Printful vs Shopify
A side-by-side look at Printful and Shopify. On our scoring, Shopify comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | PrintfulPrint-on-demand | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 4.2/5 | 4.7/5 |
| User rating | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 2,140 | 5,421 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | $39/mo |
| Pricing model | no monthly fee, pay per product | per month, billed monthly |
| Transaction fees | Per-item product + fulfillment cost | 2.9% + 30¢ (0% with Shopify Payments) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fulfillment integration | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free to use | 3 days + $1/mo for 3 months |
| Staff accounts | Team access | 2–15 by plan |
| Product limit | Unlimited products | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Inherits connected store | 100+ gateways + Shopify Payments |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | No | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Inherits connected store | 12 free, 100+ paid |
| App marketplace | Integrates with most platforms | 8,000+ apps |
| Multi-currency | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-language | Yes | Yes |
| POS included | No | Yes |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | 24/7 chat & email | 24/7 live chat, phone callback, email |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why 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 reviewWhy pick Shopify?
Shopify remains the platform to beat. Its polished admin, best-in-class checkout, and enormous app ecosystem make it the safest choice for most merchants — provided you are comfortable using Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees.
Best for: Growing brands that want everything in one place
Read the full Shopify review