How to Start a Successful a POD Business in 2025

The eCommerce world is booming, and one business model that continues to gain incredible traction is print-on-demand (POD).

This business model allows you to create and sell custom-designed products without owning or managing an inventory. The best part? You don’t need to spend money to fulfill customer orders. 

Print-on-demand business is a dropshipping business model that allows you to work with a supplier that handles everything from designing and printing to packaging and shipping the product to your customer. 

So, if you’ve been dreaming of launching a business that doesn’t require inventory or upfront costs and takes minimal effort to set up, then POD might just be your golden ticket.

What is the print-on-demand business model?

The print-on-demand business model is exactly what it sounds like: products are printed as they’re ordered. Instead of stocking a warehouse full of items, you partner with a supplier who prints your designs onto products like t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, water bottles, journals, or phone cases and ships them directly to your customers.

This model eliminates overhead costs, like renting a space to set up your business or upfront inventory costs to manage stocks, making it an excellent choice for newbie entrepreneurs or any individual looking for a side hustle and having a low startup capital. 

Plus, it’s incredibly flexible. You can run your business from anywhere, and with the right niche, you can cater to a highly specific audience and maximize your profit margins. 

Here’s how print-on-demand works:

1. You create a unique design.
2. You decide what product your design will appear for.
3. Customers order a product featuring your design.
4. Your POD supplier receives the order 
5. Supplier prints your design on the product, 
6. Take care of the packaging and ship the product to your customer.

With this setup, you have less workload and can focus on marketing, branding, and growing your audience. 

It’s a hands-off way to run an eCommerce business—perfect for busy individuals looking for a side hustle.

Top 16 Best Print-on-Demand Services

1. Printful — Best alternative for Printify 

2. Printify — Best for expert and newbie merchants 

3. Teespring (Spring) — Best for fast product launch 

4. Redbubble — Best for artists and creatives 

5. Zazzle — Best for a wide selection of customizable products

6. Gooten — Best for newbies 

7. TeePublic —  Best for custom posters and apparel.  

8. CafePress — Best for various custom consumer products, including clothing, home decor, drinkware, etc. 

9. Spreadshirt — Great option for artists to monetize their designs and is best for custom clothing and accessories

10. Gelato — Best for sustainable products 

11. TeeLaunch — The best option for entrepreneurs looking to sell custom merch online 

12. Spreadconnect — Best for fast order fulfillment 

13. CustomCat — Best seller community 

14. Jet Print — Best for custom product variety, including watches, shoes, bags, and embroidered products

15. Lulu Press — Best for self-published print-on-demand books

16. Merch by Amazon — Best for entrepreneurs looking to sell custom merch on the Amazon marketplace 

How to start a print-on-demand business step-by-step

A print-on-demand business allows you to create personalized products, making it easier to stand out. The more appealing your design is, the more customers you’ll get. 

So, if you’ve been looking for an easy route to start a print-on-demand business, here are seven straightforward steps to start a POD business: 

Step 1: Choose a niche

The first step to starting a print-on-demand business is to choose a niche. A niche is a specific product category that appeals to a specific audience. 

Defining your niche has many benefits, including higher profit margins, less competition, and better-targeted marketing.  

So it’s important to choose a specific niche, as you don’t want to appeal to everyone as a beginner. 

If you’re unsure about what niche to choose, in that case, you can start with something you are passionate about or find a specific audience with a shared interest, like pet lovers, gamers, or fitness enthusiasts. 

Later, you can branch out to other categories as your customer base increases. 

Step 2: Conduct research

Once you’ve decided on your niche, you want to conduct product research to find profitable, in-demand product ideas you can sell. 

To do this, you can: 

• Research product trends: Use tools like Google Trends, Pinterest, or social media platforms like TikTok for trending hashtags to find in-demand products. 

• Analyze competition: Explore successful sellers on platforms like Etsy, Redbubble, or any other competitors in the platform and search for their best-selling products to study their designs and identify gaps or opportunities to stand out.

