Create a custom clothing line, monetize your audience, or cater to a specific niche with personalized products.
Print on demand is a fulfillment model that makes all of that possible without having to hold your inventory.
But choosing the best print-on-demand company to work with—to bring your unique vision to life—can demand a lot of research. Each platform has its distinct catalog of products, shipping considerations, and unique features that will factor into your decision.
In the vast market of print-on-demand companies, the distinct catalog printing services of products vary significantly from one to another. These services are a crucial factor to consider when choosing the ideal provider. Some companies specialize in apparel and accessories, offering high-quality print results on T-shirts, hats, and more. Others focus on home decor items like mugs, posters, and canvases. Some even provide full-spectrum services, catering to an extensive range of products, from books to promotional items. Understanding the specific catalog printing services each company provides will help you align your needs with their strengths, ensuring a successful partnership and superior final products.
To help narrow your list of options, we’ve reviewed ten of the best print-on-demand solutions for designing, selling, and shipping your custom products.
The 10 best print-on-demand companies
The following print-on-demand sites are free to start with and only require you to pay for the cost of the product and shipping after someone has placed an order:
- Printful
- SPOD
- Printify
- Apliiq Dropship
- Teelaunch
- CustomCat
- Lulu Xpress
- T-Pop
- JetPrint: Print On Demand
- AOP+ Easy Print on Demand
- PrintShop by Designhill
To make it even easier to choose the best print-on-demand site for your unique needs, we’ll look at these key factors:
- Shipping: How long does production take after a customer has placed an order? Where does the company ship from, what are their standard shipping times, and how is shipping calculated?
- Printing options: What printing techniques and customizations do they offer?
- Unique features: Are there any unique features or offerings that set them apart from the rest?
- Recommended for: Who is this print-on-demand solution best for?
- Product catalog overview: What are some of the products you can customize or create on the platform?
All of the print on demand sites on this list integrate with Shopify, letting you build a branded online storefront to sell your own custom products wherever your audience spends their time.
1. Printful
- Shipping: Products are usually ready to ship within 2 to 5 business days from the US, Mexico, or Europe with 50% of orders ready in under 3 days. Standard shipping to the US starts at $3.99 and takes 3 to 4 business days (see their shipping map for other destinations). Shipping costs depend on the product with discounted rates for additional items in the same order.
- Printing options: Printful offers direct-to-garment, embroidery, cut and sew, and sublimation printing depending on the product. You can also add tear-away tags to your products, as well as inserts and stickers to your packaging for an additional cost for a more branded customer experience.
- Unique features: A built-in mockup generator means you can be ready to sell in minutes. Printful also boasts the most integrations with marketplaces and ecommerce platforms—including Shopify. They also offer a 20% discount on sample orders.
- Recommended for: Both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs who want a flexible, well-rounded solution to start on that can scale with them.
Printful is one of the most popular print-on-demand companies, offering a wide range of products to customize and features to help you get started that range from mockup generators to services like logo design. Whether you want to sell apparel, prints, home decor, or accessories, you can find what you’re looking for in Printful’s catalog.
For an additional cost, you can also add your own branding to your products and packaging, including inside labels and packaging inserts to help encourage repeat business or promote another product line. Printful also offers services from graphic design to marketing videos, as well as bulk discounts of up to 30%.
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts (American Apparel, Bella + Canvas, Gildan, etc.)
- Sweatpants, leggings, and joggers
- Backpacks
- Mugs
- Phone cases
- Bean bag chairs
- Framed posters
- Prints
- And over 220 more
2. SPOD
- Shipping: SPOD ensures prompt delivery by shipping within 48 hours from the US. Domestic shipping starts at $3.57, offering an affordable option for customers. The estimated arrival time for orders is three to eight business days, allowing customers to plan accordingly. It is worth noting that costs are based on the total order value, ensuring fairness in pricing regardless of individual products or quantity. SPOD’s shipping model prioritizes efficiency and customer satisfaction, providing a seamless experience from order placement to delivery. See their shipping calculator for more details.
- Printing options: Digital direct, thermal sublimation, digital transfer/laser transfer, special flex, depending on the product you want to create.
- Unique features: A product customization tool that lets customers personalize their purchase with their own images, your own designs or over 50k free designs offered by SPOD. They also offer a 20% discount on sample orders.
- Recommended for: People new to print on demand who are looking for speedy fulfillment, simplified shipping, and competitive prices. If you want to give customers the ability to personalize your products, such as a t-shirt sporting a picture of their dog, SPOD also has one of the best customization tools in the game.
