Shopify print-on-demand apps allow you to offer a wide variety of custom products that can be personalized by each customer. This, in turn, enhances their engagement with your store. The best part is that you don't need to maintain an inventory, much like dropshipping. Therefore, it is a low-risk and cost-effective business model.
Nonetheless, Shopify is abundant with potentially good-looking applications, making it more complicated to find the right one. In this article, we will list the top 10 print-on-demand apps for Shopify that have been tested and approved by our experts.
Top 10 Shopify apps for print on demand: reviews
First, we want to highlight a shortlist of 5 Shopify POD apps that truly stand out in the crowd:
- Printify - globally-recognized POD service you can easily run on multiple Shopify stores
- Printful - a Shopify POD app perfectly tailored to meet your needs
- Gelato - POD app for fast global shipping
- Podbase- top print on demand app for artists
- Apliiq - top Shopify print on demand app for clothing lines
Launching a print on demand business? Don’t forget that all those amazing product images will need optimization.
Automate image optimization with TinyIMGNow let’s take a look at all 10 top Shopify print on demand apps in more detail:
1. Printify - best app to run multiple Shopify POD stores
More than 10 million people have signed up to build businesses with Printify. Printify has over 900 products to choose from, including 60+ Eco-friendly products. It’s a huge and respected POD service provider globally and it’s a safe option for pretty much any Shopify seller.
This POD app distinguishes itself from other services due to advanced order management options, like a built-in dashboard or a drag-and-drop product designer. Additionally, the product quality ensures a fair price-to-quality ratio, so you won’t have to deal with numerous complaints.
Printify pros:
- Depending on the plan, you can run Printify on 5 or 10 Shopify stores
- Printify has over 900 products to choose from, including 60+ Eco-friendly products.
- Best product costs on the market
- With 85 Print Partners and 117 Global print locations, Printify delivers to every country on the planet
- Easy-to-use mockup generator
- Printify even allows you to add your branding to consumer-packaged goods like skincare, coffee, and soon supplements
- Printify integrates with all the major shopping cart channels and marketplaces, including Walmart, Etsy, Shopify, WiX, Squarespace, and TikTok
- More shipping options than any other platform, with 3 different levels of shipping - Express, Standard, Economy merchants can offer their customers the choice of time and cost. Need your item in 2 days? No problem. Willing to wait if it means you can save, we got you
Printify cons:
- Don't offer branded custom packaging
- Only 3 uses of its background removal tool permitted per day
If you are a seller on Shopify and operate multiple POD stores, then Printify is a highly recommended option for you. You can install the application for free in up to 5 stores. However, when a sale is made, you will need to cover the product and shipping fees. The premium subscription is available for up to 10 stores and costs $29 per month. It gives you a 20% discount on all products.
2. Printful - an effective Shopify POD app for your needs
While most Shopify app reviews don’t automatically mean the best service, Printful lives up to the hype. The industry leader since 2013, Printful has been keeping up with all the newly-emerged competition and is the most well-rounded Shopify POD app.
The service enhances not only your, as a merchant’s, experience but also increases customers’ engagement allowing them to customize products by adding images or initials. Moreover, Printful has distributed its in-house and partner warehouses all around the world, ensuring fast deliveries.
Printful pros:
- Outstanding mockup generator
- Sufficient product selection (anything from phone cases to leggings)
- Product personalization available for the customers (uploading images, adding initials)
- Many custom branding options (branded stickers, pack-ins and more)
- Warehouses are located in almost every continent
Printful cons:
- Does not have a good selection of niche products, such as coasters, pet supplies, yoga mats
- Free as long as you don’t make sales
Printful is excellent for anyone who wants a widely recognized Shopify store with a variety of reliable and customizable products. Even though the subscription price isn’t the most flattering ($24/month,) the POD business method redeems the expenses quickly. The app is also free to install, so you can set everything up without spending a penny.
3. Gelato - Shopify POD app with largest production hub network
Gelato positions themselves as a POD service provider that supports local business, and rightfully so. They have production hubs in 32 countries, contracting local suppliers and ensuring the shipping distances are minimal.
Other than that, the app provides you with classic print on demand service, where you can find an extensive variety of products, like hoodies, mugs, or hats, among others. To customize them, you can add images from stock or use a built-in designer.