• Use keyword tools: Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, or Ubersuggest to find relevant high-volume, low-competition keywords that reveal what products people are actively looking for.

Step 3: Select a POD platform

Choosing the right print-on-demand (POD) platform is where things get exciting—and maybe a little overwhelming. I get it; there are a ton of options out there. But don’t overthink it. 

To choose the right OD platform for your business, you want to consider these factors:

• Product range:  You want to consider the types of products the POD service provides to make sure they align with your niche. 

• Printing methods: Another factor to consider is their printing techniques. You want to make sure the service providers use high-quality printing methods, as this can affect the quality and durability of your products.  

• Turnaround times: This is how fast the POD service provider produces and ships your product. Consider their turnaround times, as the faster the turnaround time, the quicker the delivery and the more satisfied customers you’re going to have. 

• Order fulfillment rates: You also want to consider the provider’s fulfillment rates and packaging options.  An affordable shipping rate and quality packaging can help improve your profit margins and attract more customers. 

• Fees and return policy: Check for the provider’s return policies or any hidden fees, as this can impact your profits and customer satisfaction. 

• Platform integration: Consider the provider’s integration platforms to ensure they can integrate with your e-commerce business platform. 

Step 4: Decide where to sell and set up your store 

Next, you want to decide where to sell your products. You can choose to sell on your eCommerce store or through an online marketplace.  

Platforms like Shopify or  WooCommerce provide you with prebuilt and customizable themes and templates to create your eCommerce store where you can freely sell custom-designed products online. 

If perhaps you’re looking to save costs and don’t have enough capital to set up and manage a website, you can opt for an online marketplace like Amazon or TikTok Shop, where you’ll need to create a seller account to sell custom products. 

It doesn’t matter where you decide to sell. Just make sure your choice of POD platform provides smooth integrations with the e-commerce platform or marketplace you decide to sell your products on. 

Once you’ve decided where you want to sell your products, you can now set up your store, setting essential features like payment gateways, shipping options, and customer service, and integrate your eCommerce store with your print-on-demand service provider. 

Step 5: Create unique designs

Creating attractive designs is an essential part of setting up your print-on-demand business and a crucial part of succeeding in the market. 

The designs on your products are what drive customers to purchase your item. But how do you create designs that stand out? 

It all starts with understanding your audience. Think about designs that will resonate with them—are they fans of bold, quirky humor, or do they prefer sleek, minimalist looks? 

Once you understand what your audience would like, you can sketch your ideas, even if they’re just rough drafts. 

If you lack inspiration and design skills, you can use tools like Canva to create designs. 

Canva provides pre-made designs that you can customize to your own liking without technical graphic design knowledge.  

You can also purchase ready-made designs from websites like Creative Fabrica, Creative Market, or Design Cuts if you’d like to save time. 

Or if you have an idea and would like professional-quality designs, you can consider hiring a freelance designer from platforms like Fiverr or Upwork. 

Before launching your products, you want to test your designs by sharing mockups with friends, niche communities, or group chats to get valuable feedback.

Step 6: Set your product price

Now is the time to set your prices, but before you slap a price tag on anything, you want to figure out how much it costs to produce and sell the product. 

Here are some costs you need to consider when setting product prices: 

• Base product cost: The price the POD platform charges for the item itself.

• Printing fees: Some platforms charge extra for certain designs or colors.

• Shipping fees: Don’t forget to factor in the shipping costs you’ll pay.

• Marketplace fees: Selling on Etsy, Amazon, or another platform? Know that they’ll take a percentage off of your sales.

You also want to take a look at what others in your niche are charging for similar products. 

Are their prices consistent, or do they vary? This step gives you a good idea of what customers are willing to pay for.

Once you have an idea of what your competitors are charging, you want to factor in profit margin.  How much do you want to make per sale?

• A common starting point is a 20-50% markup on your total costs.
• For premium products, like eco-friendly or personalized items, you can charge even more because people are willing to pay for added value.

You can also test different price points to see what works best using your sales data and reviewing customer feedback. 

