CustomCat and Printful are two reliable, and popular print on demand companies. While CustomCat is a veteran in the POD industry, with more than 20 years of experience, Printful is one of my favorite platforms, thanks to its consistently excellent product quality, and wide range of integration options.
I put these two POD vendors head-to-head, looking at their key features, product options, integrations, pricing, and customer support services, to help you choose the right solution.
Quick Verdict
CustomCat and Printful have both earned a reputation as trustworthy POD companies.
They both offer excellent printing quality, with options like DTG and embroidery, and can fulfil orders worldwide.
However, Printful is the better option in my opinion if you’re looking for a more extensive product catalog, a wider range of integration options, and luxury goods. CustomCat is better if you want budget-friendly pricing, and slightly faster order fulfillment.
The Pros and Cons of Both Companies
CustomCat Pros and Cons
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Straightforward, beginner-friendly platform
Excellent customer service (with a hotline for sellers)
Budget-friendly pricing for a wide range of products
Slightly faster order fulfillment in some cases
Great customizations, like embroidery and vegan leather patches
Cons 👎
Slightly smaller range of products
Fewer sales channel integrations
Longer shipping times outside of the US
Printful Pros and Cons
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Consistently superior product quality
Wider range of sales channel integrations
More comprehensive product catalog
Excellent add-on services like design support
More powerful design tools
Cons 👎
Longer fulfillment and delivery times
Higher base cost for products
Longer wait times for customer support
Which Platform Has The Best Features?
Winner: Printful
While CustomCat offers unique products and excellent marketing tools, Printful’s broader range of customization options, superior design tools, and wider integration capabilities stand out to me. I particularly appreciate Printful’s AI-powered image upscaling and extensive stock graphics library. Their ‘Quick Store’ feature for US merchants, though limited, is a nice touch for beginners. However, it’s worth noting that CustomCat excels in production speed, which could be crucial for some sellers. Ultimately, Printful’s comprehensive feature set makes it my top choice for most users looking for a versatile POD platform.
CustomCat and Printful are similar in a lot of ways. They both offer a wide range of customizable products, and global fulfillment. However, Printful does offer a few extra services, such as support with design, a “quick stores” generator (for US merchants) and global warehousing. I also love its design tools, as well as its commitment to creating high-quality products.
CustomCat has excellent marketing tools, such as the ability to capture customer data and split-test campaigns. It offers fewer product options overall, but more unique choices, like indoor doormats, vegan leather patch hats, and enamel camping mugs. It also has a great reputation for fast turnaround times, but you will have to wait longer for delivery outside of the US.
Product Options and Customization
Printful has a slightly wider range of products to choose from, boasting over 340 customizable items. CustomCat offers slightly over 300 items, but it’s constantly adding new options to the mix, like the vegan leather patch hats mentioned above. Both companies offer similar profitable options like custom apparel, accessories, and home décor.
They also both offer a range of eco-friendly and sustainable products. Where Printful has the biggest edge, in my opinion, is in its customization options. CustomCat offers Digisoft, embroidery, and dye sublimation. Printful offers all of those, as well as DTF, and all-over printing.
I do think the Digisoft option from CustomCat is excellent, combining the benefits of DTF and DTG. However, Printful’s design tools are a little better in my experience. While CustomCat’s design tools are very easy to use, Printful has some unique features, like AI solutions to upscale your images, and a wide range of customizable stock images and graphics to use.
It’s a tough call, but Printful is slightly better for product options and customization in my opinion.
Product Quality and Production Time
Printful definitely takes the lead in terms of product quality. That doesn’t mean you’ll get poor quality from CustomCat (in fact, they have an excellent reputation for excellent printing). However, Printful uses higher quality materials, inks, and machinery. The company is known worldwide for delivering some of the best prints in the POD market, with a 99% customer satisfaction rate.
One thing CustomCat does do slightly better, is promise customers a 100% free replacement for any products they’re unhappy with, due to manufacturing faults. Additionally, because Printful uses more luxurious materials in its products, the base cost of its products are often slightly higher, making it tougher to earn a consistent profit with this platform.
Plus, CustomCat outperforms Printful in production time. Printful needs around 2-5 business days to complete an order, while CustomCat can finish orders in 3 days or less.
Fulfillment and Sales Channels
Both CustomCat and Printful offer global fulfillment, although CustomCat does offer faster shipping times to US customers (though I did notice international fulfillment is a bit more variable). On average, if your customers are in the US, they can receive their orders in 3 days. Alternatively, Printful’s delivery times can range from 5 to 10 days.
If you’re shipping internationally, customers can wait up to 28 days from a delivery from CustomCat, or up to 20 days for Printful. So, I’d recommend considering whether most of your customers are local, or international, before making your choice.
