Best Shopify Print on Demand Apps for 2026: Our Top 9

1

Best overall

Printful

4.8

★★★★★

See pricing Visit Printful →

Free plan available
Growth: $24.99/month; free year at $12K qualifying yearly Printful order value

• Managed fulfillment and Shopify integration
• Custom labels, pack-ins and packing slips
• Free design tools and discounted eligible samples

2

Best for product choice

Printify

4.7

★★★★★

See pricing Visit Printify →

Free plan available
Premium: $39/month or $299/year

• Broad catalog and choice of print providers
• Compare suppliers by price and location
• Free plan for testing your product range

3

Best for phone cases

Podbase

4.9

★★★★★

See pricing Visit Podbase →

Free to install, no subscription
Pay per order: base product, shipping and branding extras

• 24-hour production on 300+ cases and accessories
• Device-specific mockups
• Private labels, custom packaging and pack-ins

Card ratings are Shopify App Store scores retained from the original draft. The ranked order reflects our editorial recommendations, not a sorting of those scores.

For links on this page, ecomm.design may earn a commission from the provider. This supports our work and has no influence on our editorial ratings.

Printful is our first choice among the best Shopify print on demand apps for building a branded store. Its managed fulfillment, custom branding options and free design tools make it a practical starting point when the customer experience matters as much as the product price. Printify takes second place for its broad catalog and the freedom to compare print providers.

Below, I cover pricing, mockup tools, branding and the drawbacks of each app, whether you’re launching or scaling.

Key Takeaways

• Printful is our top pick for branded Shopify stores; Printify is second for product variety and supplier choice
• Paid plans run from $19.90 per year (Inkedjoy Branding Lite) to $87 per month (ShineOn Empire Builder); every app here starts free
• Printful manages fulfillment through its facilities and partners; Printify lets you choose providers or use automated routing. Neither model guarantees perfect prints
• Branding add-ons (labels, pack-ins, packing slips) cost cents to a few dollars per order
• Choose Gelato if you sell mostly outside the US, since it prints in 140+ hubs across 32 countries

This ranking prioritizes a manageable fulfillment setup, branding, Shopify integration and the full cost of an order. Printful leads on that combination; Printify can be the better fit when supplier choice and product variety matter more.

Start with a small collection and order samples before committing. A platform’s features cannot establish how your artwork will look on a particular blank.

The Best Shopify Print on Demand Apps Compared

Scan our nine picks side by side before you get into the full breakdowns:

The final column contains the Shopify App Store ratings retained from the original draft, not new test scores. Paid plans are optional; products, shipping and applicable extras are charged separately even on a free plan.

Here are the nine apps in ranked order:

1. Printful: Best Overall
2. Printify: Best for Product Variety and Supplier Choice
3. Podbase: Best for Phone Cases and Tech Accessories
4. ShineOn: Best for Personalized Jewelry and Gifts
5. Apliiq: Best for Streetwear and Private Label
6. CustomCat: Best for High-Volume US Margins
7. Spreadconnect: Best for Fast EU Fulfillment
8. Gelato: Best for International Shipping
9. Inkedjoy: Best Budget Branding

Start with Printful if you want a focused branded collection without comparing printers for every product. Choose Printify if finding a particular product or supplier price matters more. Gelato remains a useful alternative for stores serving several markets.

1. Printful: Best Overall

• Printful pricing: Free plan; Growth costs $24.99 per month
• Standout capability: managed fulfillment with garment labels, packing slips and optional stored branding materials
• Read our Fourthwall vs Printful comparison

Printful takes first place for Shopify merchants building a recognizable brand. You can design products, publish them to your store and have orders fulfilled through one service, with branding options that extend from eligible garment labels to the parcel itself. Printify offers more supplier choice, but Printful is the stronger default when you want a focused collection and fewer supplier decisions.

That recommendation has a cost limit. Printful is not guaranteed to give you the cheapest finished order, and custom packaging involves materials, storage and handling costs. Compare your actual products and shipping destinations before deciding what to charge.