Gelato pros:
- 130+ local production hubs in 32 countries
- Mockup, design, and personalization tools (with premium plans only)
- Shipping discount tiers on monthly paid plans
- Allows applying the same design to products in bulk
Gelato cons:
- Some issues were reported with shipment locations
- Not too many products available overall
Gelato is a fantastic pick for Shopify stores that have an international customer base and care a lot about carbon footprint related to shipping. The price of it doesn’t stand out from others, as you can pay for what you print or get a subscription plan for either $24 or $119/month. However, the priciest plan offers free shipping and dedicated product migration support.
Suggested reading
4. Podbase - best Phone case Shopify POD solution
Meet Podbase – the friendliest spot for customizing your phone cases, tech gear, drinkware, and also printing artwork! This user-friendly platform is like your creative playground, making it a breeze to bring your designs to life.
Their 3D mock-up tool lets you play around and create the coolest Phone, MacBook, Earbuds, and iPad cases with just a few clicks. Navigating Podbase is a piece of cake, making it the perfect buddy for your customization adventures.
Podbase pros:
- In-house manufacturing facilities
- High-quality products, tested by global brands
- No minimum order requirement
- Cost-effective global shipping & friendly product pricing
Podbase cons:
- Limited product selection
- Manufactured in Europe, longer US shipping times
Podbase is a perfect fit for artists & brands that are looking for ways to monetize their creativity or grow customer loyalty, as well as, increase AOV. There are no subscription plans, so you always have access to all premium features and only pay for ordered products.
5. Apliiq - best for streetwear Shopify stores
Apliiq is the leader of POD clothing providers. An unseen variety of eco-friendly clothes at lower and stable costs, extensive branding opportunities, as well as flexible product customization options.
Furthermore, this apparel POD app automates all managing processes, including order arrangement and shipping. Not to mention, its fast and helpful customer support that strongly adds up to smooth print on demand business development.
Apliiq pros:
- Numerous printing options (includes embroidery and stitching)
- Eco-friendly brand (emphasizes sustainable processes, all techniques are vegan-friendly)
- Powerful brand customization (branded clothing tags, boxes, packaging paper)
- Automated order processing
Apliiq cons:
- Ships from the USA only
- Interface could be more user-friendly
- Apliiq website is quite buggy and loads very slowly
Apliiq is a suitable Shopify print on demand app for anyone who has or is looking to start a stylish clothing line on Shopify. There are no subscription plans with strict pricing, as you pay for orders that Apliiq fulfills. Therefore, you can manage your spending in the best manner you need.
6. AOP+ - best for in-house printing
Most of the POD companies don’t actually make the prints but rather contract external manufacturers. But that’s not the case with AOP+ because they are one of the very few Shopify apps that manufacture your POD orders in-house.
Aside from the fact that the prints are produced in London, the provider also offers nature-friendly options, such as organic clothing or vegan prints. Therefore, you will be able to target quality-conscious customers across Europe, the US, and the UK.
AOP+ pros:
- Makes all prints in-house
- Dropships worldwide
- Unique product options (e.g. coasters, wall tiles)
- Additional pre-shipping quality assurance check
- No minimum order volume requirements
AOP+ cons:
- Slightly outdated mockup interface and website design
- No factual subscriptions
AOP+ is a solution for Shopify sellers who prioritize reliability over everything else and want their entire POD process handled by the same company. The application is free to install and there are no subscription plans. The price of the service depends on wholesale production and shipping costs, making it either complicated to calculate your monthly expenses or, on the contrary, gives you more freedom to financial management.
7. ShineOn - best for POD products with high profit margins
It’s a Shopify POD app that limits its product selection to jewelry, watches, notebooks, and similar gift-suitable items. However, available customization opportunities allow customers to turn them into desired accessories.
The provider allows huge profit margins and they provide you with a training program to help you succeed with this unique POD angle. For continued growing, you receive detailed analytics where you can monitor your ups and downs.
ShineOn pros:
- Allows running high-profit margin POD business
- 5-7 business day delivery in USA and Europe
- High-resolution product mockup tool
- Comprehensive analytics (revenue, conversion rate, upsell, and more)
- Individual training on the app’s interface and product marketing
ShineOn cons:
- Small product catalog compared to previous apps on the list
- Premium pricing
ShineOn is great if you’re just starting out with POD or want to increase the product variety of an existing store. This provider allows you to set up your store for free and only charges you when a product is sold. There are three different paid plans available ranging from $27 to $87 per month, unlocking bigger discounts, better customer support, and a premium product catalog subscription.
