Gelato vs. Printful: Which is Better for Print on Demand?

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Gelato vs Printful

Trying to decide between Gelato and Printful? This detailed comparison highlights pricing, shipping, integrations, and sustainability to help you make the right choice.

4.8 / 5

based on 605 reviews

Compare print on demand platforms

The Print-On-Demand (POD) business model is highly sought after in eCommerce. However, with several POD platforms available like Printful and Gelato, selecting the right one can be tricky. Each platform comes with its own unique set of products, services, and integrations, creating a competitive market.

Compared to Printful, Gelato's globally distributed network ensures more consistent print quality and faster, localized shipping across 32 countries.

Gelato vs Printful

Platform Costs	Gelato	Printful
Free pricing?
Free pricing?
Subscription plans
Subscription plans	Gelato+ $19.99/month, billed $239.88 annually Up to 35% off products Limited-time offer for annual subscribers: Free shipping on orders going to the US, UK, Germany, France, Sweden, and Denmark* until December 10th	Printful Growth $24.99/month Up to 33% off on selected products
Most affordable t-shirt
Most affordable t-shirt	$8.64 in USA, $6.58 in EU	$9.25 in USA, $6.75 in EU
Samples
Samples	50% off on first order	20% off on first order
Print Network
Print Network
Production partners
Production partners	140+	15
Auto selected print partner
Auto selected print partner
POD model
POD model	Print locally with global network of partners	Print regionally via in-house facilities and ship
Production countries
Production countries	32	9
Logistics partners
Logistics partners	60+	25+
Commercial overview
Commercial overview
Software tools to run your business
Software tools to run your business	Price Navigator, Mockup Studio, Personalization Studio	Mockup Generator, Design Maker, MerchShare
24/7 Customer Support
24/7 Customer Support
Switcher service
Switcher service
Branding Options
Branding Options	Neck Labels, Packaging & Inserts	Neck Labels, Packaging & Inserts
Reviews
Reviews
Trustpilot
Trustpilot	4.6 / 5	4.6 / 5
Shopify
Shopify	4.8 / 5	4.8 / 5
	Gelato	Printful

Limited-time offer

Win the season with Gelato+

Join for $19.99/month (billed annually) to unlock up to 35% off products and free shipping, exclusive to annual subscribers.

Create irresistible offers and flash sales that get your customers shopping and help you sell more this season

Holiday last order dates 2025

Sell longer this holiday season

With Gelato’s local and fast production, you gain up to 7 extra selling days compared to other POD platforms, turning late-season shoppers into revenue

Switch from any platform in days, not weeks

Our AI-powered Velocity Switch maps your products automatically, and starts fulfilment without downtime. Perfect for migrating from Printify, Printful, or other platforms.

▻ Choose products to connect

Select which store products you want to link to Gelato's catalog

▻ Auto-suggested mapping

Our AI analyzes your products to suggest the best Gelato catalog matches.

▻ Sync products with your store

Add your artwork and you are ready to start fulfilling orders with Gelato.

Trusted by successful businesses worldwide

Your brand is built on trust. Our network operates on a single, rigorous quality standard. From paper stocks to garment prints, we ensure consistency, order after order. Don't just take our word for it—see what creators are saying.

A woman in a red sweater sits on a sofa in a sunlit room, smiling and writing on a tablet. She is surrounded by colorful cushions.

Bad Botanist

"Working with Gelato has definitely helped me with reducing issues. I have way less damaged prints arriving or anything arriving at the wrong place. It has significantly reduced the amount of time I have to spend doing manual tasks."

Isabel Beard, Founder

RecombinantCulture

"The idea that I could have an easily run, global business in twenty-eight countries now around the world – the effortlessness and simplicity of that international scope is by far one of the things that I love the best about working with Gelato."

Charles Leech, Founder

A smiling couple stands close together in a room, with a framed bull skull drawing and a hanging plant in the background.

Brigz Tattoos

"The biggest thing that stood out bout Gelato was the ability to ship almost anywhere in the world within three to five days. That was crucial for us as we were starting to get orders from all over. The idea of local production really aligned with our values of sustainability."

Christina and Corbin Briggs, Founders

Why choose Gelato

Gelato is the world’s leading global print-on-demand platform built for the AI era. Combining local production in 30+ countries, sustainability, and automation, Gelato empowers creators and brands to design, launch, and scale faster, powered by AI-driven design and smart order routing that reduces delivery times, costs, and carbon emissions.

The world's largest print-on-demand network

▻ Sell globally, produce locally

Your products are produced close to your customers, wherever they are.

▻ 60+ logistics partners

Our global network of logistics partners ensures your products are delivered fast.

▻ 1-click integration to the leading ecommerce platforms

Connect your store to Gelato using our integrations with Shopify, Etsy and more.

A partner that allows you to create more efficiently

▻ 100% free editing tools

Create your custom products using our suite of free tools.

▻ High-quality products

We partner with the world's leading brands to ensure the best quality products.

▻ Endless creativity with Shutterstock

Access millions of images and graphics to create unique products you can sell in your store.

ESG and Sustainability

See how Gelato and Printful compare on sustainability

	Gelato	Printful
Local production in each market
Local production in each market
Organic apparel collection
Organic apparel collection
Recycled materials
Recycled materials
Over 90% of orders produced locally
Over 90% of orders produced locally
FSC certified wood and paper products
FSC certified wood and paper products
	Gelato	Printful

Sustainability at Gelato

At Gelato we enable local, on-demand production on a global scale. So that local communities can produce what local communities need when they need it. That’s the core of what we do.

We represent the world’s largest network for production on-demand. By producing personalized products locally across the globe, reaching billions of people, we take an active part in making the world a slightly better place.