SPOD is a print-on-demand site owned by Spreadshirt. They boast one of the fastest fulfillment times in the industry—95% of orders ship within 48 hours—which makes for a satisfying experience for the end customer.
While they may not offer the largest variety of available products, they do offer some of the most competitive prices and an easy-to-use product designer.
They also have a simple pricing model for shipping, which is based on the value of the products you order. With most print-on-demand companies, calculating shipping costs can quickly become complicated for orders containing multiple products from different categories. With costs based on order value, SPOD makes it easier to create shipping rules that maximize your profitability while using upselling and cross-selling to encourage customers to add more to their cart.
Product catalog overview:
- Classic t-shirts (as low as $6.39)
- Premium organic t-shirts
- Adjustable aprons
- Baseball caps
- Women’s longer length fitted tank top
- Camper mugs
- 7-inch crew socks
- And 110 more options
3. Printify
- Shipping: Printify is a vendor network, which means they source and print products from partners around the world. That also means that products, shipping costs, location, packaging, and production times will depend on the print provider you choose. As a result, Printify offers a diverse range of shipping options to cater to the individual preferences of customers. Each print provider may have their own unique shipping policies, costs, and delivery locations. This allows you, as a customer, to have the flexibility to select a print provider that aligns with your specific shipping needs. Whether you require expedited shipping, international delivery, or cost-effective options, Printify’s network of partners ensures that you can find the shipping solution that suits you best. By offering this variety, Printify aims to provide a seamless and customized shipping experience for every customer.
- Printing options: Direct-to-garment, sublimation, cut and sew, embroidery, and more depending on the print provider and product. Printify offers a variety of printing options to cater to different needs. With their direct-to-garment, sublimation, cut and sew, embroidery, and more, you can find the perfect method for your desired product. The range of options available depends on the print provider and the specific product you are looking to personalize. Whether you prefer the vibrant colors of sublimation or the intricate detailing of embroidery, Printify has you covered. Explore their diverse printing options to create custom designs that truly stand out.
- Unique features: Printify offers a range of unique features to enhance your print-on-demand experience. One standout feature is the option to upgrade to the monthly premium plan. By doing so, you can enjoy an impressive 20% discount on all orders, which can significantly improve your profit margins as you scale your business. This exclusive perk allows you to maximize your earnings and take advantage of Printify’s platform.
- Recommended for: Printify is the ultimate solution for those seeking a flexible and cost-effective print-on-demand service. It stands out by providing a streamlined process that allows you to find a printing partner from a specific region of the world. This means you can easily source products that are shipped from a desired location, giving you greater control over shipping times and costs. Whether you’re a small business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur, Printify’s unique features make it the go-to choice for those looking to optimize their print-on-demand operations.
Printify is unique in that it gives you access to a large network of printing partners distributed around the world. This not only means a larger variety of products to choose from, but you can select your printer based on the country you want to sell in for faster and more cost-effective shipping.
Altogether, Printify can offer some of the best margins and the largest selection of products available. The inherent trade-off is that the quality of the products and the printer’s service can vary based on who you work with. Also, if you choose to work with multiple vendors that will require further setup.
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts
- Hoodies
- Backpacks
- Canvas wraps and framed prints
- Fridge Magnets
- Stickers
- Swimwear
- Skirts
- Blankets
- Sneakers
- High heels
- And over 250 more
4. Apliiq Dropship
- Shipping: Production can take up to 7 days for orders. They offer weight-based shipping starting at $3.99 to the U.S and ship internationally to over 150 countries worldwide (see their international shipping page for their shipping rates table). For faster fulfillment, you can pay a 10% rush order fee or choose their expedited shipping option.
- Printing options: Add your own branded label, clothing tags, or embroidered patches to create products that truly feel like your own. They also offer digital print, screen print (for bulk orders), cut and sew, appliqué (where your designs are sewn on as a separate fabric), and embroidery options.
- Unique features: Add custom labels, clothing tags, and patches to brand your products. They offer more robust customization than other platforms with the ability to design the interior lining of a hoodie or add pockets, patches, and more to your clothing.
- Recommended for: Anyone who’s serious about fashion and starting their own clothing line with premium apparel at a higher price-point, especially if you want to order in bulk to have products on hand to sell offline.
If you want to start a clothing line that puts design and quality above all else, there are few better options than Apliiq. Based in downtown LA, they offer a wide range of customization options that let you create your own retail-quality private label apparel products.
