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E-Commerce · head to head

Big Cartel vs Printful

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-Commerce

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Printful logo

Printful

E-Commerce

Print on demand dropshipping service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Big Cartel and Printful differ
AttributeBig CartelPrintful
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 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

  • E-commerce store creationnot Printful
  • Physical and digital product salesnot Printful

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

Free
  • GoldFree
    • Free tier with limited features
  • Platinum$15/month
    • Custom domains
    • Physical and digital product sales
    • Shipping label printing
  • Diamond$30/month
    • All Platinum features plus abandoned cart recovery
    • Product drop scheduling
    • Password-protected products

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 Big Cartel if

  • You want to start without paying.
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 Free 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?
Big Cartel starts at Free and Printful at Free.
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 Big Cartel for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Big Cartel best used for?
Big Cartel is most often used for e-commerce store creation, physical and digital product sales. Of those, e-commerce store creation and physical and digital product sales are not what Printful is typically brought in for.
What can Big Cartel do that Printful cannot?
Printful covers Print on demand, Custom products, Dropshipping, Automated fulfillment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Big Cartel: How much does Big Cartel cost?

Big Cartel offers a free Gold plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $15 per month for Platinum and $30 per month for Diamond. Both paid plans include a 7-day free trial and have no commitment.

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
Big Cartel: What features does the Diamond plan add?

The Diamond plan at $30 per month adds abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling, password-protected products, Zapier integration with 7,000+ apps, and priority human support compared to Platinum.

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
Big Cartel: Can I cancel Big Cartel anytime?

Yes, Big Cartel explicitly offers no commitment and allows cancellation anytime on paid tiers.

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
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