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The 19 Best Print on demand Companies to Consider in 2023 + Tips
Print-on-demand (POD) follows a dropshipping business model where you contract a print-on-demand provider to help you print books, artwork, t-shirts, mugs, customized items, and handmade items to sell in small batches as needed. You can even have your own brand name attached or your distinctive design printed on each item you sell through your own store online, blog, or social media handle.
In this article, we’ll examine the top 19 best print-on-demand services currently offered so you can choose the best one for your company.
What is Print on Demand?
Print-on-demand is a business that works with a supplier to customize white-label products such as t-shirts, mugs, covers, notepads, or any other customized merchandise. Once the product is manufactured you can sell them, on a per-order basis, under your own brand. This is a great home-based business idea to market your products with your own branding without worrying about inventory while eliminating the need for large print runs and reducing costs, making it ideal for creatives and small businesses.
POD enables businesses to produce high-quality products quickly and cost-effectively, while also giving them the flexibility to adjust their production volume as needed. With POD, businesses can offer customers unique and personalized products that can be printed in just a few minutes.
There are two types of print-on-demand companies: print-on-demand marketplaces and print-on-demand service companies. Print-on-demand marketplaces are all-in-one platforms that host your online store on their platform, allowing you to sell the products on your website, build your brand, and grow your own customer base. PDO service companies provide production, printing, and shipping services, making them the majority of recommended dropshipping partners.
Can You Make Money with a Print on Demand Business?
The demand for personalization on the part of consumers has helped the growth of print-on-demand sites. Today’s global consumer trends indicate people require more than just functionality and want to buy things that reflect their identities. Everything is tailored to our preferences, including literature, audio, food, cellphone covers, long sleeve t-shirts, and even the information we consume.
Today’s consumers demand a completely personalized internet shopping experience from your online store. They don’t want a straightforward mass-produced product; they want their purchases to reflect their personalities and print-on-demand sites are trying to meet the demand.
In an ever-connected world where personalization is a major buying decision-making factor, POD offers opportunities to expand your business by playing on the economy of scale and the capability that comes through the dropshipping model. Businesses today no longer need to have physical outlets to thrive.
By offering products tailored to your customers’ preferences, including books, cellphone covers, clothing, and other merchandising you can create your very own niche. Additional perks include the ability to reduce expenses by using the made-to-order model to reduce inventory and production costs. You don’t have to worry about managing orders, payments, or shipping because there are so many platforms available. All you have to do is concentrate on creating products that are in high demand.
How print-on-demand companies work
Simply put, print-on-demand companies offer print-after-ordering services to artists, creatives, or businesses engaged in merchandising. Essentially they take orders for your products’ designs and handle the production and fulfillment aspects of the enterprise. All you have to do is create your own designs and list your products, and start marketing them. When a customer buys a copy, the product is manufactured and mailed to them- the items are produced only after they are ordered for them.
This is a great way to market your products without worrying about inventory while eliminating the need for large print runs and reducing costs, making it ideal for creatives and small businesses. In addition, this print-on-demand model helps businesses to produce high-quality products quickly and cost-effectively, while also giving them the flexibility to adjust their production volume as needed.
With POD, businesses can offer customers unique and personalized products that can be printed and delivered speedily. With this new system, you can customize and create virtually any product, from apparel to mugs. Thus helping you to quickly establish an e-commerce business or make your side business ideas turn into a reality.
Which Platform is Best for Print on Demand?
Printify is considered the best print-on-demand business with over 800 items available in its inventory, including t-shirts, mugs, duvet covers, posters, accessories, and more. Among the services offered include a variety of printing choices, including direct-to-garment printing, cut-and-sew, sublimation, and embroidery.
It also helps businesses produce personalized goods quickly and effectively. It has an easy-to-use UI and is linked with popular online marketplaces like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Wix Stores, eBay, and more, making it easier for businesses to offer their goods.
The 19 Best Print on Demand Companies
When looking for the best print-on-demand companies, you must consider a number of factors. These include quality of products, customer service, price, turnaround time, integration with dropshipping platforms, ease of use, and general satisfaction. We’ve compiled a list of the top 19 print-on-demand companies based on these criteria to help you make your choice.
We took into account a variety of factors, including their manufacturing capabilities, customer service, whether they serve a specific niche, turnaround time, and pricing. Each of these best print-on-demand companies provides a wide range of products, such as apparel, books, mugs, and accessories, so you can pick the best one for your requirements.
Most of them provide excellent customer service, so you can get answers to your queries quickly and easily. Whether you want a quick turnaround time or a low cost, these best print-on-demand companies will be able to provide you with the best options.
1. Printify
Printify is considered one of the most popular print-on-demand companies. Printify offers a catalog has over 800 products selling everything from t-shirts to mugs, duvet covers to posters, accessories, and more making it easy for businesses to create custom products quickly and efficiently. It comes with an intuitive user interface that allows users to choose a product, personalize it with their own design, and have it shipped directly to their customers.
With Printify, e-commerce companies can offer goods directly on their own site without using other online marketplaces. In addition, it is also integrated with major sales channels such as Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Wix Stores, eBay, and more making it easier for you to easily sell your products.
Pros: Offers integration with various platforms, comes with a mockup generator, offers shipping calculator, extensive product catalog
Cons: According to some reviews, a number of customers have expressed dissatisfaction with the response time to their customer support inquiries, claiming that the service took too long to respond.
Pricing: Printify comes with a free plan where you can manage up to five stores and get unlimited product designs. Paid plans start at a monthly subscription of $ 24.99 and let you manage up to 10 stores per account and get up to 20% bulk discount on all products.
2. Printful
Printful is another option for those who are looking for a reliable and cost-effective print-on-demand service. It offers a wide variety of products and services, including custom t-shirts, hoodies, hats, mugs, tote bags, and more.
It offers intuitive design tools that let you create unique pieces, even if you have no design experience while integrating with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. In addition, it offers a wide range of customization options, including printing, embroidery, and sublimation.
Pros: Offers discounts for bulk orders and monthly volume, promotes eco-friendly products, comes with mockup generator and pre-made designs.
Cons: Offers higher production costs than other print-on-demand companies, the product line on offer is more limited than other print-on-demand sites.
Pricing: Printify comes with a free plan where you pay only for the products you buy or sell after an order is made. If you want more features in addition to the free plan Printify offers extra fees.
3. Sellfy
Sellfy is an e-commerce platform for creators who want to sell a variety of goods, such as hoodies, shirts, phone cases, bags, and more. In addition to physical products they also sell digital products. It allows you to quickly launch your online business idea or print-on-demand merchandise store. It has a shopping cart feature that allows you to make more money by enabling your customers to add multiple items to their online shopping carts at once.
Even better, you can design a mobile-friendly checkout process and online store for desktop and mobile users. Additionally, it has some excellent marketing features, such as upselling, email marketing, and discount codes. More than 60,000 creators have used Sellfy to sell their goods since it launched in 2011, generating more than $100M in total revenue.
