Shopify and Printify are two massive names in the ecommerce and print-on-demand world — but they serve very different purposes.
After using both extensively to build my own stores, I can tell you: this isn’t really a straight “either-or” decision. Instead, it’s about understanding how they work together and which one fits your goals best.
In this detailed comparison, I’ll break down what each platform does, how they stack up on costs, ease of use, and real business results, and give you clear guidance based on real experience.
If you’re launching a print-on-demand brand and confused about which to choose — or whether you need both — this is for you.
Shopify vs Printify: Quick Verdict
Shopify – Best for building your full online store and brand (Starts at $39/month)
Printify – Best for sourcing, printing, and fulfilling custom products (Free plan available, Premium $24.99/month)
If you’re serious about print-on-demand, the smartest move is using Shopify and Printify together. Shopify handles your store, branding, and checkout, while Printify takes care of the actual product creation and shipping.
Trying to run a real ecommerce business with just one or the other will leave you stuck.
Quick Comparison: Shopify vs Printify
| Feature | Shopify | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Build your store and manage sales | Print and ship products for you |
| Monthly cost | From $39/month | Free or $24.99/month for Premium |
| Storefront included? | Yes | No |
| Fulfillment services? | No | Yes |
| Branding control | Full branding control | Product design only |
| Best for | Building a real brand and customer experience | Supplying products without inventory |
| Integration | Connects with Printify, POD apps, marketing apps | Connects with Shopify, Etsy, Walmart |
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a platform where you can build your own online store. Think of it like renting a shopfront, but online.
You pay a monthly fee, you get a website, and you sell your products.
Key Features:
- Build your own branded website
- Add apps and integrations (like email marketing, upsells, reviews)
- Full control over checkout, customer experience, and SEO
- Access to 24/7 support and an app marketplace
- Pricing starts at $39/month for the Basic plan
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Shopify | $39/mo | 2 staff accounts, basic reports, online store |
| Shopify | $105/mo | 5 staff accounts, professional reports |
| Advanced Shopify | $399/mo | 15 staff accounts, advanced reports, lower payment fees |
One of the best parts about Shopify is how easy it is to get started. Even if you’ve never built a website before, their drag-and-drop tools make it feel pretty simple.
You don’t need to touch any code if you don’t want to, but if you do want to customize, there’s plenty of room to tweak the themes or even hire a developer later.
Another thing to know: Shopify is crazy scalable. I know brands doing $500/month on Shopify and brands doing $500,000/month.
You’re never going to “outgrow” it. It handles one product stores and massive product catalogs equally well.
Verdict:
If you want a real business with your own branding, Shopify is essential. It’s not just a place to sell products — it’s the foundation of your store.
What is Printify?
Printify is a print-on-demand supplier that handles the production and shipping of products after you make a sale.
Unlike Shopify, it doesn’t give you a storefront or a full website; instead, it connects you with a network of printing partners who create custom items like T-shirts, mugs, and phone cases on your behalf.
You design the products inside Printify, sync them to your online store (like Shopify or Etsy), and when a customer places an order, Printify takes care of printing and shipping it directly to them.
This setup means you never have to buy inventory upfront, manage logistics, or touch a single package yourself, making it a low-risk way to start and scale a print-on-demand business.
Key Features:
- Connects to Shopify, Etsy, Walmart, and more
- Access to 90+ print providers globally
- Over 900 customizable products (apparel, mugs, accessories, etc.)
- No upfront subscription needed (free plan available)
- Premium plan ($24.99/month) for up to 20% product discounts
| Plan | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Unlimited product designs, pay per sale |
| Premium | $24.99/mo | 20% discount on products, up to 10 stores |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom pricing for 10,000+ orders/day |
What makes Printify special is the network of print providers.
You’re not stuck with just one printer. If one provider is too slow, too expensive, or low quality, you can switch to another one easily. That flexibility saved me big time when one of my shirt suppliers got backlogged during holiday season.
One thing to be careful about: not all print providers are created equal.
Always order samples before selling. Some printers are amazing; others… not so much. I learned that the hard way when a few bad prints nearly tanked my early reviews.
Verdict:
If you need someone to create and ship your products without managing inventory, Printify is exactly what you want. It’s a must-have for running a print-on-demand business.
