Prodigi and Printful are two of the most popular print-on-demand companies today. Prodigi was founded in 2017 while Printful was established back in 2013.
The companies make it possible for people around the world to start online businesses without the need to have a physical presence.
As an entrepreneur, all you have to do is sign up to one of these platforms, then start creating digital designs and let the companies handle the printing work.
Some of the products you can find on these platforms include homeware, apparel, and fine arts, among other accessories. And while both companies handle the printing, packaging, and shipping of products, they bear certain differences that may make one better than the other.
Below is an in-depth analysis of the similarities and differences between Prodigi and Printful.
Read on to find out which is the most suited for your business model.
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Getting Started: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
Getting started with Prodigi is straightforward since you only need to visit the main website and sign up for an account. The good news is that the process of signing up is easy and takes less than five minutes.
Just enter a valid email address into the sign-up page and then pick a password for your account. You will then receive an automatically generated email to confirm your account.
Once you are through with the process you will need to create a profile that includes your full name.
Printful
Getting started with Printful is also a simple process. You can sign up using an existing Gmail account just so you do not have to spend a lot of time filling up details.
You are also free to sign up using an Apple or Facebook account. As is the case with Prodigi, signing up is completely free of charge so you can get started right away.
Once you create an account, you will need to answer a series of questions that can help in shaping your experience. For instance, you will need to specify if your account is for personal or commercial use.
You will also need to describe your business model so that you can be paired up with the most relevant providers. Printful also goes ahead to ask how many followers you have on your social media pages.
The information can be used in crafting marketing campaigns on your behalf.
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User Interface and Customization
Prodigi
Prodigi has a pleasant interface with no distractions whatsoever. The website does not support third-party advertisements so you do not have to worry about anything popping up on the homepage.
After you log into your account, you will be redirected to the dashboard where you can get an overview of everything concerning your account. For instance, you will be able to get a glance at pending orders and the amount of money you have earned so far.
On the left side of the dashboard, there is a menu allowing you to navigate to settings. You can also click on the Create Order icon if you wish to place a new order.
Right at the top of the dashboard there is an option for you to filter your overview to weekly, monthly, or yearly results. It is worth noting that the Prodigi website loads relatively fast even on slow internet connections.
On the website, you can switch from Dark to Light mode depending on your preference.
Printful
Printful has an equally pleasant interface and, like Prodigi, it does not support any third-party advertisements. This is partly why you can expect its pages to load quickly.
As soon as you log into your account, you will land on the dashboard which slightly differs from that of Prodigi because of the multiple sections it has. Right at the top of the page, there is a red button you can click on to create a new order.
On the left side of the page is the menu which has several icons you can click on to navigate to different sections of the website. Some of the sections include the Product Catalog, Orders, Product Templates, File Library, Stores, Branding, and Warehouse.
Unlike Prodigi, Printful does not have an overview of the amount of money you have made so far. Additionally, it does not display pending orders.
Instead, you need to click on specific sections to find that information. One of the things that make Printful stand out is that it has a statistics section where you can find data on how your products or business is doing.
The statistics section shows how many products you have sold at a given time. It also shows what products are doing better than others.
Like Prodigi, Printful has a Search bar you can use to find orders or other information within your account.
Generally, Prodigi takes a minimalist approach when it comes to interface and customization. Printful on the other hand seeks to provide you with as many tools as possible at the expense of having a clean interface.
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How it Works: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
One of the best things about using Prodigi is that you do not require any special skills to make things work. Instead, all you have to do is log into your account and navigate to the Create section.
Choose the product you wish to sell and then add the design you want. There are hundreds of products for you to choose from including fine art prints, canvases, homeware, clothing, hats, and other accessories.
In case you do not know how to work with the tools available within the Prodigi workspace, you can always use the Mockup Generator to come up with unique designs for your products.
Once you are done with the design work, you can approve the final result and then export it to the platform you are using for marketing. That means you can export the final result to your social media pages, blogs, or website.
You are free to determine the cost of the products you sell without making any inquiries. Immediately you find a buyer for the product, all you have to do is reach out to Prodigi and have them print on the product and ship it to the buyer’s preferred location.
Prodigy takes care of the printing, packaging, and shipping on your behalf. That means you do not have to worry about having a physical office or warehouse to keep stock.
You can spend all your time marketing your products and then leave the physical work to the company. Take note that Prodigi’s packaging is fully white-label and that means their address, name, or branding does not appear anywhere on the package.
This ensures that your brand and contacts remain the predominant feature of the product. Prodigy works with over 50 print-on-demand suppliers located in over 10 countries which is why its dropshipping services are relatively fast.
You’ll be pleased to know that Prodigi can deliver products to any location around the world.
Printful
Working with Printful is relatively easy. And just like Prodigi, you do not need any special skills to get things done.
As soon as you sign into your account, you’ll have full access to the workspace where you can create the designs you want. You are free to create your templates from scratch.
If you do not know how to do it, you can go ahead and pick one of the templates available on the website already. Printful also incorporates a Mockup Generator that can be of great help if you do not know how to make designs on your own.
Once you have a design, you need to select the product you wish to print it on. Printful offers a wide variety of products including homeware, apparel, hats, and other accessories.
If you are confident that the design is good you can export it to your website, blog, or social media pages and start your marketing work. Take note that you can edit your templates anytime you feel like it.