Pros: Sellfy offers multiple payment options, built-in marketing tools, and customizable online storefronts
Cons: There are a few integrations available.
Pricing: Paid plans start with monthly charges ranging from $19 to $99. There is also a 14-day free trial.
4. SPOD
SPOD is a print-on-demand company that lets you create and sell your print-on-demand products. With it, you can create a custom product line within minutes, print, and ship your merchandise in 48 hours or less, according to SPOD half of its orders ship within 24 hrs. You can start selling, printing, and dropshipping by uploading your designs or creating your own with SPOD’s free graphic library of over 50,000 designs.
The library lets you create and personalize over 200 print-on-demand merchandise items. SPOD integrates with WooCommerce, Magento, Squarespace, Shopify, and others- it even has its own mobile app.
Pros: 48-hour order fulfillment, vast graphic library, over 200 POD merchandise items
Cons: You can’t use it unless you have a Shopify account.
Pricing: When using SPOD, there are no ongoing costs. SPOD charges only the order value and the shipping costs of the items when an order is placed. The cost of shipping is determined by the order value, shipping type, and country.
5. CustomCat
CustomCat helps businesses to create and sell unique products from images they upload, and publish to their store. It allows anyone to create unique and high-quality custom goods whether ordering only one item or 1,000 items while at the same time offering a manual order feature for those without e-commerce experience.
With it, you can sync existing product listings from your online store to CustomCat seamlessly, create product templates and mass publish product listings with bulk tools, manage product listings, view stock status and edit fulfillment settings, and manage all aspects of orders and fulfillment. CustomCat also partners with e-commerce sellers such as Shopify, Etsy, WooComemrce, and BigCommerce and ships products globally.
Pros: CustomCat allows users to create product templates, manage listings, view stock status, and manage orders and fulfillment.
Cons: Most of CustomCat items are limited to apparel, accessories, and housewares.
Pricing: CustomCat is free to sign up for and use. When an order is placed in a store, customers pay for the base cost of the items plus the cost of shipping them to their customers. The PRO subscription comes with a $25 monthly fee and offers users 20-40% off CustomCat’s custom wholesale prices.
6. TeeLaunch
TeeLaunch is a print-on-demand e-commerce platform for art, prints, apparel, and more. It offers an affordable print-on-demand option for entrepreneurs looking to create unique merchandising. Teelaunch will accept orders from your web store, prints the product, and handles the fulfillment end. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, it uses the power of Shopify to make mockups, and products and set up automatic order fulfillment in just minutes. Besides integrating with Shopify it also works well with other third-party platforms such as Etsy and WooCommerce.
Pros: There are no monthly costs, it has a simple-to-use interface, offers a good selection of merchandising options.
Cons: Some reviews complain of shipping delays.
Pricing: Teelaunch comes with a free plan where you pay only for the products you buy or sell after an order is made.
7. Zazzle
Zazzle’s print-on-demand service lets you create, sell, and buy T-shirts, hoodies, and other merchandise. With its easy-to-use design interface, you have access to a large selection of templates, apparel designs, colors, and sizes to customize the final product.- even if you’re not a designer. Creating an item on Zazzle is a simple process that can be completed in a few minutes.
To create a design, all you need to do is choose a template and add content. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as through text, and images. Once you’ve added content, you must choose a price and add your design to your account. Zazzle however does not have direct integration for third-party e-commerce stores such as Shopify, but you can however use Zazzle’s Application Programming Interface (API) to integrate with other platforms.
Pros: Delivers good high print quality products, products can be customized by buyers, and affiliate marketing opportunities are available.
Cons: Does not integrate directly with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce
Pricing: There is no cost to sign up. Designers can set their prices between 5% and 99% higher than Zazzle’s basic price.
8. SPOD
SPOD is a print-on-demand service company that lets you create and sell your print-on-demand products. With it, you can create a custom product line within minutes, and print and ship your merchandise in 48 hours or less, according to SPOD half of its orders ship within 24 hrs. You can start selling, printing, and dropshipping by uploading your designs or creating your own with SPOD’s free graphic library of over 50,000 designs.
The library lets you create and personalize over 200 print-on-demand merchandise items. SPOD integrates with WooCommerce. Magento, Squarespace, Shopify, and others- it even has its own mobile app.
Pros: 48-hour order fulfillment, vast graphic library, over 200 POD merchandise items
Cons: You can’t use it unless you have a Shopify account.
Pricing: When using SPOD, there are no ongoing costs. SPOD charges only the order value and the shipping costs of the items when an order is placed. The cost of shipping is determined by the order value, shipping type, and country.
9. Redbubble
Redbubble is another option for independent artists looking to offer print-on-demand products through their existing website or through marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. This print-on-demand solution gives you the tools you need to design products and works for artists of all skill levels from novices to experts.
Thanks to its built-in design maker you can create intricate, eye-catching designs and mockups for your products to sell on redbubble. It also offers a wide range of merchandising products from eco-friendly to premium clothing that includes stationery, wall art, home and living, accessories, apparel, and more.
Pros: Large customer base and traffic, anti-piracy features to protect artists’ artwork, has an affiliate program
Cons: Potential low-profit margins, high competition
Pricing: Redbubble charges a base price which includes a service fee for hosting the marketplace as well as the third-party manufacturer’s manufacturing fee.
10. GearLaunch
GearLaunch is another choice for a print-on-demand company that offers a dependable and cost-effective solution. It provides a simple, no-hassle printing experience, with no minimum order requirements and a wide range of materials including paper, canvas, and apparel.
GearLaunch functions in a straightforward manner: you create the designs and choose your ideal products and GearLaunch handles the manufacturing and delivery. You only pay the base price for products and if you want to integrate with Shopify you can opt to use its API.
Pros: A good selection of Print on Demand products, no minimum orders
Cons: Does not directly integrate with other platforms besides Shopify
Pricing: The GearLaunch platform is free, and Shopify has a free option as well. There is a $4.99 monthly fee involved with upgrading your Shopify platform.
11. Amazon Merch on Demand
Amazon Merch on Demand helps users sell their branded products created by them to be manufactured, sold, and shipped by Amazon. A key selling point here is that Amazon prints and ships products faster than most other POD fulfillment services. Because Amazon is both a massive marketplace and one of the most popular search engines on the internet, you should be able to reach more customers at Amazon Merch on Demand than anywhere else.
Signing up is easy as Amazon Merch on Demand is free to create an account, upload content, and free to sell on the platform. Amazon also offers Print on Demand and Amazon Custom where customers can buy customized goods. With the help of these services, customers can develop unique products with their own artwork, logos, and text, and have them printed and delivered within a few days.
Pros: Huge reach, high potential for conversion rate, perhaps the fastest shipping service
Cons: Limited branding options, high competition.
