Printify Profit Calculator
Calculate your Printify profits with Free, Premium (20% discount), or Enterprise plans. Compare providers, factor in platform fees, and find your break-even point for Premium.
Product Details
Base cost: $9.61 per unit (before discount)
Enable to calculate Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and Advertising Cost of Sales (ACOS) metrics
Your Printify Profit
Profitable Order
Net Profit: $0
This order will generate a positive profit after all Printify costs and fees.
Total Revenue
$0
Total order value
Profit Margin
0.0%
Excellent margin
Profit Per Unit
$0
Per item sold
Discounted Cost
$0
Per unit after 0% discount
Premium Worth It?
Premium plan ($29/month) is worth it if you sell 0+ units per month of this product type. The 20% discount will save more than the subscription cost.
Detailed Breakdown
Your Printify Plan
free Plan
No discount on product costs
Cost Breakdown
Understanding Printify Profit: Complete Guide to Print-on-Demand Success
What is Printify?
Printify is a print-on-demand platform that connects you with print providers worldwide. Unlike Printful, which operates its own fulfillment centers, Printify aggregates multiple suppliers, giving you choices in quality, price, and shipping speed. This multi-provider model can lead to significantly lower costs, but requires more careful selection and quality control.
Printify handles the entire fulfillment process once you connect your store. When a customer places an order on your Etsy shop, Shopify store, or other platform, Printify automatically sends the order to your chosen print provider, who manufactures and ships directly to your customer. You never touch inventory or handle shipping.
Printify Subscription Plans Explained
Printify's subscription model offers significant discounts for high-volume sellers. Understanding when to upgrade can dramatically impact your profitability:
Plan Comparison
- •Free Plan - $0/month: No monthly fee, no discount on products. Best for testing or very low volume (1-10 orders/month).
- •Premium Plan - $29/month: 20% discount on all products. Typically pays for itself at 15-25 orders/month depending on product type.
- •Enterprise Plan - Custom: Custom discount rate (typically 25%+) for high-volume sellers. Contact Printify sales for pricing.
When to Upgrade to Premium
The Premium plan pays for itself when your savings exceed $29/month. Break-even points for common products:
- •T-Shirts (~$8.50 base): 20% savings = $1.70/shirt → Break-even at 17 shirts/month
- •Hoodies (~$22 base): 20% savings = $4.40/hoodie → Break-even at 7 hoodies/month
- •Mugs (~$6.50 base): 20% savings = $1.30/mug → Break-even at 23 mugs/month
- •Phone Cases (~$12 base): 20% savings = $2.40/case → Break-even at 13 cases/month
Printify vs Printful: Which is More Profitable?
The two dominant print-on-demand platforms have different strengths. Understanding the trade-offs helps you maximize profit:
Printify Advantages
- •Lower Base Costs: Printify is typically $2-5 cheaper per product. A Bella+Canvas t-shirt might be $8.50 on Printify vs $12.95 on Printful.
- •20% Premium Discount: Further reduces costs by 20% for $29/month, which Printful doesn't offer.
- •More Product Variety: Access to hundreds of providers means more product options and niche items.
- •Multiple Fulfillment Locations: Choose providers closer to your customers for faster shipping.
Printful Advantages
- •More Consistent Quality: Printful operates its own fulfillment centers, ensuring consistent quality across all orders.
- •Better Branding Options: More advanced packaging customization and branded inserts.
- •In-House Fulfillment: Faster average production times and better quality control.
- •Premium Products: Higher-quality base products like organic cotton and eco-friendly options.
How to Choose Printify Print Providers
Printify's multi-provider model requires you to choose wisely. Not all providers are equal:
Provider Selection Strategy
- •Price vs Quality: Cheapest isn't always best. Check provider reviews and ratings before committing to high-volume production.
- •Location Matters: Choose providers closest to your customer base. US providers for US customers, EU providers for European customers.
- •Production Time: Ranges from 2-7 business days depending on provider. Faster production = happier customers.
- •Always Order Samples: Test quality from providers before selling. Invest $20-30 in samples to avoid bad reviews.
- •Read Recent Reviews: Provider quality can change. Check reviews from the last 30-60 days, not just overall ratings.
Popular reliable providers on Printify include Monster Digital, SPOKE Custom Products, and MyLocker. However, always verify current quality with sample orders before committing to production.
Maximizing Printify Profits
Successful Printify sellers optimize every aspect of their business to maximize margins:
Profit Optimization Strategies
- •Upgrade When Ready: Premium plan pays for itself at 15-25 orders/month. Track your volume and upgrade as soon as you hit break-even.
- •Compare Providers: Same product can vary $2-5 between providers. Shop around for the best price/quality ratio.
- •Use Mockup Generator: Printify's free mockup generator saves design costs. No need for expensive photography.
- •Multi-Platform Selling: Sell on Etsy, Shopify, and your own site simultaneously. Printify integrates with all major platforms.
- •Price for Profit: Aim for 40-60% profit margins (3x base cost). Don't compete on price alone - focus on unique designs and niche markets.
Common Printify Profit Calculation Mistakes
Mistakes That Kill Profit
- •Not Accounting for Platform Fees: Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee, Shopify's payment processing, and listing fees add up quickly.
