Want to launch your own business selling custom merch, with virtually no upfront costs? Prodigi could be the platform you’ve been searching for.

Sure, Prodigi might not be as well-known as some of the other print on demand heavy-hitters I’ve reviewed (like Printful, Printify and Gelato) – but it does have a pretty impressive reputation.

In fact, since it launched in 2017, Prodigi has earned a 4.3 out of 5 score on TrustPilot, and its even earned the attention of some major well-known brands.

But is it right for you? The only real way to find out is to dive into everything Prodigi has to offer.

Fortunately, I’ve done that work for you – to discover whether any merchant can really launch a successful business with this platform.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Quick Verdict: Pros and Cons

Pressed for time? Here’s what you need to know. In my opinion, Prodigi is an excellent option for beginners in the print on demand space.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur or content creator who wants to sell a wide range of eco-friendly, customizable products, without upfront investment, Prodigi has you covered. It even integrates with a decent number of sales channels.

However, Prodigi does have some limitations. The design tools aren’t as great as the ones I’ve used on other platforms (like Printify). Plus, there aren’t a huge number of unique products to choose from.

Based on the reviews I’ve read, print clarity can vary with Prodigi too.

Pros:

• Lots of customizable products (over 500,000)
• Eco-friendly materials, inks, and delivery options
• Integrations for a handful of sales channels
• White-label packaging options
• Easy-to-use design tools
• Handy resources (such as pricing sheets)
  

Cons:

• The design tools are a little basic
• Product quality can vary
• Fewer integrations than some alternatives
  

Prodigi Review: The Core Features

If you don’t already know, Prodigi is a global print on demand (POD) platform, created to help individuals and would-be business owners design and sell custom products online.

Similar to a handful of my other favorite POD vendors (like Gelato), Prodigi is a sustainable company.

The business prioritizes sourcing eco-friendly (non-toxic) inks, and durable materials from eco-conscious partners.

It also has distribution centers located worldwide, to help minimize the carbon costs of transporting goods to customers.

That might not seem particularly important, but in a world where customers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, working with an eco-conscious POD company makes a lot of sense.

Remember, in 2024, customers are willing to pay 9.7% for eco-friendly products.

Here’s a quick insight into the core features that make Prodigi stand out.

Product Variety and Customization Options

Let’s start with the thing that usually matters most to anyone investing in a POD partner – product options.

Prodigi promises companies access to more than 500,000 products (a lot more than most competitors) – but I think that advertisement is a little misleading.

If you actually visit Prodigi’s product catalog, you’ll quickly notice that most of the products are just variations of the same thing – like different styles or colors of t-shirts and stickers. There really aren’t a lot of super unique options to choose from.

However, you do get a decent number of profitable product options, such as phone cases, framed prints, mugs, and apparel products.

Plus, it’s worth remembering that many of these products are eco-friendly, which could mean you can potentially charge higher prices (if you’re targeting the right audience).

When it comes to actually customizing products, you get a handful of basic options like DTG printing – but there doesn’t seem to be any embroidery or all-over print options. Plus, the design tools are very basic.

You can add images and text, and adjust the position of graphics – but there aren’t a lot of free resources to explore, or solutions for generating unique images with AI, like you’d get from Printify.

Even the mockup generator only creates very basic product images – I couldn’t find any option for creating “lifestyle” shots that show products in action.

Product Quality, Profitability, and Branding

Many other print on demand companies give businesses a way to showcase their brand with custom labels and tags – but that doesn’t seem to be an option with Prodigi.

You do get white labelled packaging – but you can’t add things like stickers and logos to mailers and boxes.

When it comes to product quality, Prodigi seems to be a bit hit or miss. While some customers praise Prodigi’s high-quality materials and eco-solvent inks, others say that the “clarity” of prints can be poor at times.

Of course, the quality of your print might vary depending on a range of factors (including the types of files you’re using).

Other companies like Printful can help address these issues with AI-powered “upscaling” tools. However, with Prodigi, it’s up to you to ensure you follow the file “guidelines” carefully.

All that being said, Prodigi still has the potential to produce “profitable” products. The base cost of most products is pretty low.

For instance, a Bella + Canvas t-shirt from Prodigi starts at around $11 – the same t-shirt would cost around $14.48 from a manufacturer on Printify.

That might mean you can achieve slightly higher profit margins with Prodigi, if you choose the right strategy.

Just keep in mind that costs can vary drastically depending on the products you choose, and the customizations you apply.

Sales Channels (Integrations) and Fulfillment

Prodigi definitely gives companies more sales channels to choose from than some alternatives (like CustomCat), but it also lacks the options offered by other market-leading vendors.

For instance, you can choose to integrate Prodigi with your Shopify or WooCommerce store, Wix, Squarespace, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, or EKM. You can also sell through Etsy.

However, there’s no in-built marketplace if you want to start listing your products online without investing in an external storefront. You also can’t create a simple online store with Prodigi, like you can with Printify or Printful.

On the plus side, Prodigi does offer a flexible Print API option, and you can actively “request” access to new channels too.

Prodigi has actually been working pretty hard to upgrade its number of integration options in recent years, and may soon offer access to Amazon, Ebay, and TikTok integrations too.

From a fulfillment perspective, Prodigi supports global delivery, and has production partners in 10 locations worldwide.

You can also choose from a few different delivery options, such as budget, standard, express, and overnight shipping.

Those last two are pretty useful if you want to boost your chances of converting customers by promising ultra-fast delivery times – unfortunately they’re only available in the US and UK.

Fortunately, Prodigi delivers products reasonably quickly regardless.

According to the company, most products are dispatched within 1-4 days, and some items, like wall art products, are shipped within 24-48 hours.

Prodigi Review: Ease of Use and Customer Support

Like most of the print on demand solutions I’ve tried, Prodigi is very easy to use.

You can create an account in less than a minute, and the dashboard for creators is clean and simple to navigate. I do think the process of designing products is a little clunky, but it doesn’t take much time to master.

Plus, connecting your profile to an external marketplace or ecommerce platform is straightforward.

If you need help to navigate anything, there are plenty of guides, tutorials, and FAQs.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get hold of the customer service team. I couldn’t find any options for reaching out except email – and it took a while for me to get a response (a few hours).

On the plus side, you can always try following the company on social media and asking the community for advice.

Prodigi Review: Plans and Pricing

I’ve already mentioned that the base costs for many of Prodigi’s products are reasonably low – depending on the customization options you want to implement. They also offer some great discounts on “volume” orders of framed pictures.

The delivery fees are variable, depending on the speed you want, and the location of their customers, but they’re about average.

The good news is you don’t have to pay anything to actually sign up for an account. Anyone can get started for free.

However, I do think it’s a little disappointing that Prodigi doesn’t offer any “premium” plans for people who want extra benefits.

Other companies, like Gelato, offer some great subscription options with extra discounts and features for scaling companies.

Prodigi Review: The Verdict

So, is Prodigi worthwhile? In my opinion, it’s a good option for beginners who want a low-cost and convenient way to sell custom products online.

However, I do think there are more scalable options out there, with more unique products, and better design tools. I’d probably recommend using Prodigi if you want fast fulfillment times, and simple, low-cost products.

Beyond that, you might want to think about exploring alternatives, such as Printify, Printful, and Gelato, if you want more unique products, and advanced features.