Shopify vs Printify: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Shopify | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| Storefront | Yes | No |
| Product printing | No | Yes |
| Order fulfillment | No | Yes |
| Monthly cost | $39+ | Free (or $24.99 Premium) |
| Custom branding | Full control | Limited to product design |
| Scalability | High | High with integrations |
Both platforms are really polished and beginner-friendly, but they play very different roles.
Shopify lets you tell your brand story, build trust, and manage customer loyalty.
Printify lets you avoid ever touching a product or worrying about warehouses.
Think about it like this: Shopify is the brain of your ecommerce business. Printify is the muscle. You can’t run a store with just one or the other — you need both working together.
Verdict:
You’re not choosing one or the other — you actually need both if you’re serious.
Shopify is the store, Printify is the product supplier. They work together.
Shopify and Printify Pricing Breakdown: What You Need to Know
Understanding the true cost of running your print-on-demand business with Shopify and Printify is crucial. It’s easy to assume the pricing is simple, but once you dig into plans, add-ons, and upgrades, it’s smart to map everything out properly before committing.
Here’s a full breakdown of what you can expect to pay — based on real-world experience running stores with both platforms.
Shopify Pricing
Shopify charges a monthly subscription fee to use their platform.
Here are the core Shopify plans:
| Shopify Plan | Price (billed annually) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39/month | 2 staff accounts, basic reports, full ecommerce store |
| Shopify | $105/month | 5 staff accounts, professional reports, lower fees |
| Advanced | $399/month | 15 staff accounts, advanced reports, lowest fees |
Extra potential costs to keep in mind:
- Domain name: Around $10–$15 per year (unless you already own one)
- Paid apps: Many apps cost between $5 to $50/month depending on functionality
- Paid themes: Shopify’s premium themes cost $100–$400 one-time
Good to know:
Shopify offers a 3-day free trial, and sometimes promos like $1/month for the first 3 months for new users. Always check for current deals before signing up.
Printify Pricing
Printify itself is free to start with, but serious sellers often upgrade to Printify Premium for better margins.
| Printify Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0/month | Unlimited designs, access to 900+ products, pay-per-order |
| Premium Plan | $24.99/month | Up to 20% discount on all products, connect up to 10 stores |
| Enterprise Plan | Custom pricing | High-volume solutions for 10,000+ orders/day |
Costs per product:
- Every time you sell an item, you pay Printify the base cost + shipping.
- You set your retail price higher to make a profit (most people aim for 30–50% profit margins).
Example:
- Printify base cost for a T-shirt: $9.00
- Shipping to US: $4.00
- Your selling price: $24.99
- Your profit: around $12–$13 per shirt (depending on fees)
Combined Shopify + Printify Costs
Here’s what an average small store might expect monthly:
| Cost Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Shopify Basic Plan | $39/month |
| Printify Free Plan | $0 |
| Domain Name | ~$1/month (annual fee divided monthly) |
| Optional Apps | $10–$50/month |
| Optional Printify Premium | $24.99/month |
Realistic monthly budget range:
➡️ Anywhere from $40/month (barebones) to around $100–$150/month if you add apps and Premium.
Key Takeaways on Pricing
Here’s the balance you need to think about:
- Shopify gives you total brand control and a real online storefront, but it does come with fixed monthly fees — even if you don’t sell anything yet.
- Printify is performance-based: you only pay when you sell a product, and upgrading to Premium can supercharge your margins.
- Together, they’re one of the cheapest ways to start a real ecommerce brand compared to opening a traditional store, buying bulk inventory, or hiring staff.
Pro Tip:
Don’t stress about Printify Premium right away. Stay on the free plan until you’re doing at least 15–20 orders per month — then upgrade and enjoy better profit margins automatically.
Printify Pop-Up Store vs Shopify Store: Which One Fits You?
When Printify launched their Pop-Up Store, I was excited. No fees, no store building.
But after trying it out, here’s what I found:
Printify Pop-Up Store
- Free and super easy to set up
- Hosted by Printify (your URL looks like
yourstore.printify.me) - No real customization beyond colors and logo
- Limited trust from customers (no branded checkout)
- Good for social media links or quick tests
Shopify Store
- Fully customizable design and branded experience
- Own your domain (like
yourbrand.com) - Ability to optimize for SEO, email marketing, loyalty programs
- Full ownership of customer data
- Higher credibility and conversion rates
| Feature | Printify Pop-Up | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Custom domain | No | Yes |
| SEO capabilities | Very limited | Full |
| Trust factor | Low | High |
| Email marketing | No | Yes |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
One big downside with Pop-Up Stores: you’re stuck inside Printify’s ecosystem. You can’t add apps, custom checkout processes, or lead magnets to build an email list.