Pros

• Custom inside labels on eligible garments, plus branded packing slips
• Pack-ins and custom mailers for supported products and facilities
• Sample discounts for eligible accounts
• Growth costs less than Printify Premium on monthly billing

Cons

• Custom packaging and pack-ins add costs and require stocked materials
• Branding availability varies by product and fulfillment facility
• A Printify provider may offer a better total price for your chosen product

Why Printful Is Our Number One Pick

Branding goes beyond the product mockup. A garment label, a packing slip with your logo and a thank-you insert can make a collection feel connected. Printful brings those options into its fulfillment service. Printify also offers labels and inserts, so the advantage is the combination and workflow, rather than exclusive access to branding.

You can focus on the collection instead of selecting printers. Printful manages order routing through its facilities and partners. That suits a merchant who wants to spend more time on designs and the storefront. Printify’s provider choice is valuable if you want that control, and Printify Choice can automate selection for eligible products too.

Sampling gets dedicated discounts. Eligible Printful accounts receive 20% off sample orders on Free or 25% on Growth. Printify samples use regular base prices, including Premium pricing if you subscribe. That makes Printful’s sample program useful for checking print placement and photographing products, although the final sample bill still depends on the product and shipping.

Who Should Choose Printful?

Choose it for a small apparel or merchandise collection where the product page, garment and packaging should all reflect the same brand. Its Design Maker and mockup tools help you prepare listings, but real sample photos are still valuable for showing fit, fabric and print detail.

Choose Printify instead if your priority is finding more product types or comparing suppliers on price and location. Printful’s first-place ranking reflects the needs of a branded Shopify store, not a claim that it wins every cost comparison.

What Should You Check Before Launching?

Order your core products and check the print, sizing and packaging yourself. Sample discounts are subject to account eligibility and order limits, and may not be available immediately after connecting your store.

For branded parcels, confirm that your product is eligible and that your materials are stocked at the facility fulfilling the order. Partner facilities have restrictions, and an order can leave in standard white-label packaging if your materials are unavailable. Managed fulfillment is not a guarantee that every print or parcel will be identical.

How Much Does Printful Cost?

The Free plan is enough to start. Growth costs $24.99 per month, compared with Printify Premium at $39 on monthly billing. Printify’s $299 annual plan brings its monthly equivalent close to Growth, but requires a full-year payment.

Growth can become free for one year after you reach $12,000 in qualifying Printful order value over a 12-month period and enroll. This is not your Shopify retail revenue: discounts, shipping, tax and additional fees do not count toward that threshold.

Custom packaging and pack-ins are separate expenses. The published minimum monthly storage charge is $25, with materials and fulfillment costs on top. Start with the branding your margins support, then add more as order volume grows.

2. Printify: Best for Product Variety and Supplier Choice

• Printify pricing: Free plan; Premium costs $39 per month or $299 per year
• Standout capability: choose print providers by product, price and location, or use Printify Choice for eligible products
• Read our Shopify vs Printify breakdown

Printify is our runner-up because it gives you more ways to build and price a catalog. Its broad product range and provider marketplace suit merchants who want to experiment with different items, compare production locations or find a supplier that works with a target retail price.

It loses to Printful as our default for a focused branded collection because those choices can create extra comparison work. That is a trade-off rather than a quality verdict: a carefully selected Printify provider can be the right fit for your store, and Printify Choice reduces the need for manual selection.

Pros

• Broad product catalog with multiple provider options
• Free plan supports 5 stores; Premium supports 10
• Printify Choice offers automated provider selection on eligible products
• Branding options include neck labels and packaging inserts where supported

Cons

• Product, shipping and branding options depend on the provider
• Premium costs $39 on monthly billing
• No separate sample discount beyond your applicable product pricing

Why Choose Printify Over Printful?

You want to compare suppliers. Printify lets you weigh price, production location and provider options before choosing a product. That flexibility is useful if Printful does not offer the item you want or its total order cost does not leave enough margin.