Creator tools

Software tools to help grow and scale your business

	Gelato	Printful
Product Personalization
Product Personalization
Mockup Generation
Mockup Generation
Design editor
Design editor
Pricing tools
Pricing tools
Analytics
Analytics
Mobile app
Mobile app
	Gelato	Printful

Try print on demand with Gelato today

*First order discount is capped at a maximum of €50

Pricing and profit

An example of prices and profitability between Gelato and Printful

Gildan 5000 t-shirt shipped to USA	Gelato	Printful
Price of t-shirt
Price of t-shirt	$8.64	$9.25
Economy Shipping
Economy Shipping	$3.99	$4.75
Product + Shipping
Product + Shipping	$12.63	$14
Profit at sales price $25
Profit at sales price $25	$12.37	$11
Monthly profit selling 50 units
Monthly profit selling 50 units	$618	$550
	Gelato	Printful

*Prices are subject to change. Prices correct as of October 2025

Leverage the Gelato+ subscription and get instant access to great software tools

Hands holding a framed floral poster with pink and orange flowers; a digital mockup creation interface is visible beside it.

Magic Mockups

Generate stunning product images in seconds that convert, all while eliminating expensive photoshoots. Our AI creates photorealistic mockups with perfect lighting, shadows, and context.

Instant Collections

Launch entire product collections instantly across multiple platforms with AI. Scale your catalog from dozens to thousands of products in minutes, not months.

Price Navigator

Discover how Price Navigator can help you optimize your pricing strategy and increase your profitability. Turn your pricing into a growth driver with Price Navigator.

Creative Vault

Get unlimited access to professional stock images optimized for print-on-demand. Every image is commercially licensed, print-ready, and perfectly sized for Gelato products.

A woman with a backpack smiles, holding a phone displaying order details and payment statuses against a sunset background.

Gelato App

The Gelato app makes it easy for you to manage your business on the go. Track orders, create designs with AI, and manage your business — all from your pocket.

Velocity Switch

AI-powered migration tool that automatically maps your existing products from Shopify, Etsy and more to Gelato's catalog. Transfer your entire store without manual work, downtime, or lost sales.

Personalization Studio

Save time while Personalization Studio automates design tasks for you. No more manual adjustments, focus on creativity while we handle the customization.

Branded Packaging

Personalize your orders with custom packaging inserts and branded labels. A cost effective marketing channel with guaranteed reach. Inserts and labels start at $0.49 each.

Smiling person holding framed floral artwork with the text "Find Joy in the Ordinary," next to a screen showing a digital mockup tool.

Premium Mockups

Create high-resolution product mockups for T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters, canvas, phone cases and more - ready for store listings, ads, and social. Download premium scenes with Gelato+.

Platinum Concierge: Your dedicated growth partner

As a Platinum member, you’ll have a personal Concierge — a seasoned Gelato expert who works alongside you to grow sales, optimise operations, and expand into new markets.

▻ Growth strategy reviews

Quarterly business insights and recommendations tailored to your store’s performance

▻ Seamless integrations & migrations

Technical support for APIs, marketplaces, and product listings.

▻ Priority 24/7 support

Direct escalation to resolve issues fast.

Woman in a pink shirt holding a tablet, next to an illustration of orange headphones on a blue background with a handshake icon below.

“Our Platinum account manager has become an invaluable member of our team – they’ve helped us optimise pricing, expand into two new markets and double our revenues in just six months.”

Integrations

Compare which integrations are available for your chosen print on demand supplier

	Gelato	Printful
Ecommerce
Ecommerce	Etsy, Amazon	Etsy, Amazon, Ebay
Site builders
Site builders	Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace and more	Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, Squarespace and more
Manual orders
Manual orders
Custom API
Custom API
Number of stores per account
Number of stores per account	up to 25	up to unlimited
	Gelato	Printful

FAQs: Printful vs Gelato

What makes Gelato different from Printful?

Unlike centralized providers, Gelato produces locally in 30+ countries, reducing delivery times, costs, and carbon emissions. It’s powered by AI-driven design tools and smart order routing, helping businesses scale globally while staying sustainable.

Does Gelato offer faster delivery than other print-on-demand platforms?

Yes; because Gelato prints locally, most orders ship within 3-5 days to nearby regions. That means quicker fulfillment and lower international shipping costs for your customers.

How does Gelato use AI in print on demand?

Gelato’s platform uses AI automation for design generation, product mockups, and intelligent order routing. This helps creators save time, launch more products, and reduce manual errors in the fulfillment process.

Is Gelato a sustainable print-on-demand option?

Absolutely. By producing closer to end customers, Gelato cuts CO₂ emissions and packaging waste. Sustainability is built into every order; not an add-on.

How do I get started with Gelato?

You can connect Gelato directly with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, or TikTok Shop in minutes. Once connected, you can start designing, publishing, and selling instantly; no inventory or upfront costs required.

Gelato vs Printful

Compare print on demand platforms

Win the season with Gelato+

Sell longer this holiday season

Switch from any platform in days, not weeks

▻ Choose products to connect

▻ Auto-suggested mapping

▻ Sync products with your store

Why choose Gelato

The world's largest print-on-demand network

▻ Sell globally, produce locally

▻ 60+ logistics partners

▻ 1-click integration to the leading ecommerce platforms

A partner that allows you to create more efficiently

▻ 100% free editing tools

▻ High-quality products

▻ Endless creativity with Shutterstock

Sustainability at Gelato

Try print on demand with Gelato today

Leverage the Gelato+ subscription and get instant access to great software tools

▻ Growth strategy reviews

▻ Seamless integrations & migrations

▻ Priority 24/7 support

Read more about Printful

FAQs: Printful vs Gelato

Join Gelato, the world's leading print on demand provider and let us help you scale your business globally. "Faster, smarter, greener"