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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 | Printful | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Not stated |
| 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.
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Print on demand merch with no inventory to buy
Printful prints and ships when an order comes in, so nothing sits in your hallway. Quality is dependable and the catalogue is wide. Margins are thin unless you price above what feels comfortable.
Our note
The margin is the thing to check before designing anything. Work out the per-item cost and what you would honestly pay for the shirt yourself, because print on demand is where a lot of creators discover their audience will not pay $35 for a tee.
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.