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Software · head to head

Big Cartel vs Printful

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

Software

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Printful logo

Printful

Software

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: Big Cartel custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature; Printful the Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and Printful actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and Printful differ
AttributeBig CartelPrintful
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2013

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

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 Big Cartel

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.

Big Cartel

No use cases recorded yet. See the Big Cartel review.

Printful

  • Print on demand fulfilment for apparel and merchandisenot Big Cartel
  • Attaching a fulfilment backend to an existing online storenot Big Cartel

Where each one falls short

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

Big Cartel

  • Custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature
  • Abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling and Zapier integration are restricted to the top Diamond tier at $30/month
  • Platinum's paid billing starts automatically after a 7-day free trial rather than requiring an active opt-in to convert

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

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

Printful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited integrations
    • Basic dashboard
    • Order fulfillment

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

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

Big Cartel 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 Big Cartel or Printful better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and Printful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or Printful?
Printful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Big Cartel and Free for Printful.
Does Big Cartel 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. Big Cartel starts at On request.
What can Big Cartel do that Printful cannot?
Printful covers Print on demand, Custom products, Dropshipping, Automated fulfillment.
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