The Best Print-On-Demand Companies In Canada (2024 Comparison)

The Best Print-On-Demand Companies In CanadaPin

Looking for the best print-on-demand companies in Canada? You’re in the right place.

There are tons of print-on-demand companies, but not all have fulfillment centers in Canada. This matters because domestic production and shipping mean faster deliveries and lower costs.

In this post, we’ll only be looking at print-on-demand companies that are based in or have printing facilities in Canada, so you can be sure you’re getting the best fulfillment rates and fastest shipping times so you can start your print-on-demand business in no time!

We’ll review each of them in-depth and explore their pros, cons, pricing, and more. 

The best print-on-demand companies in Canada – summary

TL;DR:

1. Sellfy – The best print-on-demand company for sellers who don’t already have an ecommerce store. An all-in-one ecommerce platform with built-in print-on-demand fulfillment and partner facilities in Toronto.

2. Gelato – The best print-on-demand fulfillment company in terms of quality and support. Integrate your existing store and secure large shipping discounts with a subscription plan. Local fulfillment via multiple distribution centres in Canada and over 32 other countries.

3. Printful – The best print-on-demand company in terms of choice of products. Excellent quality. Like Gelato, you can integrate your existing store (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.)


#1 – Sellfy

Sellfy is our top pick for the best print-on-demand company that caters to the Canadian market. It’s a complete ecommerce platform with print-on-demand functionality. So you can use it to build your online store and sell print-on-demand products through it.

Sellfy HomepagePin

Sellfy is unique on this list in that it’s the only print-on-demand company that’s also an ecommerce store builder. 

Setting up your own print-on-demand business is easy, here’s how it works:

First, you can sign up for a free trial with Sellfy and start creating your online store. Once your website’s all set up, you can use the built-in print-on-demand feature to upload your designs to products in Sellfy’s catalog and create your own custom merchandise, then add them to your store in a few clicks.

When a customer purchases a POD product, Sellfy prints and ships it for you. They also handle taxes (if you’ve set it up correctly) and everything else involved in product fulfillment. You only pay Sellfy for the base product cost after the customer makes a purchase from you, so there are no upfront costs.

And you get to choose how much you want to add to the base costs when setting your product prices, which means you’re in control over your profit margins. 

There are tons of products you can sell through Sellfy. Their POD catalog includes t-shirts, mugs, bags, phone cases, stickers, posters, hoodies, and a lot more. There are lots of customization options available. Depending on the product, you may be able to choose your own labels, graphics, text, color, size, and even add custom embroidery

Plus, you’re not limited to POD products. You can also sell digital downloads and physical products through your Sellfy store if you want to—it’s up to you. Because you’re selling through your own store, rather than a third-party marketplace, you have complete control.

The downside of selling through your own store is that there’s no existing customer base to tap into (like you’d get if you were selling through an online marketplace). As such, you have to drive your own sales. Fortunately, Sellfy provides users with various marketing features to help with this, like built-in email marketing and upsell tools.

Sellfy outsources print-on-demand production to its partner facilities. These facilities are spread out across different locations all over the world, including Toronto, Canada. 

The fulfillment partner used to produce any given order depends on where the end customer is. If you’re selling products to customers in Canada, Sellfy will select the closest partner to provide the fastest fulfillment.

Pros:

  • Full control over your storefront
  • Built-in marketing tools
  • Large POD product catalog to choose from
  • Sell any types of products (digital downloads, physical products, POD, etc.)

Cons:

  • Takes a while to get set up
  • You’ll have to drive your own traffic and sales

Pricing

Paid plans with higher limits and premium features start at $19/month. You can also try it out with a 14-day trial.

Sellfy offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

Read our Sellfy review.


#2 – Gelato

Gelato is a print-on-demand company with a large network of globally-distributed partner facilities, including 9 in Canada.

Gelato HomepagePin

To use Gelato, you’ll first need to connect it to your existing website/store. It integrates with all the leading platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, Etsy, eBay, etc.

Once you’ve done that, you can import your custom products from Gelato’s print-on-demand catalog to your store and start selling. They handle the fulfillment for you and you only pay for what you sell.

Gelato has partnered with over a hundred fulfillment centers in over 30 countries around the world, which allows them to offer local fulfillment on 90% of orders. Orders are printed and shipped from the nearest center to the customer to ensure the fastest possible shipping at the lowest cost.

