Top 7 Merch-on-Demand Platforms for Amazon and Beyond (2025)

Selling custom merchandise online has never been easier, thanks to print-on-demand services. Below we list seven top merch-on-demand platforms that integrate with Amazon’s marketplace (Merch by Amazon and Amazon Seller) and often support other sales channels. For each platform, we highlight how they work, pricing models, supported marketplaces, key pros and cons, and the unique features that set them apart.

1. Amazon Merch on Demand (Merch by Amazon)

Pricing: Free to join with no upfront costs – Amazon handles production and takes a portion of each sale to cover printing, fulfillment, and customer service. You earn royalties on every product sold.

Supported Marketplaces: Amazon’s own global marketplaces (e.g. Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, etc.). Your designs can reach millions of Amazon shoppers worldwide.

Pros:

• Hands-Off Fulfillment: Amazon prints, ships, and services orders for you (no inventory or shipping on your part).
• Huge Customer Base: Access to Amazon’s enormous audience and Prime members, giving your products instant exposure on a trusted platform.
  
• No Upfront Risk: Completely free to start – no fees or inventory investments needed. You only pay via a revenue share when you make sales.
  
• Global Reach: Ability to offer products across multiple Amazon locales without dealing with international logistics.
  

Cons:

• Application & Tier System: You must apply and be approved to join. New sellers are tiered (limited number of designs until you hit sales milestones), which can slow your expansion.
• Highly Competitive: Millions of designs are on Amazon, so standing out requires niche research and quality designs. Popular niches can be saturated.
  
• Limited Branding Control: Amazon’s packaging is generic – you can’t include custom packaging inserts or brand elements. You also don’t receive buyer customer info for remarketing.
  
• Content Restrictions: Strict content policies and review process. Designs can be rejected or removed if they violate Amazon’s guidelines, and repeated violations can risk your account.

Unique Features: Amazon Merch on Demand is unique as an Amazon-run POD service. Products get the Prime badge and fast shipping, leveraging Amazon’s fulfillment network. The platform’s royalty structure means no upfront costs at all, making it a risk-free way to sell merch on the world’s largest marketplace. Its seamless integration with Amazon’s ecosystem and global fulfillment infrastructure truly set it apart from third-party services.

2. Printful

Pricing: Printful has a free-to-use plan with no monthly fees – you pay only the base product + shipping costs when an order is placed. They also offer an optional Growth Plan at $24.99/month (waived if your store makes $12k/yr) which grants discounts on products and branded packaging extras. In essence, you can start for $0 and scale up with a subscription for better margins later.

Supported Marketplaces: Printful offers the widest range of integrations in the industry. You can connect it directly to Amazon (via Amazon Seller Central), Etsy, eBay, Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, and even Walmart’s marketplace (among others). In total, dozens of e-commerce platforms and marketplaces are supported for automatic order fulfillment.

Pros:

• Easy Multi-Channel Selling: Printful seamlessly links with all major selling channels. For example, you can list products on Amazon through a Pro Seller account and Printful will fulfill orders automatically. It similarly syncs with Etsy, eBay, and more, centralizing your fulfillment.
• High Product Quality & Range: Printful is known for reliable print quality and a large catalog of products – from apparel and accessories to home decor. They produce many items in-house at their fulfillment centers, ensuring consistency (even offering niche items like all-over print apparel, embroidery, and more).
  
• Branding Options: They stand out for branding services. You can add inside neck labels, pack-ins (inserts), and custom packaging for your orders, especially with paid plans – helping you build your brand identity.
  
• Global Fulfillment Network: Printful operates fulfillment centers in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Orders route to the nearest center, resulting in faster shipping to customers and the ability to serve worldwide audiences efficiently.
  

Cons:

• Higher Base Costs: Printful’s product base prices are often higher than some competitors, which can mean thinner profit margins unless you price your products at a premium. You may pay extra for certain branding add-ons as well.
• Upfront Seller Account Requirements: To sell on Amazon via Printful, you need to have an Amazon Professional Seller account ($39.99/mo) and possibly obtain GTIN exemptions for your designs. This is an Amazon requirement, but it’s a prerequisite cost to consider for Amazon integration.
  