Step 7: Create a marketing strategy

Launching a print-on-demand business is one thing—getting people to buy is another. Without a solid marketing strategy, your store will struggle to get customers and convert sales. You need to put your products in front of the right audience at the right time. 

Here’s how to get started: 

Define your target audience

Who’s going to buy your products? The better you understand your audience, the easier it is to sell to them. Ask yourself:

• What are their interests? 
• Where do they hang out online? 
• What desires do they have, and how can your designs help them achieve them? 

Once you nail down your audience, every marketing effort becomes easier and much more effective.

Optimize your store for conversions

Driving traffic is useless if your store isn’t built to convert. Before spending money on ads, make sure:

• Your product descriptions are clear, engaging, and SEO-friendly.
• Your product images and mockups look high-quality and professional.
• Include testimonials and reviews to build trust and increase conversions 
• Your pricing is just right
• Your checkout process is smooth and hassle-free.

People should visit your store and feel confident about hitting the “Buy Now” button without hesitation.

Leverage social media marketing

Social media is your best friend in the POD game. It’s free (mostly) and gets your brand in front of buyers. Here are some effective social media platforms to use:

• Instagram & Pinterest—Great for visual storytelling. Post product mockups, behind-the-scenes content, and user-generated photos.
• TikTok—short, engaging videos can make your products go viral. Show product use, funny skits, or quick design reveals.
• Facebook groups & Reddit—Join niche communities and provide value before promoting your products.
• Twitter (X) – Perfect for witty, engaging content if your brand has a strong personality.

Social media can help build your brand awareness by allowing you to engage and interact with your audience. You can reply to comments, join conversations, and interact with potential customers, helping you build good customer relationships and, as a result, boost your sales. 

Use SEO to attract organic traffic

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps people find your store organically through search engines. You want to optimize:

• Product titles & descriptions – Use keywords people search for 
• Blog content—Write about trending topics related to your niche, targeting low-competition, long-tail keywords to rank in the search results. 
• Image alt text—helps Google understand your product images.

SEO takes time but pays off in the long run when you’re doing things right. 

Run paid ads 

If you have some money to invest, paid ads can fast-track your growth. You can use: 

• Facebook & Instagram Ads—targeting buyers with specific interests, behaviors, and demographics.
• Google Ads— to attract people already searching for products like yours to your website.
• TikTok Ads—Great for reaching younger audiences with viral potential.

You can start with a small budget, test different ads, and scale what works.

Build an email marketing list

Most visitors won’t buy the first time they visit your store. That’s why you need to create an email list. You can create sign-up forms or pop-up forms to get visitor’s emails in exchange for:

• A discount (10% off your first order)
• A freebie (like a printable checklist or wallpaper)
• Exclusive content (early access to new designs)

Once they’re on your list, send regular emails with product updates, promotions, and engaging content to nurture them to buying customers. 

How much does it cost to start a print-on-demand business?

One of the best things about print-on-demand (POD) is that you don’t need a huge budget to get started. 

You’re not stocking inventory, renting a warehouse, or investing in expensive printing equipment. 

But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely free. Here’s a breakdown of the costs of starting a POD business: 

1. eCommerce platform costs

If you choose to sell on a platform like Etsy, Amazon, or eBay, you’ll pay listing fees or commissions on each sale.

• Etsy: $0.20 per listing + 6.5% transaction fee
• Amazon: $0.99 per sale (Individual Plan) or $39.99/month (Professional Plan) + referral fees
• eBay: 10-15% of the final sale price

If you prefer to have your website so you can have more control of your store operations, you can go with Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce to create an eCommerce store. These come with monthly subscription fees:

• Shopify: Starts at $39/month
• BigCommerce: Starts at $39/month
• WooCommerce: Free, but you’ll need hosting ($5–$30/month)

2. Print-on-demand platform fees

Most POD platforms like Printful, Printify, and Gelato are free to use. However, some offer premium plans for better features:

Printful 

Printful Plus: Offers a background remover tool and access to the custom mockup market for $9/month or $99/year.

