Big Cartel vs Printful
A side-by-side look at Big Cartel and Printful. On our scoring, Printful comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | PrintfulPrint-on-demand | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 4.2/5 |
| User rating | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 690 | 2,140 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free up to 5 products + paid tiers | no monthly fee, pay per product |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processing applies) | Per-item product + fulfillment cost |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fulfillment integration |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free to use |
| Staff accounts | Single account | Team access |
| Product limit | 5 / 50 / 500 by plan | Unlimited products |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal | Inherits connected store |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | No |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Customizable themes | Inherits connected store |
| App marketplace | Limited integrations | Integrates with most platforms |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| Multi-language | No | Yes |
| POS included | No | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | No |
| Built-in blog | No | No |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | No |
| API access | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | Email & help center | 24/7 chat & email |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is purpose-built for artists who want a clean, no-fuss shop without commerce overwhelm, and the free plan is genuinely useful. Its hard product limits and minimal features mean growing brands will outgrow it.
Best for: Artists and makers with small product counts
Read the full Big Cartel reviewWhy pick Printful?
Printful is the quality leader in print-on-demand, with in-house fulfillment, strong product quality, and integrations into nearly every store builder. You pay for that quality with higher per-item costs that squeeze margins.
Best for: Brands wanting quality merch with no inventory
Read the full Printful review