Fee Overview
| Fee Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Monthly Plan | Basic Shopify at $29/month is ideal for starting a POD store. Shopify at $79/month for gift cards and professional reports. |
| Printful | Free to use. Product costs vary: t-shirts from $12.50, hoodies from $25.50, mugs from $9.25. Express shipping available. |
| Printify | Free plan available. Premium plan at $29/month for up to 10% discount on products. Product costs from $5 for basic t-shirts. |
| Additional Costs | Design tools ($0-$50/month), marketing, and domain registration ($14/year) add to the total. |
Key Takeaway
Plus product costs
Pro Tips
ðĄ Tip: Start with Printful for higher quality products and faster shipping to North America, or Printify for lower product costs with worldwide printing locations. Test both platforms to compare quality and delivery times before committing.
ðĄ Tip: Create brand consistency across your POD products. Use the same color palette, typography, and design style to build brand recognition. Customers who love one product will trust buying other items from your store.
ðĄ Tip: Calculate your profit margins carefully. With t-shirts costing $12-15 from the supplier and selling for $25-30, your margin is only 40-50%. Subtract Shopify fees, advertising costs, and you may be working with 15-25% net profit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Shopify plan is best for print-on-demand?
Basic Shopify at $39/month is ideal for starting a POD store. It includes unlimited products, abandoned cart recovery, and 2 staff accounts. Upgrade to Shopify at $105/month to unlock gift cards (great for POD) and professional reports to track which designs sell best.
How much does Printful cost for Shopify POD?
Printful is free to use â you only pay for the product cost when a customer orders. Product costs vary by item: t-shirts from $12.50, hoodies from $25.50, mugs from $9.25, and posters from $6.95. Express shipping costs extra. No monthly fees or minimum orders.
Is Printify better than Printful for POD?
Printify has lower product costs (t-shirts from $5) but quality varies by supplier. Printful is more expensive but has consistent quality and US/EU fulfillment. Printify Premium (10% discount) brings prices closer to standard Printful. Choose Printful for brand quality; Printify for maximizing margins.
What are typical profit margins in POD?
Typical POD profit margins are 30-50% on product cost. For a $25 t-shirt costing $12.50 from the supplier, your gross margin is 50%. After Shopify fees (2.9% + $0.30), advertising, and returns, expect net margins of 15-30%. Higher-priced items like hoodies ($40+) typically have better percentage margins.
Key Takeaways
- Use Shopify Payments to eliminate the 2% external gateway fee â saves $200+/year at $10K revenue.
- Upgrade to Shopify Plan ($105/mo) once you exceed $1,000/month in sales â the 1% fee reduction pays for itself.
- Annual billing saves 25% vs monthly ($39 vs $49/mo on Basic). Use our Shopify calculator to compare plan costs.
Data Methodology & Disclaimer
Fee data and benchmarks in this article are sourced from official platform documentation and cross-referenced with publicly available rate schedules as of April 2026. Calculations use standard fee formulas; individual results vary based on product category and specific listing details.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Check the latest rates at each platform's official seller fees page. Fee structures reflect publicly available information as of April 2026 and are subject to change. Always verify current rates before making financial decisions.