CustomCat vs Printful: Which is Better for POD?

CustomCat and Printful are two dependable, and in style print on demand firms. Whereas CustomCat is a veteran within the POD business, with greater than 20 years of expertise, Printful is one in all my favourite platforms, due to its persistently wonderful product high quality, and wide selection of integration choices.

I put these two POD distributors head-to-head, their key options, product choices, integrations, pricing, and buyer assist providers, that will help you select the proper answer.

The Professionals and Cons of Each Corporations

CustomCat Professionals and Cons

Printful Professionals and Cons

Which Platform Has The Finest Options?

Winner: Printful

Whereas CustomCat gives distinctive merchandise and wonderful advertising instruments, Printful’s broader vary of customization choices, superior design instruments, and wider integration capabilities stand out to me. I notably admire Printful’s AI-powered picture upscaling and in depth inventory graphics library. Their ‘Fast Retailer’ function for US retailers, although restricted, is a pleasant contact for novices. Nevertheless, it is price noting that CustomCat excels in manufacturing pace, which may very well be essential for some sellers. Finally, Printful’s complete function set makes it my best choice for many customers searching for a flexible POD platform.

CustomCat and Printful are related in a variety of methods. They each provide a variety of customizable merchandise, and international achievement. Nevertheless, Printful does provide just a few additional providers, equivalent to assist with design, a “fast shops” generator (for US retailers) and international warehousing. I additionally love its design instruments, in addition to its dedication to creating high-quality merchandise.

CustomCat has wonderful advertising instruments, equivalent to the flexibility to seize buyer information and split-test campaigns. It gives fewer product choices general, however extra distinctive selections, like indoor doormats, vegan leather-based patch hats, and enamel tenting mugs. It additionally has an excellent popularity for quick turnaround occasions, however you’ll have to wait longer for supply exterior of the US.

Product Choices and Customization

Printful has a barely wider vary of merchandise to select from, boasting over 340 customizable gadgets. CustomCat gives barely over 300 gadgets, however it’s continuously including new choices to the combo, just like the vegan leather-based patch hats talked about above. Each firms provide related worthwhile choices like customized attire, equipment, and residential décor.

In addition they each provide a spread of eco-friendly and sustainable merchandise. The place Printful has the most important edge, for my part, is in its customization choices. CustomCat gives Digisoft, embroidery, and dye sublimation. Printful gives all of these, in addition to DTF, and all-over printing.

I do assume the Digisoft possibility from CustomCat is great, combining the advantages of DTF and DTG. Nevertheless, Printful’s design instruments are a little bit higher in my expertise. Whereas CustomCat’s design instruments are very simple to make use of, Printful has some distinctive options, like AI options to upscale your photos, and a variety of customizable inventory photos and graphics to make use of.

It’s a troublesome name, however Printful is barely higher for product choices and customization for my part.

Product High quality and Manufacturing Time

Printful undoubtedly takes the lead by way of product high quality. That doesn’t imply you’ll get poor high quality from CustomCat (in truth, they’ve a wonderful popularity for wonderful printing). Nevertheless, Printful makes use of larger high quality supplies, inks, and equipment. The corporate is thought worldwide for delivering a few of the greatest prints within the POD market, with a 99% buyer satisfaction fee.

One factor CustomCat does do barely higher, is promise clients a 100% free alternative for any merchandise they’re sad with, because of manufacturing faults. Moreover, as a result of Printful makes use of extra luxurious supplies in its merchandise, the bottom value of its merchandise are sometimes barely larger, making it harder to earn a constant revenue with this platform.

Plus, CustomCat outperforms Printful in manufacturing time. Printful wants round 2-5 enterprise days to finish an order, whereas CustomCat can end orders in 3 days or much less.

Success and Gross sales Channels

Each CustomCat and Printful provide international achievement, though CustomCat does provide quicker transport occasions to US clients (although I did discover worldwide achievement is a little more variable). On common, in case your clients are within the US, they will obtain their orders in 3 days. Alternatively, Printful’s supply occasions can vary from 5 to 10 days.

When you’re transport internationally, clients can wait as much as 28 days from a supply from CustomCat, or as much as 20 days for Printful. So, I’d advocate contemplating whether or not most of your clients are native, or worldwide, earlier than making your selection.