Notably, Printful does offer a wider range of sales channels than CustomCat. There are more than 20 ecommerce partners, marketplaces, and social media channels to choose from with Printful, including all my favorites, like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon. CustomCat only integrates directly with four partners, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Etsy.
Both companies offer an API, but Printful also offers the option to create your own custom “Quick Store”, so you can sell online via a custom link and basic storefront.
This storefront is very straightforward, and you can’t customize it much. Plus, it’s only currently available to US sellers with exclusively US-based customers – but it’s a nice option for beginners in the POD market.
Best for Ease of Use and Customer Support: Printful
Printful wins for customer support. While CustomCat offers phone support and is responsive during business hours, Printful’s 24/7 availability is a major advantage. As someone who’s extensively used both platforms, I find Printful’s constant support crucial for global operations. Both have great self-help resources, but Printful’s round-the-clock assistance gives it the edge for sellers needing support at any hour.
I find Printful slightly more user-friendly overall. Its design tools are more intuitive, and the dashboard is cleaner, which I appreciate as a frequent user.
While CustomCat isn’t far behind and offers robust marketing and reporting tools, Printful’s streamlined interface makes it my top pick for ease of use, especially for newcomers to print-on-demand services.
I didn’t have any trouble experimenting with Printful or CustomCat when conducting this review. They’re both extremely easy-to-use platforms, ideal for beginners. Printful’s design tools are a bit more intuitive, and the dashboard is a little cleaner.
However, CustomCat has slightly more robust tools for marketing and tracking reports.
In terms of customer support, both companies have some great self-help resources. I’ve spent hours browsing through their blogs, FAQs, and guides.
Still, CustomCat is more responsive if you need direct assistance, as they offer a direct phone line to certain sellers (in the US and Vietnam), whereas Printful doesn’t. Both companies do offer email and live chat support, however.
I should note though, CustomCat only offers support from 8am to 6:30pm EST, while Printful promises 24/7 support.
Best for Pricing: Printful
I’ve evaluated both platforms closely, and I’m choosing Printful as the winner for pricing. While their base prices are generally higher, I find Printful’s Growth membership offers valuable discounts that can offset this, especially for businesses scaling up. The 20% off sample orders is a standout feature for me, allowing for cost-effective product testing.
For sellers earning over $12k annually, the free access to these discounts is particularly appealing. In my experience, Printful’s pricing structure, though initially seeming more expensive, can provide better long-term value for growing businesses looking to balance quality with cost.
Like many of the POD solutions I’ve tried, both CustomCat and Printful offer a free plan, which give you access to all the features you need to launch your online store. However, you can choose to upgrade to a paid account with both platforms.
CustomCat Pro, for $25 (annually) or $30 per month, gives you 20-40% off all of the company’s standard wholesale prices, making it a great option for large-scale sellers. Printful’s Growth membership, available for free to users earning more than $12k per year, or for $24.99 per month offers access to various discounts, like up to 30% off certain products, 7% off branding, and so on.
There’s also a Business plan, which is only available to companies earning more than $60k per year, but comes with extra discounts. However, Printful’s products are typically more expensive than those on CustomCat. For instance, if you wanted to order a men’s t-shirt from CustomCat, you’d pay between $5.50 and $29.95 depending on the product features.
With CustomCat, the same types of shirts would cost between $6.95 and $29.95, so you might struggle to achieve the same profit margin. One good thing about Printful is that it offers 20% off sample orders – but CustomCat doesn’t.
CustomCat vs Printful: The Verdict
Ultimately, Printful is my favorite option for companies that want to sell a wide range of highly customizable products worldwide. The company offers superior product quality, fantastic design tools, and access to a wider range of integrations.
However, CustomCat may be a slightly cheaper option (based on core product costs), and it does offer faster turnaround times for US customers. The right option for you will depend on your expectations and business goals, but both platforms are great for POD sellers.
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CustomCat and Printful are two reliable, and popular print on demand companies. While CustomCat is a veteran in the POD industry, with more than 20 years of experience, Printful is one of my favorite platforms, thanks to its consistently excellent…
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Amazon’s Foray into Entertainment: From Prime Video to MGM Acquisition
Amazon’s journey from a humble online bookstore to one of the world’s most powerful companies is a well-known story. However, its foray into the entertainment industry, which began with the launch of Amazon Prime Video and culminated in the acquisition of MGM, is a compelling narrative that illustrates the company’s ambition to become a dominant force in every aspect of modern life. This article delves into Amazon’s entertainment strategy, exploring how it has evolved, the significance of key milestones like the MGM acquisition, and the broader implications for the entertainment industry.
The Genesis of Amazon Prime Video
Amazon’s entry into the entertainment sector was a calculated move, born from a desire to enhance its ecosystem and drive customer loyalty. The launch of Amazon Prime Video in 2006 was initially part of the Amazon Prime subscription service, which offered members faster shipping for an annual fee. The addition of streaming video content was a strategic decision aimed at increasing the value proposition of Prime membership, thereby encouraging more customers to sign up and stay within the Amazon ecosystem.
