Gooten vs Printful Print on Demand Comparison for Sellers

Quick Answer

Pick Printful if: You're new to print-on-demand, sell internationally, or value consistent quality and easy setup over maximum profits.

Pick Gooten if: You already do 400+ orders/month, only sell in the US, and can handle a clunkier interface for better profit margins.

The 30-second version: Printful costs more but holds your hand through everything. Gooten saves money but expects you to figure things out yourself. Most beginners are happier with Printful.

---

Choosing between Gooten and Printful for your print-on-demand business feels overwhelming. Trust me, I've been there - drowning in comparison charts at 2 AM, wondering if saving $1.71 per t-shirt is worth switching platforms.

Printful merged with Printify in November 2024, making them basically the Amazon of print-on-demand with $2.26 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, Gooten stays lean at $15 million in revenue, focusing on bigger sellers who know what they're doing. It's like comparing Walmart to your local specialty store - both work, but for very different shoppers.

The companies:is bigger always better?

Printful started in 2013 when two Latvian guys decided selling custom t-shirts online shouldn't be rocket science. Fast forward to 2025, and they're running 11 fulfillment centers worldwide, employing 1,600+ people, and basically printing money (literally - they print on products that make money).

Gooten took a different path. Instead of building factories, they built software that connects you to 90+ printing partners. Think of them as the Uber of printing - they don't own the printers, but they'll find someone who does. Named after Gutenberg (the printing press guy), they've raised $47.6 million and serve about 10,000 businesses.

The size difference is wild - Printful makes about 133 times more money than Gooten. But here's the thing: that doesn't automatically make them better for YOUR business.

Products: Gooten's variety vs Printful's brand names

What can you actually sell?

Gooten wins on pure variety with 500-525+ products versus Printful's 432. But the real kicker? Gooten has 200+ exclusive products you literally can't get anywhere else:

• Scented candles (yes, custom labels on actual candles!)
• Woven blankets with 195 color options
• Premium drinkware from Klean Kanteen and Camelbak
• Viking tumblers (whatever those are, they sound cool)

Printful fights back with brand power. They've got exclusive deals with:

• adidas (that three-stripe life)
• Under Armour (for the gym crowd)
• Champion (nostalgia sells)
• Bella + Canvas (the influencer favorite)

Both offer the standard printing methods - DTG, embroidery, all that jazz. Printful adds "all-over printing" which sounds fancy but basically means they can print edge-to-edge on clothes.

The money talk: Where your profits actually go

This is where things get spicy. Let me paint you a real picture:

Scenario: You're selling a basic t-shirt for $25 on Etsy

With Gooten:

• T-shirt cost: $9.79
• Shipping: $6.00-$8.00
• Your profit: ~$6.58 (26.3% margin)

With Printful:

• T-shirt cost: $11.50
• Shipping: $4.69
• Your profit: ~$7.18 (28.7% margin)

Wait, what? Gooten's shirts are cheaper but you make LESS money? Yep. Their shipping costs kill the advantage.

The poster problem (this one's brutal)

Selling an 8x10 framed print for $50:

• Printful: You keep $21.51 (43% margin)
• Gooten: You keep $1.11 (2% margin) 💀

One customer shared: "I paid $50 shipping for three small items to Canada." Ouch.

Volume discounts:

Printful gives discounts starting at just 25 items (5-10% off), scaling up to 55% off at 500+ units.

Gooten makes you wait until 400+ monthly orders before they'll even talk discounts. It's like a VIP club where most of us aren't on the list.

Platform integrations: Can you actually use it with your store?

Printful connects to everything (20+ platforms):

• All the big ones: Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, eBay
• Website builders: Wix, Squarespace, WordPress
• Even TikTok Shop (hello, viral products)
• Plus 1,300+ apps through Zapier

Gooten... doesn't:

• Shopify
• Etsy
• WooCommerce (kinda)
• TikTok Shop
• Everything else? Hope you know how to code!

Real talk: If you're not on Shopify or Etsy, Gooten probably isn't for you unless you have a developer friend.

Design tools: Photoshop masters vs the rest of us

Printful babies you (in a good way):

• Built-in design maker with 3,000+ graphics
• Free mockup generator (no watermarks!)
• Works right in your browser
• Even generates product videos

Gooten assumes you're a pro:

• Downloads mockups as PSD files
• "Just use Photoshop" energy
• Recommends third-party tools for everything

One reviewer nailed it: "I wish the mockup tool didn't look like it was made in 2010."

Shipping speed: The customer patience test

Production times are similar:

• Printful: 2-5 business days (97% ship within 5 days)
• Gooten: 3-4 business days (but less consistent)

Delivery is where it gets messy:

• US shipping: Both take 3-4 days after production
• International: Printful takes 5-20 days, Gooten can take up to 30 days

If you sell internationally, this alone might make your decision. Nobody waits 30 days for a t-shirt anymore.

Gooten reviews: A love-hate relationship

Common complaints:

• Customer service response: 72+ hours
• No phone support
• That ancient interface
• Surprise shipping costs

Printful reviews: Consistent but pricey

4.6/5 stars on Trustpilot (from 6,740+ reviews)

The praise: "The prints are clean, the colors vibrant, and the whole process smooth and reliable"

The problems:

• "Printful charges more across the board"
• Recent service decline: "no more response on emails"
• Technical glitches with the design tool

Who should actually use each platform?

Team Printful

• Complete beginners (they'll hold your hand)
• International sellers (global shipping network)
• Side hustlers (works with everything, minimal setup)
• Brand builders (consistency matters)
• Anyone who values their sanity over saving $2

Team Gooten

• Established businesses (400+ orders/month)
• US-only sellers (their sweet spot)
• Margin maximizers (every penny counts)
• Tech-savvy operators (can handle the quirks)
• People who miss the early internet aesthetic

The bottom line: Making your choice

After all this, here's my honest take:

Start with Printful if you're new. Yes, you'll pay more, but you'll actually get your business running instead of fighting with integrations and waiting days for customer service. Their hand-holding approach means fewer 2 AM panic sessions.

Graduate to Gooten if you're doing serious volume and mainly selling in the US. Those better margins add up when you're moving hundreds of units. Just make sure you have the patience (and maybe a developer) to deal with their quirks.

Remember: The "best" platform is the one that actually lets you focus on growing your business instead of fighting with tech issues. For most people reading this, that's probably Printful. But if you're already killing it and want to squeeze out more profit? Give Gooten a serious look.

The print-on-demand market is heading toward $103 billion by 2034. There's room for everyone to win - just pick the platform that matches where you are right now, not where you hope to be someday.