• Limited Suppliers (Single Source): Unlike marketplaces of providers, Printful prints everything through its own facilities. While this ensures control, it also means if Printful is out of stock on an item or experiences delays, you don’t have alternative fulfillers for that item.
  
• Shipping Fees: Shipping costs are charged per item/order and can add up. Printful’s shipping rates, especially for international orders, can be relatively high, so you’ll need to factor that into your pricing for customers.
  

Unique Features: Printful is distinguished by its all-in-one premium service. It has the broadest integration support – more platforms than any other POD provider – making it extremely versatile for sellers who want to expand to many channels. Its focus on seller branding (custom labels, packaging) is unique, catering to those building a brand rather than just random merch. Printful also offers extra services like graphic design, warehousing (you can stock non-POD products at their warehouses), and even bulk discounts, which add value as you scale. For Shopify users in particular, Printful is often considered the go-to solution due to its reputation and features (it’s one of the most-installed POD apps).

3. Printify

Pricing: Printify uses a freemium model. The Free plan ($0/month) lets you create and fulfill orders, while the Premium plan costs $29/month (or ~$25/month billed annually). Premium gives up to 20% discounts on all product base costs and allows more store integrations (up to 10 stores on one account vs. 5 on the free plan). There’s also an enterprise plan for high-volume sellers. Essentially, you can start free and upgrade to save money once your sales volume justifies it (selling ~15+ items a month often makes the Premium worth it).

Supported Marketplaces: Printify integrates with major e-commerce platforms. Official integrations include Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce, and eBay. In 2024, Printify also introduced a direct integration with Amazon for U.S. sellers, meaning you can connect your Amazon Seller account to Printify and publish products to Amazon automatically. (Prior to that, sellers used workarounds like linking through Shopify.) With these, Printify covers Amazon, Etsy, eBay, and more – a wide reach similar to Printful. (Note: Like Printful, selling on certain marketplaces requires you to have accounts there, e.g. an Amazon Pro Seller account.)

Pros:

• Multiple Print Providers: Printify’s standout feature is its network of third-party print providers. When you create a product, you can choose from various print companies (located in the US, Europe, Asia, etc.) to fulfill it. This allows you to select the provider with the best price, closest location to your customers, or highest rated quality. It gives flexibility in balancing cost vs. quality vs. shipping speed.
• Competitive Pricing Options: Because of provider choices and the Premium discount, Printify often offers lower base product costs than single-source platforms. This can translate to higher profit margins if managed well. Users report that Printify’s prices are mid-range and quite competitive among major POD services, and Premium can save a few dollars per item.
  
• Large Product Catalog: Through its network, Printify offers a huge range of products (hundreds of different items) – sometimes more variants or niche products than other platforms, since each supplier adds their own offerings. If you want variety (e.g. multiple brands of t-shirts or color options), Printify likely has it.
  
• Ease of Use and Integration: Printify’s interface is user-friendly for designing and listing products. It has straightforward integration steps for linking stores and automating orders. It supports multiple stores per account (useful if you sell on numerous marketplaces/websites simultaneously).
  

Cons:

• Quality and Consistency Vary: Because Printify outsources to many providers, product quality and shipping times can vary depending on which printer fulfills the order. Some providers are excellent; others might have occasional print issues or slower fulfillment. Maintaining consistency can require sticking to a shortlist of trusted providers and perhaps some trial and error.
• Limited Branding & Customization: Unlike Printful, Printify (being an aggregator) doesn’t offer extensive branding options like custom labels or pack-in inserts. You generally can’t add personalized packaging through Printify’s providers. If building a branded unboxing experience is important, this is a limitation.
  
• US-Centric Provider Base: While Printify has print partners around the world, a majority are in the US and Europe. If your customers are in regions like Asia or Australia, provider options are fewer (though improving). Sellers not targeting the US/EU might find fewer local production choices.
  
• Customer Support Layer: In the event of an issue (lost package, misprint, etc.), you communicate with Printify, who then works with the print provider. This middleman support can sometimes be slower compared to dealing with a single-company POD service. Resolution of issues may depend on the specific provider’s policies, which adds a bit of complexity.
  