With better wholesale discounts than most print-on-demand providers (starting at 20% off for a bulk order of 10), Apliiq is a great partner for anyone who wants to start a fashion brand and sell through a mix of online and offline retail channels.
For $100 a year, you can upgrade to a plan that includes 100 custom woven labels that will be sewn onto your products. Instead of a discount on samples, like most companies, you pay a markup for quality assurance, wherein an in-house production artist will review your product and make minor tweaks to your design. That way, when you’re ready to dropship or buy in bulk, you can be confident that customers will receive the best version of your product.
Product catalog overview:
- Pocket tees (designs on the chest pocket)
- Premium joggers
- Hoodies with print on interior lining
- Kangaroo hoodies
- Premium snapback hat
- Denim jackets
- Eco-friendly clothing
- And more
5. Teelaunch
- Shipping: Production usually takes 3 to 6 business days, after which orders are ready to ship from facilities in the US, Canada, or the UK. Shipping costs depend on the product and destination. You can see their full breakdown of product costs for details and shipping times by country.
- Printing options: Direct-to-garment and cut and sew all-over print for apparel, and laser etching for products like tumblers and cooking boards.
- Unique features: They offer a product personalization tool that lets customers add their name or upload their own photo to a product. They also autogenerate high-quality professional product mockups, including lifestyle photos for some items.
- Recommended for: Anyone looking for an all-around solution for creating quality products. Teelaunch makes it easy to source high-quality items at competitive prices.
Teelaunch is another solid and versatile print-on-demand partner. What stands out the most is the quality of the mockups they generate for you—they give you professional-looking product images to use in marketing materials and even lifestyle photos for some of their items.
In addition to our printing options, we also offer additional customization features to enhance your brand’s identity and provide a more personalized customer experience. You have the option to add tear-away tags to your products, allowing for seamless rebranding. Moreover, you can include inserts and stickers to your packaging, which not only adds a touch of professionalism but also helps in creating a cohesive and memorable unboxing experience for your customers.
At Teelaunch, we understand the importance of delivering high-quality printing results that truly showcase the uniqueness of your designs. That’s why we offer a diverse range of printing methods and customization options, ensuring that your products are printed and presented exactly how you envision them.<
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts (Next Level, Bella + Canvas, and more)
- 3-piece canvas sets
- Color-changing mugs
- Monogram handbags
- Balloons
- Penryn backpacks
- Running shoes
- Bluetooth speakers
- Dog bowls
- Jewelry
- iPhone cases
- Phone chargers
- Journals
- And over 120 more
6. CustomCat
- Shipping: Orders are produced in the US and usually ready to ship within 2 to 3 business days. From there, it takes about 1 to 7 business days for domestic shipping and 4 to 15 days for international shipping. Domestic shipping to the US costs $4.99 for the first item and then $1.50 for each additional item, while international shipping is $7.50 for the first item and $5.95 for each additional item. See their FAQ page for details.
- Printing options: Direct-to-garment, sublimation, 3D dye diffusion, and embroidery printing.
- Unique features: An optional paid plan for $30 a month gives you access to some of the lowest prices in the industry ($7 tees and $3.50 mugs).
- Recommended for: Sourcing hard-to-find products as they boast one of the largest catalogs on this list.
CustomCat is a large scale print-on-demand company with the biggest catalog of products on this list—over 550 and counting. If you’re looking for a variety of products and are okay with a simple design tool, CustomCat is a good all-around partner with competitive prices and fast fulfillment times.
They offer a wide range of brands and products to choose from, along with a paid plan of $30 a month to get a discount on all their entire catalog.
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts (Bella + Canvas, Dickies, Gildan, and more)
- Sweatpants
- Laptop sleeves
- Pet accessories
- Jewelry
- Drinkware
- Windbreaker jackets and pants
- Jerseys
- And over 550 more items
7. Lulu Xpress
- Shipping: Ships within 3-5 business days to over 150 countries from fulfillment centers in the U.S, Canada, Europe, and the UK. Starts at $3.99 to ship to the US. See their pricing calculator for details.
- Printing options: Digital printing with the option to choose paper type, trim size (from pocketbook to A4 landscape), print quality and color, binding type (perfect bound, hardcover, etc.) and between matte or glossy finish.
- Unique features: With Lulu, you can also sell your books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu’s own marketplace, or even as an ebook.
- Recommended for: Authors, teachers, comedians, illustrators, and creatives of all kinds who want to monetize their talent or their audience with a book or calendar product.
Lulu Xpress is the print-on-demand arm of Lulu, an online platform for self-publishers. They make it easy to create and sell your own print products, everything from books to calendars, that you can customize in a variety of ways.
