Over the years, I’ve used quite a few different print on demand platforms, from popular all-in-one solutions that integrate with existing ecommerce platforms, like Printify and Printful, to marketplace-style solutions like Spring.
Gelato has quickly become one of my top picks, for a few reasons.
Not only does Gelato appeal to eco-conscious business owners, with its sustainable shipping options and products, but the platform is highly scalable, flexible, and easy to use.
It even comes with some great “advanced” features – like the Gelato Personalization Studio, which allows customers to add their own distinct elements to products, with minimal effort.
Clearly, I’m not the only Gelato fan out there.
This platform has earned brilliant ratings across review platforms (such as a 4.7 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot, and a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on the Shopify app store).
The question is – is Gelato right for you?
My Verdict: Pros and Cons
I’ve used Gelato a few times over the years, and every time I come back to the platform, there seems to be something new for me to rave about.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a Print on Demand partner that combines an eco-friendly approach, with powerful sales tools, design apps, integrations, and quick global fulfillment, Gelato is hard to beat.
Pros:
- Easy automation with convenient integrations
- Fast, reliable, global shipping solutions
- Sustainable printing and delivery options
- Powerful design tools (including the Personalization Studio)
- Various high-quality products and branding options
- Simple interface for beginners.
Cons:
- Some features (like the Personalization Studio) cost extra
- No warehousing services
- Limited printing options compared to some competitors
What is Gelato? Key Features and Benefits
Gelato is an eco-conscious print on demand company that aims to be faster, smarter, and more feature-rich than its well-known competitors, like Printful and Printify.
Although it has its downsides, such as fewer integrations, products and printing options than some alternatives, Gelato constantly ranks as one of my favorite print on demand partners.
It appeals to eco-conscious merchants, by working with local manufacturers to reduce carbon emissions.
That’s important when you consider that today’s consumers are happy to pay up to 9.7% more for eco-conscious goods. It also offers consistently excellent printing quality, and super-fast delivery times too, particularly across Europe.
Plus, Gelato recently reduced the base cost of many of its products by up to 50% – making it a more affordable option for beginners looking to optimize their profit margins.
Here’s your behind-the-scenes look at the core features (and benefits) of Gelato.
Product Options and Customization
Compared to some alternatives, like Printify, Gelato does offer slightly fewer product options. There aren’t a lot of “unique” items to explore (like branded coffee or beauty products).
But you do get a lot of high-profit options to explore, from t-shirts and hoodies, to home décor, phone cases, and accessories.
Where I think Gelato really excels is in its art and paper product collection.
Gelato has one of the widest selections of wall art products available worldwide, and gives merchants lots of luxury options to choose from, including wood, aluminum, and foam prints.
It also makes it really easy to customize your products, with convenient templates, and an intuitive design studio, with access to various free fonts, Shutterstock images and graphics.
You can also upload your own designs to your products, choosing where to place them (such as on the front, sleeves, or back of a t-shirt).
The design tool even rates the quality of your images, making it easier to avoid low-resolution designs.
Although it would be nice to have some more advanced tools available, like an AI image generator or upscaler, Gelato’s design tools are still impressive.
Additionally, although there are fewer printing options available from Gelato than you’d get from other alternatives, you can still experiment with options like embroidery and DTG printing.
Plus, you can add various “branding elements” like custom tags and inserts to your products.
The Personalization Studio
I could have included this in the section above, but Gelato’s Personalization Studio is one of its most exciting features – in my perspective.
It basically allows merchants to give customers on channels like Etsy and Shopify the ability to customize their own products.
All you need to do is integrate the Personalization studio into your existing website, and add the “layers” that customers can personalize.
You can allow them to add their own text or photos, or even choose from a library of images and graphics.
The really amazing thing about this tool is that it automates the custom order process entirely. You don’t have to do anything when a customer wants to personalize a product.
They simply input the design they want, and their information is delivered straight to Gelato.
The only possible downside is that there is an extra fee for this feature. On the entry-level tier, for instance, you’ll pay a $1 transaction fee for every order.
However, there are some cost-effective additional tiers for high-volume merchants.
Product Quality and Profitability
Another great thing about Gelato is that the company is extremely consistent with the quality of its products.
Whether you’re selling custom branded products, or items that customers can personalize yourself, you shouldn’t have to worry about issues with print and material quality.
Gelato partners with world-leading manufacturers, brands, and printing partners to ensure that you always exceed your customer’s expectations.
Plus, while some of Gelato’s products used to be quite expensive compared to alternatives from vendors like Printify, Gelato recently reduced the base cost of some of its products by up to 50%.
That means you can achieve higher profit margins without compromising on quality.
Gelato even makes it easy to keep shipping costs low, with pre-configured profiles that help you to choose shipping partners based on cost and proximity to customers.
Also, since you can give customers the opportunity to personalize their own products, you can potentially charge a higher premium for your items – taking your profits to the next level.
