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E-Commerce · head to head

Printful vs Retail Pro

Printful logo

Printful

E-Commerce

Print on demand dropshipping service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Retail Pro logo

Retail Pro

E-Commerce

Comprehensive retail management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Printful has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Printful the Growth plan is $24.99 a month and only becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales; Retail Pro pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • They diverge on capability: Printful covers Print on demand, Retail Pro covers Point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Printful and Retail Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Printful and Retail Pro differ
AttributePrintfulRetail Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Windows
Founded20131988

Identical on both: 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 Printful

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

Only in Retail Pro

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Customer database
  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics
  • Promotion management
  • Multi-store support
  • Reporting tools

What people use each for

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

Printful

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

Retail Pro

  • Multi-location retail POS operations (1 to 250+ stores)not Printful
  • Inventory management with serialized product trackingnot Printful
  • Customer loyalty programs via AppCard integrationnot Printful

Where each one falls short

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

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

Retail Pro

  • Pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • No published technical requirements or system specifications
  • International deployment requires fiscal/tax compliance consultation per region

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Retail Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Retail Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Printful if

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

Choose Retail Pro if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want inventory management.
Retail Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Printful or Retail Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Printful starts at Free and Retail Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Printful or Retail Pro?
Printful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Printful and On request for Retail Pro.
Does Printful or Retail Pro run on more platforms?
Printful runs on Web. Retail Pro runs on iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use Printful for free?
Yes. Printful has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Retail Pro starts at On request.
What is Printful best used for?
Printful is most often used for print on demand fulfilment for apparel and merchandise, attaching a fulfilment backend to an existing online store. Of those, print on demand fulfilment for apparel and merchandise and attaching a fulfilment backend to an existing online store are not what Retail Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Printful do that Retail Pro cannot?
Printful covers Print on demand, Custom products, Dropshipping, Automated fulfillment. Retail Pro covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer database, Employee management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Retail Pro: How much does Retail Pro cost?

Retail Pro does not publish specific pricing on its website. The company describes a 'Pay As You Grow' model but directs interested retailers to request a consultation or brochure to obtain actual pricing quotes customized to their business needs.

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
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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