You want room to experiment. A broad catalog helps you test new product categories without committing to inventory. Keep the launch collection small enough to sample properly: more available products do not automatically make a stronger store.

You want automation with a different pricing model. Printify Choice handles provider selection for eligible products without a separate subscription fee. Check its branding restrictions: an insert may be removed and refunded if the assigned provider cannot support it.

Who Should Choose Printify?

Printify fits sellers who are willing to compare product and delivery costs and want control over supplier selection. It can also suit an established store adding products outside its current fulfillment partner’s range.

For a compact apparel brand where coordinated branding is the priority, start with Printful. For a store testing product categories or optimizing specific items, Printify’s flexibility may be more valuable.

What Should You Check Before Launching?

Compare the same blank, print areas, size, destination and branding extras. Order samples from the providers you are considering, then inspect them before publishing your listings. Repeat that check when changing providers rather than assuming the same blank produces the same result everywhere.

Calculate margin after shipping and Shopify-related costs. A lower product price is useful only if the full order leaves you more profit.

How Much Does Printify Cost?

Start free, then upgrade when the savings on your actual orders exceed the subscription. For a different storefront model, see our Fourthwall vs Printify comparison.

For example, if Premium saves you $2 per order, it takes 20 orders to cover a $39 monthly fee. This is illustrative math, not a promised saving: calculate it from your own product mix. Printful Growth has the lower monthly fee, but neither subscription is worthwhile until the discounts cover its cost.

3. Podbase: Best for Phone Cases and Tech Accessories

• Podbase pricing: $0, with no subscription tier
• Standout capability: 24-hour production on 300+ cases and accessories with private labels
• Best for: beginners selling cases and gadgets alongside apparel

For phone cases, Podbase beats every generalist here because it is built around them: device-specific mockups for 300+ products, 24-hour production and full branding (private labels, packaging, pack-ins) at no monthly cost. Its record is short, though: 96 reviews against Printify’s 4,000+.

Pros

• No monthly fee
• 24-hour production
• Private labels, custom packaging and pack-ins

Cons

• Small review base (96 reviews)
• Tech accessories only
• No upfront price list; base costs show per product in the app

What’s new with Podbase?

Podbase now lists 300+ products with 24-hour production, branding and 24/7 chat support on the free app; its 4.9 rating is the highest in our set.

Why use Podbase in 2026?

Phone cases are the easiest POD product to make look premium, since the mockup is the product, and per-device mockups turn one design into a collection.

What to Check Before Using Podbase

Check the device variants and camera cutouts for every case you list. Order a sample and inspect the print and packaging before expanding to additional device models.

How Much Does Podbase Cost?

You pay per order with no monthly fee.

4. ShineOn: Best for Personalized Jewelry and Gifts

• ShineOn pricing: $0 to $87 per month ($260 to $835 per year billed annually)
• Standout capability: a storefront personalizer from Starter for names and engravings
• Best for: growing gift stores

Gift stores built on message-card necklaces, engraved pieces, blankets and drinkware should start with ShineOn, because it ships fast from the US, and from Starter ($27 a month) the personalizer and upsells let shoppers add their own words on the product page. That said, the catalog is gifts only and the useful features cost $27 to $87 a month, where Printify (#2) gives you 2,000+ products at $0.

Pros

• Personalizer and upsells from Starter ($27/mo)
• Fast US shipping
• 7-day trials on paid plans

Cons

• Gifts-only catalog
• Four tiers from $27 to $87 a month
• Per-unit savings capped at $4

What’s new with ShineOn?

Plans now run Free, Starter ($27), Side-Hustle ($77) and Empire Builder ($87) a month with 7-day trials; the top tier adds a free sample kit.

Why use ShineOn in 2026?

Gift buyers want to see their words on the product before paying; the personalizer does that without a separate customizer app.

What to Check Before Using ShineOn

Test the customer personalization flow before launch. Confirm that the message entered on the product page appears correctly in the order and that the plan includes the features you need.