8. TPOP - best fully eco-friendly Shopify POD option
Now more than ever customers want to know where their products come from, how they were produced, and what impact that has on the environment. With TPOP as your Shopify POD app, you can answer all of these questions proudly.
TPOP has everything you would expect from a great POD provider. On top of that, they put product quality and ethical production processes as their utmost priority.
TPOP pros:
- Rigorous compliance with eco-friendly standards on products, ink, packaging and shipping
- No minimum order requirement
- Branded packaging (multilingual packaging slips, pack-ins, gift stickers)
- Bulk product creation functionality
TPOP cons:
- Limited garment customization
- Website can go through lagging
Every seller who cares about our planet over everything else and wants to position themselves as an eco-friendly brand should go for TPOP. This beginner-friendly print on demand application also doesn’t charge you in advance and you need to pay only for what you print.
9. Inkedjoy - Shopify app with the most POD products
Inkedjoy carries the title of the most product-rich Shopify print-on-demand application. With the selection of over 1500 items, even the most picky merchant will find a suitable one for their store.
Aside from an extensive product list, the app also offers excellent customizing options, such as one-piece customization for putting a single print over a whole t-shirt or a hoodie. Additionally, you can choose to apply the same design over many products simultaneously.
Inkedjoy pros:
- No MOQ inventory management
- Allows designing in bulk
- Has a catalog of over 1500 products (clothing, accessories, pet items, etc.)
- Cheaper than most POD apps
Inkedjoy cons:
- Customer support may be unresponsive
- Possible shipping delays
- Unclear subscription conditions
If you're still unsure about what to sell or if you're looking for high-quality products, Inkedjoy is a great option. The provider offers a free app installation, but it's not clear what you can do with the free version until you must pay a one-time fee of $19.99 for the Beginner package or $99 per year for the Expert branding service.
10. Ink POD - budget-friendly print-on-demand app
Whether you’re a beginner or POD is simply your side hustle – Ink POD is an excellent choice. The app is user-friendly and it’s minimalistic, promising a pleasant and uncomplexed time while managing your store.
One of the features we loved was co-designing, which allows your customers to customize their desired products. Moreover, the customer support has been collecting only positive feedback, so you will never be left alone in bad times.
Ink POD pros:
- Co-design feature helps improving customer engagement
- Beginner-friendly app interface
- Customer support is quick and responsive
Ink POD cons:
- Possible technical issues after in-house software updates
- No clearly listed features
- Mainly works with Chinese suppliers
Ink POD is a simple but seemingly reliable Shopify app for POD, which can be a good fit for both beginners and advanced users. There are no set-in-stone pricing plans, and the app charges you only for completed orders. Meaning that you are never wasting money if no sales are happening.
How to choose a print on demand app for Shopify
If you’re still struggling to pick the one and only Shopify POD app for your business, don’t worry. Look over these tips that will help you make up your mind:
- In-house production vs supplier chain. In-house production of your printed products is what you would ultimately want from your Shopify POD app because it will take full responsibility for the end result. Apps like AOP+ or Prodigi manufacture in-house and could be an outstanding option for small local brands based in the same country. However, a global brand with an international client base will ensure short shipping times and avoid international shipping costs by choosing a POD app that contracts local production hubs (Printful, Gelato).
- Product variety. Decide on what exactly you want to sell. It will help you narrow down your options significantly because there is a staggering variety of products available on different Shopify POD apps.
- Trust and reliability. You always want customer support that’s there for you, but with POD business, it’s a must. Any mistake can be very costly and you want support that takes your business responsibly.
- Sample order. Do it! You have to be the first to see the result, otherwise you can’t honestly vouch for product quality in front of your customers. Conveniently, apps like Prodigi offer free samples.
Final thoughts
Shopify’s print-on-demand apps provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to offer personalized products, elevating customer engagement without the burden of inventory management.
Although there are many apps to choose from, we did our research and learned that Printify is the best Shopify print-on-demand app overall, and the best option for you when you want to use the service for free, as it allows you to install the app for free on up to 5 stores.
Meanwhile, Printful is excellent for anyone who wants a widely recognized Shopify store with a variety of reliable and customizable products.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Shopify is great for starting a print on demand business. You will find some of the best options for a POD service provider among Shopify POD apps. Plus, it’s a globally recognized platform with a million perks.
If we have to pick one, we’d say that Printify is the top option for Shopify POD business. However, many other worthy competitors have emerged on the app store, so you should read our full list to pick the perfect Shopify POD app for you.
