When looking to sell your designs online, Zazzle is often one of the first platforms that comes to mind. It offers a huge range of customizable products, along with a built in audience and no upfront costs to worry about.
But the truth is, Zazzle isn’t always the right fit for every creator or ecommerce seller.
Maybe you’re after higher profit margins. Maybe you want a bit more control over your branding. Or maybe Zazzle’s limited customisation options just don’t cut the mustard when it comes to your business needs.
Whatever the reason, there are loads of other print on demand platforms out there – many of which are far better suited to building your brand and scaling your store.
The 6 Best Zazzle Alternatives
- Printful – For those who want a ton of control and seamless store integration
- Printify – For sellers looking for super competitive pricing and flexibility
- Redbubble – For selling artwork to a built-in audience of thousands
- TeePublic – For brands looking for easy set up and hands off marketing
- Gelato – For brands who need fast global shipping and local production
- Apliiq – For high-end fashion brands and streetwear enthusiasts
Zazzle Alternatives: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Platform | Best For | Free Plan | Starting Price | Marketplace Included | Branding Control |
| Printful | Building a custom store | Yes | $9.25/item | No | High |
| Printify | Price flexibility | Yes | $7.50/item | No | Medium |
| Redbubble | Built-in audience | Yes | Royalties only | Yes | None |
| TeePublic | Hands-off marketing | Yes | Royalties only | Yes | None |
| Gelato | Global shipping | Yes | $9.00/item | No | Medium |
| Apliiq | Custom fashion products | Yes | $11.00/item | No | High |
1. Printful: For Full Control and Store Integration
Overall rating: 4.6/5 (Excellent)
Pricing: Free to start, with a starting price of around $9.25 per item
The Editor’s Pick
If you really want to build a brand that stands out from the rest, Printful is one of the top alternatives to Zazzle.
Unlike Zazzle, Printful lets you integrate directly with your own Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce store. You set the price, control the branding and own the customer relationship from start to finish.
What Printful Does Well:
- Loads of high-quality products to sell – from clothing to posters and accessories
- Easy integration with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy
- Lets you add your own custom branding elements like packaging inserts and inside labels
- Handles fulfilment and shipping from loads of global locations for fast delivery
Where Printful Could Improve:
- Prices are a bit higher than average, which can cut into your profit margins
- Extra branding features cost money
- No marketplace for selling to a wider audience – you have to drive your own sales
Pricing:
| Plan | Cost | Key Features |
| Free | $0/mo | Product catalog, integrations, order tracking |
| Plus | $24.99/mo | Advanced mockups, background remover |
| Pro | $49.99/mo | Custom API access, more branding tools |
The Important Bits:
Printful is ideal for brands who want to take control of their own marketing or already have a built in audience.
2. Printify: For Flexible Pricing and Suppliers
Overall rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent)
Pricing: Free plan or $29 a month for Printify Premium
Printify works a bit differently to Printful. Instead of one central team handling fulfilment, Printify connects you with dozens of print providers across the US, UK and beyond.
You can compare prices, choose your own print supplier and test different options to see what works best for you.
What Printify Does Well:
- Gives you access to loads of different print suppliers
- Offers lower average base prices than Zazzle or Printful
- Loads of products to sell – from socks to Bluetooth speakers
- Premium plan discounts help boost your profit margins
Where Printify Could Improve:
- Print quality can be a bit hit and miss depending on the supplier
- Customer support isn’t as good as Printful
- Some integrations can be a bit of a faff to set up
Pricing:
| Plan | Cost | Key Features |
| Free | $0/mo | Unlimited designs, manual orders |
| Premium | $29/mo | Up to 20% off product prices |
The Important Bits:
Printify is perfect if you want more control over your profit margins. Just be sure to test different suppliers before launching your whole collection.
3. Redbubble: For Artists With Built-In Traffic
Overall Rating: 4.3/5 (Very Good)
Pricing: Redbubble doesn’t charge you to be a part of their platform. You get to earn a reward every single time one of your designs sells.
Redbubble is a business platform that works kinda like Zazzle. You don’t have to deal with trying to get people to visit your store, or worry about getting products to your customers.
Just upload your designs, set a price you want to make on each sale, and start making some real money.
What Redbubble Does Well:
- They get a whole lot of people visiting every month – over 30 million
- They handle all the customer service – and take care of shipping and returns too
- They’ve got all sorts of cool products like stickers and home decor
- They’ve also got built in seo, and a loyal customer base that sends traffic your way
Where Redbubble Could Improve:
- The thing is, Redbubble owns all the customer data. You don’t get access to their emails
- Your cut from royalties can be pretty small – depending on the price you set for your product
- You don’t have much say in how your products are presented, or how your brand is shown off
Pricing Model:
You set a markup (20% is the default), and they handle the rest of the pricing.
Good to know: Redbubble is great for a side hustle or testing out new ideas, but if you are serious about building a long term brand – then it probably isn’t the place for you.
