more. In terms of productivity and brand designs, Printful is the most advanced solution. Teelaunch needs to invest more in fulfillment centers to compete with its competitors, as Printful has more warehouses across the US which results in shorter shipping times. If Teelaunch improves its lead time, it could be on equal footing with its competitors, but this would require an in-house team for fulfillment. In terms of ease of use, all three services have a user-friendly interface. In terms of pricing, Teelaunch offers a competitive markup potential without sacrificing quality.
What are Printful advantages?
What to like about Printful:
- Printful offers a wide variety of unique products to work with
- It has an automated order fulfillment solution
- Integrates with major shopping cart channels and marketplaces
- Has a quick turnaround time
- Has centralized fulfillment locations with warehouses in various locations, allowing for global shipping and prompt order fulfillment
- User-friendly interface
- High-quality products
- Large customer base across the US and Europe
What are Printful disadvantages?
What not to like about Printful:
- Products may be slightly overpriced, so it’s important to research customer willingness to pay for custom branded products.
What are Printify advantages?
What to like about Printify:
- Printify allows you to select your printing provider
- Offers a flexible pricing model
- A wide range of over 200 products to choose from
- Products tend to be less expensive
What are Printify disadvantages?
What not to like about Printify:
- Limited number of integrations available
- Branding services are limited
- Print quality can be inconsistent.
Printful vs Printify – Which one to choose?
It’s promising to see the growing popularity of print-on-demand products in the dropshipping model. This comparison can be helpful for merchants who are not only interested in starting a print-on-demand business but want to use a high-quality POD service. While both Printful and Printify have their own strengths, product quality is a critical factor that drives repeat sales. Based on the information presented, it is clear that Printful has an advantage over Printify. Printful has been in business since 2013 and has a more efficient shipping model and higher print quality. While both platforms have their pros and cons, it is recommended to test both POD services to see which works best for your dropshipping goals. You can do this by conducting market research, ordering samples or testing each service separately, as it is free to integrate both POD services to your dropshipping store. Ultimately, Printful is the best choice for those who prioritize quality and customer satisfaction.
