Finding it hard to pick between Redbubble and Printful? Don’t worry, many do.
What many don't realize is they're choosing between two different business models.
Redbubble is a marketplace, while Printful is a fulfillment service. They work very differently.
If you don’t know which to choose, we can help.
We'll break down the real costs, how product quality differs, and more. You'll see real price examples. You'll also learn which platform fits your specific business goals.
Let's see what each choice means for your business.
Quick Verdict: Printful or Redbubble?
Printful is best if you want to build a brand. You get full control over pricing, packaging, and customer experience. Plus, it links with every major online shopping platform.
Redbubble shines if you want a marketplace. You will get instant access to its customer base. But you'll have fewer branding options and no integrations.
Comparing Redbubble vs Printful helps you make the right choice for your business.
What's the Difference Between Redbubble vs Printful?
Redbubble and Printful are different in how you sell. It's like choosing between renting a stall at a busy market or opening your own store.
Platform Type & Sales Channels
Redbubble is a marketplace where you upload your designs and set your prices. Shoppers can find your products on their own.
You don't need to get traffic or handle marketing. You get access to Redbubble's 18 million+ monthly visitors. Here are Redbubble’s website visits in the last 3 months.
Printful works as a fulfillment partner. You connect it to your store on Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, WooCommerce, or your website.
When someone orders from your store, Printful prints and ships the product itself. You must get traffic and build your customer base.
This difference affects everything else.
Running a print-on-demand business via Redbubble means you compete with other sellers on the platform. With Printful, you won’t face such competition. But you need to master marketing and bring in customers.
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Branding Capabilities
Printful gives you full branding flexibility. You can:
- Add custom labels inside shirts.
- Include branded package inserts.
- Print your logo on sleeves or tags.
Your customers get packages that look like they came straight from your company.
Redbubble keeps its branding on products.
- Your customers see Redbubble packaging, labels, and more.
- You're mostly making designs for Redbubble, not building your brand. The only freedom you get is putting your art on their products.
This matters more than most sellers realize. The Redbubble vs Printful branding comparison shows the latter as the clear winner.
Brand recognition drives repeat purchases and word-of-mouth referrals. Without branding control, you start fresh with each customer.
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- Print-On-Demand vs Dropshipping: A Comparison
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Pricing Comparison: Redbubble vs Printful
To see the true cost, you need to look deeper than just base prices.
Printful shows you exactly what each item costs upfront:
- A black t-shirt ranges from $10 to $13.
- A ceramic mug can range from $6 to $8.
- Hoodies range from $20 to $25.
Redbubble hides its base costs until checkout, which can frustrate sellers. Based on typical profit margins:
- The black t-shirt base cost sits around $18.
- Mugs cost approximately $13.
- Hoodies run about $45.
Here's where the Redbubble vs Printful comparison takes a turn. With Printful, you set your retail prices and keep everything above the base cost.
Redbubble lets you set a profit margin percentage, but you can't control the final retail price.
The bottom line on pricing? Printful offers much lower base costs and complete pricing control. So, it wins this round of Redbubble vs Printful comparison.
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Product Range & Print Quality
The Redbubble vs Printful product comparison reveals a big gap in product range. The more products you can sell, the more revenue you can earn. Variety also helps you cater to different customer needs.
Number of Products
Printful offers over 370 products across several categories. You'll find everything from embroidered hats and swimsuits to cosmetic bags and phone cases. It regularly adds new items, so you can expand your catalog.
Redbubble stocks around 80 products. The focus is on apparel, art prints, and stickers. While it covers the basics well, your options remain limited.
This affects your ability to create complete product lines or seasonal collections.
Print Techniques Available
Printful supports five different printing methods:
- Direct-to-garment (DTG)
- Direct-to-film (DTF)
- Sublimation
- Embroidery
- All-over-print (AOP)
You can choose the best way for each design.
Redbubble uses only DTG and sublimation printing. These methods work well for most designs. But you can't offer embroidered items or use methods that cost more.
Quality Control Standards
When comparing Redbubble vs Printful, you can’t ignore product quality. Both keep good quality standards, but handle problems differently.
Printful provides good photos before shipping. It also offers free reprints for flaws.
Redbubble handles quality checks itself, with no help from the seller. This is easy, but it stops you from making sure your brand standards are met.
The Redbubble vs Printful quality talk favors Printful's way. More printing methods and better control create better chances for business owners.
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Pros & Cons at a Glance
To make a smart choice, understand the real trade-offs between Redbubble and Printful. Each is strong in different areas. So, choose based on your business goals.
Printful's biggest pro is business control and scalability. You own your customer relationships, control pricing strategies, and build real brand value.
The downside? You're responsible for driving all traffic and handling customer service.
Redbubble's strengths are its simplicity and instant market access. Upload designs, set profit margins, and reach their huge customer base right away.
The cost is giving up control over pricing, branding, and customer relationships.
Experienced entrepreneurs can manage Printful's cons. Starting a Shopify store or building marketing skills pays off later. For designers testing ideas, Redbubble's limitations might not matter initially.
The choice depends on whether you want to build a business or just sell some designs. Both ways work, but they lead to different results.
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Printful vs Redbubble: Who Should Use Which?
Your choice between Redbubble vs Printful depends on your business goals. It also depends on how much time you have. Each serves different types of sellers at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
Choose Printful If You...
- Want to build a distinct brand and a loyal customer base.
- Need to connect with existing sales channels. If you already sell on ecommerce platforms or want to use other platforms.
- Want to get the most profit and control prices. Printful's clear pricing and markup options help you earn more from each sale.
- Want to add more ways to earn money and rely less on one platform.
Choose Redbubble If You...
- Want quick market access without a hard setup. Redbubble's upload-and-sell method works well for trying out design ideas.
- Prefer focusing only on designs, not business management. Redbubble handles the rest.
- Have limited time for marketing and traffic generation. Its audience of over 18 million monthly visitors provides instant exposure. No paid ads needed.
- Want to test the print-on-demand waters before building a business. Starting with Redbubble is a simple process.
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Saulius Meilutis is the CEO of Podbase, helping creators and entrepreneurs monetize their ideas with print-on-demand. He shares insights on eCommerce, growth, and building lean online businesses.