Lulu Xpress is great for writers, photographers, educators, and creatives, especially those with an established audience that they want to monetize. Outside of the standard merchandise that creators typically sell, print products lets you directly convert your content in a physical item, such as turning your webcomics into a coffee table book.
Best of all, this doesn’t close you off from other distribution channels with more reach and scale, such as retail book stores and Amazon. Instead, Lulu Xpress makes for an easy way to test an idea or retain more of your profits by selling directly to consumers under your own brand, bypassing all the gatekeepers of traditional publishing.
Product catalog overview:
- Novels
- Photobooks
- Cookbooks
- Journals
- Artbooks
- Workbooks
- Novelty coffee table books
- Textbooks
- Poetry books
- Calendars
- Comic books
- Magazines
- And other print products
8. T-Pop
- Shipping: Orders are printed in France and take 2 to 4 days before they’re ready to ship. From there, orders within France arrive in 2 to 3 working days, the rest of Europe in 3 to 7 days, and international orders in 5 to 10 days. Shipping rates are weight-based, which you can dig into on their shipping page.
- Printing options: Direct-to-garment for cotton apparel and sublimation dye for polyester and accessories.
- Unique features: White label customer experience with fully customizable packing slips, plus eco-friendly products, printing, and packaging.
- Recommended for: Selling within Europe or anyone looking for a quality print-on-demand company with an ethical and eco-friendly supply chain and business practice.
T-Pop is a print-on-demand company based in Europe that focuses on apparel and accessories. When customers receive your order, everything from the packaging to the packing slip will bear your brand. With a monthly sales volume of 100, you can also add your brand to the inside labels of your products for €2.50.
What makes T-Pop stand out is their commitment to the environment, from “zero plastic” packaging—advertised on it for customers to see—to 100% recycled paper packing slips.
They go the extra mile to ensure their supply chain is as ethical as possible. Their main supplier, Stanley/Stella, is part of the Fair Wear Foundation, an organization focused on ensuring compliance with labor laws in the manufacture of apparel products.
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts
- Hoodie dress
- Aluminum bottle
- Tank tops
- Tote bags
- Sweatshirts
- Metal and ceramic mugs
- Cushion and cushion covers
- Baby bibs and onesies
- And more
9. JetPrint: Print on Demand
- Shipping: Average production time is 3 to 5 business days. They offer free global shipping with an average arrival time of 14 to 20 business days. However, they also offer $15 express shipping for delivery within 5 to 9 business days. See their FAQ page for details.
- Printing options: JetPrint focuses mainly on watches with the ability to print your own designs on the watch face. They offer many different watch types, colors, and straps to customize the final product.
- Unique features: Automatically process orders, setting a time frame that allows you to make changes or corrections if needed. It also gives you the ability to automatically generate a variety of high-quality mockups and detailed specs to use on your product page.
- Recommended for: Anyone interested in starting their own custom watch company with a dropshipping fulfillment model.
JetPrint specializes in a unique product category within the print-on-demand space: watches. With different styles, straps, and colors to choose from, you can design your own watches to sell on-demand. Shipping is simplified into free and express options with international coverage, making it easy to advertise free international shipping to entice customers to shop with you.
Once you’ve designed your product, JetPrint will automatically generate a collection of product photos that show off your watches from several angles.
While their focus has largely been on watches, they’re also expanding their catalog to include other product categories, such as home decor and phone accessories.
Product catalog overview:
- Genuine leather strap watches
- Steel strap watches
- Magnetic steel strap watches
- Perpetual calendar watches
- Hard phone cases
- T-shirts
- Wall tapestries
- And more
10. AOP+ Easy Print on Demand
- Shipping: Production usually takes 3 to 5 business days (7 to 10 for all-over-print) after which it will ship from one of their fulfillment centers in the USA, Europe, or the UK. AOP+ is dedicated to providing efficient shipping options for customers worldwide. They have strategically established fulfillment centers in these key locations to ensure prompt delivery and minimize transit times. See their shipping rates for details.
- Printing options: They focus on dye sublimation all-over-print (hence the name) and direct-to-garment printing.
- Unique features: Include your own custom packing slip in orders. You can also unlock discounts of up to 10% off, along with other custom branding options, like packaging stickers and private labeling features, with their paid plans.
- Recommended for: Anyone who wants to quickly launch and test their designs on a large variety of products, or is open to paying a monthly fee ($11.99 to $19.99) to bring their unique vision for a custom print-on-demand business to life.
