Printify vs Shopify: Which Is More Profitable for Your Store?

Trying to choose between Printify vs Shopify for your online store? The decision can make or break your profits. While both platforms help you sell products online, they serve very different purposes, and knowing those differences is key. In this guide, we’ll compare Printify vs Shopify in detail, including pricing, ease of use, scalability, SEO tools, and more. You’ll also explore real-life success stories and discover which platform suits your goals best. Read on to find out which option could bring greater profitability to your store.

Overview of Printify

Printify is a user-friendly print-on-demand platform built for e-commerce sellers. It helps store owners sell custom-designed items without keeping any stock. Instead of managing inventory, users can focus on product design and marketing.

The platform partners with print providers across the world. These partners handle printing, packing, and shipping. Orders go straight from the provider to the buyer.

Printify supports a wide range of products, including:

• T-shirts and hoodies

• Mugs and phone cases

• Wall art and stickers

It works well with major e-commerce sites, including Shopify. This makes it easy to sync products and manage orders in one place. Sellers can select their print provider by considering location, cost, and quality.

Overview of Shopify

Shopify is a robust e-commerce solution tailored for businesses of all sizes and stages. It allows users to launch and manage an online store without advanced tech skills. The dashboard offers a simple design with easy-to-use navigation.

Store owners can select from various themes that complement their brand. Customization options are flexible and suited for various industries. Shopify also supports mobile-friendly designs.

Key features include:

• Secure payment gateway options

• Inventory and order tracking tools

• Built-in marketing and SEO support

• Fast checkout and shipping management

With Shopify, entrepreneurs can streamline store operations and deliver a smooth shopping experience. It also connects with apps and services to expand store functions as the business grows.

Printify vs Shopify: 10 Core Differences Explained

When deciding between Printify vs Shopify, understanding their core differences helps make the best choice for your store’s needs. Here are key areas where these platforms stand apart.

#1. Ease of Use

Printify:

Printify offers a clean, easy-to-use dashboard. The menu on the left gives quick access to store settings, orders, and products. The product catalog is well-organized with filters for price, category, and shipping options. However, it might take time and study to identify the perfect print provider.

Shopify:

Shopify also has a simple interface. Tasks like adding products, setting prices, and managing shipping are quick to learn. Product image display can get tricky since image sizes are not automatically uniform. Fixing this may require tools like Canva or Photoshop.

Final Verdict:

Both platforms are easy to use. Printify is simpler for beginners, but supplier selection adds a bit of complexity. Shopify is smooth overall, but could improve in image handling.

#2. Pricing Structure

Printify Pricing:

• Free Plan: $0 per month

• Premium Plan: $29 per month

• Custom Pricing Plan

Note: No monthly fee on the Free plan, but product and shipping costs still apply. Always add profit margins accordingly.

Shopify Pricing:

• Basic Plan: $19 per month

• Grow Plan: $49 per month

• Advanced Plan: $299 per month

• Plus Plan: Starting at $2,300 per month

Note: Shopify also charges payment processing and transaction fees. Add-ons like premium themes and third-party apps can raise monthly costs.

Final Verdict:

Printify wins in affordability, especially for beginners or those testing product ideas. Shopify offers more features but comes with higher ongoing costs.

#3. Scalability & Future Growth

Printify:

Printify focuses on print-on-demand services, handling printing and fulfilling orders. It works well for businesses centered on customized products but offers limited tools to expand beyond this niche. Growth opportunities exist but mainly revolve around print product variety and supplier options.

Shopify:

Shopify is designed to accommodate businesses ranging from small startups to large corporations. The platform handles high traffic volumes and large product inventories with ease. Shopify’s extensive app ecosystem and flexible features help stores scale efficiently as sales increase.

Final Verdict:

Shopify clearly outperforms Printify in scalability. Its robust infrastructure and versatile tools allow businesses to grow beyond initial limits, making it a better choice for long-term expansion.

#4. SEO Features

Printify:

Printify provides a good foundation for SEO by enabling the customization of product titles, descriptions, and tags. It connects smoothly with popular e-commerce platforms, allowing sellers to leverage existing traffic.

Key SEO tools in Printify include:

• Custom product metadata

• Keyword integration in listings

• Seamless platform integration

Shopify:

Shopify offers a more advanced SEO toolkit. Its themes are built to boost search rankings with clean code and fast loading times. Users can optimize URLs, add meta tags, and use alt text to improve image SEO. Shopify also provides analytics to track SEO performance and adjust strategies accordingly.

Shopify’s SEO highlights include:

• SEO-optimized themes

• URL and metadata customization

• Image optimization with alt text

• Detailed SEO reports and insights

Final Verdict:

Both platforms support strong SEO efforts, but Shopify leads with a more comprehensive set of features. Its built-in tools and flexibility give sellers greater control over optimizing their stores for search engines.