Unique Features: Printify’s marketplace of print providers is its defining feature. This decentralized production model means greater choice – you can switch fulfillers if one is out of stock or too slow, and you’re not locked into one print facility. It also encourages competitive pricing among suppliers, which benefits sellers. Another unique aspect is Printify’s focus on cost-savings for scale – the Premium subscription directly reduces your per-item cost, which can significantly boost profits for high-volume sellers (up to 20% off base prices). In short, Printify is uniquely flexible and cost-efficient, making it ideal for merchants who want control over their fulfillment partners and pricing strategy. Just keep in mind that with flexibility comes the need for diligence in selecting providers (to ensure quality).

4. Gelato

Pricing: Gelato offers a free plan (pay-as-you-go, no monthly fee) and two premium subscription tiers. The Gelato+ plan is about $25/month (or ~$249/year) and provides up to 10% off product prices, premium mockups, and some branded packaging options. The higher Gelato+ Gold is around $129/month (or ~$1,285/year) which increases discounts (up to 15% off products) and further lowers costs of branded inserts, etc. All core features and integrations are available on the free plan; the paid plans are mainly to reduce per-item cost and unlock advanced features for scaling sellers.

Supported Marketplaces: Gelato can connect to major online sales channels. It has integrations for Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, BigCommerce, Squarespace, and yes – Amazon (as of late 2024). The Amazon integration is new, enabling you to link your Amazon store and fulfill orders through Gelato. Additionally, Gelato recently launched integration with TikTok Shop, reflecting its push into emerging platforms. This means you can sell on Amazon and Etsy (among others) and Gelato will automatically print and ship orders for you.

Pros:

• Global Production Network: Gelato’s key strength is its network of local print partners in 30+ countries. Orders are routed to a printer nearest to the customer. This results in faster shipping times and often lower shipping costs (and a smaller carbon footprint) because products are produced regionally. It’s ideal for serving international customers quickly.
• Quality and Consistency: Gelato works closely with its network to standardize quality. They tend to have stringent quality controls so that a print from, say, a partner in the US and one in Europe meet the same standards. This consistency and oversight can mean fewer quality issues. (Gelato itself is not a printer but manages the network similarly to Printify, but more curated.)
  
• Easy Integration & Automation: Setting up Gelato with your store is straightforward. Once integrated, the workflow from order to fulfillment is fully automated. It handles currency and localization aspects nicely when you sell globally. Users also appreciate the intuitive design editor and product creation flow.
  
• Fast Shipping & Localization: Because of local fulfillment, customers often get their orders faster. For example, a customer in Germany might get their t-shirt from a facility in Germany within a few days, whereas an American customer’s shirt is made in the US. This local approach also lets you offer products in various markets without worrying about customs delays or import duties for the buyer (in many cases). It’s a big plus for delivering a good customer experience worldwide.
  

Cons:

• Subscription for Best Prices: Gelato’s base product prices are comparable to competitors, but to get the absolute best cost, you need Gelato+ or Gold. This is an added monthly expense for small sellers (though not mandatory). If you stay on the free plan, your per-item cost might be slightly higher than using Printify Premium, for example.
• Less Control Over Providers: Gelato doesn’t let you pick a specific print provider for each order; it auto-chooses based on region and availability. While it usually works well, you have less visibility or choice over exactly which printer prints your product (unlike Printify). If one partner has issues, you rely on Gelato to switch or resolve it behind the scenes.
  
• Limited Branding Features on Free tier: Features like custom packing slips with your logo or branded inserts are mostly unlocked in the paid plans. On the free tier, options for brand customization might be minimal. So, truly building a branded experience might require upgrading.
• Product Range Still Growing: Gelato’s catalog, while broad (apparel, wall art, mugs, cards, etc.), might not be as exhaustive as some competitors yet. They are continually adding new products, but extremely niche items or very specialized merchandise might not be available through Gelato at this time.

Unique Features: Gelato’s most distinguishing feature is its “distributed printing” model – your product is printed as close as possible to the buyer. This gives it an edge in delivery speed and international scalability. If you aspire to sell globally, Gelato can offer shorter delivery times in many regions than a single-country fulfiller. Another unique aspect is Gelato’s focus on seller support in multiple markets: they provide localized production and also have a strong record of integrating new platforms (they were quick to add Amazon and even TikTok shop integration). Gelato has also positioned itself as a solution that’s mindful of sustainability – by reducing long-distance shipping, it cuts down carbon emissions (which can be a selling point to eco-conscious brands). In summary, Gelato stands out by making global POD selling easier and faster, which in 2025 is increasingly important for sellers “beyond” just one marketplace or region.