You are also free to use all the designing tools without paying a dime. Before you can start selling products, you’ll need to create a store or connect one with your account.
Printful integrates with several stores so you’ll have an easy time setting up. You are then required to set up your billing method to ensure smooth transactions when your business becomes active.
Your billing method largely depends on the store you decide to connect to your account. That means you can process payments through a variety of options including PayPal, credit cards, and mobile wallets depending on what you find most convenient.
As soon as you receive an order from a customer, you can let Printful know about it so they can start processing it on your behalf. Printful can package your items and then ship them to any location as specified by your customer.
It is worth pointing out that the company does not include its branding on the package and that ultimately lets your brand shine.
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Integrations: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
Prodigi integrates with a range of tools and apps to ensure you enjoy a smooth experience. For starters, you can connect it to Shopify so that all your products can be displayed on the platform.
You can also connect it to Etsy and ensure order automation. Additionally, it integrates with Squarespace and WooCommerce which makes dropshipping and order fulfillment a breeze.
Printful
Like Prodigi, Printful also integrates with a range of tools and apps to make your experience smooth. The only difference is that Printful integrates with more tools and platforms when compared to Prodigi.
Some integrations that are compatible with Printful include
- TikTok Shop
- eBay
- Squarespace
- Etsy
- WooCommerce
- Amazon
- Wix
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
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Pricing: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
As noted earlier, you do not need to pay any money to sign up and operate a Prodigi account. You do not even have to worry about monthly fees or minimum orders.
The only time you will be required to make payments is when you place an order. The cost you pay will include the cost of printing, packaging, and shipping.
That means the cost may vary depending on the item in question and the part of the world it is shipped to.
Printful
You do not need to pay any fee to open a Printful account or run it. However, you can join the Printful Membership program for $24.99 per month.
Luckily, you get a 14-day free trial so you can try it out before you sign up. Membership comes with a variety of benefits including personalized product transfer assistance, branding discounts, product discounts, and unlimited stores per account.
Customer Support: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
Prodigi has a lot of articles with information on how to make things work for your business. You can read or listen to video tutorials about creating prints, placing orders, billing, and even completing an order.
However, if you are facing other difficulties and need to get in touch with a human for assistance, you can do so through the email provided on the website. Prodigi also allows live chats with customers for faster resolution of issues.
The company also has physical offices in different locations throughout the United Kingdom, the United States, and other parts of Europe. Generally getting in touch with Prodigi support is easy and the staff is quite friendly and helpful.
Printful
Like Prodigi, Printful has a lot of helpful resources on the website to help you get around. There are plenty of tutorials for you to read and watch regarding a variety of issues.
There is also a FAQ section where you can go to learn about some of the most common things people ask about. In case you want to get in touch with a person, you can do so through the website’s live chat feature.
You can also get in touch through email and expect a response within 24 hours if you send the message during business hours.
Overall, both Prodigi and Printful have exceptional customer support and will therefore help you resolve issues fast.
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Mobile Apps: Prodigi vs Printful
Prodigi
Prodigi does not have an official mobile application. However, it provides a mobile Software Development Kit to enable developers to create their apps.
The SDK makes it possible for developers to integrate Prodigi with their apps and this makes it easy for people to continue enjoying the benefits of Prodigi on the go.
Instead of mobile apps, Prodigi has a Print API that simplifies the process of integrating it with websites or independent mobile apps. The API adheres to the highest standards of security which is why it is only accessible to approved clients.
The API allows users to enjoy a variety of functions including placing orders, tracking, and sending branded email messages.
Printful
Unlike Prodigi, Printful has a mobile application you can download and install from both the App Store and Google Play. With the mobile app, you can place orders, create designs, track orders, and even communicate with customer support.
The mobile app has a simple interface making it easy for just about anyone to get acquainted quickly. It is also quite responsive so you won’t face any difficulties using it.
Finally, it comes in a lightweight file that will take up little space on your device and use up only a fraction of the system’s resources.
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Print Quality & Order Fulfillment
Prodigi
Prodigi partners with select suppliers to ensure that all products adhere to the highest standard of quality. You can therefore rest assured that all the items available will meet your customers’ expectations.
The company’s integration mechanism ensures that your print orders are automatically routed to the print facilities that are closest to the consumer. This ensures that shipping costs are kept to a minimum and that your customers get their orders within a short time.
Prodigi ensures that all items are packaged carefully and sent to the right address. It uses white label packaging which means only your brand will be visible to the customer.
Printful
Printful is big on quality which is why it uses a three-step quality system to ensure that your customers get the best products in the market. According to the company, only 0.24% of products are reshipped due to quality concerns.
That is quite impressive considering it has shipped over 74 million items since 2013. Like Prodigi, Printful works with different partners to ensure that your customers get their items within the shortest possible time.
The company also uses white-label packaging which ensures that only your brand is visible. It handles all the logistics when it comes to shipping and ensuring delivery to the address provided by your customers.
Conclusion
Prodigi and Printful are undoubtedly two of the best print-on-demand companies to consider.
Prodigi offers a simple way for you to create printed products, market them, and have them delivered anywhere in the world.
However, Printful stands out as the better option since it has a wide array of products, features a user-friendly interface, and makes product delivery a breeze. Additionally, it has a mobile app that lets you work on the go.
So my pick is Printful.