Notably, Printful does provide a wider vary of gross sales channels than CustomCat. There are greater than 20 ecommerce companions, marketplaces, and social media channels to select from with Printful, together with all my favorites, like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon. CustomCat solely integrates instantly with 4 companions, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Etsy.

Each firms provide an API, however Printful additionally gives the choice to create your personal customized “Fast Retailer”, so you possibly can promote on-line through a customized hyperlink and primary storefront.

This storefront may be very simple, and you may’t customise it a lot. Plus, it’s solely at present out there to US sellers with completely US-based clients – however it’s a pleasant possibility for novices within the POD market.

Finest for Ease of Use and Buyer Help: Printful

Printful wins for buyer assist. Whereas CustomCat gives cellphone assist and is responsive throughout enterprise hours, Printful’s 24/7 availability is a significant benefit. As somebody who’s extensively used each platforms, I discover Printful’s fixed assist essential for international operations. Each have nice self-help assets, however Printful’s round the clock help provides it the sting for sellers needing assist at any hour.

I discover Printful barely extra user-friendly general. Its design instruments are extra intuitive, and the dashboard is cleaner, which I admire as a frequent consumer.

Whereas CustomCat is not far behind and gives sturdy advertising and reporting instruments, Printful’s streamlined interface makes it my prime choose for ease of use, particularly for newcomers to print-on-demand providers.

I didn’t have any hassle experimenting with Printful or CustomCat when conducting this evaluation. They’re each extraordinarily easy-to-use platforms, perfect for novices. Printful’s design instruments are a bit extra intuitive, and the dashboard is a little bit cleaner.

Nevertheless, CustomCat has barely extra sturdy instruments for advertising and monitoring studies.

When it comes to buyer assist, each firms have some nice self-help assets. I’ve spent hours searching by means of their blogs, FAQs, and guides.

Nonetheless, CustomCat is extra responsive should you want direct help, as they provide a direct cellphone line to sure sellers (within the US and Vietnam), whereas Printful doesn’t. Each firms do provide e mail and reside chat assist, nevertheless.

I ought to observe although, CustomCat solely gives assist from 8am to six:30pm EST, whereas Printful guarantees 24/7 assist.

Finest for Pricing: Printful

I’ve evaluated each platforms intently, and I am selecting Printful because the winner for pricing. Whereas their base costs are usually larger, I discover Printful’s Progress membership gives beneficial reductions that may offset this, particularly for companies scaling up. The 20% off pattern orders is a standout function for me, permitting for cost-effective product testing.

For sellers incomes over $12k yearly, the free entry to those reductions is especially interesting. In my expertise, Printful’s pricing construction, although initially seeming costlier, can present higher long-term worth for rising companies trying to steadiness high quality with value.

Like most of the POD options I’ve tried, each CustomCat and Printful provide a free plan, which provide you with entry to all of the options you want to launch your on-line retailer. Nevertheless, you possibly can select to improve to a paid account with each platforms.

CustomCat Professional, for $25 (yearly) or $30 per thirty days, provides you 20-40% off all the firm’s commonplace wholesale costs, making it an excellent possibility for large-scale sellers. Printful’s Progress membership, out there free of charge to customers incomes greater than $12k per yr, or for $24.99 per thirty days gives entry to numerous reductions, like as much as 30% off sure merchandise, 7% off branding, and so forth.

There’s additionally a Marketing strategy, which is just out there to firms incomes greater than $60k per yr, however comes with additional reductions. Nevertheless, Printful’s merchandise are sometimes costlier than these on CustomCat. For example, should you wished to order a males’s t-shirt from CustomCat, you’d pay between $5.50 and $29.95 relying on the product options.

With CustomCat, the identical varieties of shirts would value between $6.95 and $29.95, so that you may wrestle to attain the identical revenue margin. One advantage of Printful is that it gives 20% off pattern orders – however CustomCat doesn’t.

Try Printful

CustomCat vs Printful: The Verdict

Finally, Printful is my favourite possibility for firms that wish to promote a variety of extremely customizable merchandise worldwide. The corporate gives superior product high quality, implausible design instruments, and entry to a wider vary of integrations.

Nevertheless, CustomCat could also be a barely cheaper possibility (primarily based on core product prices), and it does provide quicker turnaround occasions for US clients. The fitting possibility for you’ll rely in your expectations and enterprise targets, however each platforms are nice for POD sellers.