- •Forgetting Premium Subscription: If you're on Premium, factor in the $29/month across your orders when calculating profitability.
- •Choosing Cheapest Providers: Low-quality products lead to bad reviews, refunds, and lost customers. Quality matters more than saving $1/unit.
- •Ignoring Shipping Costs: If you offer free shipping, build the cost into your product price. Don't absorb it as a loss.
- •Not Testing Providers: Skipping sample orders leads to quality surprises when customers start ordering. Always test first.
Final Thoughts
Printify offers one of the most cost-effective print-on-demand solutions, especially for sellers who do their homework on provider selection and understand when to upgrade to Premium. The 20% discount on the Premium plan is a game-changer for anyone selling more than 15-20 products per month.
Use this calculator before launching new products to ensure your pricing is profitable. Factor in ALL costs: platform fees, payment processing, shipping, and your time. Aim for at least 40% profit margins to account for returns, advertising, and other overhead.
Successful Printify sellers treat it like a real business. They test products, track metrics, optimize pricing, and scale what works. With the right approach, Printify can be significantly more profitable than Printful while offering just as good (or better) quality if you choose providers carefully.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
Is Printify Premium worth the $29/month?
Printify Premium is worth it if you sell more than 15-25 products per month (depending on product type). At that volume, the 20% discount on products exceeds the subscription cost. For example, if you sell 20 t-shirts at $8.50 base cost, you save $1.70/shirt × 20 = $34/month, making the $29 subscription profitable. Use our calculator to find your exact break-even point for your product mix.
How much cheaper is Printify than Printful?
Printify is typically $2-5 cheaper per product than Printful, and even more with the Premium discount. For example, a Bella+Canvas t-shirt might be $8.50 on Printify vs $12.95 on Printful. With the 20% Premium discount, that same Printify shirt drops to $6.80 - nearly 50% cheaper than Printful. However, quality can vary between Printify providers, so always order samples before committing to production.
How do I choose the best Printify print provider?
Consider location (closer to customers = faster shipping), reviews and ratings (check recent reviews, not just overall), production time (2-7 business days varies by provider), and price vs quality balance. Always order samples from providers before selling. Popular reliable providers include Monster Digital, SPOKE Custom, and MyLocker, but quality can change - verify with samples before committing to high-volume production.
Does Printify have hidden fees?
No, Printify has no hidden fees. You pay the product cost, shipping, and optional Premium subscription ($29/month for 20% discount). Platform fees (Etsy 6.5%, Shopify payment processing, etc.) are separate from Printify and depend on where you sell. Note that prices can vary significantly between providers for the same product, so shop around within the Printify catalog.
Can I use Printify with Etsy?
Yes, Printify integrates directly with Etsy. Orders sync automatically, and Printify handles fulfillment. Remember to factor in Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee, and $0.20 listing fee when calculating your profits. If you're over $10K annual Etsy sales, also account for the mandatory 12% Offsite Ads fee on applicable orders.
How fast does Printify ship products?
Production time is 2-7 business days depending on the provider (shown on each product listing). Shipping adds 3-8 days domestically or 6-20 days internationally. Total time from order to delivery is typically 5-15 business days for US domestic orders. Choose providers with faster production times (2-3 days) if speed matters for your business, though they may cost slightly more.
What profit margin should I aim for with Printify?
Aim for 40-60% profit margins (sell for 2.5-3x your total costs) to account for returns, platform fees, advertising, and other overhead. For example, if a t-shirt costs you $10 all-in (product + shipping + fees), sell it for $25-30. Don't compete on price alone - focus on unique designs and niche markets where customers value creativity over the lowest price. Quality designs command premium prices.
Should I use Printify or Printful?
Use Printify if you prioritize lower costs and are willing to test providers for quality. Printify is typically $2-5 cheaper per product, and the Premium discount adds another 20% savings. Use Printful if you prioritize consistent quality, better branding options, and don't mind paying premium prices. Many successful sellers use both - Printify for cost-sensitive products and Printful for premium offerings.
How do I calculate if Premium is worth it for my business?
Take your average product base cost (e.g., $10), multiply by 20% to get savings per item ($2), then divide $29 by that savings ($29 ÷ $2 = 14.5 products). You need to sell 15+ of that product per month for Premium to pay off. If you sell a mix of products, calculate the weighted average savings across all products. Use our calculator's break-even feature to see your exact threshold.
What are the most profitable Printify products?
T-shirts, hoodies, and phone cases offer the best profit potential due to low base costs and high perceived value. T-shirts cost $6-9 base and can sell for $20-30. Hoodies cost $17-25 base and sell for $40-60. Phone cases cost $10-15 base and sell for $25-35. Avoid low-margin items like mugs ($6.50 base, sell $15-20) unless you have very high volume. Focus on products with at least $10-15 profit per unit.
How do I account for shipping costs in my pricing?
Either charge customers for shipping separately or build it into your product price and offer "free shipping." Free shipping often converts better - customers perceive it as better value. If a product costs $8.50 + $4.99 shipping = $13.49 total, price it at $25-30 with free shipping instead of $20 + $5 shipping. Remember that Printify shipping costs vary by provider and destination, so check rates before setting prices.