Gelato vs Printful: which POD is right for you?
Both Gelato and Printful are top-tier print-on-demand partners—but they shine in different ways. Gelato focuses on a global production network and local fulfillment to reduce shipping time and cost, while Printful is known for consistent in-house quality, excellent branding, and deep US/EU coverage. Here’s a side-by-side to help you choose.
Quick verdict
Choose Gelato if you sell internationally and want local production to cut delivery times, duties, and shipping costs—especially across Europe, APAC and the Americas. Sustainability and carbon footprint are also strong focuses.
Choose Printful if you want tightly controlled, consistent quality with robust branding options and reliable US/EU fulfillment routed through in-house facilities.
Key differences
| Factor | Gelato | Printful |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | Distributed network of local print partners in 30+ countries | In-house production (plus curated partners) and routing in US/EU |
| Strengths | Local production, shipping speed, reduced import fees, sustainability | Consistent quality, excellent branding, reliable routing |
| Catalog depth | Broad catalog across apparel, wall art, cards, photo products | Large catalog, strong apparel/accessories, growing home goods |
| Branding | Branding options vary by location/product; improving steadily | Rich branding options (neck labels, pack-ins, packing slips) |
| Typical pricing | Competitive; shipping often cheaper due to local fulfillment | Moderate to premium; predictable and consistent |
| Regions | Global network (Europe, North America, LATAM, APAC) | US/EU focus with additional regions via partners |
| Integrations | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, BigCommerce, Wix |
| Turnaround | Fast local production; many orders ship domestically | Consistent 2–5 business days typical in US/EU facilities |
| Extras | Gelato+ subscriptions for shipping/discount perks | Branding assets & custom packaging at scale |
Gelato pros & cons
- Local production in many countries reduces shipping time and customs issues
- Competitive shipping rates and sustainability focus
- Strong for global creators wanting a simple, local delivery model
- Branding options vary by provider/location
Printful pros & cons
- Consistent quality via in-house production
- Premium branding options (neck labels, pack-ins, branded slips)
- Reliable US/EU routing and predictable lead times
- Pricing can be higher than some alternatives
Which should you pick?
Go Gelato if you’re targeting multiple countries and want to shorten delivery distances, avoid import duties for customers, and lower cart abandonment due to shipping costs/time.
Go Printful if you want polished branding, consistent quality control, and clear US/EU fulfillment with predictable lead times.
FAQ
Is Gelato cheaper than Printful? Product pricing is similar, but Gelato often wins on shipping for international buyers thanks to local production. Always compare SKU+shipping for your target regions.
Can I use both? Yes. Many sellers route specific regions or product lines to different providers for the best mix of speed, cost, and branding.
Which has better branding? Printful generally offers deeper, more unified branding across SKUs, though Gelato’s options continue to expand.