Gelato and Printify are two leading print on demand (POD) companies used by ecommerce store owners to sell custom products without holding inventory.
I’ve spent over 60 hours researching both platforms—testing features, comparing shipping speeds, and running pricing simulations—to help you decide which one is the better fit for your online store.
After testing both platforms, I’d recommend Printify if you're selling primarily in the US and want to maximize your profit margins, and Gelato if you're targeting international markets or care more about sustainability and fast global delivery.
Gelato vs Printify: Quick Verdict
Printify – Best overall for profit margins and supplier control (with 800+ products and Printify Premium)
Gelato – Best for local production and international shipping (especially in Europe and the UK)
In this review, I’ll take a closer look at what sets these two platforms apart by comparing them on:
- Pricing
- Product catalog
- Shipping speed
- Print quality
- Profit margins
- Integrations
- Customer support
- Ease of use
Quick Comparison: Gelato vs Printify
Here’s a summary of the key differences between Gelato and Printify:
| Feature | Gelato | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| Fulfillment Model | Local printers in 30+ countries | Global supplier marketplace |
| Product Range | ~100 products | 800+ products |
| Control Over Supplier | No | Yes |
| Branding Options | Paid plan only (Gelato+) | Depends on supplier |
| Integrations | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, more | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, more |
| Subscription Plan | Gelato+ ($14.99/month) | Printify Premium ($29/month) |
| Eco-friendly | Yes (carbon neutral) | No |
| Best For | Global delivery + quality control | Supplier flexibility + lower cost |
Best for Pricing: Printify
If you're pricing out similar products across both platforms, Printify comes out cheaper in most scenarios—especially if you use their Printify Premium plan, which gives up to 20% off product prices across the board.
Printify Pricing
- Free Plan: Access to all suppliers
- Printify Premium: $29/month
- Up to 20% discount on all products
Example Product: Unisex Tee
- Base Price: $8.14 (Monster Digital)
- Shipping (US): $4.00
- Total (with Premium): $9.71
Gelato Pricing
- Free Plan: Access to core features
- Gelato+: $14.99/month
- Branded labels, mockups, premium support
Example Product: Unisex Tee
- Base Price: $9.75
- Shipping (US): $4.59
- Total: $14.34
Verdict
While both platforms charge for premium features, Printify Premium’s discounts pay for themselves if you’re doing consistent monthly sales. Gelato is a bit pricier, but its value lies in faster shipping and international fulfillment.
Winner: Printify – It has cheaper base pricing and better profit potential with Premium.
Best for Product Range: Printify
Printify has over 800 products in its catalog, covering everything from t-shirts and hoodies to car mats, shoes, clocks, and pet accessories. Gelato, in comparison, offers around 100 core products, mostly focused on apparel, wall art, mugs, and stationery.
Product Range Comparison
| Product Type | Gelato | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mugs & Drinkware | ✅ | ✅ |
| Posters & Wall Art | ✅ | ✅ |
| Accessories | ❌ | ✅ |
| Home Decor | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stickers | ❌ | ✅ |
| Pet Products | ❌ | ✅ |
| Phone Cases | ❌ | ✅ |
Printify’s supplier marketplace gives you far more choice in style, color options, and product types. It’s ideal if you want to test a wide product range or niche down into unique categories.
If you’re launching a store around a unique vertical—like automotive, pets, or fitness accessories—Printify’s range gives you the flexibility to go deeper than just clothing and wall art.
You can create collections with specialized gear that’s difficult to replicate on platforms with smaller catalogs.
Winner: Printify – It offers a massive catalog with endless variations.
Best for Shipping Speed: Gelato
One of Gelato’s standout features is its global fulfillment model.
Instead of shipping products from a single US warehouse, it uses a network of 130+ local print partners in 30+ countries.
This means products are often printed and shipped within the same country as your customer, speeding up delivery and avoiding customs delays.
Shipping Speed Comparison
| Region | Gelato (Avg) | Printify (Avg) |
|---|---|---|
| US | 4–6 business days | 4–7 business days |
| UK | 2–4 business days | 7–14 business days |
| EU | 2–4 business days | 6–10 business days |
| Australia | 4–7 business days | 10–15 business days |
Gelato’s faster and more predictable delivery is especially useful if you're selling to international audiences or using paid ads in multiple markets.
It’s also a big help for customer satisfaction. Faster delivery times mean fewer refund requests and fewer support emails from buyers wondering where their order is. If you’re running an international store, that kind of reliability adds up over time.
Winner: Gelato – It comes with faster, more localized shipping across the globe.