How Much Does ShineOn Cost?

Starter’s $27 buys the personalizer and upsells; its $1 per-unit saving alone covers the fee only past 27 units a month.

5. Apliiq: Best for Streetwear and Private Label

• Apliiq pricing: $0 to $39.99 per month ($431.89 per year on VIP)
• Standout capability: private labels, embroidery, hats and organic blanks from both US coasts
• Read our guide to where to sell clothes online beyond Shopify

Apliiq is the best choice for a clothing brand that refuses to look like POD, because it adds private labels, embroidery, hats and organic blanks, with 2-day average production from both US coasts. VIP ($39.99 a month) is the priciest plan here, though, and the catalog is apparel only, so mugs still need Printify (#2).

Pros

• Private labels, embroidery and hats
• 2-day average production, both US coasts
• Organic blank options

Cons

• VIP is the priciest plan here
• Apparel only
• 330 reviews

What’s new with Apliiq?

VIP now costs $39.99 a month or $431.89 a year (roughly 10% off) with 20% off products and product sourcing.

Why use Apliiq in 2026?

Streetwear buyers check the neck label before the print, and Apliiq’s private label, embroidery and hats are the closest POD gets to a cut-and-sew brand.

What to Check Before Using Apliiq

Price the garment, embroidery and label together. Order a finished sample so you can judge whether the fabric and branding justify your intended retail price.

How Much Does Apliiq Cost?

Apliiq emphasizes apparel branding, while Printful (#1) also covers other merchandise categories. Both offer embroidery, so compare the garment and customization options you need.

6. CustomCat: Best for High-Volume US Margins

• CustomCat pricing: $0 to $30 per month ($300 per year on Pro)
• Standout capability: up to 40% off products on Pro, the deepest discount here
• Best for: scaling US stores

CustomCat is the app for a store that has outgrown Printify’s Free plan and ships mostly inside the US, because Pro ($30 a month) cuts up to 40% off products with volume tiers on top, and the 60-day trial gives you two months of real orders before you pay. Printing is US-only, however, and its 4.6 score rests on 113 reviews, 11% one-star.

Pros

• Up to 40% off products on Pro
• 60-day Pro trial
• Phone, email and chat support

Cons

• US printing only
• 113 reviews, 11% one-star
• Older complaints about faded prints

What’s new with CustomCat?

Pro now carries a 60-day trial, and CustomCat lists Customily, Teeinblue and Zakeke as personalization partners; recent users praise print quality.

Why use CustomCat in 2026?

CustomCat is a margin tool, not a design tool: standard mockups and catalog, personalization via partner apps, and a Pro discount that moves profit per order.

What to Check Before Using CustomCat

Compare the total cost of your chosen products on Lite and Pro, including shipping. Order samples before moving an existing collection to a different fulfillment service.

How Much Does CustomCat Cost?

Skip it if most buyers are outside the US; Gelato (#8) prints near them.

7. Spreadconnect: Best for Fast EU Fulfillment

• Spreadconnect pricing: $0, no paid tier; you pay per order
• Standout capability: 48-hour print, pack and ship from in-house EU and US facilities
• Read our Spreadshop vs Shopify comparison

EU-first stores get the fastest fulfillment here from Spreadconnect, Spreadshirt’s POD app (formerly SPOD), because every order is printed, packed and shipped within 48 hours from its own facilities, white-label and with no monthly fee. Its 3.8 rating (19% one-star) is the lowest in our set, though, so order samples first.

Pros

• 48-hour print, pack and ship
• Facilities in Czechia, Germany, Poland and the US
• White-label shipping included

Cons

• 3.8 rating with 19% one-star reviews
• No public price list; base costs show only inside the app
• English, French and German only

What’s new with Spreadconnect?

SPOD now runs as Spreadconnect under Spreadshirt, with 350+ products, 48-hour production and white-label shipping as standard.