Pricing: Amazon Merch is an on-demand printing business where sellers make and list free t-shirt designs on Amazon. There are no out-of-pocket expenses, and you are paid royalties when a client purchases your shirt.
12. Sunfrog
Sunfrog is a print-on-demand service offering a wide range of products from clothing to accessories, flyers, notebooks, mugs, and banners. They offer high-quality prints, with quick turnaround times, and competitive prices offer high- print quality for a wide selection of designs. Once signed in as a seller Sunfrog will make promotional images for you at no cost so that you can promote yourself to your customers.
It also offers users campaign tracking codes to help you get on top of your marketing campaign. In addition, Sunfrog pays a 10% commission on all sales to artists and enables you to set your own prices. Each item, however, has a minimum and maximum price that can be charged. It is also integrated with major sales channels such as Shopify, Big Commerce, and Magento.
Pros: No minimum sales requirement to have the merchandise printed, comes with a featured artist section, to promote your work and increase sales, easy to use dashboard that displays real-time statistics such as traffic, sales, and conversion.
Cons: Initially, profit margins may be modest.
Pricing: SunFrog is completely free to use, and you make money by creating items and earning a 15% commission on sales. If you are an artist, you will also receive a 10% commission on each piece sold.
13. JetPrint
JetPrint is a print–on–demand company, offering over 400 products from shoes, jewelry, watches, and clothing to bags, rugs, shower curtains, and more. With JetPrint’s mockup generator, you can automatically create and publish products using you’re your artwork or your own custom design and even include your own logo.
You can also process orders automatically and even set a time limit that enables you to make changes or corrections if necessary. JetPrint offers integration with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce, making it simpler and faster to promote and sell your unique merchandise.
Pros: Good selection of merchandising products, good custom design options, availability of payment integrations.
Cons: Lead times for production in some cases could take between three to five days.
Pricing: JetPrint charges a base price.
14. Teespring
Teespring initially began as the best print on demand for selling designed t-shirts. Today it has become a print-on-demand order fulfillment company, producing leggings, hoodies, décor, phone cases, and more.
Teespring is a free platform that allows creators and influencers to develop, promote, and sell products without incurring any costs or risks. Teespring offers order fulfillment, customer service, and shipping. In exchange, creators can determine the selling price and keep 100% of the profit.
Pros: Integration with social media platforms and other marketing channels, free-to-use, easy-to-use design feature.
Cons: Small margins for small volume production, Teespring makes more sense if you have a large volume of orders to fulfill.
Pricing: Spring is completely free to use. You determine the selling price and retain the entire profit.
15. TeeChip
TeeChip is a print-on-demand platform that lets users create their own unique merchandising and sell directly to their fans. With it, you can sell a wide variety of products including posters, mugs, hoodies, gats, phone cases, and t-shirts. Working with TeeChip, there is no risk because there are no upfront costs. When it comes to, the payment TeeChip accepts credit cards, debit cards, wire transfers, and PayPal.
Pros: A good selection of customizable products, simple sign-up procedure with no costs.
Cons: According to Teechip orders are usually shipped within 5-20 working days.
Pricing: TeeChip deducts the base price from the purchase each time you sell and provides you the margin you specify.
16. Printy6
Printy6 is a print-on-demand service that makes it easy for businesses to create and order custom-printed products. Businesses can quickly design their own products with intuitive tools, upload artwork, and order high-quality prints in no time thanks to Printy6’s innovative technology and user-friendly platform.
Printy6 integrates with many online stores, including Shopify, Etsy, BigCommerce, Woocommerce, and Amazon. It offers professional-level image rendering services to make your images stand out thanks to its photorealistic rendering feature. It uses premium fabrics and an eco-friendly printing process and provides a money-back guarantee if there are any quality problems.
Pros: Easily integrates with your own online store, offers cheaper product costs compared to other print-on-demand , offers customized brand packaging
Cons: Some reviews complain about longer fulfillment times than other competing print-on-demand sites, and most of its products are focused on apparel.
Pricing: Printy6 app is free to use
17. Gelato
Gelato is a print-on-demand site for a range of products that include clothing, wall art, Mugs, Photobooks, Cards, Stationery, tote bags, and more. With more than 130 production partners spread across 32 nations, it makes it simple for customers to have their products produced and delivered without hassle while lowering their carbon footprint.
The option to select the shipping speed, live order tracking, shipping discounts, and more benefits are included. Additionally, it integrates with all of the leading online shopping carts, including Shopify. Platforms like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, and others are integrated with it.
Pros: Offers local production options, affordable pricing, has a mobile app, tracks shipments, and offers basic analytics.
Cons: Limited selection of product options with categories swaying more on apparel and basic stationery
Pricing: Gelato is free to join with no minimum purchases required and get access to integration with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. Paid plans begin at $ 14.00 per month, and you can get millions of stock photos, premium mockups, and 30% off standard shipping as well.
18. Gooten
Gooten is a dropshipping platform that specializes in print-on-demand services. It offers a wide range of products, from fashion and apparel to home decor, to wall art and accessories. It comes with a robust suite of tools and services to help users launch and scale their businesses. Its major selling points include its easy-to-use platform, extensive product catalog, and competitive pricing.
Gooten integrates with Big Commerce, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy. Its automated order fulfillment system makes sure that orders are usually processed and shipped within 24 hours. It also offers a loyalty program ‘Very Important Merchant (VIM)’ where you get more tailored solutions and support to help grow your online business.
Pros: Versatile product catalog, integration with major platforms, and great loyalty program.
Cons: Its product mockups don’t look as good as those from other print-on-demand companies.
Pricing: The base cost of the item and the price of printing are both included in the prices listed in Gooten’s Product Catalog. You can charge and set your own margins, but don’t forget to factor in shipping and fulfillment costs.
19. Society6
If you are an independent artist or a creative Society6 can be a great option for a print-on-demand site. With it, you can sell a wide variety of products, including wall art, t-shirts, phone cases, and home furnishings. Users can also upload their own artwork to create truly one-of-a-kind items.
Similarly, Society6 has reasonable prices and a simple website. Its customer service is also well-known for its quick responses. Because of its extensive product selection, low prices, and excellent customer service, Society6 is an excellent choice for those looking for the best print-on-demand companies.
Pros: Great for newly emerging artists, helps to create marketplace visibility for your artwork and offers networking opportunities in its online artist community.
Cons: You are only able to sell your products through the Society6 website as it is unable to integrate with Shopify, Etsy, or other platforms.
Pricing: Society6, does not have any monthly fee, you receive a 10% commission on the base price of your artwork.
How to Choose the Best Print on Demand Company
There are many great print-on-demand companies out there, each offering its own unique services and features. it comes to choosing the right print-on-demand company, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Each print-on-demand business has its own distinct strengths, weaknesses, and features, but how can one choose the best print-on-demand business? Here are some features to consider:
Offer quality products: For an enterprise to succeed it will need to create products of the highest quality. So it is important to shortlist a few prospective print-on-demand suppliers and order test samples from them to get a sense of their quality standards.
