Explore the top companies in the print on demand industry to start your e-commerce journey.

The print-on-demand (POD) business model has revolutionized the way entrepreneurs design, sell, and ship custom products online. By partnering with a POD company, you can create custom merchandise—such as apparel, mugs, posters, and phone cases—without having to hold any inventory. Instead, the products are printed and shipped only when a customer places an order, making this model a risk-free way to enter the world of e-commerce. In this article, we'll dive into some of the best POD companies in the market today, helping you choose the one that suits your needs and business goals the best.

1. Printful: A Top Choice for Custom Products and Branding

Printful is one of the most popular print-on-demand companies, known for its vast product selection and high-quality prints. Founded in 2013, Printful has grown into a leading POD service that offers over 300 products, including clothing, accessories, home décor, and even printing for art. Printful's main appeal lies in its seamless integration with major e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and more. This integration allows you to create your online store and automate your entire order fulfillment process. Additionally, Printful’s branding options are excellent. You can add custom labels, pack-ins, and even branded packaging, giving your products a professional, personalized touch. With warehouses in the U.S. and Europe, they offer fast shipping to various global regions.

2. Teespring (Spring): Best for Artists and Creators

Teespring, now known as Spring, has been a go-to POD platform for artists, influencers, and creators for years. It’s a user-friendly platform designed to help you create custom merchandise to sell to your audience. One of the standout features of Teespring is its strong focus on creative communities. The platform makes it easy to design products directly on the site and offers an intuitive interface that doesn’t require technical skills. The range of products includes apparel, accessories, home goods, and more. With Teespring, you can also build a storefront and connect your products directly to your social media accounts, making it simple to reach your fans and followers. The company handles all production, shipping, and customer service, so you can focus purely on promoting and creating content.

3. Printify: A Flexible and Scalable POD Solution

Printify stands out for its flexibility and vast network of print providers across the world. Unlike Printful, which operates in-house fulfillment, Printify partners with a wide range of print providers, giving you access to more product options and global shipping solutions. Printify’s large selection of customizable products includes apparel, mugs, stationery, and even pet accessories, and it supports integration with top e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. For entrepreneurs who want to scale their businesses, Printify offers an array of options for customization and flexibility in terms of suppliers, allowing you to choose which print providers best match your needs for quality and pricing. Its free plan is suitable for new businesses, but there’s also a premium plan available for those who want to access even more features, such as discounted product rates.

4. Gooten: A Reliable POD Service with Global Reach

Gooten is a lesser-known but highly reliable print-on-demand company that has quickly gained traction among small and medium-sized businesses. Like Printify, Gooten has a network of global print partners, meaning you can choose suppliers based on your specific needs for product type, quality, and price. Gooten offers an easy-to-use interface, and it integrates seamlessly with major e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy. Its product range includes clothing, bags, home décor, and various accessories. One of Gooten’s main selling points is its focus on quality control—each product goes through a strict quality check before it’s shipped to customers, ensuring that you only sell top-tier merchandise. Moreover, Gooten offers a high level of customization options for packaging, including custom packing slips and branded packaging, allowing you to elevate your brand identity.

5. Redbubble: Great for Artists and Independent Designers

Redbubble is another POD platform that focuses on the artist and independent designer community. It allows creators to upload their designs to a wide variety of products, from t-shirts and hoodies to wall art and even shower curtains. Unlike some other POD services, Redbubble operates as a marketplace, meaning that customers can browse a huge selection of designs from different artists, which increases visibility for your products. While this can be a benefit for exposure, it also means that your products are part of a larger pool, and standing out might take more effort. The platform offers competitive royalty rates, and with its user-friendly design tool, you can easily create and upload your designs. Redbubble also handles the fulfillment, packaging, and customer service for you, which makes it an attractive option for artists looking to turn their artwork into a passive income stream.

6. SPOD (Spreadshirt Print on Demand): Speed and Customization at Your Fingertips

SPOD is a print-on-demand platform that prides itself on its fast turnaround times, claiming that it can fulfill most orders within 48 hours. If you're looking for a POD provider that delivers speed and quality, SPOD could be the perfect fit for your business. It offers a wide selection of products, including apparel, accessories, and home décor items. SPOD also supports integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy, making it easy to incorporate into your e-commerce business. Another feature that sets SPOD apart is its high level of customization options, with an impressive range of print techniques such as sublimation, embroidery, and direct-to-garment printing. This allows you to create unique and personalized products that stand out in the competitive POD market. SPOD also allows for custom branding with packing slips, making it easy to establish your brand’s identity.

7. CustomCat: Affordable POD with High-Quality Products

CustomCat is an affordable and reliable POD service that offers a broad range of products, including apparel, hats, bags, and home décor. It’s known for its low base prices and high-quality printing, making it a great option for entrepreneurs looking to maximize their profit margins. CustomCat integrates with platforms like Shopify and Etsy, which streamlines the order fulfillment process. What makes CustomCat unique is its extensive range of custom options, including embroidery and screen printing, providing greater flexibility in the type of designs you can offer. With a focus on affordability and quality, CustomCat is an excellent choice for businesses looking to keep costs low while still offering high-quality products to customers.

Conclusion: Choosing the Best POD Company for Your Business

Choosing the right print-on-demand company is an essential step toward building a successful online business. Whether you’re an artist looking to showcase your designs or an entrepreneur seeking to launch a branded product line, there are plenty of options available, each offering unique features and benefits. Companies like Printful and Printify are known for their vast product selections and easy integrations with e-commerce platforms, while platforms like Teespring and Redbubble are ideal for creators who want to focus on design and content creation. Gooten, SPOD, and CustomCat provide competitive pricing, quality control, and quick fulfillment, making them great choices for growing businesses. Ultimately, the best POD company for you depends on your specific needs, product offerings, and business goals, so take the time to explore these platforms and determine which one aligns best with your vision.