It depends on your goals. The Gelato print-on-demand service focuses on local production through third-party providers, which can be cost-effective for selling in a single market. Printful offers more consistent quality and predictable costs, making it a stronger option for serving international customers.

For sellers comparing options, many choose Printful as the best POD for beginners who want a simpler, more reliable setup as they grow.

There’s no clear winner. Sustainable print-on-demand practices vary, and both Gelato and Printful focus on different sustainability areas. Gelato emphasizes local production through its partner network, while Printful fulfills 86% of orders in the same region they’re delivered, offering similar environmental benefits while supporting scalability.

Printful stands apart for its product sustainability, with eco-friendly apparel made from at least 70% organic or recycled materials backed by strict certifications. Gelato focuses on organizational sustainability as a UN Global Compact participant aligned with the SDGs.

Printful and Gelato use different POD fulfillment models. Printful owns and controls production, while Gelato connects sellers to third-party print partners.

Printful’s in-house model delivers more consistent quality, predictable fulfillment, and faster delivery, which matters to high-volume sellers. Gelato’s partner-based approach keeps costs flexible but can lead to variation in quality and fulfillment. While Gelato’s product range includes 250+ popular items, Printful offers 477 high-demand products across more categories.

When choosing between Printful and Gelato for business, many sellers prefer Printful’s consistency and scale over Gelato’s network model.

Yes. Among POD platforms, Printful offers a significantly larger product line, with 477 customizable, high-quality products, compared to the smaller range Gelato has available through its network.

While both platforms let sellers create products like t-shirts and wall art, Printful includes more categories, such as home and living, accessories, and specialty products like phone cases, skincare, and pet products.

Yes. Printful offers a more diverse range of direct integrations with major platforms, making it easier to automate fulfillment and reach customers without extra tools. Gelato’s platform supports fewer native integrations but connects to Order Desk for broad compatibility, which adds an extra step and potential cost.

For sellers who want a simpler setup, Printful is usually the easier choice.

Yes. Both platforms offer similar product-level branding, but Printful provides more flexibility for packaging and marketing materials. All orders ship in white-label packaging, with optional paid pack-ins or custom packaging, plus a custom message on packing slips and branded order tracking at no extra cost. Gelato’s branding options are more limited and mostly paid.

Yes. Printful has no signup or subscription fees, and you only pay when an order is placed. An optional paid membership offers extra features, and the Printful Support experience includes setup and 24/7 assistance. 

Absolutely. Printful’s in-house production model helps deliver consistent product quality and a reliable fulfillment experience. Managing products through one provider also makes it easier to maintain accurate product listings and support a growing print-on-demand business with a consistent brand experience.