AOP+ is a print-on-demand app that stands out for its easy all-over-print products. With AOP+, you can simply upload your own design and select the products you want to create. This user-friendly platform allows you to quickly get started with creating your personalized items, making it a convenient choice for those looking for a fast print-on-demand solution.
What sets AOP+ apart is that they handle all the printing in-house, ensuring better quality control. By having control over the entire production process, AOP+ can closely monitor and maintain the quality of their prints. This commitment to quality gives customers peace of mind, knowing that they will receive products of the highest standard.
AOP+ caters to those who are interested in all-over-print products, which means you can have your design seamlessly printed across various items. Whether you want to create custom t-shirts, hoodies, or accessories, AOP+ offers a wide range of products for you to choose from. This allows you to unleash your creativity and bring your unique designs to life on different merchandise.
In summary, AOP+ is a print-on-demand app that specializes in easy all-over-print products. With the ability to upload your own design and select from a variety of products, you can easily create personalized items. The in-house printing ensures excellent quality control, giving you the confidence that your prints will be of the highest standard. Whether you’re interested in custom t-shirts, hoodies, or accessories, AOP+ has a diverse selection of products to cater to your needs.
Product catalog overview:
- T-shirts
- Mugs
- Throw pillows
- Leggings
- Organic tote bags
- Hard phone cases
- Hoodie dresses
- Flip flops
- Doormats
- Flags
- And over 200 more items
11. PrintShop by Designhill
Shipping:
PrintShop has a network of global manufacturers as well as shipping service providers to deliver your order right to your doorsteps. Your order is fulfilled by its third-party printers. Hence, products, shipping costs, location, packaging, and production time will depend on your chosen print provider. Shipping time may vary according to the product selection and whether it is standard or express shipping.
You can choose the shipping method that suits your needs.
When your order is dispatched and in transit, you’ll receive a notification of your order. Please remember that the products are shipped only during business days, excluding holidays.
Printing Options:
PrintShop offers a range of printing options, including DTG (direct to garment), Sublimation, Embroidery, Cut and Sew, and more, subject to the product type and the printing partner. These options allow you to get the perfect printing method for your favorite products. Whether you like the vibrant colors of sublimation or the meticulous embroidery artistry, PrintShop has you covered.
Unique Features:
You can set up an online merch store on PrintShop for free. The platform has a huge collection of products from varied brands. Once you place your order, you don’t need to worry about printing, shipping, and customer support, as PrintShop handles everything on your behalf. Other noteworthy features are as follows:
- Every design goes through a QC process.
- Top-notch print quality
- Flexibility to match your online store’s theme with your website.
- Products from all top brands.
Recommended for:
PrintShop is an affordable print-on-demand (PoD) platform ideal for independent designers and artists looking to make the most out of their creative ideas and those needing custom clothing, accessories, and home decor. The platform allows users to establish their online stores, providing a valuable resource for artists, designers, or anyone aiming to set up their online merchandise shop.
By utilizing the platform’s interactive editor, anyone can easily personalize an array of products, including custom t-shirts, custom hoodies, custom jackets, sweatshirts, phone cases, tote bags, and many more.
About the Platform:
PrintShop by Designhill is a creative print-on-demand marketplace where you can discover & buy 50+ unique products, gifts & artwork created by artists worldwide. The platform has established a benchmark for both product and printing quality, ensuring optimal satisfaction for customers. The quality of the mockups gives you a professional-looking image that you can use in your marketing collaterals. The platform’s editor is simple, making it accessible for everyone – you don’t need to be design-savvy to create a t-shirt or any other products. You can select images, text, colors, etc., and see them on the product in real-time.
Product Catalog Overview:
- Hoodies
- Sweaters
- Jackets
- Embroidered shirts
- T-shirts
- Tank tops
- Tote bags
- Phone cases
- Earbud cases
- Drinkware
- Blankets
- Holiday décor
- Duffle bags
- Face masks
- Flip flops
- Socks
Choosing the best print-on-demand company for you
Print on demand’s strongest appeal is that it gives you a low-risk way to try your hand at selling custom products. As we’ve covered above, you need to find a reliable service to partner with to ensure your products look and feel the way you want, and are reliably shipped to your customers.
At first glance, many print-on-demand companies can seem interchangeable, especially if all you want to do is sell t-shirts and apparel. But it’s important to choose a partner based on where their strengths lie, the products they offer, and how they can scale with your vision. Once you know what you want, their distinctive catalogs, pricing, and feature sets make a meaningful difference.
This article was originally published by our friends at Shopify.