As an Etsy seller, finding the right print on demand partner can be crucial to the success of your shop. Print on demand sites allow you to create unique designs and sell them on a variety of products without having to worry about production and fulfillment. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.
In this blog post, I’ve reviewed the 6 best print on demand companies for Etsy as of April 2023 to help you make an informed decision and take your business to the next level.
Top picks:
- For beginners: Printful. If you’re building your first print on demand Etsy store, go for Printful. Product costs are higher but the quality is consistently high and you won’t have to worry about not meeting customers’ expectations.
- For scaling: Printify. If you’re an experienced Etsy seller, Printify is your best bet. The prices are super competitive, the product variety is best in the business. In addition, Printify makes the biggest effort to ensure consistency of quality out of all print on demand supplier networks.
1. Printful: Best for Beginners
Printful is the biggest print on demand company with a track record dating back to 2013.
The company offers over 300 custom products, including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and much more. Its standout feature is the variety of fulfillment options: DTG and DTF printing, sublimation printing, and embroidery. You can also print custom inside labels and do custom packaging at an extra fee. This means that with Printful you can build a full-scale brand with barely any investment.
Printful has a reputation for excellent product quality and fast fulfillment times. However, the quality comes at the price of a higher cost, compared to competitors.
Having used Printful for my Etsy store for the past 2 years, it’s definitely a supplier you want to start your POD business with. They provide plenty of learning resources, and you don’t have to worry about not meeting your customers’ quality expectations. Once you’re more experienced at print on demand, you can evaluate whether other POD suppliers can offer comparable quality at a better price.
Click here to try Printful free
How does Printful work with Etsy?
Printful works flawlessly with Etsy. All you have to do is design a product in Printful and connect your Etsy store. Your product will then be imported into Etsy together with the price, description, tags, and product photos of your choice.
Is Printful free?
There are no monthly or membership costs. You only pay when you order a product.
Click here to try Printful free
Printful for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Free to join | High product prices |
| Top-notch product quality | |
| Seamless integration with Etsy | |
| 300+ products and many customization options | |
| Fulfillment centers in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia guarantee fast shipping to your customers |
2. Printify: Best for Experienced Sellers
Printify is a network of printing companies around the globe. In 2023, the buzz is all about Printify—the prices are extremely competitive, the product selection goes way beyond the competitors, and the quality is relatively good.
Here’s one thing you should note about Printify—as a network of print on demand suppliers, it can’t ensure that the print quality is the same across all suppliers. Each supplier has their own quality standards and QA processes, so some variation is inevitable.
Printify is the best choice for experienced sellers who are looking for the best price and don’t mind investing in samples to test out print provider quality. If you’re looking to scale your Etsy POD business and maximize your profit margin, Printify is the clear winner.
You’ll find over 800 products in Printify’s catalog. Apart from apparel, there are also home goods and lots of travel, car, pet, and other accessories.
Click here to try Printify free
How does Printify work with Etsy?
Etsy is a popular integration for Printify users, and it works smoothly. Just like with Printful, you only have to design a product and connect your Etsy store to Printify. Printify’s interface is straightforward, so you’ll be able to find your way around it fairly quickly.
Is Printify free?
Printify is completely free to use if you connect up to 5 stores. There’s a paid premium plan if you’d like more stores or discounted product pricing.
Click here to try Printify free
Printify for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Free to join | Inconsistent product quality |
| Very competitive product prices | |
| 800+ products | |
| Great for scaling |
3. Gelato: A Strong Alternative to Printify
Gelato, although lesser known, is actually a printing company to consider. It is a network of international print on demand suppliers that aims to print orders as close to your customer’s location as possible.
Gelato’s interface is very clean and simple. My favorite part is how transparent this company is about its prices, fulfillment locations, and delivery fees. It’s common for smaller print on demand companies to leave their customers guessing their fulfillment and shipping times. Gelato, however, makes the key estimates extremely clear.
Gelato’s product catalog has a good selection of wall art, while the clothing selection is not as vast. A standout product is hard and soft photo books.
How does Gelato work with Etsy?
Gelato has an Etsy integration, and the setup process takes just a couple of clicks.
Is Gelato free?
You can use Gelato for free, but there are also 2 paid plans that provide additional benefits. If you subscribe to a paid plan, you can get access to cool custom mockups and, more importantly, 30% discount on all standard shipping.
Gelato for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Advanced design editor | The best features are only available to paid plan subscribers |
| Very transparent fees, production and delivery estimates | Less apparel items than Printify |
| Good selection of wall art products |
4. TeeLaunch: Best for US customers
TeeLaunch is a network of printing facilities based primarily in the US. If your Etsy audience is US-based, TeeLaunch is a POD solution to consider.
The number of unconventional products and fulfillment techniques is what TeeLaunch really stands out with. In its catalog, you’ll find custom jewelry, laser etched wooden cutting boards, printed basketballs, volleyballs, tennis balls, and more.
The main disadvantage of TeeLaunch is that it fulfils orders mostly in the US, which means long shipping times and import fees for customers based outside of the US. Etsy is a global marketplace, so you might get order from anywhere in the world. Partnering with a company that only offers fast shipping in the US will put some limits on your Etsy store’s growth.
How does TeeLaunch work with Etsy?
