Printful and Printify at a glance
What is Printful?
Printful is your all-in-one partner for running a print-on-demand business. Unlike outsourced platforms, we use an in-house business model – handling production, quality control, and worldwide order fulfilment at our own facilities, including one in the UK.
This approach guarantees consistent print quality, faster delivery, and a seamless customer experience for every order. For creators who value reliability, premium standards, and brand-building, Printful offers a complete solution.
What is Printify?
Printify is a print-on-demand platform built on a marketplace business model. It connects sellers with a global network of third-party Print Providers. Instead of one production standard, you choose from many suppliers, often for the same product.
This gives sellers a large product range and competitive prices, but print quality, shipping costs, and delivery times vary depending on the provider. For entrepreneurs focused on low upfront costs and flexibility, Printify unlocks options, but consistency isn’t guaranteed.
Choose your print-on-demand suplier
Why choose Printful over Printify
Your print-on-demand partner’s business model is one of your most important choices. While Printify offers flexibility through a provider marketplace, Printful’s in-house production is designed for brand reliability. With our own fulfilment centre in the UK, Printful isn’t just a platform – it’s your production partner.
Reliable product quality
Every order undergoes standardised quality control checks, whether fulfilled in the UK, Europe, or the US. Your customers receive the same high-quality results every time.
Consistent delivery times
UK orders are fulfilled locally, with delivery times as fast as 2 days via Royal Mail – no surprise customs delays or fees.
Seamless branding
From neck labels to personalised packing slips and branded packaging, Printful offers branding options to make every order feel like yours.
Transparent shipping costs
Flat-rate shipping costs make it easy to set your prices. Multiple items (e.g., a t-shirt and a mug) ship together for one simple fee.
Accountable customer support
If anything goes wrong, you talk directly to us. Our 24/7 live chat and email support team take full responsibility for every order – from printing to dispatch.
Pick Printful, a reliable print-on-demand partner
454
products to customize
1M+
items fulfilled each month
19
integration partners
118M
items trusted to deliver
Frequently asked questions
Yes – Printify’s base prices are often cheaper than Printful’s, because its network of Print Providers competes on cost.
However, the real cost depends on more than just the product price:
- Shipping costs: Printful uses flat UK rates, while Printify’s vary by supplier
- Product quality: Printful’s in-house quality control reduces errors; Printify’s quality varies
- Delivery times: Printful fulfils locally in the UK (2-day average shipping), but Printify delivery times vary by provider location
While Printify looks cheaper upfront, Printful pricing is more cost-effective long-term thanks to consistent quality and predictable shipping.
Both Printful and Printify integrate with Etsy. Many Etsy sellers prefer Printful for consistent print quality, fast UK fulfilment, and premium branding options that boost reviews. Printify suits Etsy shops competing on price or offering a wide product range.
The difference comes down to business models:
- Printful: in-house production and fulfilment, ensuring consistent delivery times, reliable product quality, and full customer support
- Printify: a marketplace of third-party Print Providers, offering more product variety, but quality and shipping times vary depending on the supplier.
VAT depends on the order value and where it’s fulfilled:
- UK-fulfilled orders always include 20% VAT
- For imports under £135, VAT is added at checkout
- For imports over £135, VAT and customs are paid on delivery
If you have a UK VAT ID, add it in your Printful Dashboard to adjust how VAT is applied. For full details, see our UK VAT guide.