Why use Spreadconnect in 2026?

It fits an EU-first store that wants domestic delivery and no customs line, with neutral parcels as standard rather than a paid branding add-on.

What to Check Before Using Spreadconnect

Check production and shipping estimates separately for your target market. Order samples and confirm the packaging before making delivery promises to customers.

How Much Does Spreadconnect Cost?

No subscription; pair it with Printify for US buyers.

8. Gelato: Best for International Shipping

• Gelato pricing: $0 to $29.99 per month ($19.99 per month billed annually at $239.88)
• Standout capability: 140+ production hubs in 32 countries, so orders print locally
• Best for: growing stores with buyers across the US, EU and UK

If most of your buyers live outside the US, Gelato is the pick, because local production in 140+ hubs cuts transit time and shipping cost, and Gelato+ carries the best AI mockup tooling here (Magic Mockups, Instant Collections). The trade-off is range: 100+ products against Printify’s 2,000+, so stores selling beyond apparel, wall art and mugs run out of options.

Pros

• Local production in 140+ hubs across 32 countries
• Magic Mockups and Instant Collections on Gelato+
• Product Migration from other POD apps

Cons

• Catalog of 100+ products against Printify’s 2,000+
• Users report sync freezes and two-day support waits
• Users report personalization collections vanishing from storefronts

What’s new with Gelato?

Gelato+ now bundles Magic Mockups, Instant Collections, Price Navigator and Product Migration, which moves your catalog in from another POD app, with a 14-day trial.

Why use Gelato in 2026?

A locally printed poster or tee avoids customs delays and the international shipping line that kills margin on a $30 item.

What to Check Before Using Gelato

Preview the generated mockups and verify every size variant on your Shopify product page. Check product availability and shipping prices for each main destination before setting retail prices.

How Much Does Gelato Cost?

Choose it over Printify if most of your orders ship outside the US.

9. Inkedjoy: Best Budget Branding

• Inkedjoy pricing: $0, plus Branding Lite ($19.90 per year) or Branding Pro ($99 per year)
• Standout capability: labels, hangtags and packing bags for $19.90 a year
• Best for: beginners who want a branded unboxing

Inkedjoy is the cheapest way to look like a brand here, because Branding Lite costs $19.90 a year for labels, hangtags and packing bags, and a bulk design tool pushes one artwork across its 1,500+ products. Materials bill per order on top, though, and 139 reviews is a short record next to Printify (#2).

Pros

• Branding Lite at $19.90 a year
• 1,500+ products
• Bulk design tool

Cons

• Materials billed per order on top
• 139 reviews
• Network production, so quality can vary by product

What’s new with Inkedjoy?

Inkedjoy (EPROLO’s POD arm) now sells Branding Lite ($19.90 a year) and Branding Pro ($99 a year, adding gift cards and custom tape), with no minimum order.

Why use Inkedjoy in 2026?

A first store can ship a labeled, tagged, bagged product for $19.90 a year plus cents per order.

What to Check Before Using Inkedjoy

Check which branding materials apply to each product and include their per-order charges in your margin calculation. Order samples before publishing a large collection.

How Much Does Inkedjoy Cost?

Move on once volume justifies Printful’s garment-label options.

How Do I Choose the Right Shopify Print on Demand App?

Printful is the starting point for a focused branded collection. Printify is the alternative for product variety and supplier choice. Gelato suits international fulfillment needs, while Podbase, ShineOn and Apliiq focus on particular product categories.

For storefront layout, product photography and branding, see our guide to designing a print-on-demand site that feels premium.