TeeLaunch’s main focus has always been Shopify, this is clearly evident in the numbers of TeeLaunch’s Shopify reviews. The TeeLaunch Etsy integration, however, is pretty smooth. Connecting the two is easy, and I haven’t faced any issues importing new TeeLaunch products into my Etsy store.
Is Teelaunch free?
It’s free to sign up and start designing, you only pay for the products you order.
TeeLaunch for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Awesome products: jewelry, plates, engraved wooden products, etc. | Suppliers mostly located in the US—shipping anywhere outside of the US takes longer and costs more |
| Smooth Etsy integration | Different suppliers can lead to inconsistent quality |
| Competitive product pricing | Small selection of mockups |
5. Gooten: Best for Home & Living products
Gooten is yet another network of print on demand suppliers located around the world.
Gooten’s main advantage is the variety of Home & Living products. If you’re planning to sell home products on your Etsy store, be sure to check this print on demand company. There are tons of blankets, tapestries, pillows, desk mats, calendars, and lots more.
Since Gooten doesn’t disclose which facilities it uses for each product, it gets a bit tricky to figure out where your items will be shipped from and if several different items can be combined in a single package.
As with all POD networks that don’t have their own facilities like Printful, the consistency of quality with Gooten is a bit unpredictable. Your products will be fulfilled by a supplier that’s located closest to your customer. This means that a customer from Australia might get a product of different quality than a customer who lives in the US.
How does Gooten work with Etsy?
Gooten integrates with all of the leading ecommerce platforms, including Etsy.
Is Gooten free?
Yes, Gooten is free and there are no monthly fees.
Gooten for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Great selection of products, especially in the home & living category | Inconsistent quality |
| Simple interface | Users report slow customer service and production delays |
6. Printed Mint: Best for custom branding
When you’re running a print on demand store on Etsy, it’s often important to provide a unique unpacking experience for your customers. Printed Mint does just that. This company lets you choose custom packaging options like crinkle paper, ribbon colors, pack-in marketing cards, and more. And for an added fee of 10% of your order value Printed Mint gives even more packaging options.
What else is there apart from packaging? Cool-looking mockups and a vast variety of products, including staples like t-shirts and mugs, and more unusual products like scented candles and diffusers.
In terms of product pricing, the costs are slightly higher than Printify’s and lower than Printful’s. When it comes to shipping origins and delivery estimates, Printed Mint gives really vague answers. It’s not clear whether your products will be shipped from the US, and if not, how long it will take for them to arrive. Some customers state that production and shipping of a single shirt takes 20 days with Printed Mint.
How does Printed Mint work with Etsy?
Printed Mint has an Etsy integration with Etsy, and the connection is straight-forward. The interface is also quite streamlined and easy to use, so you’ll get used to it quickly.
Is Printed Mint free?
Printed Mint is free and has no hidden fees.
Printed Mint for Etsy: Pros and Cons
| 👍 Pros | 👎 Cons |
| Great packaging options: you get to choose custom crinkle paper and ribbon colors, and add pack-in marketing cards | Unclear shipping origins |
| No shipping estimates on the website | |
| Inconsistent print quality |
5 things to consider when choosing your Etsy print on demand partner
When choosing a print on demand partner for Etsy, here are five things to consider:
Quality: The quality of the print and the product are crucial for customer satisfaction. Look for a print on demand partner that offers high-quality prints on quality products. Make sure you order samples to ensure that the product meets your standards.
Product range: Consider the variety of products that your print on demand partner offers. The more products available, the more flexibility you will have in creating your designs. Even if you’re currently focusing on a couple of specific products, you may decide to expand your product selection later on.
Production locations: Check where the print on demand company’s facilities are located. Your choice of a POD partner
Pricing and shipping: Make sure to compare the pricing and fees of different print on demand partners. Look for partners that offer transparent fee structures, and pay special attention to shipping costs and delivery estimates. Sometimes a product seems cheap at first glance but the costs add up when you include shipping and VAT.
Integration with Etsy: Look for a print on demand partner that has a seamless integration with Etsy. This will make it easier to manage your listings, orders, and inventory.
Customer service: Choose a print on demand partner with excellent customer service. You may encounter issues with orders or have questions about their products, so having a responsive and helpful customer service team is essential for a smooth experience.
Is print on demand allowed on Etsy?
Yes, print on demand is allowed on Etsy, as long as the seller is following Etsy’s policies and guidelines. To sell print on demand products on Etsy, sellers must ensure that they have the rights to use any copyrighted or trademarked designs. Sellers are also responsible for accurately representing their products and fulfilling orders in a timely manner.
Do shirts sell well on Etsy?
Yes, shirts can sell well on Etsy, as long as they are unique, high-quality, and marketed effectively to the right audience. However, t-shirts don’t have the highest profit margins as the competition is steep. For bigger profits, try higher-priced items like hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, or shoes.
Wrapping up
I hope you enjoyed this post about the best print on demand for Etsy.
To recap, the 2 best print on demand services for Etsy are Printful and Printify. Printful works best for beginners as it provides outstanding quality but lower profit margins. Printify is great for scaling an existing business as the pricing is very competitive and the product variety is excellent.
If you enjoyed this article, check out some of my other posts:
15 Key Etsy Statistics 2023 [Buyer, Seller Stats and Analysis]
25 Common Print on Demand Mistakes to Avoid [2023]
34 Top Print on Demand Statistics For 2023 [Growth And Trends Analysis]