Print on demand (POD) is changing the e-commerce game, giving entrepreneurs a low risk way to start and grow their businesses.
I’ve been following this industry for a while now and I’ve seen it grow exponentially. The market is growing fast with projections to grow even more in the coming years.
I’ve tried out different POD services to help business owners make informed decisions. In this post I’ll compare two of the biggest players in the game: Printful and Gelato.
Both have their own features and strengths and knowing the differences is key for anyone looking to use POD for their business growth.
My verdict
Printful is the top choice for print on demand services. I like their established reputation and wide range of high quality brands.
The ability to add custom labels and packaging inserts is a big plus. While sustainability is important, Printful is my go to for POD needs.
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Key Insights:
Printful stands out for product range and print quality. I like their integration options, they have many sales channels. Gelato is reliable and eco friendly.
Both offer free sign ups which is great for new businesses. Their branding options are the same and both have design tools.
I’ve noticed Printful’s prints are more vibrant, while Gelato focuses more on sustainability so, therefore quality might suffer in some cases. It’s a choice between the two based on your business needs and priorities.
What’s Printful All About?
Printful has been around since 2013 and has grown fast. I like that they don’t charge any setup fees. Their US headquarters oversees global shipping which has delivered tens of millions of items so far.
What’s Gelato All About?
Gelato is a print on demand giant that’s making a big impact in the industry. I like their global reach, they produce in 32 countries through over 100 print partners.
They offer a wide range of customizable products, from clothing to phone cases and wall art.
Gelato is a success story. They’ve fulfilled over 10 million orders so far. In 2021 they hit a big milestone by becoming a unicorn after raising $240 million in funding.
Founded by Henrik Müller-Hansen who previously led Tele2 Norway, Gelato has positioned itself as a leader in on demand production networks.
Their business model allows for local production, which can reduce shipping times and costs for customers.
Printful vs Gelato: Pros and Cons
Printful’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Printful has a huge range of high quality products across many categories. I like their design tools and mockup generators.
They have global fulfillment centers for fast shipping with express options. I like their integrations with platforms, marketplaces and social media.
Printful is great for customization, they even offer embroidery. Their value added memberships are a plus for high volume sellers.
On the other hand I don’t see Printful’s sustainability efforts as prominent. Some of their premium items are quite pricey. Fast shipping is extra cost.
Gelato’s Pros and Cons
Gelato stands out with their sustainability and eco friendly production. I like their product quality, they cater to many audiences. They produce in 32 countries which is big. They integrate with many ecommerce platforms and have 24/7 customer support. I like their fast production and delivery times.
Gelato’s product range is more limited than some others. I see fewer branding options. Their integrations aren’t as extensive as Printful’s.
How Printful Handles Print on Demand
Printful streamlines the print on demand process so entrepreneurs can bring their designs to life. I’ll show you how it works.
First you’ll create a free account with Printful. No setup fees so you can start designing right away.
Printful’s Design Maker tool is user friendly, you can create custom graphics or upload your own. You can even add embroidery to some items.
Once you have your design ready use the mockup tool to see the final product. Printful partners with 29 big brands like Adidas and American Apparel so you get quality base products for your designs.
To add a personal touch Printful offers branded labels and packaging inserts. You can include flyers, coupons or handwritten notes with your orders.
When you’re happy with your product it’s time to sell. Printful integrates with 23 ecommerce platforms including Shopify, Amazon and Etsy. This gives you a big customer base to reach.
Printful takes care of everything for you. When a customer orders, Printful prints, packs and ships the product to them.
With 13 fulfillment centers around the world including Japan, Australia and Brazil Printful can serve customers globally.
How Gelato does on demand production
Gelato offers a one click solution to create and sell custom products. I can connect my existing online store to Gelato’s platform and connect to popular ecommerce sites like Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce.
After signing up you can browse Gelato’s product catalog. It has a lot of products from apparel to home decor. I select the product I want to customize and view its details.
Gelato’s design tool is user friendly, I can customize my chosen product. I can add text, shapes and graphics from their library.
Getty and Shutterstock images are also available, free basic options and discounted premium options for paid accounts.
My design can be saved as a template for future use. Before I finalize I preview my design to make sure I like it.
