Printify is one of the best-known names in POD: a large catalog, many print providers and ready-made connections to channels like Etsy and Shopify. But it isn't the only option. Printful, Gelato and CustomCat are strong alternatives too, and each has a different pricing structure. Custombull covers printing too, and adds listing SEO, copyright checks and cross-platform transfer in the same dashboard.
The prices in this comparison are the figures listed on each company's own website in September 2026. Prices can vary by size, color, print location and production location; to keep the comparison simple, we used the Gildan 64000 Softstyle, which is widely used in POD, for shipping to the US with a single front print. Shipping and taxes are not included in the prices in this table.
Gildan 64000: product price by company
| Company | Free plan price | Paid plan price | Paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custombull | $6.50 (starting price, print included) | Same price | Print pricing doesn't depend on your plan |
| CustomCat | $9.85 (Lite) | $7.65 (Pro) | Pro: $30/month or $300/year |
| Printful | $9.63 (size S, one print included) | Up to 33% off on the Growth plan | Growth: $24.99/month |
| Gelato | $9.59 (US production) | Up to 33% off with Gelato+ | Gelato+: $29.99/month or $19.99/month billed yearly |
| Printify | From $10.10 (Printify Choice) | From $8.09 (Premium) | Premium: $39/month or $24.99/month billed yearly |
The takeaway is clear: for the Gildan 64000, Custombull's $6.50 starting price is well below the other companies' free plan prices, and lower than the discounted prices on their paid plans too, without requiring a monthly subscription.
A short review, company by company
Printify
Its strengths are a large print provider network and a wide catalog. Printify Choice automatically routes orders to a suitable provider. The Premium plan ($39 a month, or $24.99 a month billed yearly) gives discounts on product prices. As of September 2026, the Gildan 64000 product page shows prices starting at $10.10, or $8.09 with Premium; shipping starts at $3.99. Printify is a print network; it does not offer store management tools such as listing SEO optimization, copyright checks or bulk cross-channel transfer.
Printful
Printful stands out for its branding options, and the Growth plan includes 9% off branding. The Gildan 64000 is $9.63 with one print included (size S), and US shipping starts at $4.95. The Bella+Canvas 3001 starts at $11.92. The Growth plan is $24.99 a month; it becomes free once you reach $12,000 in yearly sales and gives up to 33% off products.
Gelato
A global network that routes orders to the production partner closest to the customer. The Gildan 64000 is $9.59 in the US, with shipping at $4.99 for the first item and $0.99 for each additional item. Gelato+ is $29.99 a month, or $19.99 a month billed yearly. Its local production advantage stands out for sellers who mostly sell to Europe.
CustomCat
CustomCat offers two price tiers for catalog products, Lite and Pro. The Gildan Softstyle (G640) is $9.85 on Lite and $7.65 on Pro. The Pro subscription is $30 a month or $300 a year and gives 20-40% off standard wholesale prices; new sign-ups get a 60-day free trial.
Custombull
Custombull is not a manufacturer itself; like Printify, it is a platform that works with a partner producer network in the US. Orders are printed at the producer best suited to each order. The Gildan 64000 starts at $6.50, print included, and that price doesn't require a separate subscription. The difference: alongside printing, it brings the rest of the selling workflow into the same dashboard: idea discovery, AI design creation, listing SEO optimization, copyright checks, product transfer between your platforms, order combining and a customer-specific tracking page.
Catalog prices: Custombull
Starting prices in the Custombull catalog, print included:
| Product | Starting price, print included |
|---|---|
| Gildan 64000 Softstyle t-shirt | $6.50 |
| Next Level 1533 women's tank | $9.50 |
| Bella+Canvas 3001 t-shirt | $10.50 |
| Comfort Colors 1717 t-shirt | $11.00 |
| Gildan 5400 long sleeve | $11.00 |
| Rabbit Skins 4400 baby bodysuit | $11.00 |
| Gildan 18000 sweatshirt | $12.00 |
| Gildan 18500 hoodie | $15.00 |
For comparison: the Bella+Canvas 3001 starts at $11.92 on Printful and $10.50 on Custombull.
Shipping and order totals
Product price is only part of the picture. Every company adds shipping separately, and different rates can apply to the first item and additional items. US shipping starting prices listed on their sites as of September 2026: on Printify, from $3.99 for the Gildan 64000; on Printful, from $4.95; on Gelato, $4.99 for the first item and $0.99 for each additional item.
So compare based on your shop's typical order, not a single shirt: how many items does an average order contain, what share of customers add a second item, do you get a second order from the same customer within a short time? In Custombull, orders from the same customer can be combined and shipped in one package, which reduces the number of separate packages.
- Single-item order: product price + first-item shipping.
- Multi-item order: product prices + first-item shipping + additional-item shipping.
- Monthly subscription: monthly fee ÷ monthly orders, added to your cost per order.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Custombull | Printify |
|---|---|---|
| POD printing and shipping in the US | Yes (partner producer network) | Yes (print provider network) |
| Etsy orders imported automatically | Yes | Yes |
| Listing SEO score and bulk SEO optimization | Yes (preview, approval, undo) | No |
| Copyright and trademark check | Yes, with the reason for the risk | No |
| Bulk product transfer across platforms | Yes (Etsy, eBay, Shopify, Amazon) | No |
| SKU preservation during transfer | Yes | No |
| Idea discovery and AI design creation | Yes (Automated Production, with copyright scan) | AI image generator |
| Refund with no questions asked, or reprint, for defective items | Yes | According to its own policy |
Printful, Gelato and CustomCat also mainly offer printing and fulfillment; some have cross-store product copying or design tools. What sets Custombull apart is what it adds on top: listing SEO optimization, copyright checks, Automated Production and orders from every channel in one dashboard.
What you gain in each situation
- If you are starting with low volume: the lowest product price without paying a subscription is at Custombull. The Free plan is $0, with printing, packing, shipping and the tracking page included.
- If you are growing on Etsy: the Bronze plan ($29.99/month) comes with 100 credits every month and gives you SEO optimization for up to 500 listings a day, copyright checks, quick publish and 5 connected shops. The full set of store management tools for about the price of a single POD subscription.
- If you sell on more than one channel: product transfer between Etsy, eBay, Shopify and Amazon, and orders in one dashboard. The price is fixed per shop and doesn't go up with the number of products.
- If you want to keep printing with another company: listing SEO, copyright checks, cross-channel sync, order collection and the tracking page work independently of production.
You can see what's included in the Free, Bronze and Gold plans, and credit prices, in one table on the Pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to re-upload my products to switch from Printify to Custombull?
Connecting your Etsy shop to Custombull doesn't delete or change your existing listings; they stay where they are. You decide in the dashboard which products go through which production flow.
Why do prices differ so much between companies?
Production location, print method, order volume and business model all differ. Some companies offer lower prices in exchange for a monthly subscription. When comparing, look at product price, shipping and the fixed monthly fee together.
When does a paid POD subscription make sense?
A monthly subscription pays for itself when the per-item discount × monthly orders exceeds the subscription fee. For example, on CustomCat Pro, the difference between Lite and Pro for the Gildan Softstyle is $2.20; for the $30 monthly subscription to pay for itself, you need to sell at least 14 shirts a month. On Custombull, the $6.50 price doesn't require a subscription.
How is quality guaranteed on Custombull?
Custombull checks and guarantees the quality of every product. If a defective item reaches your customer, just report it with a photo from the order screen: you get a refund, no questions asked, or a free reprint.
Is there a detailed comparison of Printify and Custombull?
Yes. We have a separate page comparing Printify and Custombull in detail on price and features; you can find it in the Compare section of our site.