But it’s not just the fast shipping that makes us like Gelato. It also gets top marks when it comes to quality. I ordered some products from Gelato recently and was super impressed with both the product materials and the print.

And there are plenty of products to choose from: Apparel, drinkware, calendars, cards, tote bags, wallpaper, wall art… you name it, they’ve probably got it.

Anyone can sell with Gelato thanks to their free forever plan. There are no monthly subscription costs so you’ll only pay for the product and fulfillment on each of your sales. And there are no minimum order quantities either.

Pros

  • Fast shipping times
  • Covers over 30 countries including 9 in Canada
  • Great support
  • Excellent product quality thanks to strong vetting process for production partners
  • Lots of supported integrations

Cons

  • Shipping discounts only available to paid subscribers
  • Stock images aren’t available on the free plan

Pricing

Gelato has a free forever plan. Paid plans with premium benefits and shipping discounts start from $14.99/month.


#3 – Printful

Printful is a company that offers on-demand product printing and fulfillment services. It’s a great choice for artists and businesses in Canada who already have their own online store.

Printful HomepagePin

You can connect Printful to your store in a few clicks. It natively integrates with WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, and other popular platforms.

Once you’ve done that, you can use the built-in Design Maker to create designs, then upload them to your chosen products, and add them to your store. There are tons of products you can customize and sell with Printful, including apparel such as t-shirts and joggers, bags, tech accessories, wall art, pillows, etc.

As orders come in, the details are automatically sent to Printful and they take care of all the printing, packaging, and shipping for you, then charge you for the base product and fulfillment. 

The company has a globally-distributed network of dedicated fulfillment centers, including at least one facility in Canada. And what’s great is that Printful owns all its fulfillment centers (it doesn’t outsource to any third-party printing providers), so the quality of prints tends to be consistently very good.

For an additional fee, you can also take advantage of Printful’s white-label offering to add your own branding to the product packaging and inside labels.

Pros:

  • Very reliable with consistently high-quality prints
  • Easy integrations with all the major ecommerce platforms
  • White-label fulfillment
  • Globally-distributed fulfillment centers including Canada

Cons:

  • Prices are not as competitive as some other providers
  • Must have an existing online store

Pricing

You can get started with the free plan. Free Printful users have no monthly fees but are charged for the base product cost and fulfillment after each sale.


#4 – Printify

Printify is another print-on-demand fulfillment company that connects to your existing store. It has fulfillment centers in Canada and all around the world.

Printify HomepagePin

Printify stands alongside Printful as one of the most well-known print-on-demand companies. The two are very similar, but Printify stands out for its cheaper printing costs.

Printify works with a network of globally-distributed third-party printing providers, including local Canadian print providers. Because it doesn’t own these printing facilities like Printful does, the quality can vary considerably depending on the provider used.

However, this is also why Printify is able to offer cheaper printing costs. All the providers in its network have to compete for your business, which keeps prices competitive.

Printify integrates natively with all the main ecommerce platforms via plugins and apps, so it’s easy to connect it to your website. From there, you can customize products in Printify’s extensive catalog and start selling. You’ll only be charged for fulfillment after you make a sale.

Pros:

  • Very competitive product prices
  • Easy integration with your website
  • Huge product catalog
  • Good design tools

Cons:

  • Printing quality varies depending on the fulfillment provider

Pricing

It’s free to sign up for a Printify account. You’ll be charged for fulfillment and the base product cost when you make a sale. Free users are limited to 5 stores. Paid plans with higher limits and product discounts start at $24.99/month.


#5 – Redbubble

Redbubble is the largest print-on-demand marketplace in the world. 34 million shoppers go there every month to buy t-shirts, drinkware, homeware, accessories, and other products designed by independent artists.

Redbubble HomepagePin

Redbubble is different from the other print-on-demand companies we’ve looked at so far in that it doesn’t allow you to sell merchandise from your own store.

Rather, it lets you open a shop on the Redbubble marketplace and sell your designs to their existing customer base.

There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The good thing about selling on marketplaces is that you don’t have to invest a lot of time or money into driving traffic to your store. Redbubble already gets millions of visitors every day, and many of these visitors will find your products on their own as they’re browsing the marketplace.

Another great thing about selling on marketplaces is that it’s easy. You don’t have to build your own store from scratch. Just create a shop, add your designs to products, and wait for the sales to roll in.

When you make sales, Redbubble handles the fulfillment for you. Like Printify, they use a network of third-party printing providers spread over the world, including in Canada.