5. Spring (formerly Teespring)

Pricing: Spring is free to use – there are no upfront costs, monthly fees, or listing fees. You create and list products on their platform, and Spring sets a base cost for each item. You then decide your selling price above that base, and the difference is your profit. In other words, Spring operates on a per-item base cost model (they handle production and keep the base cost, you get whatever margin you add). There’s no subscription required to access any features. This makes it very accessible, especially for creators just starting out (“no investment necessary” to launch products).

Supported Marketplaces: Spring originally started as a standalone marketplace (Teespring.com storefronts), but it expanded into a multichannel model. With its Boosted Network, Spring can promote and list your products on external marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Wish, Rakuten, and others automatically. (They have scaled back some marketplace listings since 2022 to focus more on ads, but popular designs may still get featured on Amazon/eBay.) In addition, Spring is uniquely integrated with social media platforms: it has official integrations with YouTube, Twitch, Discord, Streamlabs, and more. These allow creators to sell merch directly through their social channels (for example, YouTube merch shelf under videos, or Twitch extensions). So while you don’t “integrate Spring into Amazon” yourself (Spring handles Amazon distribution for you if eligible), Spring enables beyond Amazon reach through social commerce.

Pros:

• User-Friendly for Beginners: Spring (Teespring) was designed so that anyone could design a shirt and start selling in minutes. It provides a simple store page and handles all payments, printing, and customer service. You don’t need to set up an external shop or account on other marketplaces if you primarily use Spring.
• Built-In Marketing (Boosted Network): Spring’s platform can amplify your sales by pushing your products to high-traffic marketplaces and ad channels. For instance, without you doing a thing, a top-selling shirt might appear on Amazon or eBay via Spring’s accounts. They also run Google and Facebook ads for some listings. This network can give you extra sales you wouldn’t get by yourself, especially once your product proves popular.
  
• Great for Influencers/Creators: Spring stands out for its social media integrations. You can connect your Spring store with YouTube to display merch on your channel, or use their Twitch integration to let stream viewers buy merch seamlessly. There’s also Discord merch integrations. This is a huge advantage for content creators – it removes friction for your audience and keeps everything in one ecosystem.
  
• No Upfront Risk & Diverse Products: Just like others, there’s no cost to add a product. Spring also has expanded its catalog beyond just t-shirts – you can sell hoodies, mugs, stickers, phone cases, and even digital products (like digital art or PDFs). The ability to sell digital downloads alongside physical merch is a unique plus for creators who want to offer e-books, music, etc., through the same platform.
  

Cons:

• Limited Organic Marketplace Traffic: Unlike Amazon or even Redbubble, Spring’s own marketplace is not a huge destination where customers browse for random designs. Most people who buy Spring products do so because the seller (creator) promoted it. If you don’t have an audience or external marketing, you might not get many sales just by listing on Spring’s site.
• Quality Control and Support: Spring had a “troubled past” in years back with issues like inconsistent print quality and slow customer support. They have improved, but some sellers still report occasional quality issues. Since Spring outsources printing (to third-party fulfillers) in some regions, quality can vary. Additionally, your brand reputation relies on Spring’s handling of customer service.
  
• Profit Margins on Boosted Sales: If Spring sells your product through Amazon or another external channel, the profit you earn per sale might be lower. Spring often uses a formula or cap on what you earn in these cases (to cover marketplace fees). For example, a sale on Amazon via the Boosted Network may yield a smaller royalty to you than a sale on your Spring storefront. These details aren’t always transparent.
  
• Trust Score for New Sellers: Spring uses an internal algorithm that might limit new sellers initially – for instance, new accounts may have a cap on how many products can be published or require a few sales to unlock certain product types. This is intended to deter spam, but it can frustrate legitimate new users (you may need to promote and get a handful of sales on a basic item before you can fully expand your offerings on Spring).
  