Speedy Shipping: Customers expect fast shipping times when shopping online. You will need to deliver on this promise if you want to establish a good reputation and earn repeat business. When choosing a print-on-demand company, it is important to consider the average shipping time. Ideally, customers should receive their products within one week of placing an order.
Reasonable production costs and shipping: Business is all about generating enough revenues to help your business thrive and grow. Reasonable production costs and shipping rates come in handy for your business’s success. Choosing a print-on-demand company with high product and shipping fees may result in smaller margins, hindering growth. Look for a print-on-demand company that offers a reasonable production cost without compromising quality.
Offer Customization and printing options: Good print-on-demand companies will offer different customization and printing options, depending on your needs. Great print-on-demand companies in addition to this will offer packaging options that suit your design and branding needs.
Offer Integration with other platforms: Different print-on-demand companies allow you to sell through a variety of channels, such as your own website, Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and other platforms. Make sure your print-on-demand company accords you with the means to grow your business by offering you these options.
It is important that you start your selection for the right print-on-demand partner from a pool of likely candidates while making sure not to make many print-on-demand mistakes. Besides inquiring whether the provider provides the services you require and has a good track record with customers, you should check the company’s refund policy. Check to see if they can offer you cutting-edge technology at a reasonable price.
Finally, evaluate the provider’s business knowledge and expertise. With the proper study and cautious consideration, you can find the ideal print-on-demand service to satisfy your requirements and assist you in reaching your business goals. Most importantly for you to succeed in selling unique products on your own website your first step should be building a successful online business.
How to Make Money with Print on Demand
If done right, venturing into a print-on-demand business can be lucrative and comes with minimal risks. Print-on-demand offers low startup costs and quick setup, without the need for inventory and storage, and is easy to experiment with product designs. It also offers you the ability to customize and sell your unique designs to a global market, scale, and test new products without financial risks.
Let’s also not forget that most print-on-demand businesses frequently provide discounts for bigger orders letting you to further increase your profit margins. Most importantly it can boost your online store’s chances of success while at the same time making money by creating your own brand that is distinct. Ultimately the amount of money you can earn with Print on Demand is dependent on the goods you offer, your target audience, and how well you advertise to them. Some great ways to make money with print-on-demand include:
Partner with platforms that can boost your touch points: There are several platforms that can help you bring to scale your sales and boost your earnings. For example platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon can increase your reach and help with some of the heavy lifting for you.
Make the most of social media marketing: Social media offers a tremendously and powerful instrument for promoting your print-on-demand goods. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter not only increase your customer touch points but also add to your credibility and boost engagement with your target audience. With some effort, you can develop a loyal customer base that will keep coming back for more.
Uniqueness and personalization sell: to succeed you will need to fine-tune you’re branding and design so that you represent a distinct personality – this is what will make you stick out from the competition. Consider using unique typefaces, and eye-catching graphics. Also, keep an eye on what is trending for print-on-demand goods to stay ahead of the curve.
Create realistic mock-ups: It’s always a good idea to make mock-ups of your products on real individuals when offering a print-on-demand product. This enables you to demonstrate your products in real-world settings and doesn’t come off as a scam. This is also excellent for sharing on social media.
Harness the power of testimonials and reviews: When it comes to promoting your print-on-demand goods, customer feedback can go a long way in terms of establishing your credibility. If you have satisfied clients who to sing your praises, make sure to clearly display their testimonials on your website or social media sites. This is an excellent method to establish trust with prospective customers and demonstrate to them that your goods are worthwhile investments. Always remember reviews and testimonials are the new social proof!
Best Print on Demand Services FAQ
There are several print-on-demand sites, and the best one for you will be determined by your particular requirements. You will need to consider the kinds of products you want to produce, the quantity required, the quality of the product, the turnaround time, and the expense without any hidden fees.
Can you start print on demand with no money?
Yes, you can start printing on demand with no money. You can build your own online store using a free platform like Shopify, or you can use a free tool offered by many print-on-demand service companies to help you with fulfilling your orders. When it comes to designing, print-on-demand companies come with free mock-up generators as well as free templates and designs online to use for your products.
If you are a creative designer you can offer designs in the form of digital products to others and receive royalties in exchange. In some cases, a good print-on-demand site will even help you calculate your business costs, and help set a price to help set prices for a cozy profit margin.
Which print on demand service is most profitable?
There are several print-on-demand service choices available in the market, each with its own set of benefits and disadvantages. Ultimately, the most profitable print-on-demand service will be the one that best meets your particular business’s requirements.
For example, Printful is an excellent choice if you want a print-on-demand service that is quick and simple to use. It also comes with a variety of custom products, so you can choose the ideal product to sell. Zazzle is another well-known print-on-demand business that has a broader selection of products and customization choices.
Is Print-on-Demand Still a Good Business?
There’s no doubt that print-on-demand (POD) continues to open markets for creatives, artists, and small businesses engaged in merchandising. It offers a quick, easy, and affordable way to print and distribute books, artwork, merchandising, and more on a global scale.
It is a great alternative for creatives who want to get their custom products into the hands of their fans without incurring the high costs of traditional printing, storage, and distribution. The major draw for POD is that it allows entrepreneurs much leeway in their manufacturing as production is on an as-needed basis.
What Are the Best Quality T-Shirts for Printing?
There are several factors to consider when looking for the finest quality T-shirts for printing. The first thing to think about is the sort of printing you want to do. For example, if you want to screen print, you’ll need to use a material made of a thicker substance to keep the pigment from bleeding through the blouse. And if you want to do digital printing, you would want to opt for a T-shirt made from a thinner material to improve the ink clearly printed on the garment.
Is dropshipping better than print on demand?
Though both dropshipping and print-on-demand share many features print on demand has an edge over drop shipping. Doprshipping companies or eCommerce suppliers offer goods and services to online merchants and are limited to marketing, fulfillment, and transportation. The dropshipping industry is more cutthroat than the print-on-demand market as there is little differentiation among the products that are up for sale.
Print on demand, however, has an element of uniqueness when it comes to the product as they are designed by a particular artist, creative or small business. If you want to build a long-lasting and consistent image with customers and carve out your own niche then print-on-demand can be a good option.
Image: Envato Elements
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10 Best Free & Paid WP Rocket Alternatives For Better Site Speed in 2024
Looking for the best WP Rocket alternatives?
WP Rocket is a popular performance plugin for WordPress. It’s built to speed up websites via code optimization, caching, and more. Thousands of sites use this tool to boost their websites’ loading time and improve user experience.
However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. For instance, WP Rocket doesn’t offer image optimization, and you must pay extra for CDN use.
That’s where alternatives come in. These tools offer a variety of features that can fill the gaps left by WP Rocket.