Most of the time, orders are produced and shipped from the same country as the delivery address. However, there are a few products that always come from specialized printers in the US.

The drawback of selling on Redbubble is that you don’t have as much control over the way your shop looks and feels. Profit margins also tend to be lower, and it can be tough to build your own brand. Plus, there’s lots of competition on Redbubble, so it can be hard for your designs to get noticed.

Pros:

  • Huge existing customer base to tap into
  • Easy to set up your shop and start selling
  • Great for beginners
  • No need to drive your own traffic

Cons:

  • Can be very competitive
  • Not as much control as selling through your own website
  • Base fees for production/shipping + additional account fees taken directly from your profit (applies to standard plans)

Pricing

It’s free to sell on Redbubble. There are no upfront costs or monthly fees but you’ll be billed for the base cost of the product after each sale. And you’ll be charged an account fee that will be taken directly from your profit.

This applies to standard plans only but Redbubble are vague about the requirements of moving to a higher account tier. Essentially, you have to wait till they invite you to a higher tier.


#6 – Teehatch

Teehatch is a Canadian print-on-demand fulfillment provider with two production facilities in the country. It specializes in t-shirts but also offers other clothing products and accessories including hats, masks, and aprons.

Teehatch HomepagePin

Unlike the other print-on-demand providers we’ve looked at so far, Teehatch doesn’t have a global network of fulfillment centers. It’s completely based in Canada, with two facilities strategically placed on the east (Vancouver) and west coast (Toronto), which gives you easy access to both the US and Canada markets.

If you sell to customers in the US, they drive the packages across the border and ship them through US carriers so that they can avoid custom delays and duties.

You can connect Teehatch to your store via their Shopify app, or the API. When an order comes through, it’ll automatically be sent to Teehatch for the fulfillment, and they’ll send shipping notifications directly to your customer for you. 

The company offers both printing and embroidery, and there are no minimum order quantities. Turnaround times are okay, but not as fast as we’d have liked. It takes 3-7 business days to print and 1-5 days to ship orders.

Pros:

  • Embroidery supported
  • Easy access to both US and Canada markets
  • Fast shipping
  • High-quality apparel and accessories
  • API integration available

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer print samples
  • No global fulfillment centers outside of Canada

Pricing

It’s free to sign up for Teehatch. You’ll pay the base cost of the item and shipping only after the customer purchases it.


#7 – Art Of Where

Art Of Where is another Canadian print-on-demand company. They stand up for their high-quality prints, extensive made-in-Canada product line, and excellent design tools.

Art Of Where HomepagePin

Art Of Where doubles up as both a marketplace (like Redbubble) and a fulfillment provider (like Printful). You can sell directly through the online marketplace or connect it up to your existing store via native integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, Big Cartel, and more.

They offer both cut-and-sew print manufacturing and DTG printing, and a good variety of products, including apparel, accessories, wall art, bags, fabrics, home decor, etc.

One of the coolest things about Art Of Where is its built-in design tools. The 3D product Design Lab makes it easy to create realistic 3D previews of your store listings, so you can see what the finished product will really look like once you add your designs.

Another thing we like about Art Of Where is its focus on quality. All products are manufactured in-house at their Canada-based fulfillment center and undergo a rigorous 3-step quality control process before they’re shipped to your customers.

Pros:

  • Excellent 3D design tool
  • Very high-quality products
  • Sell through the marketplace or your own store
  • Good variety of products

Cons:

  • The marketplace is not as popular as competitors like Redbubble
  • 3D product previews load slowly

Pricing

It’s free to sell on Art Of Where. They earn their money by taking a cut of your revenue. Sellers earn a flat 25% commission on product sales.


#8 – Fine Art America

Fine Art America is a print-on-demand marketplace best known for its art prints. It’s the best print-on-demand company for artists and businesses that plan to focus on digital printing products such as canvases and posters to the Canadian market.

Fine Art America HomepagePin

Fine Art America has a huge print-on-demand fulfillment network and works with over 16 third-party production centers. Those centers are spread over various countries (including one in Ontario, Canada) and orders are routed to the nearest one to the delivery destination.

Available products vary between manufacturing centers. The Canada fulfillment center offers four product types: canvas prints, framed prints, regular prints, and posters. However, there are many more options available in the US centers, including metal prints, phone cases, shower curtains, tote bags, mugs, t-shirts etc.

Fine Art America doesn’t get as much traffic as Redbubble, but it’s also less competitive, so you can make a lot of sales as long as the product-market fit is right.