#5. Apps & Integration

Printify:

Printify connects smoothly with popular online marketplaces and store builders like Shopify, Etsy, TikTok, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. It also provides API options for users with more advanced technical needs. This helps streamline print-on-demand product sales across multiple channels.

Shopify:

Shopify stands out with one of the largest app ecosystems in eCommerce, offering over 8,000 apps for customizing your store. These include tools for SEO, marketing, product reviews, discounts, and more. Shopify also supports direct links to nearly 500 print-on-demand apps, allowing sellers to simultaneously tap into diverse product catalogs and pricing options.

Final Verdict:

While Printify covers essential integrations for print-on-demand sales, Shopify’s extensive app store delivers greater customization and flexibility. Connecting Printify with Shopify unlocks even more powerful tools to boost store functionality and growth, making Shopify the clear winner here.

#6. Sourcing Products

Printify:

Printify offers an extensive catalog of over 900 print-on-demand products, spanning categories like clothing, accessories, and home goods. Users must carefully choose suppliers to ensure competitive pricing and reliable shipping, which requires some research and comparison.

Shopify:

Shopify supports product sourcing mainly through its app store, where merchants find dropshipping and print-on-demand suppliers. This setup usually involves subscribing to additional apps to add products to the store. Shopify itself doesn’t directly provide products but acts as the platform to sell them.

Final Verdict:

Printify excels at providing an extensive range of POD products ready for quick use, which is ideal for sellers focusing on custom goods. Shopify relies more on third-party apps for sourcing and can incur extra costs for these services. Printify holds the advantage in the Printify vs Shopify comparison for straightforward product sourcing.

#7. Printing & Fulfillment Process

Printify:

Printify manages printing and order fulfillment through a global network of print providers. When a customer places an order, the details are automatically forwarded to the selected print partner. The partner then prints and ships the product directly to the customer. Merchants can choose different printing techniques like DTG, sublimation, and embroidery based on the item.

Shopify:

Shopify doesn’t offer built-in printing services. Instead, it supports integrations with apps like Printify and Printful. Merchants must connect a third-party POD provider to manage printing and fulfillment. This flexibility allows users to test various partners and optimize for cost, speed, or product quality.

Final Verdict:

Printify takes the lead in this category. Its core focus is print-on-demand fulfillment, making the process smooth and automatic for sellers. While Shopify requires third-party apps to handle printing, Printify is designed specifically for this purpose, streamlining production from order to delivery.

#8. Marketing & Sales Tools

Printify:

Printify includes basic tools to help sellers attract buyers:

• A mockup generator for creating product images

• Marketplace integrations like Etsy and eBay

• A pricing calculator to set profit margins

• Analytics to track orders and revenue

• A personalization tool for custom designs

These features help get started with marketing, but they are limited when running full campaigns or tracking long-term sales data.

Shopify:

Shopify delivers a full set of tools to drive sales and build customer relationships:

• Social media integrations with Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

• Abandoned cart recovery emails

• Discount code creation and management

• SEO tools for better search visibility

• Built-in and automated email marketing

Shopify also connects with hundreds of third-party marketing apps to expand your reach further.

Final Verdict:

In the Printify vs Shopify matchup for sales tools, Shopify easily takes the lead. It gives store owners everything needed to attract, convert, and retain customers. From social campaigns to SEO and automated emails, Shopify supports full-funnel marketing, which is ideal for growing an online business.

#9. Shipping

Printify:

Printify’s shipping depends on the print provider selected. Each provider sets its shipping costs and partners with carriers like USPS, FedEx, or DHL. Prices and delivery times vary, and users must check each supplier manually. There’s no filter to sort print providers by shipping rate, which can slow down the decision-making process.

Shopify:

Shopify gives full control over shipping. You can offer free, flat, or weight-based rates. Real-time calculated rates and local delivery options are also available. Shopify Shipping, available in some countries, includes discounted labels and live shipping quotes from major carriers.

Final Verdict:

In the Printify vs Shopify shipping comparison, Shopify comes out on top. It allows full control over shipping strategy and partners, including live carrier rates and label printing. Printify is more limited, as shipping depends entirely on the selected supplier’s preset options. Shopify’s customization makes it ideal for store owners who want flexible delivery solutions.

#10. Customer Support

Printify:

Printify provides support 24/7 through two main options: chat and a contact form. Chat begins with a virtual assistant and can connect to a human agent if needed. The contact form lets users explain issues in detail for a more accurate response. However, all support is only available in English.

Shopify:

Shopify gives customers several ways to get help—live chat, email, and phone support are available around the clock. Shopify also supports 21 different languages, making it easier for international users to get assistance. Its Help Center is full of guides, FAQs, and tutorials, although most are text-based.