Global Fulfillment and Shipping Times
If you’re running a global business, Gelato gives you the freedom to ship products to customers in more than 200 countries worldwide.
It has a brilliant network of more than 140 printing partners across 32 countries, and partners with more than 60 logistics experts too.
Notably, though Gelato can help you reduce shipping costs with pre-configured profiles, the price you pay for shipping will vary based on a few factors.
For instance, you’ll need to account for things like the shipping destination, package weight, and the shipping method selected.
Aside from Standard shipping, Gelato also offers expedited and overnight domestic shipping on some products in certain locations.
Obviously, the cost for faster shipping is higher – but your customers might be willing to pay extra to get their packages faster.
Regardless of which shipping method you choose, Gelato goes above and beyond to ensure quick production and delivery times.
Standard shipping usually takes about 3-5 days on average, while Expedited and Overnight shipping takes 1-2 or 2-3 business days on average.
Personally, I think Gelato blows other companies out of the water from a European shipping perspective – delivering items a lot faster than companies like Printify.
You also benefit from an eco-friendlier approach to logistics. Gelato is well known worldwide for its commitment to reducing carbon emissions, with its printing services, and logistics partners.
So, if you’re keen to differentiate yourself from the competition based on sustainability, Gelato is a great choice – even if you do pay a little more for some shipping options.
Integrations and Sales Tools
One complaint I’ve had with Gelato in the past, is that it doesn’t offer as many integration options as its competitors – like Printful.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with a variety of sales channels.
I’d definitely recommend using Gelato if you have a Shopify or Etsy store – as you’ll be able to take advantage of features like the Personalization Studio, and real-time shipping rate tools.
However, UK and US sellers can also connect Gelato to TikTok, for social selling, and the platform does support integrations with Amazon, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and Wix.
There’s also a secure API for custom automated workflows.
Gelato also offers some fantastic sales tools that you won’t get from other providers. For instance, there’s the automatic file sync tool, the merch maker platform, and the “price navigator” to help you maximize your profits.
You also get analytical and reporting tools to help drive intelligent decisions for business growth. Plus, there’s a mobile app for managing your POD business on the move.
For print producers, there’s also the dedicated “GelatoConnect” app, for workflow automation, smart procurement, and intelligent logistics,
Ease of Use and Customer Support
I mentioned above that one of the reasons I love Gelato for POD merchants, is that it’s incredibly easy to use.
Even with access to advanced tools, like the Personalization Studio, you can set up an account, create products, and start selling in no time.
Most integrations only take a few minutes to implement too – particularly if you’re using Etsy or Shopify.
Gelato’s dashboard and interface is easy to navigate, and there are tons of great help resources for beginners.
The resource center, for instance, is packed with blogs, articles, guides, and videos. There’s even the Gelato “Academy” with step-by-step training tutorials.
I did find it a little difficult to figure out how to get direct support from the Gelato team at first. Like most platforms, Gelato tries to encourage you to solve your own problems before you “report” an issue to the technical team.
However, email and live chat support is available – though there isn’t any phone support.
The good news is that Gelato responds to most queries pretty quickly.
On average, Gelato aims to resolve most issues within about eight hours, but you can get faster support if you’re on the “Platinum” plan – which includes access to a dedicated success manager.
Gelato Print on Demand Review: Plans and Pricing
Like most of the print on demand platforms I’ve reviewed, Gelato allows users to dive in for free – with an entry-level plan that allows you to sell as many products as you want, through integrations with platforms like Shopify and Etsy.
This plan comes with global fulfillment services, and a range of intuitive apps and tools for product design.
Notably, if you do choose the free plan, you’ll still need to budget for the base cost of the products you want to sell, and any tools you want to use (like Shopify for ecommerce).
If you want to upgrade, Gelato has a handful of premium plans to choose from, such as:
- Gelato+: $25 per month: All the features of the free plan, plus up to 20% off products, premium mockups, millions of stock images, and branded labels and packaging inserts.
- Gold: $129 per month: All the features of Gelato+, as well as up to 25% off products, and 30% off branding options. You also get the Price Navigator app.
- Platinum: Custom pricing: All the features of Gold, plus dedicated implementation services, a customer success manager, bespoke discounts, and access to community events.
Keep in mind, you will need to pay extra on all plans for access to the Personalization Studio – so remember to budget for that when you’re building out your business.
Gelato Print on Demand Review: The Verdict
Gelato does have some downsides. Compared to options like Printify and Printful, it offers fewer product and customization options, and it doesn’t support as many integrations.
However, this platform also delivers exceptional high-quality products, fast shipping, fantastic customer service, and unique tools, like the dedicated Personalization Studio.
If you’re looking for a print on demand company that can help you stand out with truly unique products, intuitive sales tools, and a sustainable growth strategy, Gelato is hard to beat.
Still not sure? Take Gelato for a test drive with a free account. You’ve got nothing to lose.