Unique Features: Spring is unique in its creator-centric approach. It’s not just a POD supplier, but a platform that merges merch selling with social media. Its integrations with Twitch, Discord, YouTube, etc., are unmatched by other POD services – making it the *go-to merch platform for influencers*. Another unique feature is the ability to sell digital products alongside physical merch, all in one storefront. This opens additional revenue streams (e.g., an artist can sell t-shirts and art prints, but also digital wallpapers or design files on the same page). Spring also doesn’t require you to manage multiple marketplace accounts; it acts as a central hub that can push your products to various marketplaces and ad channels (the “Boosted Network”), which for some sellers is a hands-off way to get broader exposure. In summary, Spring stands out by offering integrated marketing channels and being tailor-made for social media monetization.

6. Spreadshirt (Spreadshop)

Pricing: Spreadshirt operates on a free-to-use model. There are no setup fees or monthly charges for opening a designer account or a Spreadshop (your own storefront). Spreadshirt will set a base price for products which covers production, shipping, and their service; you earn a commission or margin on top of that. Essentially, you either choose a royalty for your design or add a markup to the base price. Spreadshirt then deducts its base cost from each sale, and you get the remainder as profit. This commission structure is transparent – no costs to you until you make a sale, and your profit per item is known upfront based on the pricing you set.

Supported Marketplaces: Spreadshirt has a two-fold system: the Spreadshirt Marketplace (where customers on Spreadshirt’s site can find your designs) and Spreadshop (your individual shop site). Uniquely, Spreadshirt also lists products on external marketplaces on behalf of sellers. Their team selects high-performing designs and sells them through Amazon and eBay (and historically, Rakuten, Sears, etc.) in various countries. For example, they have thousands of Spreadshirt products on Amazon in the US, UK, Germany, France, etc., which they manage centrally. As a designer, you can’t directly push your listing to Amazon, but if your design sells well on Spreadshirt, it may get picked for Amazon or eBay, expanding your reach. Besides Amazon and eBay, Spreadshirt is well-integrated into European e-commerce; it’s a popular platform in EU countries, attracting local customers in those markets.

Pros:

• Multiple Avenues to Sell: You benefit from Spreadshirt’s marketplace traffic (especially in Europe) and you can also run a Spreadshop, which is a customizable storefront for your brand. The Spreadshop can be embedded in your website or run as a standalone site with your branding, all while Spreadshirt fulfills the orders. This is great for those who want a branded shop without handling printing.
• European Market Strength: Spreadshirt is one of the leading POD sites in Europe. If you want to reach customers in languages like German, French, Spanish, etc., Spreadshirt already has those local sites and customer bases. They handle internationalization (even customer support in local languages). It can be easier to get discovered in certain EU markets on Spreadshirt’s marketplace compared to competing on Amazon US, for instance.
  
• External Marketplace Distribution: Top designs get extra exposure by being listed on Amazon, eBay and other partner marketplaces via Spreadshirt’s team. This means you could earn sales from Amazon without managing an Amazon seller account or uploading designs there yourself. It’s a passive benefit – Spreadshirt takes care of the listing process, and you still earn your set commission on those sales.
  
• Product Variety and Print Types: Spreadshirt offers a broad catalog of apparel and accessories. Notably, they allow not just direct-print (DTG) but also specialty prints like flock and flex prints (vinyl heat transfers) for certain designs, which can produce different textures and effects. They also support custom text personalization on designs through their platform. This variety can attract customers looking for personalized or high-quality print types. Quality is generally solid since Spreadshirt has been in this business for a long time (founded in 2002) and even operates its own production facilities.
  

Cons:

• Lower Margins on Marketplace: Spreadshirt’s base prices can be relatively high, especially on the marketplace where they sometimes discount products to stay competitive externally. Designers often set a fixed royalty (say $3 per shirt), and that’s what you earn even if the shirt is sold on Amazon at a lower retail price – Spreadshirt absorbs the difference. The result is reliable but possibly modest margins. You might find you earn a bit less per sale here compared to pricing your own items on other platforms.
• Less U.S. Presence: While Spreadshirt does have a U.S. site and production, it’s not as dominant in the U.S. market as some others. In the U.S., consumers are more likely to shop on Amazon, Redbubble, or Etsy for custom shirts. So, a design that’s not geared towards Europe might not see as much marketplace traffic on Spreadshirt’s U.S. site. It may require you to actively promote your Spreadshop to get U.S. sales.
  
