Figuring out exactly how much you are going to pay to work with a print on demand vendor like Gelato can be complicated.
On top of having to calculate the base cost of products, shipping, and so on, you might need to consider subscription plan options, and extra expenses (like fees for the Gelato Personalization Studio).
I have experimented with dozens of different POD solutions, and I can say that Gelato is not the cheapest option out there, but that does not mean it is not great value for money.
It could be the most profitable print on demand partner for you, particularly if you want to create premium paper products, offer custom personalization to buyers, or upgrade your sustainability efforts.
Here, I will break down all the fees you can expect to pay with Gelato, and why I think this company is still one of the best in the POD space, even if it is not the cheapest.
The Gelato Subscription Plans: Your Options
I wanted to focus on the subscription plans Gelato offers first, because not every print on demand vendor comes with paid tiers for scaling companies.
Gelato recently simplified its lineup to three plans: a free tier, a single premium Gelato+ subscription, and a custom Platinum plan for enterprise sellers. (If you have read older guides that mention a separate “Gelato+ Gold” tier, that option has been retired, and its perks are now folded into Gelato+ and Platinum.)
Although you can get started with Gelato for free (and I recommend that for beginners), the premium plan gives you some pretty impressive bonuses that can help you grow, and cut costs in the long term. Here is how the three plans compare at a glance.
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually | Product discount | Ecommerce stores | Account users | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 forever | $0 forever | No discount | 2 | 2 | Beginners testing the waters |
| Gelato+ | $29.99/month | $19.99/month (billed yearly) | Up to 33% | Unlimited | Unlimited | Growing brands |
| Platinum | Custom pricing | Custom pricing | Custom discounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Enterprise sellers |
Pricing and discounts vary by market and product, so confirm the latest figures inside your Gelato dashboard before setting retail prices.
The Free Plan: Best for Beginners
Gelato's entry-level free plan is perfect for beginners in the POD market. It still comes with all the basics you need to launch your store, from unlimited product creation (so you can experiment with all the options in Gelato's library), to store integrations for Shopify, Etsy, the API, and Order Desk.
You also get free product mockups, a convenient dashboard for managing orders, 24/7 customer support, and access to Gelato's global fulfillment network. On the free tier you can connect up to 2 ecommerce stores and add 2 account users.
If you are in that exploratory phase, the free plan is an excellent way to get to know Gelato's interface and test how customers respond to your merchandise. You only pay for production and shipping when an order actually comes in, so there is no reason not to start here.
Worth knowing: Gelato's AI-assisted tools (Magic Mockups, Velocity Switch for migrating existing listings, Instant Collections, and the Price Navigator) plus the Personalization Studio are now positioned as Gelato+ inclusions. Feature availability on the free tier can shift, so check what is live inside your dashboard before you build your workflow around any single tool.
Gelato+: Best for Growing Businesses
Gelato+ is the premium plan offered by the POD company, available for $29.99 per month, or $19.99 per month when billed annually (which works out to roughly $240 per year, saving you around $120 versus paying month to month). You get a lot of perks right off the bat with this plan, such as:
- Up to 33% off a wide range of products (great for boosting profit margins)
- Access to Gelato's premium mockups (800+ mockups) and mockup studio
- 100+ million premium stock photos, plus graphics and fonts
- Branded labels and packaging inserts
- The full AI toolset: Magic Mockups, Velocity Switch, Instant Collections, and Price Navigator
- The Personalization Studio bundled in (more on that later)
- Unlimited account users
This plan also lets you connect an unlimited number of ecommerce stores (compared to only 2 on the free plan). You get everything included in the free plan on top of these extras.
Gelato+ is the sweet spot for many businesses. You will not break the bank with the subscription fee, and the benefits, particularly the product discount and the bundled Personalization Studio, often pay for themselves if you are making even a moderate number of sales. Gelato also offers a 14-day free trial of Gelato+, though note that product discounts typically kick in only once the trial ends.
Gelato Platinum: The Enterprise Plan
Finally, there is Gelato Platinum, the custom plan designed for enterprise-level sellers.
This gives you everything you would get in Gelato+, and layers on bespoke discounts tailored to your size and order volume, a dedicated implementation service, enterprise solutions, a rewards program, and access to exclusive Platinum community events where you can network with other large sellers and find new partners.
Pricing is quoted directly by Gelato's sales team based on your business requirements, so there is no public price tag. This plan is going to be too expensive for most smaller companies. However, if your organization is big enough to justify a premium, concierge-style experience, Platinum could be a strong choice. I would recommend considering it only once you start asking yourself where you can go next after Gelato+.