Let’s dive into our list of the 10 best WP Rocket alternatives:
1. NitroPack: Best Overall WP Rocket Alternative
NitroPack is an all-in-one solution that excels at optimizing WordPress sites for Core Web Vitals. It’s a pricier tool but offers more features, speed, and optimization than WP Rocket.
NitroPack’s main appeal lies in its simplicity and effectiveness. You get a plug-and-play service that automatically optimizes your WordPress site for superior performance.
It has all the basic features required to boost your web speed: caching, file minification, a powerful CDN, and media compression. Plus, you get smart cache invalidation—a feature that saves server resources without requiring manual deletion of old cached files.
NitroPack also works with other CMS platforms besides WordPress, including OpenCart and Magento. So, if budget isn’t a concern but exceptional site performance without human input is a priority, NitroPack is the way to go.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Easy to deploy and instant results
- Includes a high speed CDN
- Direct impact on Core Web Vitals scores
CONS
- Can be costly
- Inconsistent customer support
Pricing
NitroPack has a free plan.
Pricing plans for NitroPack start from:
- Business: $21 per month
- Growth: $51 per month
- Scale: $176 per month
You can also subscribe for their annual plans and get 2 months free. Each plan comes with a 14-day money back guarantee.
Want a more detailed overview of NitroPack? Check out our complete NitroPack Review: A Must-Have Tool To Help Speed Up Your Website?
2. WP Optimize: Best WP Rocket Alternative For File Optimization
WP Optimize is a powerful WP caching plugin for cleaning up your WordPress site’s database and shrinking images.
It’s built to make your site load faster by removing old post updates, revisions, and spammy comments that stall it.
WP Optimize also does a superb job with image and media optimization. You can set it to automatically compress new uploads and even adjust compression intensity in settings.
The best part? WP Optimize is free to install and use on any WordPress site (albeit with limited features). The basic version will clean and optimize selected files to give your website a little boost.
And even when you plan to upgrade, you’ll find WP Optimize to be much cheaper than comparable caching plugins in the market. Paid plans will give you access to more fine-tuned optimization, lazy-loading, and much more.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Powerful image optimization features
- Robust database management
- Tons of options in free version
CONS
- CDN and advanced caching limited to paid plans
Pricing
WP Optimize has a free version.
If you want to use WP Optimize on multiple websites + access advanced features, get one of their paid plans:
- Starter: $49 per year (1-2 websites)
- Business: $99 per year (3-5 websites)
- Unlimited: $199 per year (unlimited websites)
For an in-depth comparison between WP Optimize and WP Rocket, read WP-Optimize vs WP Rocket: Which WordPress Caching Plugin Is Better?
3. LiteSpeed Cache: Best Free WP Rocket Alternative
LiteSpeed cache is a free yet one of the most super-powerful WP Rocket alternatives.
This plugin is known for its next-level performance optimization features and freedom of control. You get server-level caching (separate for both mobile and desktop), code minification, multi-site support, and heartbeat control practically for free.
To make it even stronger, you can couple it with QUIC.cloud CDN and unlock image compression, database optimization, and responsive lazy-loading within a few clicks.
Another major plus of LiteSpeed Cache is its superb compatibility. If you’re using WooCommerce, Elementor, Yoast SEO, and bbPress, etc. the tool will seamlessly merge with your current WordPress plugin and provide an error-free experience for both you and your web visitors.
LiteSpeed Cache is completely free to install and use, with over 5+ million active installs. If you’re hosted on LiteSpeed servers and need a massive boost in Core Web Vitals, this is the best option for you.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Server-level caching and optimization
- Compatible with popular CMS
- Forever free to use
CONS
Pricing
LiteSpeed Cache is completely free to install and use.
4. FlyingPress
FlyingPress is one of the more powerful WP Rocket alternatives on our list for WordPress sites needing some extra juice.
With this all-in-one caching powerhouse, you get features not typically seen in other plugins, like Google font optimization, baseline code minification, and advanced catching.
However, its features like link preloading, background visual lazy loading, and auto adjustments to web layout distinguish it from other WordPress caching plugins like WP Rocket.
FlyingPress also comes with extensive bloat removal settings. You can disable or remove unnecessary elements like jQuery Migrate, XML-RPCC, and Google Fonts in a few clicks from the settings in the WordPress dashboard.
What’s more, FlyingPress’s CDN (which uses Bunny Optimizer and BunnyCDN’s replication) is faster and more affordable than RocketCDN. While you have to purchase it separately, the sheer performance gain makes this investment worth it.
All of these features come at a cost, though. FlyingPress starts from $42 per year for a single website, making it one of the more premium WordPress caching plugins on the market.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Simple interface and easy to setup
- Lightning fast CDN
- Good documentation and support
CONS
- Pricing on the higher side
Pricing
FlyingPress has a bunch of paid plans starting from:
- Personal: $42 per year (1 website)
- Developer: $105 per year (5 websites)
- Professional: $175 per year (50 websites)
- Agency: $350 per year (500 websites)
Each plan comes with a 14-day money back guarantee.
5. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is a configuration-friendly alternative to WP Rocket with loads of developer options.
On the surface, it looks like any other cache plugin. Delayed script loading, code minification, WebP image conversion, and lazy loading are all built into W3 Total Cache as standard.
But its real power lies in settings. Users can fine-tune their caching options to the very last details, such as integrating reverse proxies, optimizing with opcode caching, and implementing fragment caching for specific sections.
This probably won’t make sense for the average WordPress user, but W3 Total Cache can dramatically reduce your site loading speed with these options.
W3 Total Cache supports SSL and works seamlessly with most third-party plugins. With both free and paid plans available, it’s perfect for experienced site owners seeking advanced performance optimization without breaking the bank.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- High level of customization
- Advanced caching options are available
- Decent performance gain from start
CONS
- Free version lacks CDN
- Complex and outdated interface
Pricing
W3 Total Cache is free to install and use.
You can also purchase W3 Total Cache Pro for advanced features from:
- 1 Site: $99 per year
- 5 Sites: $350 per year
- 10 Sites: $500 per year
Each plan comes with a 30-day money back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with the performance gains.
6. Breeze
Breeze is the perfect beginner’s caching plugin to boost WordPress performance without much tweaking.
Built by the Cloudflare team, Breeze is easy to install and use from the get-go. Like WP Rocket, you get plenty of features like file-level cache cleanup, database optimization, code minification, and GZIP compression—all of which can be enabled with a few clicks.
Breeze comes built-in with a CDN from Cloudways, though it also works well with third-party CDNs. Plus, it has a unique feature not present in WP Rocket—the ability to enable or disable relative paths.
Cloudways hosting users will find Breeze to be the perfect caching plugin for their site. With the two working together, expect even faster loading speeds and fewer bugs. Additionally, you’d get the benefit of Varnish for server-level caching, a handy feature for dashboard management.