• Design Control and Listing Process: Spreadshirt’s design listing interface can be a bit cumbersome. You often need to manually adjust each design on multiple products. The system also sometimes limits what products a single design can go on based on design type or print area. Additionally, the criteria for getting onto external marketplaces are out of your control (they pick designs that sell well and meet certain content/trend criteria). This “black box” means not every good design will end up on Amazon – there’s a bit of luck involved.
  
• Payout Structure: Spreadshirt changed its payout model a few times. Currently, if you use Spreadshop, you set your profits; on the Marketplace, you set a design price (royalty). There are also volume bonuses for high sellers, but new sellers might find earnings slow until they have many designs up. Also, each country site had its own payout threshold/currency, which could be a minor hassle if you sell across multiple regional sites (this may have been streamlined recently with global accounts, but worth noting historically).
  

Unique Features: Spreadshirt’s Spreadshop is a unique offering – a free online shop for your merch with robust customization. It’s essentially like having your own website store without needing to handle printing or pay any fees, which is fantastic for building a brand presence. Another unique aspect is Spreadshirt’s integration with external channels: through their in-house efforts, your designs can end up on Amazon UK, Amazon DE, eBay, etc., giving you access to those marketplaces’ customers without any extra work or accounts on your end. Spreadshirt also emphasizes community and contests (they often run design contests or trend campaigns which can be fun for designers to participate in). Lastly, their longevity in the POD space means they have a well-tested platform and printing pipeline – they directly operate print facilities in the US and EU, which is somewhat unique as many newer POD companies rely purely on third-party fulfillers. This vertical integration can mean more consistent quality and faster turnaround in those regions.

7. Redbubble

Pricing: Redbubble is free to join and use. As an artist/seller, you simply upload your artwork and choose which products to enable. Redbubble sets the base price for each item (covering manufacturing, shipping, overhead), and you get to set your markup percentage above that. The default artist margin is 20%, but you can adjust it for each product type. Whatever margin you set is added on top of the base cost and that portion becomes your earnings. There are no subscriptions or listing fees. (Do note, Redbubble introduced a tier system in 2023 – standard accounts incur a small account fee if earnings are very low, but active sellers who make regular sales or reach Premium tier are not affected by fees. Essentially, it’s still zero upfront cost; just very low-volume accounts might see a deduction.)

Supported Marketplaces: Redbubble is a standalone marketplace – it does not integrate with external marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy. All sales happen on Redbubble’s website or mobile app. Redbubble handles the production via its network of fulfillers and ships worldwide, but you cannot directly list Redbubble designs on Amazon through any official integration. (Some independent sellers re-upload designs from Redbubble to Amazon via other POD services, but as a platform Redbubble itself is separate.) In short, Redbubble is part of the “beyond” Amazon segment: it’s an alternative selling venue with its own large customer base.

Pros:

• Huge Built-In Audience: Redbubble is one of the most popular print-on-demand marketplaces globally, boasting millions of visitors each month. It’s a go-to site for consumers looking for unique art on t-shirts, stickers, wall art, etc. As a seller, this means your designs can be discovered organically through Redbubble’s search or Google search results. You don’t necessarily need to drive all your own traffic (unlike using a POD purely as a backend for your own store).
• Wide Range of Products: Redbubble offers a diverse catalog – from standard fare like shirts and hoodies to niche items such as stickers, phone cases, art prints, throw pillows, journals, tapestries, and more. This allows you to put your art on many different product types easily. It caters to a broad audience: customers can find everything from apparel to home decor featuring independent artists’ designs.
  
• Artist-Centric Model: Redbubble is very much focused on the artist experience. You maintain ownership of your artwork and can set your profit margins freely. They handle the dirty work (production, fulfillment, customer service), letting you focus on creating. The site also gives you a customizable storefront and profile, and you can build a fan following on the platform (users can follow your Redbubble account to see new works).
  
