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E-Commerce · head to head

Authorize.net vs Printful

Authorize.net logo

Authorize.net

E-Commerce

We help make it easy to get paid

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Printful logo

Printful

E-Commerce

Print on demand dropshipping service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Printful has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, higher than Gateway-only rate of 10¢ + batch fee; Printful the Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and Printful actually diverge.

Attributes where Authorize.net and Printful differ
AttributeAuthorize.netPrintful
Starting price$25/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authorize.net

Nothing recorded that Printful does not also cover.

Only in Printful

  • Print on demand
  • Custom products
  • Dropshipping
  • Automated fulfillment
  • Quality control
  • Inventory sync
  • Bulk orders
  • Designer tool

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Authorize.net

  • E-commerce payment processingnot Printful
  • Recurring billing and subscription managementnot Printful
  • Multi-channel payment acceptancenot Printful

Printful

  • Print on demand fulfilment for apparel and merchandisenot Authorize.net
  • Attaching a fulfilment backend to an existing online storenot Authorize.net

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authorize.net

  • All-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, higher than Gateway-only rate of 10¢ + batch fee
  • Gateway + eCheck plan limited to U.S.-based businesses only
  • eCheck processing includes $10 minimum monthly fee on Gateway + eCheck plan
  • Chargeback fees apply: $0 for standard processing but $25 for eCheck chargebacks

Printful

  • The Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales
  • Product discounts of up to 33% are tied to that paid plan, so the lowest unit costs are unavailable to small sellers
  • The free plan allows one sample order a month, capped at 3 items
  • Shipping and taxes are calculated separately from the quoted product price

Pricing, plan by plan

Authorize.net

$25/month
  • All-in-One$25/month
    • Merchant account and payment gateway
    • Transaction rate 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
    • Multiple payment types (cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
  • Gateway Only$25/month
    • Payment gateway only
    • For existing merchant account holders
    • Transaction rate 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee
  • Gateway + eCheck$25/month
    • Payment gateway with eCheck support
    • eCheck rate 0.75% per transaction
    • Credit card rate 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee

Printful

Free
  • Free PlanFree
    • Access to 548 custom products
    • Unlimited stores
    • 10 Quick Stores
  • Growth Plan$24.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Up to 33% off product pricing
    • 9% off branding
  • Growth Plan (Alternative)Free
    • Free at $12K/year in sales
  • Enterprise Plan$null/month
    • All Growth features
    • Dedicated Success Manager
    • Custom solutions

Which should you pick?

Choose Authorize.net if

Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Printful on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Authorize.net review

Choose Printful if

  • You need print on demand.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want custom products.
Printful review

Questions people ask

Is Authorize.net or Printful better?
Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net starts at $25/month and Printful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authorize.net or Printful?
Printful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for Authorize.net and Free for Printful.
Does Authorize.net or Printful run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Printful for free?
Yes. Printful has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Authorize.net starts at $25/month.
What is Authorize.net best used for?
Authorize.net is most often used for e-commerce payment processing, recurring billing and subscription management, multi-channel payment acceptance. Of those, e-commerce payment processing and recurring billing and subscription management are not what Printful is typically brought in for.
What can Authorize.net do that Printful cannot?
Printful covers Print on demand, Custom products, Dropshipping, Automated fulfillment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Authorize.net: How much does Authorize.net cost?

Authorize.net charges a $25/month gateway fee across all plans. Transaction rates vary: All-in-One plan charges 2.9% + 30¢ per card transaction, Gateway-only plan charges 10¢ per transaction + 10¢ daily batch fee, and Gateway + eCheck charges 0.75% for eCheck or 10¢ + 10¢ batch for credit cards.

Source
Printful: Does Printful have a free plan?

Yes, Printful offers a free plan with access to 548 custom products, unlimited stores, 10 Quick Stores, free design tools, and 24/7 support. Subscribers get 20% off sample orders.

Source
Authorize.net: Are there any setup or termination fees?

No setup fee or early termination fee applies to any Authorize.net plan. You can cancel your account without penalty once service usage stops.

Source
Printful: How much does Printful's Growth plan cost?

Printful's Growth plan costs $24.99 per month, or is free if you reach $12,000 in annual sales. It includes up to 33% off product pricing, 9% off branding, and 25% off sample orders.

Source
Authorize.net: What are the additional fees beyond the monthly gateway charge?

Beyond the $25/month fee, additional charges include Account Updater service at $0.25 per update, standard chargeback fees at $0 (but $25 for eCheck chargebacks), and returned item fee of $3 for eCheck payments. eCheck processing includes a $10 minimum monthly fee.

Source
Printful: Does Printful charge for shipping and taxes?

Yes, product pricing includes the blank item, one design placement, and fulfillment. Shipping varies by product type, order size, and destination. Taxes are based on customer location. Additional charges apply for extra print placements ($0.99-$2.49 per label), embroidery digitization ($2.95-$6.50), and premium images ($1 per use).

Source
Authorize.net: What payment types does Authorize.net accept?

Authorize.net accepts credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and eCheck payments (Gateway + eCheck plan and higher). All plans include automated recurring billing, customer information manager, digital invoicing, and advanced fraud detection.

Source
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