If You’re Launching Your First POD Store

• Start on a free plan: Printify, Printful, Gelato, Podbase and Inkedjoy all offer free plans; samples and fulfilled orders cost extra
• Order samples before you list: eligible Printful accounts receive sample discounts; Printify lets you order from different providers to compare the same blank
• Keep the catalog small and the mockups strong: five products with lifestyle images beat fifty flat renders; our Placeit alternatives guide covers mockup tools

If You’re Growing an Existing Store

• Do the paid-plan math on your volume: divide the subscription fee by your actual saving per order. At an illustrative $2 saving, Printify Premium needs 20 orders to cover its $39 monthly fee
• Budget for branding per order: compare label fees with the full cost of stored packaging or pack-ins, including materials, handling and minimum storage charges
• Route by region: Gelato or Spreadconnect for EU buyers, Printify or CustomCat for the US

Six questions to ask before you commit:

• Can I get a sample discount?
• Who reprints a misprint, and within how many days? (Printful, Printify and Gelato: 30 days after delivery)
• Where will my orders print?
• Do the mockups look right in my theme?
• Can shoppers personalize on the product page?
• What does one order cost me after shipping?

Can I Use Two POD Apps in One Shopify Store?

Yes, and most stores past their first year do, but each app creates its own shipping profile in Shopify, and users report Printify’s app auto-creating weight-based profiles that override manual rates. A cart with a Printify tee and a Gelato poster ships as two parcels, and Shopify adds both profiles’ rates, so the customer pays twice for shipping.

Keep product types separated by app, test a mixed cart before going live, and price free shipping into the products. Our best Shopify apps roundup covers shipping-rate apps that smooth this out.

How We Rank Shopify Print on Demand Apps

This is an editorial comparison of product range, branding options, fulfillment workflow, Shopify integration and total order cost. The ranking prioritizes merchants building a branded Shopify store rather than the lowest advertised product price.

Printful takes first place for its combination of managed fulfillment, branding options and sample program. Printify follows for its provider flexibility and broad catalog. Specialist apps can be better choices for a particular product or destination.

The comparison does not establish a universal winner for print quality or delivery speed. Those depend on your product, artwork, fulfillment location and destination. Order samples and calculate the full cost of your own collection before committing.

Printful and Printify pricing and features refreshed in October 2026.

Final Verdict: Which Shopify Print on Demand App Do I Recommend?

Printful is our number one choice for a Shopify store building a recognizable product brand. Start with its Free plan, sample your core products and add branding only where the full cost fits your margins. Consider Growth once the discounts justify the fee or you qualify for a free year.

Printify is a strong second choice, and it may be the better fit if you want more product options or control over suppliers. Compare the same product and shipping destination on both before deciding. For specialist ranges, keep Gelato, Podbase, ShineOn and Apliiq on your shortlist.

FAQs

What is the best print on demand app for Shopify?

Printful is our top Shopify print on demand recommendation for a branded store, with managed fulfillment, custom branding options and discounted eligible samples. Printify ranks second for product variety and supplier choice. The better margin depends on the product and destination.

Is print on demand on Shopify still profitable in 2026?

It can be, but profitability depends on your retail price, product cost, shipping, payment fees, returns and marketing costs. For illustration, a $25 sale with $15 in product and shipping costs leaves $10 before those other expenses. Use current quotes for your own products rather than treating that example as a supplier price.

Is Printify or Printful better for Shopify?

Printful is our overall pick for a focused branded Shopify collection. Printify is better suited to comparing suppliers and exploring a wider product range. Growth costs $24.99 per month; Printify Premium costs $39 monthly or $299 annually. Compare total order costs, since a lower subscription fee does not guarantee cheaper fulfillment.

Do customers see that I use a print on demand company?

White-label fulfillment can keep the supplier’s brand off the parcel, but the available packaging and branding depend on the product and facility. Both Printful and Printify offer branding options. Check the exact setup and inspect a sample rather than assuming every shipment will use your custom materials.

Who handles sales tax and VAT on POD orders?

You do. Shopify collects sales tax or VAT at checkout based on your tax settings, and the POD app charges its own tax on the wholesale order where it applies. Printful is VAT-registered in Latvia, Spain and the UK, so it can charge VAT on European orders at fulfillment; set Shopify to show prices with tax included for those markets or you will pay VAT you never collected. The merchant remains responsible for registering and remitting.