4. TeePublic – For Easy Setup and Passive Sales (But Low Control)
Overall Rating: 4.2/5 (Very Good)
Pricing: Free to join and earn royalties from every sale
TeePublic is another platform that lets you earn cash from your designs, without a lot of hassle.
It’s owned by Redbubble, and is a partner in the same POD (print on demand) world. It’s designed for independent artists who want to make some money from their work without having to manage a store.
What TeePublic Does Well:
- Its interface is super simple and easy to use. Signing up and getting started is a breeze
- They promote your designs – both through marketing and email
- They’ve got a range of products, including apparel, stickers, mugs, and a lot more
- You get paid a royalty whether they promote your product, or if someone just happens to stumble across it
Where TeePublic Could Improve:
- You don’t get much control over the pricing of your products. Royalties are the main thing to focus on
- You can’t build a customer list or create a real brand presence
- Their product catalog is a bit smaller compared to other POD platforms
Pricing Model: TeePublic sets the prices on your products, and you get a fixed payment every time one sells – $4 on every t-shirt at full price is the standard rate.
Good to know: TeePublic is a super low-effort option – but also one that offers pretty low control too. Its best for artists who want a side income stream without too much hassle.
5. Gelato – For Fast Global Fulfillment
Overall Rating: 4.3/5 – Very Good
Pricing: You get to choose between a free plan, or upgrade to Gelato+ Gold for $14.99/month
Gelato is the number one platform to go for if you want to get your products to your customers fast – all over the world. They’ve got a network of over 100 hubs in 34 different countries – which makes it super easy to get products printed and shipped quickly and sustainably.
What Gelato Does Well:
- They print and ship products local to your customer – so delivery times are quick and the carbon footprint is low
- They do high quality prints on demand
- They’ve got white label branding options for your private label apparel
- They integrate with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce
Where Gelato Could Improve:
- They don’t have as wide a range of products as some other platforms – especially Printful or Printify
- Branding options are pretty limited
- Some locations still take a bit longer to get to
Pricing:
| Plan | Cost | Key Features |
| Free | $0/mo | Basic product access, integrations |
| Gelato+ | $14.99/mo | Premium products, shipping discounts |
| Gelato+ Gold | $99/mo | Maximum discounts, branded packaging |
Maximum discounts, and your own branded packaging
Good to know: Gelato is the go to option if you’re trying to get your products to your customers quickly – especially if they are international.
6. Apliiq – For Fashion Brands and Private Label Apparel Only
Overall Rating: 4.1/5 – Good
Pricing: Free to get started, but you will need to pay for the upgraded plans starting at $100/year for advanced branding
Apliiq is a POD platform that is perfect for fashion brands – they offer true private labelling options that let you create your own custom interior tags, embroidery, patches, and woven labels… even custom fabric placements for your own unique look.
What Apliiq Does Well:
- Clothes are their one and only focus – they are experts in that area
- They let you create a fully branded private label experience
- They’ve got a range of products, from streetwear to high end fashion
- Great for brands who are looking for a high level of control and quality
Where Apliiq Could Improve:
- They are more expensive than some of the other platforms
- They don’t have a lot of the other products that you might want – like mugs or prints
- They are best suited for advanced users and brands that have a strong idea of how they want to be presented
Pricing:
| Plan | Cost | Key Features |
| Free | $0/year | Basic fulfillment, mockups |
| Pro | $100/year | Branding features, product samples |
| Pro Plus | $250/year | Discounted products, faster support |
Good to know: If you are serious about fashion, and want to create a truly unique and authentic experience for your customers then Apliiq is a great choice.
Key Takeaways
- Printful is perfect for anyone thinking long-term with Shopify or Etsy – building a brand that can keep growing and evolving.
- Printify is the one to beat on a variety of products and super competitive prices.
- Redbubble and TeePublic come with their own customers, but be aware – there’s less room to call the shots.
- Gelato really stands out with its speedy, eco-friendly delivery all around the world.
- Apliiq is the way to go for fashion brands who want that extra special touch – custom branding and high-end labels.
The Bottom Line
Zazzle might be okay for artists who want a quick way to get some sales going, but if you’re serious about building a business and making real money online, then there are definitely better options.
Here’s the lowdown:
- Go with Printful if you want total control over your brand – how you price it, design it, and present it to the public.
- Choose Printify if you need to be able to shift around your pricing and have access to a really wide range of products.
- Redbubble or TeePublic are worth a look if you want to sell stuff with minimal fuss and let the traffic come to you.
- Gelato is the one to go with if speed and reliability of shipping are absolutely top of your list.
- Apliiq is the best fit if you’re into fashion – streetwear or high-end – and you want your brand to really stand out.
Every option has its pros and cons, and what works for someone else may not work for you.
The right choice for you will depend on where you’re at in your business right now and where you see yourself going in the next year or so.