It’s also very easy to upload your designs on Fine Art America. The design tools are intuitive and there are lots of product customization options.

Pros:

  • Great selection of prints and frames
  • Sell globally with over 16 third-party production centers
  • Easy to get started with intuitive design tools
  • Existing customer base to tap into

Cons:

  • Not as popular as Redbubble
  • Made-in-Canada products limited to prints and posters (no apparel, drinkware, etc.)

Pricing

You can sell on Fine Art America for free and only pay the base product cost out of your sales earnings. Paid plans with premium features are available for $30/year.


#9 – Print Geek

Print Geek is a Canadian-based print-on-demand company with a fulfillment and distribution factory in Toronto.

Print Geek HomepagePin

Interestingly, Print Geek is one of the third-party printing providers that Printify uses. But you can cut out the middleman and go through them directly.

They offer DTG printing using Kornit Digital printers and fully biodegradable, non-toxic neo pigment inks. These inks and the waterless printing process they use make Print Geek an eco-friendly print provider.

They also have a rigorous 4-stage quality control process, which ensures consistent quality. Print Geek’s product catalog includes a wide range of apparel from leading brands like Gildan and Bella+Canvas, wall art, cell phone cases, coffee mugs, and more.

Like other fulfillment services, you can connect Print Geek to your existing store for automated on-demand fulfillment, with no minimum order quantities. When an order comes in, Print Geek will manufacture it in their Toronto center and ship it at the best price via their network of shipping partners.

Pros:

  • Eco-friendly printing process
  • High-quality products
  • Based in Canada
  • Low-cost, fast shipping

Cons:

  • No fulfillment centers outside of Canada (for international orders)

Pricing

Print Geek doesn’t provide pricing information on its website. You’ll need to contact them directly to discuss your requirements.


#10 – Slaite

Last but not least, we have Slaite—another Canada-based POD fulfillment provider that’s definitely worth checking out.

Slaite HomepagePin

Slaite’s product catalog is mostly apparel. You can sell T-shirts, hoodies, bottoms, jackets, masks, and hats. They’re high-quality and come from brands like Gildan, Stormtech, Fruit of the Loom, Bella+Canvas, and Yupoong. 

Unfortunately, if you wanted to sell non-apparel products like drinkware or homeware, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Slaite integrates with Shopify and Etsy, and the process of getting everything set up is straightforward. All you have to do is sign up, upload your designs to products, customize the style, color sizing, etc., set your prices, and add them to your store so you can start selling. Slaite automatically handles fulfillment as orders come in.

Slaite ships to North America, at a flat rate of CAD $6.24 (USD $4.99), which is pretty cheap. Products usually arrive in 1-5 business days.

Slaite also offers product samples. So if you want to make sure the quality is up-to-scratch before you start selling, you can order one through your account.

Pros:

  • High-quality apparel products
  • Easy Shopify integration
  • Product samples available
  • Flat rate shipping costs

Cons:

  • Limited product catalog (apparel- and accessories-only)
  • Limited integration (only Shopify & Etsy)

Pricing

It’s free to sign up for Slaite. You’ll only be charged for the base product cost and shipping after each sale.


Finding the best print-on-demand companies in Canada

If you’re an Artist, musician or an entrepreneur who wants to sell their designs and artistry through merchandise, creating your very own print-on-demand business will allow your creativity to spread not only throughout Canada but to the World.

As you can see, there are plenty of companies out there that provide local print-on-demand fulfillment services in Canada—but which one is the right choice for your business?

That’ll depend on what kinds of products you plan on selling, your marketing strategy, and other factors. But you can’t go wrong with any of our top three picks:

  • Sellfy is the best choice for beginners who want full control over their print-on-demand business. You can use it to build your ecommerce store from scratch, then start selling print-on-demand products in Canada and beyond.
  • Gelato is the best backend print-on-demand fulfillment service provider in terms of quality and support. Use it to sell print-on-demand products through your existing store with native integrations.
  • Printful is another popular POD fulfillment service that stands out for its selection of merchandise and quality.

Not only do these companies have fulfillment centers in Canada, they also have fulfillment centers around the globe. In locations such as USA, UK, Australia, Europe, and more.

If you want to use Printful or Printify but you don’t have your online store yet, you can build one with these powerful ecommerce platforms.

Plan on selling print-on-demand products through Etsy? Make sure you check these posts on Etsy SEO tips and Etsy POD platforms.


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