The best part? Breeze is a completely free plugin. Its user-friendly dashboard and powerful servers make it an excellent WP Rocket alternative for new WordPress users looking for an uncomplicated caching tool.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Offers in-depth caching options for free
- User-friendly and quick setup
- Easily connects with third-party CDNs
CONS
Pricing
Breeze is completely free to install and use.
7. SiteGround Speed Optimizer
SiteGround Speed Optimizer is currently one of the most popular caching plugins on the market for WordPress websites.
Built by experts at SiteGround, the plugin is easy to install and error-free. It has a wide array of performance optimization features, including file-based caching, deferred script loading, code minification, media lazy loading, and much more.
The plugin relies on server-side caching, offering a different approach than WP Rocket. But it doesn’t cover extensive web performance features like WP Rocket does.
If you’re hosting on SiteGround, you can also utilize bonus features like WebP conversion, image compression, and dynamic/object caching for more fine-tuned control and reduced initial loading times.
Considering that it costs $0 to install and comes with an uncomplicated interface, SiteGround Speed Optimizer is the perfect WP Rocket alternative for users requiring simple caching and basic speed improvements on their SiteGround-hosted website.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Powerful caching and media optimization features
- Includes WordPress Heartbeat control
- Generates web speed insights and fixes
CONS
- Some features limited to SiteGround users
Pricing
SiteGround Speed Optimizer is completely free to install and use.
8. WP Fastest Cache
WP Fastest Cache is the go-to freemium caching plugin for millions of WordPress website owners.
Like most performance plugins on the market, WP Fastest cache comes with code minification, image compression, database cleanup, and WebP conversion. All of these contribute towards making your site faster and speedier.
Additionally, the plugin offers a built-in CDN to load heavy resources from the nearest servers. You also get the flexibility to choose and integrate CDNs that best suit your website’s needs.
For e-commerce sites using WooCommerce, WP Fastest Cache automatically configures caching exceptions for cart and checkout pages. It also caches widgets and mobile versions of your website separately—something that WP Rocket lacks.
In terms of price, WP Fastest Cache is in the same league as the majority of caching plugins. However, its feature-rich free version and dedicated features for eCommerce sites make it a worthy alternative to WP Rocket.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Tons of features in both free/paid versions
- Decent performance gains from setup
- Lifetime updates with premium version
CONS
- Slightly outdated interface
- Image optimization with paid credits
Pricing
WP Fastest Cache is free to install and use.
To access pro features, you can upgrade to their pro version from:
- Bronze: $49 lifetime (1 site)
- Silver: $125 lifetime(3 sites)
- Gold: $175 lifetime (5 sites)
- Platinum: $300 lifetime (10 sites)
If you’re unsatisfied, you can claim a full refund with 30-days without any explanations.
9. Autoptimize
Autoptimize is a great performance plugin for one particular task: optimizing code files.
It matches WP Rocket in some areas, like boosting Core Web Vitals, and offers basic tools like CSS and JS minification in its free plan. Autoptimize also handles tasks like image lazy loading, deferring script files, and optimizing Google fonts quite well.
While all of these optimizations can bring a noticeable improvement to your site’s performance, Autoptimize still lacks file caching and a CDN.
You can easily integrate third-party content delivery networks like KeyCDN or Speed Booster. Or, you can also purchase Autoptimize Pro to fill all of the missing gaps and unlock bonus add-ons.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Powerful free version
- Customizable for specific performance fixes
- Effective file optimization
CONS
- No comprehensive web optimization tools
Pricing
Autoptimize is free to install and use.
You can also purchase Autoptimize Pro for advanced features from:
- 1-Site: $11.99 per month
- 5-Sites: $31.99 per month
- 10-Sites: $59 per month
- 15-Sites: $89 per month
- 20-Sites: $119 per month
You can also get a 45% discount on purchasing annual plans.
10. Swift Performance Lite
Swift Performance Lite is a useful caching plugin for newbie WordPress users on a budget.
It boasts automatic configuration with over 200+ different settings. The plugin utilizes advanced algorithms for URL identification and manages cache lifespan automatically.
Besides proxy caching and dynamic content loading (which is compatible with WooCommerce, bbPress, Cloudflare, etc.), Swift Performance also supports critical font loading and a plugin optimizer that switches on/off plugins on certain pages to boost their loading speed.
When it comes to image optimization, Swift Performance includes an unlimited, free image optimizer and adopts a WebP-first approach. Coupled with optimization for dynamically added iframes, these functions put it one level above WP Rocket in terms of optimization.
Swift Performance subscriptions are priced almost the same as WP Rocket, with the paid version offering advanced options like AI-powered caching and even more control over configuration.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Advanced algorithm for URL prioritization
- Extremely simple and user-friendly interface
- Robust caching mechanism
CONS
- Lacks behind in media optimization
Pricing
Swift Performance Lite is free to install and use.
You can also upgrade to their pro versions starting from:
- Single: $49.99 per year (1 website)
- Multi: $99.99 per year (5 websites)
- Developer: $249.99 per year (100 websites)
- Business: $999 one-time payment (unlimited websites)
Final Verdict on WP Rocket Alternatives
That brings us to the end of our list of WP Rocket alternatives.
While none of these cache enabler plugins offer perfection, you’re likely to find features in these alternatives that WP Rocket doesn’t offer.
For example, WP Optimize excels in database management and image optimization, whereas NitroPack specializes in Core Web Vitals optimization.
Take advantage of these free and premium plugins, and consider using them in combination with WP Rocket and good practices like browser caching to boost your website’s performance even further.
Want to explore more tools to accelerate your site speed even further? Check out our list of the 13 Best WordPress Speed Optimization Services To Help Your Web Vitals.
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The Top 5 AI-Powered Tools for WordPress Creatives – WordPress.com News
While AI tools offer great potential to streamline our creative processes, their proliferation has made it hard to know which specific tools are useful and which are more showy than practical. In today’s Build and Beyond video, Jamie Marsland walks us through his five favorite AI-powered tools, including text-to-speech software, the best image generator on the market, and a great overview of Jetpack’s built-in AI Assistant.
Ready to get going? Click below to embark on your free trial today:
Here are AI-powered tools mentioned in the video:
Fontjoy
Generate font combinations with the click of a button.
Relume
From site description to an optimized sitemap in seconds.
Adobe Firefly
The best, most powerful image generator on the market.
Join 110.4M other subscribers
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Why I Choose Shopify for Dropshipping! (I Tried Alternatives)
When it comes to recommended platforms to start a dropshipping business, I typically only hear one recommendation in 2024, Shopify. Every website and every YouTube video talking about dropshipping will tell you to open a Shopify store.
Does that mean Shopify is without a doubt the best choice for dropshipping? Not necessarily!
The problem is that it can be hard for a beginner to know if Shopify is the best option or is it being recommended because they offer generous affiliate commissions or is Shopify being recommended simply because people haven’t tried the alternatives.
In this article, I’ll provide you with my own previous experiences with using and testing several platforms for dropshipping which will help you decide on the best decision for you.
