Printify vs Shopify
E-commerce pricing comparison · 2026
Printify pricing ranges from $39–$39/month, while Shopify ranges from $39–$2300/month. Printify is typically 97% more affordable, though your actual cost depends on tier and team size.
Printify and Shopify are not direct competitors but complementary tools that many sellers use together. Printify is a print-on-demand product sourcing platform that handles production and fulfillment of custom-designed merchandise. Shopify is a full e-commerce storefront platform that handles your online store, payments, marketing, and order management. Most Printify sellers use Shopify as their storefront.
Printify offers a free plan with no monthly cost (you pay per-order production) and a Premium plan at $39/month ($24.99/month annually) for up to 20% product discounts. Shopify starts at $39/month (Basic, or $29/month annually) for a complete online store with unlimited products, built-in payments, and abandoned cart recovery. Running both together costs a minimum of $39/month (Shopify Basic annual) plus Printify's per-order costs, or $78/month if you add Printify Premium for better margins.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Printify | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free /month | $39 /month |
| Premium | $39 /month | $105 /month |
| Enterprise | Custom | $399 /month |
| Shopify Plus | — | $2.3K /month |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
Printify
6 scenariosShopify
5 scenariosContract Terms
| Term | Printify | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | — | Yes |
| Cancellation | — | Monthly subscription can be cancelled anytime |
| Minimum commitment | — | Monthly billing cycle |
| Price escalation | Print providers periodically update pricing approximately every 6 months, with price changes rolled out without always providing advance notice to users | No published schedule for price increases mentioned in sources |
| Can downgrade | — | Yes |
Our Verdict
These platforms solve different problems and most POD sellers need both. Use Printify for custom product creation, production, and fulfillment through its network of 80+ print providers. Use Shopify as your storefront to manage your online store, process payments, handle marketing, and manage customer relationships. Together they form a complete print-on-demand business.
If you must choose only one, Shopify is the foundation, as it is a complete store that can integrate with any POD provider (Printify, Printful, Gooten, etc.). Printify without a storefront cannot sell anything. For budget-conscious sellers, start with Printify Free plus Shopify Basic annual ($29/month) for a total cost of $29/month plus per-order production fees. Upgrade to Printify Premium ($39/month) once you are selling 15+ items per month to recoup the subscription through product discounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Do I need both Printify and Shopify?
If you want to sell print-on-demand products through your own online store, yes. Printify handles product creation and fulfillment but has no storefront. Shopify provides the store, checkout, and payment processing. Together they cost $29-39/month (Shopify Basic) plus per-order production costs on Printify Free, or $68-78/month with Printify Premium for better margins.
02 Can I use Printify without Shopify?
Yes, Printify integrates with Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, Wix, and other platforms besides Shopify. Etsy is a popular free alternative storefront (no monthly fee, but 6.5% transaction fees). WooCommerce is free but requires WordPress hosting ($5-30/month).
03 How much does Printify + Shopify cost per month?
The minimum is $29/month (Shopify Basic annual) with Printify Free, plus per-order costs ($5-15 production + $3-8 shipping per item). With Printify Premium for 20% product discounts, the total is $68/month ($29 Shopify + $39 Printify). On annual billing for both, it drops to $54/month ($29 Shopify + $24.99 Printify Premium).
04 Does Shopify charge extra fees on Printify orders?
Shopify charges its standard payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on Basic). If you do not use Shopify Payments, there is an additional 2% transaction fee. These fees apply to all orders regardless of whether they are fulfilled by Printify or any other provider.
05 Is Printify the best POD app for Shopify?
Printify is the largest POD provider on Shopify with 80+ print providers and competitive pricing. Printful is the main alternative with higher quality control but higher per-item costs. Printify's Free plan and 20% Premium discount make it the most cost-effective option for most Shopify sellers starting out.