Gelato Print on Demand Pricing: The Other Costs
Obviously, subscription fees are not the only thing worth thinking about when you are looking at the cost of a print on demand solution. Here is a quick run-down of what you can expect to pay for products, shipping, and added extras.
Base Product Costs
No matter which plan you are on, you will need to cover the base manufacturing cost of the items you are selling, everything from T-shirts and sweatshirts to mugs and posters.
Once a customer places an order, Gelato charges you for production, and then you keep whatever is left over from the customer's purchase price as profit.
Gelato's base product costs have improved a lot over time, and the company has cut the cost of many items significantly. On raw base price, Gelato lands roughly on par with most POD vendors, and cheaper in some cases, while rivals like Printify can undercut it on certain products. Where Gelato consistently wins is on shipping cost and delivery time, thanks to its local-production model.
It is also worth remembering that you can shave more off those base item costs when you upgrade to Gelato+ (up to 33% off), which makes Gelato a lot more affordable in the long term. Gelato offers volume-based discounts too.
Do not price off a cached figure. Gelato, Printify, and Printful all revise base costs regularly, and prices vary by product and destination market. Before you set retail prices, pull the live per-item base cost for each product inside the Gelato dashboard (the Price Navigator on Gelato+ makes this easy across countries and currencies), then add shipping and your target margin.
Shipping Fees
You do not really need to worry about shipping costs as a POD seller, unless you want to offer your customers free shipping (or avoid shocking them at the checkout).
Gelato makes it easier to keep shipping costs relatively predictable, thanks to a network of 250+ production facilities across 32 countries. In many cases, you can fulfil from a local supplier, reducing both shipping time and carbon emissions.
Obviously, the price you pay for shipping will vary depending on factors like the destination of the package and its weight or size. Gelato has a handy “shipping calculator” page you can use to figure out how much you are likely to spend.
The prices are about average from what I can tell, and it is worth noting that many products and regions come with the option for Express shipping too. So if you or your customer is willing to pay a little extra, they can get their products in a rush. Not every vendor offers that.
Extra Cost Considerations
Beyond product, shipping, and subscription costs, there are a few extra expenses you might encounter with Gelato.
The first is the Gelato Personalization Studio, which integrates directly with Etsy and Shopify. It is now included with a Gelato+ subscription, but Gelato also offers it as a standalone product with its own tiers:
- A free Starter option, which charges a 6% transaction fee on every personalized order
- A Regular plan at $19 per month, which drops the transaction fee to 4% after your 21st personalized item (with a minimum fee of $1 per personalized item)
- A Business tier, quoted directly with Gelato's sales team
That might sound like a lot, but you really can turbocharge your profits by giving customers the option to personalize their own purchases, so it is worth trying. If you are already on Gelato+, the tool is bundled in, which softens the math considerably.
The second extra to think about is branding. Personalized labels and packaging inserts sit inside the paid Gelato+ experience, so they are worth factoring in once you start caring about the unboxing moment. You may not worry too much about branding until you really start to scale, but those little extra touches can help your business grow.
Lastly, you have all the “extra costs” associated with building any POD business, such as:
- Ecommerce platform costs: Monthly fees and transaction costs for using channels like Shopify, Etsy, Squarespace, and more with Gelato.
- Marketing fees: The price of paying for comprehensive campaigns across social media, email, and your own website.
- Design support: If you are struggling to come up with design ideas, you might want to pay an expert for help.
All of these fees can add up over time, but if you are proactive about budgeting and setting profit margins, you should be able to handle them easily.
Gelato Print on Demand Pricing: The Verdict
Honestly, Gelato can be a little expensive if you really want to take advantage of everything it has to offer, from premium design tools to the Personalization Studio.
However, it is also really good value for money. The base cost for products is competitive, shipping fees are reasonable and do not force you to compromise on speed, and Gelato+ comes with a genuinely useful discount of up to 33%.
My best advice? Do your research before you dive in.
Figure out which subscription plan (if any) makes sense for your business. You can find the best plan for your needs using the handy tool on this page, where you can input your monthly sales to work out the most cost-effective option.
Budget for extra costs like the Personalization Studio and marketing support, and be ready to adapt your strategy as you grow.
Gelato is a worthwhile partner in the print on demand space. You just need to take a proactive approach to optimizing your return on investment.
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