At its inception, Prime Video was a relatively modest offering, featuring a limited library of licensed films and TV shows. However, Amazon quickly recognized the potential of the streaming industry, especially as competitors like Netflix and Hulu were gaining traction. The company began to invest heavily in acquiring more content and, crucially, in producing its own original programming.
The Rise of Amazon Studios
The establishment of Amazon Studios in 2010 marked a significant turning point in the company’s entertainment strategy. Initially, Amazon Studios took an unconventional approach to content development by inviting aspiring filmmakers and writers to submit scripts and project ideas. This crowdsourcing model was innovative but ultimately unsustainable, leading Amazon to pivot toward a more traditional production model.
In 2013, Amazon Studios made its first major splash with the release of Alpha House and Betas, two original series that were well-received but did not achieve widespread popularity. The real breakthrough came in 2014 with Transparent, a drama series that received critical acclaim and won multiple awards, including a Golden Globe. Transparent established Amazon as a serious player in original content production, paving the way for future successes like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Fleabag, and The Boys.
Amazon’s investment in original content has been substantial, with billions of dollars poured into production each year. The company’s willingness to spend big on high-quality programming reflects its commitment to becoming a leader in the entertainment space. However, content production is only one piece of Amazon’s broader entertainment strategy.
The Acquisition of MGM: A Game-Changing Move
Amazon’s $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM in 2021 was a bold and significant step in its entertainment journey. MGM, one of Hollywood’s most iconic studios, boasts a vast library of content, including the James Bond franchise, Rocky, The Handmaid’s Tale, and thousands of other films and TV shows. The acquisition was not just about adding content to Prime Video’s library but also about gaining valuable intellectual property (IP) that could be leveraged across Amazon’s various platforms.
For Amazon, the MGM acquisition provided a treasure trove of content that could be used to attract new subscribers, retain existing ones, and compete more effectively with other streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. The move also underscored Amazon’s broader strategy of integrating its entertainment offerings with its other services, creating a seamless ecosystem that keeps customers engaged and loyal.
The acquisition was met with a mixed response from industry analysts. Some viewed it as a savvy move that would strengthen Amazon’s position in the highly competitive streaming market. Others, however, questioned whether the price tag was justified, especially given the challenges of integrating a traditional studio like MGM into Amazon’s tech-driven corporate culture.
The Broader Implications for the Entertainment Industry
Amazon’s aggressive push into entertainment has had significant implications for the broader industry. The company’s deep pockets and willingness to spend have forced traditional studios and other streaming platforms to rethink their strategies. The rise of streaming has already disrupted the traditional film and television business models, and Amazon’s entry into the space has accelerated this transformation.
One of the most notable impacts has been the escalating “streaming wars,” where companies are competing fiercely for content and subscribers. Amazon’s willingness to invest in original content and its acquisition of MGM have raised the stakes, prompting other companies to make similar moves. Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox and WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery are examples of how traditional media companies are consolidating to better compete in the new landscape.
Moreover, Amazon’s integration of entertainment with its broader ecosystem—ranging from e-commerce to cloud computing—represents a unique approach that other companies are beginning to emulate. The ability to cross-promote content across multiple platforms, offer exclusive deals to Prime members, and leverage data analytics to tailor content to individual preferences gives Amazon a competitive edge that few can match.
However, Amazon’s growing influence in entertainment has also raised concerns. Critics argue that the company’s dominance in multiple sectors, including retail, cloud computing, and now entertainment, could lead to antitrust issues. There are fears that Amazon’s expansion into entertainment could stifle competition, reduce diversity in content, and concentrate too much power in the hands of a single corporation.
The Future of Amazon in Entertainment
Looking ahead, Amazon shows no signs of slowing down its push into entertainment. The company continues to invest heavily in original content, with upcoming projects like the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings series, which reportedly cost over $1 billion to produce. Amazon is also exploring new ways to integrate its entertainment offerings with its other services, such as bundling Prime Video with other Amazon subscriptions and offering exclusive content for Alexa-enabled devices.
Additionally, the MGM acquisition opens up new possibilities for Amazon to expand its content offerings, including potential reboots, spin-offs, and new franchises based on MGM’s extensive library. The acquisition also positions Amazon to be a major player in the licensing and distribution of content, giving it more leverage in negotiations with other studios and platforms.
In conclusion, Amazon’s foray into entertainment, from the launch of Prime Video to the acquisition of MGM, is a testament to the company’s ambition and vision. By investing in original content, acquiring valuable IP, and integrating its entertainment offerings with its broader ecosystem, Amazon has positioned itself as a formidable player in the entertainment industry. As the streaming wars continue to heat up, Amazon’s role in shaping the future of entertainment will be one to watch closely.
