Figuring out exactly how much you’re 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’ve experimented with dozens of different POD solutions, and I can say that Gelato isn’t the cheapest option out there – but that doesn’t mean it’s 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’ll break down all the fees you can expect to pay with Gelato, and why I think that this company is still one of the best companies in the POD space – even if it’s 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.
Although you can get started with Gelato for free (and I recommend that for beginners), the premium plans do give you some pretty impressive bonuses that can help you grow, and cut costs in the long-term.
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 integration options.
You also get simple design tools, Gelato’s basic mockup generator, a convenient dashboard for managing orders, and access to Gelato’s global fulfillment network.
If you’re in that exploratory phase, the free plan is an excellent way to get to know Gelato’s interface and test out how customers respond to your merchandise.
You’ll also now get access to Gelato’s CreateAI suite on the free plan. It includes unique workflow tools like Magic Mockups, Instant Collections and Velocity Switch, and features that help if you're moving over from another POD setup.
It doesn’t change the fundamentals of the platform, but it can save a lot of time when building out your store or launching your first catalog.
Plus, you can still add the “Personalization Studio” into your strategy on the free plan (more on that later).
Gelato+: Best for Small to Midsized Businesses
Gelato+ is the first premium plan offered by the POD company, available for either $25 per month, or $249 per year. You get a lot of perks right of the bat with this plan, such as:
- Up to 20% off a wide range of products (great for boosting profit margins)
- Access to Gelato’s premium mock-ups and mockup studio
- Millions of graphics, fonts, and stock images
- Access to packaging inserts and branded labels
- Support for 5 account users
This plan also allows you to connect up to 10 ecommerce stores to your account (compared to only 2 on the free plan). You’ll also get all the features included in the free plan.
It’s a great option for companies who are starting to grow, and want a few more advanced capabilities, and extra discounts.
Gelato+ is the sweet spot for many businesses. You won’t break the bank with the subscription fee, and the benefits – particularly the discount on products and access to a large library of design resources – often pay for themselves if you’re making even a moderate amount of sales.
Gelato+ Gold: Best for Serious Scalers
If you’re really starting to grow fast, Gelato Gold – available for $129 per month (or $1,285 per year), is a great plan. It might seem expensive on the surface, particularly compared to other premium POD plans – but it does take Gelato+ to the next level.
On top of all the benefits you get from Gelato+ you can also connect up to 25 ecommerce stores, and create up to 20 user accounts. You also get full access to premium mockup tools (rather than the limited access on the previous plan). Plus, this package includes:
- 30% off branded labels and packaging inserts
- Up to 25% off products
- Flexible shipping profit margins
- Dedicated customer support
- The Price Navigator tool (for boosting pricing strategies)
Gelato Gold is a great all-inclusive package. If your POD venture is part of a real, scaling business (rather than a side project), the monthly subscription should be easily offset by the deeper discounts on product and branding.
Gelato Platinum: The Enterprise Plan
Finally, there’s Gelato Platinum – the custom plan designed for enterprise-level sellers.
This gives you everything you’d get in the Gold plan, but you also get extra bespoke discounts on some products, as well as dedicated customer support and implementation services.
The Platinum plan also acts as a “pass” to exclusive community events where you can network with other enterprise-level sellers and find new partners.
This plan is going to be much too expensive for most smaller companies. However, if your organization is big enough that you can really justify a premium experience, the Platinum plan could be a good choice.
I’d probably recommend considering it only when you start asking yourself where you can go next, after upgrading to Gelato Gold.
Gelato Print on Demand Pricing: The Other Costs
Obviously, subscription fees aren’t the only thing worth thinking about when you’re looking at the cost of a print on demand solution. Here’s a quick run-down of what you can expect to pay for things like products, shipping, and added extras.
Base Product Costs
No matter which plan you’re on, you’ll need to cover the base manufacturing cost of the items you’re 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 – the company has cut the costs of many items by around 50%.
Still, Gelato is pretty much “on-par” with most POD vendors and even cheaper in some cases. The cheapest t-shirt it offers (Gildan 5000 Heavyweight) starts at $8.68 (without customization).
The same shirt from Printify will cost around $9.23. With Printful, you’ll pay $9.25.
It’s also worth remembering that you can save extra money on those “base item costs” when you upgrade to a premium subscription – making Gelato a lot more affordable in the long-term. Plus, Gelato does offer bulk volume discounts too.
Shipping Fees
You don’t really need to worry about shipping costs as a POD vendor – 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 global network of over 140 printing partners in 32 countries.
In many cases, you can choose a local supplier, reducing both shipping time and carbon emissions.
Obviously, the price you pay for shipping will vary depending on various factors, such as 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’re likely to spend.
The prices are about average from what I can tell – and it’s 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 price for using the Gelato Personalization Studio (which can integrate directly with Etsy and Shopify).
There’s a free starter plan, which charges a 6% transaction fee on every order, and a Regular plan for $19 per month, which cuts the transaction fee to 4% after you sell your 21st personalized item.
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’s worth giving it a try.
The second extra fee comes from branding options. Personalized labels and the like are only available in Gelato+ plans and above. However, you can get 30% off branding options if you choose Gelato Gold.
You may not worry too much about branding until you really start to scale – but adding those little extra touches can really help your business grow.
Lastly, you have all the “extra costs” associated with building your 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 on your own website.
- Design Support: If you’re struggling to come up with design ideas, you might want to consider paying 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
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’s also really good value for money. The base cost for products is low, shipping fees are reasonable – and don’t force you to compromise on speed – and the premium plans come with great discounts.
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 subscription 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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