• No Inventory or Upkeep: Like others, Redbubble prints on demand, so you never deal with inventory. But additionally, Redbubble handles all customer interactions once a purchase is made – they have customer service for issues, they process returns or exchanges if needed, and you just receive your royalty. It’s truly hands-off post-upload. This makes it a very low-maintenance income stream for passive sellers or hobbyists.
  
• Global Reach with One Account: Redbubble fulfills and ships worldwide. As an Aussie-based company with fulfillers around the world, they make it simple to sell to any country. A customer from Europe or Asia can order your design just as easily as a U.S. customer, and Redbubble will route the order to an appropriate production site. This global exposure happens automatically via their marketplace.
  

Cons:

• Intense Competition: Because it’s so easy to start on Redbubble, the marketplace is highly competitive with millions of designs. New artists may find it challenging to get visibility. Popular search keywords are dominated by hundreds of similar designs, making it hard to stand out. Success on Redbubble often requires finding less saturated niches or bringing some external marketing despite the built-in traffic.
• Lower Profit Margins & Fees: While you can set your margin, Redbubble’s base prices are such that if you mark up too high, the end price might become uncompetitive. In practice, many sellers stick to around 10-20% profit margin on most items. That can mean only a couple of dollars earned on a $20 t-shirt sale, for example. Additionally, with the new tier system, if you’re in the Standard tier (low sales volume), Redbubble may deduct a small account fee from your earnings which effectively reduces profits for very small sellers (higher tier sellers are exempt). This was a controversial change, as it eats into the already modest earnings for newcomers.
  
• Lack of Control over Customer Data: You don’t get customer emails or details from Redbubble sales, meaning you can’t easily re-market to buyers outside of the Redbubble platform. Redbubble essentially “owns” the customer relationship. If you plan to build a brand or move customers to your own site, Redbubble doesn’t facilitate that.
  
• Dependence on Platform Policies: You are subject to Redbubble’s rules and algorithms. They have policies against certain content (e.g. copyright/trademark violations are enforced, which is good, but also some fan art unless in their partner program can be taken down). They also can change how the search algorithm or fees work at any time. For instance, the fee/tier introduction hurt many sellers’ earnings. Relying solely on Redbubble is risky if policy changes occur.
  
• Quality and Fulfillment Issues: Redbubble uses multiple production partners. While generally quality is good, there can be variations in product quality or print vibrancy depending on the printer/location. Shipping times may also vary. If a customer orders different product types, they might arrive in separate shipments from different facilities. Customer reviews of Redbubble products can range from delighted to occasional complaints about print quality or sizing. As the artist, you have limited control here – you have to trust Redbubble’s fulfillment network to maintain quality service.
  

Unique Features: Redbubble’s uniqueness lies in it being a community-driven art marketplace. It has a social aspect (followers, collections, comments) which is not present on Amazon or many POD fulfillment services. Many buyers specifically come to Redbubble seeking indie artists and fresh, quirky designs – it’s known for its sticker marketplace especially. Additionally, Redbubble runs an official Fan Art Program that sets it apart: they’ve partnered with certain brands so that artists can create *legal* fan art for those IPs (like some TV shows, games, etc.) and earn royalties while Redbubble handles licensing. This is fairly unique in the POD space and gives fan artists a channel to monetize without takedowns (if they participate in those approved programs). From the seller perspective, Redbubble is often the first platform artists try due to its ease and reputation – it’s almost a rite of passage for freelance illustrators to have a Redbubble shop. In summary, Redbubble offers ease of entry, a global audience, and a creative community vibe that distinguish it from more utilitarian e-commerce POD solutions.

Conclusion: Each of these seven platforms offers a viable way to create and sell merch on demand, whether you want to leverage Amazon’s massive customer base or diversify across other marketplaces and channels. Beginners might start with the no-cost, no-hassle options like Amazon Merch on Demand or Redbubble to get a feel for what sells, while experienced sellers could integrate services like Printful or Printify to expand to Etsy, eBay, or their own websites for greater control. Consider the pricing model and fees of each platform, the marketplaces it opens up, and weigh the pros and cons in light of your business goals. By understanding the unique features (from Amazon’s Prime shipping to Spring’s social integrations or Printify’s provider network), you can choose the platform (or combination of platforms) that best aligns with your needs in 2025. Happy selling!