Gelato produces on demand in 32 locations around the world. This minimizes inventory risk and speeds up delivery times.
For a fee I can include marketing materials in my packaging. Options include coupons, thank you notes and branded labels. These are only available to Gelato+ and Gold plan members.
Product customization options:
- Text
- Shapes
- Graphics from Gelato’s library
- Getty and Shutterstock images
Available marketing inserts:
- Coupons
- Thank you notes
- Branded labels
Gelato’s platform takes care of the entire process from design to delivery so you can create and sell custom products without inventory management.
Pricing at Printful
Printful’s pricing structure is straightforward and cost-effective. I pay only for the base price of products when a customer places an order.
This model allows me to minimize upfront costs and manage inventory efficiently.
Several features come at no additional cost. I can access Printful’s Design Maker and Mockup Generator to create custom products.
The platform also offers automatic order fulfillment through various ecommerce integrations.
I receive white-labeled packing slips with my custom message and logo, ensuring a professional presentation for my customers.
Printful’s global order fulfillment network and 24/7 customer support are included at no extra charge.
I also have access to an online resource hub filled with educational content to help grow my business. The free Logo Maker with over 100 templates is a valuable tool for brand development.
Upgrades for Purchase
Printful offers additional services for a fee:
- Enhanced branding options (custom order tracking pages, printed labels)
- Pack-ins (business cards, thank you notes, coupons)
- Custom packaging (colored packages, logo printing, eco-friendly mailers)
- Creative services (graphic design, photo/video shoots)
- Warehousing for non-Printful items
Pricing Considerations
Base prices include the product and printing costs. Shipping fees vary by location and are added separately. Taxes are not included in the base price.
Product prices can vary widely depending on the brand. Here are some examples:
- Men’s t-shirts: $10.75 – $20.25
- Phone cases: $7.50 – $16.50
- Bags: $13.25 – $30+
For large-scale merchants, Printful offers an Enterprise plan. Pricing details for this option are not readily available.
Membership Programs
While Printful doesn’t require a subscription, I can opt for a membership to access exclusive benefits. Two free options are available based on profit thresholds:
Printful Growth:
- Free with $12,000 in profits over 12 months
- Alternative: $24.99 monthly fee
- Benefits:
- Up to 20% off DTG products
- 7% off branding
- 30% off other product categories
- Personalized product transfer services
- Unlimited store connections
Printful Business:
- Requires $60,000+ in profits over 12 months
- Benefits:
- All Growth features
- Large front prints on select products
- Free digitization for embroidered items
- 25% sample order discount
- Priority support
- Up to 22% off DTG products
- 33% off other categories
- 9% off branding
These membership tiers offer significant savings and additional perks to help scale my business as it grows.
Pricing Options for Gelato
Free Plan
I can tell you about Gelato’s free plan. You can produce in 32 countries and connect 2 online stores. You can use Shopify, Etsy or WooCommerce. The design tool is easy to use and you get free product mockups.
Gelato+
For $14.99 monthly or $139 yearly this plan gets you more. You get 30% off standard shipping to major markets like US, Canada and Europe.
Better mockups, connect up to 10 stores. Access to a large library of images and fonts. Branded packaging and customer product personalization tool.
Gold Tier
For $99 monthly or $999 yearly this plan has it all. Up to 50% off shipping, connect 25 stores. They’ll move your products over and you can set your own shipping margins. You’ll also get a personal success manager.
Custom Premium Option
I know this plan is custom to your needs. You’ll need to talk to their sales team for details. Set shipping rates for local production, setup help and time with their consulting team.
Additional Pricing
I found some product pricing examples:
- Men’s t-shirts: $9.33 – $18.72
- Phone cases: $7.57 – $12.81
- Bags: $11.70 – $16.38
Prices vary by location.
Printful’s Print Quality
I found Printful takes print quality seriously. They have a 3 step quality assurance process for every order. Automated software and AI checks design graphics. A specialist checks items during fulfillment. A final check after customization.
Printful invests in the latest technology for sustainable and fashion forward production. They have embroidery machines, MS printers, inlet printers and UV printers for specific product needs.
Want to see quality for yourself? Printful offers sample products at 20% off. So customers can try before they buy bigger.
Print Quality Standards
Gelato follows international standards and sustainable production practices. I found they provide detailed information about each product when you browse their products.