You’re essentially “borrowing” a storefront — not building a brand.
On Shopify, you can fully customize the experience to match exactly how you want customers to feel when they shop.
And you own that data forever, which is massive if you plan to retarget, upsell, or launch new products later.
Verdict:
If you’re just testing or broke, start with the Pop-Up Store.
If you’re serious about building a brand and making real money, Shopify is non-negotiable.
How Much Does It Actually Cost to Run Shopify + Printify?
Here’s where people get confused. They think they’re paying double.
Here’s the real math:
| Cost | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Shopify Basic Plan | $39 |
| Printify Free Plan | $0 |
| Domain (optional) | ~$10/year |
| Printify Premium (optional) | $24.99 |
At minimum, you’re paying $39/month for Shopify. Plus your domain if you want your own URL, but that’s usually about $10 a year.
So very low overhead to get started compared to something like starting a clothing line traditionally.
If you scale up and want better margins, you’ll want Printify Premium. It’s $24.99/month but saves you up to 20% per product — huge when you start selling multiple items a day.
In my opinion, anyone serious about print-on-demand should eventually grab Printify Premium. The math just makes sense once you sell even 10–15 products a month.
Real Talk Tip:
When I first started, I stayed on Printify’s free plan until I got consistent orders, then upgraded to Premium to get better margins.
How Well Do Shopify and Printify Integrate?
Integration is fast and easy.
Here’s how it works:
- Install Printify app inside Shopify
- Pick products from Printify catalog
- Customize your designs
- Publish them straight to your Shopify store
- Orders automatically sync and fulfill through Printify
It literally took me under 10 minutes to get my first product live.
| Setup Step | Time Estimate |
|---|---|
| Connect Shopify to Printify | 5 minutes |
| Publish first product | 10-20 minutes |
| First order fulfillment | Automatic |
Plus, Printify automatically updates inventory and shipping information. You don’t have to manually track stock or update shipping prices — it’s all synced.
This setup makes it feel like you’re running a big, professional business — even if you’re a solo creator working out of your bedroom.
Verdict:
Integration is seamless. You don’t need coding skills or a tech background. If you can click buttons, you can do this.
Pros and Cons: Shopify and Printify Working Together
Pros:
- Low startup costs (no need for bulk inventory)
- Automates order fulfillment
- Full control over branding and customer experience
- Ability to scale worldwide without warehouses
- Thousands of products to customize
Cons:
- Shopify monthly fees even if you have no sales
- Printify product quality depends on print provider
- Shipping can take longer than Amazon Prime customers expect
One more thing: if you’re planning to build a premium brand with high-end prices, definitely order samples. Customers paying $50 for a hoodie expect Amazon-level quality and shipping speed.
Also, stay upfront about shipping times in your store policies. Most people are fine with 7–10 day delivery if you’re honest. If you hide it, you’ll get refund requests and bad reviews.
Verdict:
If you’re willing to treat it like a real business and put in work, the upsides crush the downsides.
Real Case Study: My First $1,000 Month Using Shopify + Printify
I launched a basic Shopify store connected to Printify.
I picked 5 products — T-shirts, mugs, phone cases.
Designed simple but catchy graphics.
Ran $100 in Facebook and Instagram ads.
Set my product pricing at 2.5x the base cost.
In my first full month:
- $2,100 in sales
- $1,100 costs (products, ads, fees)
- $1,000 profit
One thing that worked well was keeping my designs hyper-focused on one audience.
Instead of trying to sell to everyone, I picked a niche (dog moms) and made designs that screamed “this is for you.”
Another smart move: using Printify Premium. Once I started selling daily, saving that extra 20% margin turned into hundreds of extra dollars a month without doing anything extra.
Final Verdict: Shopify vs Printify
You don’t have to pick Shopify or Printify.
You use both if you want to run a real print-on-demand business.
- Use Shopify to build your brand, set up a beautiful store, and own your customer experience.
- Use Printify to source and ship high-quality products without ever touching inventory.
If you’re only messing around? Maybe Printify Pop-Up is enough.
If you’re serious? Shopify + Printify is the winning combo.