Rating the Top Dropshipping Platforms
Shopify for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Themes/Templates: 7/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 10/10
Customer Support: 8/10
The most complete choice for dropshipping with a huge selection of apps and features other platforms don’t offer.
Wix for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Themes/Templates: 8/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 5/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Ideal choice for smaller dropshipping stores, especially if you plan on creating a blog around your niche.
WooCommerce for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 5/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Themes/Templates: 6/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 6/10
Customer Support: 4/10
Although it offers great value for money, dropshipping on WooCommerce can be confusing and limited for beginners.
BigCommerce for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 6/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Themes/Templates: 8/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 6/10
Customer Support: 8/10
A powerful platform with more built-in sales features than Shopify but more complicated to set up for dropshipping beginners.
Squarespace for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 8/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Themes/Templates: 9/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 5/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Good choice if you don’t need advanced dropshipping tools and features that Shopify offers.
Hostinger for Dropshipping
Ease of Use: 8/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Themes/Templates: 7/10
Dropship Apps/Extensions: 6/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Whilst lacking advanced features, Hostinger is a viable choice for dropshipping with minimal monthly fees.
My Experiences Dropshipping with Shopify and Alternatives
When I first started dropshipping back in 2016, I initially used Weebly based on an online review I had read. This turned out to be a big mistake, as I was dropshipping in Australia and setting up real-time shipping options was not possible with Weebly.
Eventually, I moved my operations over to WooCommerce, which is a WordPress plugin for running an e-commerce store.
At the time, I was still fairly inexperienced with WordPress, and I found the WooCommerce plugin to be confusing, clunky, and prone to crashes – which ended up costing me money and providing a poor customer experience.
As Shopify was gaining more traction and was becoming a leader in the e-commerce space, I eventually shifted my stores over to their platform, and have continued using Shopify to this day.
Over the years while utilizing Shopify, I have regularly tried and tested many other e-commerce platforms to compare how their services have improved and where they may outperform Shopify in certain areas which I’ll discuss in this article.
Does Shopify Have the Best Themes for Dropshipping?
When it comes to themes, Shopify has a vast selection to choose from, though only 12 of them are offered for free. Given the high failure rate with dropshipping stores, most entrepreneurs in this space tend to opt for a free theme, as it reduces their initial risk.
While I’m not a huge advocate of using Shopify’s free themes for the long-term, I do believe they can be great for short-term testing and validating the potential of your store. These free themes may be minimal on features, but I’ve found them to be clean, cohesive, and well-suited for selling most products across various niches.
The downside is that Shopify only provides 12 free themes to choose from. If none of these align with your desired vision, you’ll be forced to invest in a paid theme.
Speaking of paid Shopify themes, options like Prestige and Impulse are professional and high-end, making them ideal for increasing the perceived value of your products and building trust with customers.
If a large selection of free themes and templates is important for you, Shopify may not be your best choice.
Wix has hundreds of free templates to choose from that would suit just about any niche. Not only do you get a huge selection, they’re modern and professional.
However, if your top priority is finding truly unique and luxurious themes, I believe Squarespace holds the edge in this department. They offer hundreds of highly customizable, mobile-responsive, high-end themes.
Overall, while Shopify themes are generally sleek and modern, if you’re aiming to build a dropshipping store that can stand out from the crowd, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a paid theme at some point.
Best eCommerce Platform for Dropshipping Apps
This is a key reason why Shopify has come to dominate the dropshipping industry – its platform is packed with hundreds of dropshipping-focused apps within the Shopify App Store.
Third-party tools, suppliers, and services recognize that they need to integrate with Shopify in order to succeed and remain relevant. If you’re looking for unique features or lesser-known suppliers and print-on-demand services, you’re far more likely to find them available on the Shopify platform compared to other e-commerce options.
For example, when I searched for dropshipping-related apps in the Shopify App Store, it returned a staggering 537 results. In contrast, when I looked for similar apps on BigCommerce, one of Shopify’s biggest competitors, the search only yielded 16 dropshipping-focused applications.
This breadth of integration and app availability is a major factor that has solidified Shopify’s position as the go-to platform for dropshippers. The depth of dropshipping-specific tools and services accessible through their app ecosystem is unmatched by rival platforms.
eCommerce Platform
Number of Dropshipping Apps
Shopify
537
Squarespace
14
WooCommerce
17
BigCommerce
16
Wix
25
Ecwid
12
If you’re planning to integrate your dropshipping store with third-party apps for suppliers, shipping services, dropshipping fulfillment, Print-on-Demand and much more, Shopify will be the easy and necessary choice.
Is Shopify the Easiest to Use for Dropshipping?
If you’re not a particularly tech-savvy individual (like myself) and your goal is to build a dropshipping store without having to waste time trying to understand how everything works, this is an important consideration.
Firstly, if you want to avoid more complicated setups for your dropshipping store, I would steer clear of WooCommerce and BigCommerce. In my opinion, BigCommerce has a steeper learning curve, while WooCommerce can be quite complicated if you’re inexperienced with WordPress.
Personally, I’ve found Shopify, Squarespace, Hostinger, and Wix to be the easiest platforms to use for building a professional dropshipping store. Each of these options utilizes a drag-and-drop interface, making it simple to build and customize a store to your liking.
That said, Shopify and Wix are slightly less customizable compared to Squarespace and Hostinger. The former two platforms tend to be more section-based, with each section following a template structure with limited customization options.
In contrast, Squarespace and Hostinger offer users more freedom to design their dropshipping store exactly as they envision it. However, I wouldn’t let this be the deciding factor, as each platform excels in this department and has its own strengths.
Which is the Best Value Platform for Dropshipping?
When it comes to overall value for starting a dropshipping business, you have several viable options. While the WooCommerce plugin is free, you’ll still need to factor in the cost of a domain name, hosting, and any additional plugins you require.
Hostinger is another option worth considering if you want to start a dropshipping business with as little upfront investment as possible. I was pleasantly surprised by how capable Hostinger is, given its affordable pricing.
However, it’s important to note that the $2.99/month plan is only available on a 48-month plan, and for a single month, the cost increases to $11.99/month.
Squarespace is also a great value proposition for those seeking a premium e-commerce platform at an affordable price point. Given the beautiful, free themes and the ability to build a unique, professional store in just a few hours, this is a tempting option to consider.
As for Shopify dropshipping, the base plan starts at $29/month, with any additional apps or themes incurring extra costs.
While this may be a higher monthly investment, in my opinion, it’s the best option if it fits your budget. Considering the abundance of dropshipping-focused features on the platform, the extra monthly cost can often be easily offset as you start scaling your dropshipping business.