For example when I select a classic unisex hoodie I can see the style, seam placement, fit, fabric thickness and softness.
Gelato also mentions front pouches on applicable products. Their partner selection process prioritizes quality, professionalism and production over price.
One thing I found lacking is sample order discounts. To see print quality for yourself you need to buy at full price. Not ideal for those who want to test before they buy bigger.
- Follows international standards
- Sustainable production
- Detailed product info
- Quality focused partner selection
- No sample order discounts
Best Selling Products on Printful
Printful’s best sellers are current and seasonal. I found wall art, candles and blankets are popular in 2024. Drinkware and premium t-shirts are hot.
In apparel, unisex t-shirts are a classic. For home decor, enhanced matte paper posters are in demand. Classic dad hats are back.
Here are some top sellers:
- White glossy mugs
- Unisex t-shirts
- Enhanced matte paper posters
- Classic dad hats
- Premium t-shirts
These products have great customization and appeal to a broad audience.
Top Selling Products on Gelato
Gelato has several bestsellers in their product line. Ceramic mugs and drinkware are always top sellers. Ready to hang framed posters and wall art fly off the shelves. Personalized apparel is a customer favorite along with tote bags and phone cases.
I found some specific products that are popular:
- Heavyweight unisex crewneck t-shirt
- Classic unisex crewneck sweatshirt
- Premium matte paper wooden frame poster
- White 11oz ceramic mug
These are examples of Gelato’s focus on quality and customization. The platform makes it easy to see top sellers in each product category so creators can focus on what works.
Other Print on Demand Services to Consider
Printify
I like Printify as a print on demand service. They have a huge product catalog and a global network of producers.
What sets them apart is the ability to choose specific vendors based on cost, delivery time and location. This can be a big deal for businesses that want to optimize.
Gooten
Gooten is fast, I like that they produce and ship in under 4 days. They have dedicated apps for major e-commerce platforms.
I like their diverse product range which includes many unique items not found elsewhere. For brands that need quick turnaround and unique products, Gooten is worth a look.
Spring
Spring (formerly Teespring) is for content creators that want to monetize their brand through merchandise.
I see it as a great option for those who don’t want to set up their own online store. Spring has a ready made customer base and user friendly design tools to create products. A hassle free solution for influencers and artists to sell merch.
Printful vs Gelato: My Verdict
When I’d Choose Printful
I’d choose Printful for most print on demand needs. It’s perfect for businesses that want to scale. They have a wide range of customizable products so you can add more products as you grow.
For newbies to ecommerce Printful’s free plan is a lifesaver. You can start your business with no upfront costs and their paid plans are great value as you sell more.
Quality is a big plus for Printful. They produce in house so they have complete control over the final product. So you can be sure your customers will get high quality products every time.
I like Printful’s customer service. If you’re the type of business owner that values fast support, Printful won’t let you down.
When I’d Choose Gelato
Gelato has its own strengths that make it a good option in certain situations. If environmental impact is a big deal for your brand, Gelato’s focus on sustainability is impressive. They’ve put real work into creating an eco friendly supply chain and using sustainable materials.
For global brands Gelato’s global network of fulfillment centers is a big plus. This can help you reach customers in different countries more easily.
Price sensitive sellers might like Gelato more. In my experience their products are slightly cheaper than Printful’s. This can be a big deal when you’re just starting out.
Gelato’s design tool is another plus. I like it, it’s intuitive and feature rich with plenty of options to create custom designs.
Both have their pros but it’s up to you to decide which one is best for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I’ve put together a list of FAQs for print on demand services like Gelato and Printful:
Is Gelato free to use?
Yes, Gelato has no upfront costs or minimum orders. You only pay for products when customers order, plus shipping. Integrating Gelato with e-commerce platforms is free.
Does Printful produce quality products?
Printful is known for quality products. They use top quality materials and latest printing technology including all over prints. Their quality control process is strict.
Can I sell with Gelato?
Gelato can be a good platform for profitable sales. It integrates with online stores and gives you access to global suppliers for free.
Can I make money with Gelato?
While you can’t sell directly on Gelato, you can make money by selling Gelato made products in your own online store. Earnings depend on your market research and marketing efforts.