Best for Profit Margins: Printify
The base pricing for most Printify products is lower, and the optional Printify Premium plan reduces your costs even more.
This makes a big difference if you're running Facebook ads or optimizing for high-margin sales.
Here’s a cost comparison using a standard mug:
| Platform | Base Cost | Shipping (US) | Total | Margin (at $19.99 retail) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gelato | $7.20 | $4.90 | $12.10 | $7.89 |
| Printify | $4.50 | $5.00 | $9.50 | $10.49 |
Even small savings add up over hundreds of orders.
Lower costs also give you room to run limited-time offers, volume discounts, or bundle deals without cutting too deep into your margins.
That makes Printify especially valuable for scaling stores where every dollar counts.
Winner: Printify – It offers lower base pricing and premium discounts, which lead to bigger profits.
Best for Print Quality: Tie (Depends on Supplier)
This one’s tricky.
- Gelato: Quality is consistently high because Gelato assigns print partners and uses central standards
- Printify: Quality depends on the supplier you choose—some are excellent (Monster Digital, Print Geek), others less so
You can check supplier ratings on Printify before selecting them, which helps mitigate quality issues. Still, you’ll want to order samples to verify.
User Reviews (Trustpilot)
| Platform | Rating | Common Praise | Common Complaint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gelato | 4.7 / 5 | Fast delivery, print quality | Packaging, limited branding |
| Printify | 4.3 / 5 | Low cost, big catalog | Inconsistent supplier quality |
It’s worth noting that both platforms offer quality control in different ways.
Gelato handles consistency through centralized processes, while Printify rewards the store owner who takes time to research suppliers and test print samples before scaling.
Winner: Tie – Gelato delivers consistency, while Printify offers flexibility if you carefully vet your suppliers.
Best for Branding and Customization: Printify (Slight Edge)
Gelato allows branded packing slips and labels if you pay for Gelato+ ($14.99/month), but it’s somewhat limited.
Printify branding varies by supplier. Some offer:
- Custom packing slips
- Branded labels
- Inserts or thank-you cards
But not all suppliers offer this, so you have to choose carefully.
If you’re focused on building a long-term brand with custom unboxing experiences, Printify gives you more room to create something memorable.
Just keep in mind you’ll need to manually choose a supplier who offers these extras.
Winner: Printify –It offers more flexibility, as long as you choose the right supplier.
Best for International Sellers: Gelato
If your store ships across Europe, Australia, or the UK, Gelato’s local production model reduces:
- Delivery time
- Customs delays
- Shipping costs
- Customer complaints
You won’t get full supplier control like Printify, but it’s a trade-off for simplicity and speed.
Gelato’s production footprint also makes scaling across borders easier.
You don’t have to guess which country will get the fastest delivery—the platform handles that automatically by routing orders to the nearest fulfillment center.
Winner: Gelato – It provides built-in global fulfillment through localized printing partners.
Best for Ease of Use: Tie
Both Gelato and Printify offer clean interfaces and solid integrations with ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy.
You don’t need to be technical to get up and running on either one.
| Feature | Gelato | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Integration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Etsy Integration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Product Mockups | ✅ (Premium) | ✅ |
| UI/UX | Clean | Clean |
| Onboarding Flow | Fast | Fast |
You’ll likely find Printify a bit more overwhelming if you’re new, just because of all the supplier options. Gelato feels more plug-and-play.
If you're short on time and want a platform that just works without extra decision-making, Gelato might be the better starting point. But if you enjoy testing and tweaking, Printify gives you a broader toolbox.
Winner: Tie – Both platforms are user-friendly and easy to set up.
The Final Verdict: Printify vs Gelato
Choose Gelato if you:
- Sell to international customers (especially Europe or the UK)
- Care about sustainability and carbon-neutral shipping
- Want a consistent, streamlined POD experience
- Prioritize shipping speed over maximum margins
Choose Printify if you:
- Sell mainly in the US or Canada
- Want access to a huge product range
- Need supplier control and better profit margins
- Are comfortable testing suppliers to find the best one
Printify stands out for US-focused stores and sellers looking to offer a wide range of niche products, while Gelato performs better when it comes to delivering art prints and products to customers across Europe with faster and more reliable local shipping.
If you're still unsure, it’s worth trying both platforms.
Each offers free setup and seamless integrations with major ecommerce platforms like Shopify and Etsy, so you can test their features without any upfront cost.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your goals.
For stores focused on volume, lower pricing, and supplier control, Printify provides more leverage. For brands that prioritize consistent quality, faster international shipping, and sustainability, Gelato may be the better long-term fit.
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