Growing an audience
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Both cover merch & print on demand. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
| Blurb | Gelato | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $3.99 | Free |
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Billing | One-time purchase | Usage-based |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Yes | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | Not stated | None |
| Runs on | Web, macOS, Windows | Web |
| Covers | Self-Publishing, Merch & Print on Demand | Merch & Print on Demand, Digital Products & Storefronts |
| Works with | Nothing in particular | Nothing in particular |
| Founded | Not listed | Not listed |
| Reader rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
| Live deals | None right now | None right now |
Print books and magazines one copy at a time
Blurb prints a single copy as readily as a hundred, which is what makes a photo book, a zine or a portfolio possible without an inventory. Layout happens in its own tools or in InDesign through a plugin. Paper stock and trim size move the unit price a long way, so the calculator is worth opening before the design is finished.
Our note
Paper stock moves the price further than page count does, with the same photo book running from $32 to $70. Work out the real cost at the binding you want before setting it against Lulu. The $12 headline is the cheapest possible configuration.
Only on this side
Print on demand with local production
Gelato routes each order to whichever of its partner printers sits nearest the buyer, so a shirt ordered in Berlin is made in Germany rather than shipped from Ohio. Delivery is faster and the carbon story is better. Its catalogue is narrower than Printful's, and the subscription that carries the real discounts is a separate cost.
Only on this side
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.