Platform | Basic Plan Starting Price | Standard/Mid-tier Plan | Advanced/High-tier Plan |
---|---|---|---|
Shopify | $29/month | $79/month | $299/month |
Wix | $23/month | $27/month | $49/month |
WooCommerce | Free* | N/A | N/A |
Squarespace | $18/month** | $26/month | $40/month |
Magento | Free (Open Source) | Varies*** | Varies*** |
BigCommerce | $29.95/month | $79.95/month | $299.95/month |
Hostinger | $2.99/month | $3.99/month | N/A |
Which is the Best Platform for Marketing Your Dropshipping Store?
When it comes to marketing features, I’ve always found Shopify to have everything I needed. It provides a built-in blog section, a wide array of SEO tools, social media integrations, and much more.
However, I will say that Wix does rival Shopify in terms of marketing capabilities, offering several marketing automation tools, booking functionalities, lead capture forms, and more. The downside with Wix is that many of the best marketing features are only available in their higher-tier plans, which may not be a necessary expense for new dropshipping businesses.
While all the platforms have similar marketing features, I’ve found that Shopify has slightly more options and capabilities compared to the alternatives.
This is particularly evident when it comes to SEO. Shopify has all the core SEO functions that most dropshippers will need, and if you require more advanced SEO features, they have a wide selection of apps that can help make ranking in Google a little easier.
That said, the disparity between e-commerce platforms isn’t massive when it comes to marketing features. While Shopify does have the edge in this department, I wouldn’t necessarily let this be the deciding factor in your final platform selection.
Shopify Marketing Features | Marketing Features Description & Utilization for Dropshipping Stores |
---|---|
Email Marketing | Create and send emails directly from Shopify. Use to engage customers with personalized offers and updates. |
Facebook Ads | Integrate with Facebook to manage ads. Utilize to target specific demographics and increase sales through social media. |
Google Smart Shopping | Automatically optimize your Google Ads. Use to place products in front of potential buyers searching online. |
SEO Tools | Improve your store’s visibility on search engines. Utilize to drive organic traffic and reduce customer acquisition costs. |
Social Media Integration | Link your store with various social media platforms. Use to promote products and engage with customers where they spend time online. |
Shopify Blog | Publish content related to your niche. Utilize to establish authority, improve SEO, and attract organic traffic. |
Discount Codes and Coupons | Generate discount codes. Use to incentivize purchases, reward loyal customers, and drive sales during promotional periods. |
Abandoned Cart Recovery | Send automated emails to customers who left without purchasing. Utilize to recover lost sales and understand why carts are abandoned. |
Product Reviews | Collect and display customer reviews. Use to build trust, provide social proof, and influence buying decisions. |
Gift Cards | Offer gift cards for your store. Utilize to increase customer loyalty, attract new customers, and boost sales during holiday seasons. |
Analytics and Reports | Track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Use this data to refine strategies and allocate resources more effectively. |
Affiliate Programs | Set up an affiliate program. Utilize to expand your marketing reach with minimal upfront costs through partnerships with influencers and affiliates. |
What Makes Shopify the Best for Dropshipping?
Maybe I’m a bit biased because I’ve used Shopify more extensively than the other platforms and have built several successful dropshipping stores on their platform. However, while I don’t believe Shopify necessarily stands out from the competition in terms of pricing, theme quality, ease of use, or support, I do think it excels where it matters most for a dropshipping business.
The abundance of apps and third-party integrations that Shopify offers to dropshippers is simply unmatched. As a dropshipper, you don’t want to start making sales on your store only to realize you need a 3PL or a specific supplier down the line, and your e-commerce platform doesn’t integrate with the service you require.
This alone is enough to sway me towards Shopify. I don’t want to be limited in the functionality or resources available to my dropshipping stores.
Another key factor is that Shopify is set up and powerful enough to scale your dropshipping business with ease. The platform is designed with tools and sales features that enable you to manage a large product inventory and scale your advertising efforts efficiently.
Platforms like Hostinger or Wix may be better suited for smaller dropshipping stores, but as your business grows, you’d likely need to transition to Shopify in the long run.
An important consideration is also the abundance of backend analytics that Shopify provides, especially when integrating with Google Analytics. I found these analytics invaluable for monitoring store statistics, customer behavior, and optimizing my operations accordingly.
Analytics
Analytics Description and Utilization for Dropshipping Stores
Analytics page
Provides an overview of your store’s performance. Utilize it to gauge overall business health and to make quick decisions.
Finances reports
Tracks financial transactions including sales, returns, taxes, and payments. Use to manage your store’s financial health.
Fraud reports
Identifies potentially fraudulent orders. Utilize to mitigate risk and prevent financial loss by spotting suspicious activity.
Order reports
Details on orders made over time. Use to analyze sales trends and customer demand.
Live View
Real-time visualization of store activity. Utilize for instant insights into customer behavior and sales performance.
Acquisition reports
Tracks how customers find your store. Use to refine marketing strategies and focus on the most effective channels.
Inventory reports
Provides insights on stock levels and sell-through rates. Utilize for efficient inventory management.
Behavior reports
Analyzes how customers interact with your store. Use to optimize site layout and product placement for better engagement.
Marketing reports
Measures the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Utilize to adjust strategies and allocate budget wisely.
Sales reports
Comprehensive analysis of sales data. Use to identify best-selling products and peak sales periods.
Retail sales reports
For businesses with brick-and-mortar locations, tracks in-person sales. Use to compare online and offline sales performance.
Profit reports
Breaks down revenue vs. costs to reveal true profitability. Utilize for detailed financial planning and analysis.
Customer reports
Segments customer data to reveal patterns in behavior. Use to tailor marketing efforts and improve customer retention.
Customs reports
Allows creation of tailored reports specific to your business needs. Utilize for deep dives into unique aspects of your store.
With Dropshipping being so competitive and typically thin profit margins, optimizing allows you to split-test many variables and improve your conversion rate.
For my own dropshipping stores, I would split test multiple offers, promotions, advertising headlines or product page layouts. I would then monitor results using analytics and behaviour reports and optimize based on the results.
Don’t underestimate how powerful Shopify’s backend analytics can be for your dropshipping store.
Conclusion
If I was starting a dropshipping business today, Shopify would be my platform of choice. It provides all the necessary tools, apps, and features, and has some of the best support in the industry.
Another factor to consider, especially for beginners with limited technical skills, is the abundance of up-to-date tutorials on YouTube for Shopify. The vast majority of dropshipping content creators on YouTube recommend Shopify, and their guidance and courses will primarily be based on the platform.
However, there are two instances where I would not recommend Shopify. The first is if you’re working with a very tight budget. For many, the $29/month base plan can be a significant cost.
In this situation, Hostinger could be a good alternative for brand new dropshipping stores, allowing you to design a modern, high-end store for minimal upfront investment. Just be aware that you’ll be more limited in terms of features, especially as you scale your business.
The other scenario where you may want to consider a Shopify alternative is if e-commerce is not the central focus of your store. For example, if you want to create a blog and have a dropshipping business as part of your overall offering, there may be better platforms than Shopify.
In this case, using WordPress with the WooCommerce plugin for your dropshipping operations could be a superior choice.
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