Final Verdict:

When comparing Printify vs Shopify support, Shopify has the advantage. It offers more communication channels, including phone support, and can help users in multiple languages. Printify’s support is helpful, but more limited in access and language options. Shopify is the stronger choice for sellers who need fast, flexible, and multilingual help.

Case Studies: Real-World Profitability Examples

Successful Printify Stores

Nordacious

James Hillier, an Australian artist and graphic designer, is the creative force behind Nordacious, a brand recognized for bold, politically charged pop culture art. Struggling to monetize his work while managing mental health, he found marketplaces limiting control and growth.

Printify changed that by letting him create his website with full control over branding, pricing, and production through local and global print providers. This freedom helped Hillier transition to full-time print-on-demand, grow a loyal community, and make a meaningful impact.

Ahavti LifeStyle

Liora Goren, a mother of four, struggled to balance family life with her passion for personalized gifts after closing her baby boutique. She needed a flexible, easy way to run an online store selling home décor and gifts.

Printify simplified her print-on-demand business by handling printing and shipping, letting her upload designs and only pay when products sell. This saved her time and money, allowing her to focus on creativity and customer care.

Within a year, Liora grew her Etsy store, Ahavti LifeStyle, into a successful brand. She advises aspiring sellers to find their niche, develop a unique style, and rely on platforms like Printify to manage production and logistics.

Gina Van De Voorde

Gina Van De Voorde started her print-on-demand journey with no design experience and faced early struggles, including over 100 failed designs and tough competition on Etsy. She learned to find niches through trial and error and adapted to changing platform algorithms.

Printify was key to her success, offering a wide product range and easy communication with print providers. It let her run her business remotely without inventory, freeing her to focus on marketing and expanding to Shopify.

Through persistence, niche research, and smart marketing, Gina grew her stores to $100,000 in sales. Her story shows how Printify’s tools and determination can lead to big success in print-on-demand.

Successful Shopify Stores

Hiut Denim Co.

Hiut Denim faced the challenge of promoting sustainable, high-quality jeans while honoring its Welsh heritage in a competitive market. They needed a strong online presence to reach customers who value craftsmanship and customization.

Shopify helped Hiut Denim succeed by providing an easy-to-use platform to showcase their products and story clearly. It enabled smooth customization options and supported unique marketing like the No Wash Club, helping Hiut build a loyal customer base and grow as a sustainable, trusted brand.

Allbirds

Allbirds leveraged Shopify to clearly showcase their commitment to sustainability, design, and comfort through detailed product pages and eco-friendly messaging. Shopify’s platform enabled a seamless, visually appealing shopping experience, highlighting its brand values.

This strong online presence helped Allbirds achieve $182.1 million in net revenue in Q1-Q3 2023, making it one of Shopify’s most successful stores.

Kylie Cosmetics

Founded by Kylie Jenner, Kylie Cosmetics is a popular Shopify shop selling vegan, environmentally friendly makeup, skincare, and baby products. The brand combines quality and sustainability with a sleek, professional online presence.

Shopify enables the store with adaptable templates, geolocation, currency conversion, and loyalty incentives, allowing smooth flash sales and better customer engagement. Kylie Cosmetics leverages its massive social media following—25.3 million on Instagram, 3.5 million on TikTok, and 1.2 million on X—to boost sales and growth.

Printify vs Shopify: Which Users Benefit the Most?

Shopify vs Printify serves different needs for online sellers. Shopify is ideal for building a full-featured, scalable online store with strong marketing tools and multiple sales channels. It fits businesses of all sizes aiming for long-term growth.

Printify suits artists, designers, and entrepreneurs who want to start selling print-on-demand products without upfront costs. Its vast product range and global print network make it a low-risk way to quickly test new ideas and expand product lines.

Which Platform Offers Greater Profitability for Your Store?

When comparing Printify vs Shopify, profitability depends on your goals and business model. Each platform serves different needs, from creative testing to long-term brand building.

Opt for Printify if:

• You want a low-cost way to start selling.

• You focus on custom designs and print-on-demand products.

• You prefer not to handle inventory or shipping.

• You need a fast setup with minimal overhead.

Opt for Shopify if:

• You aim to grow a full-scale eCommerce business.

• You want full control over store design and branding.

• You need advanced marketing tools and app integrations.

• You plan to scale across multiple sales channels.

The Bottom Line

In the battle of Printify vs Shopify, your choice depends on your business goals. Printify is best for low-risk, print-on-demand ventures, while Shopify shines for scalable, full-featured eCommerce stores. Many successful sellers combine both to maximize profits. In the end, pairing Printify with Shopify often delivers the best of both worlds—seamless fulfillment and powerful sales tools.