• Printful Pro: Includes Keyword Scout, Getty Images access, embroidery digitization, and the Promo Maker for $49/month or $594/year.

Printify 

• Premium plan: Costs $24.99/month or $348/year, allowing up to 10 store integrations and offering product discounts of up to $20.
• Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for high-volume sellers, featuring unlimited store integrations and a 20% discount on all products.

3. Domain & website hosting

If you’re building your brand, a custom domain makes you look more professional.

• Domain name: You can get a domain for around $10–$20/year (from GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hostinger, etc.)

• Website hosting: If you use Shopify, hosting is included. If you go with WooCommerce, expect to pay $5–$45/month for hosting (Bluehost, SiteGround, Hostinger, etc.)

4. Design costs

If you’re a designer, great! You can create your designs for free. But if not, you’ll need to:

• Hire a freelance designer ( which can cost around $10–$50 per design on Fiverr or Upwork)
• Buy ready-made designs from sites like Creative Market, Creative Fabrica, or Vexels ($5–$20 per design)
• Use design tools like Canva Pro ($12.99/month) or Adobe Illustrator ($20.99/month)

5. Marketing & advertising

A POD business doesn’t grow without marketing. You might spend around $50 to $500 to run ads. 

However, you can get some results from consistently posting on social media and other organic marketing strategies, but that can take some time. 

6. Sample orders

Before selling, you should order samples to check the print quality. Most POD platforms offer discounted samples:

• Printful sample discount: 20% off
• Printify sample discount: 10-20% off

So you can expect to spend around $20 to $100 to order product samples. 

7. Registering your business 

Registering your print-on-demand business varies by state and country. It can cost around $100 to $800, but it’s worth the investment. Registering your business adds legal protection, tax benefits, and credibility to your business, which is important for your business’s long-term success. 

Total Estimated Cost to start a POD business 

The costs will vary depending on your setup, but here’s a rough estimate: 

So, a rough estimate for starting a print-on-demand business can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000 or more. 

Pros and cons of print-on-demand business

Print-on-demand (POD) is one of the easiest ways to start an eCommerce business, but like any business model, it comes with its benefits and challenges. If you’re considering starting a POD business, here are the pros and cons you need to know.

Pros of print-on-demand business 

1. Low barrier entry 

One of the best things about print-on-demand is that you don’t need a huge capital to get started. 

Unlike traditional businesses where you have to buy inventory upfront, rent storage space, or invest in expensive equipment, 

POD lets you set up an online store and launch your business with minimal risk. All you need to do is create your designs, upload them, and get customer orders while your POD supplier handles your orders. 

This makes it an ideal business model for beginners who want to start small and scale as they grow.

2. It saves you money and labor

One of the biggest perks of print-on-demand is that you don’t have to spend money on the equipment needed to run a POD business or hire people to do the printing tasks for you. 

The POD provider takes care of everything, so you can skip hiring staff or buying expensive equipment and also the headaches that come with shipping customer orders. 

You can focus entirely on creating designs, marketing your store, and growing your brand. This makes it perfect if you’re starting solo or running your business as a side hustle.

It’s one of the most cost-effective and low-risk ways to start an eCommerce business.

3. Flexible and location independent

Print-on-demand (POD) businesses give you the freedom to start your business in any location of your choice. 

You don’t need a physical office, a warehouse, or even a printer—you can run everything from your laptop. 

Whether you’re at home, traveling, at your 9-5, or working from your favorite coffee shop, your business keeps running as long as you have an internet connection.

You also set your own schedule. No need to wake up early, stick to office hours, or answer to a boss. Want to work at night? Go for it. 

Prefer to spend your mornings at the gym and work in the afternoon? That works too. You have complete control over how and when you manage your store.

4. Wide variety of products

With POD you can sell an endless variety of products. Most times when people hear print on demand, they think of printed t-shirts and hoodies, but you’re not stuck with just clothing—there’s a whole world of customizable products waiting for your designs.

If you’re into fashion, you can offer t-shirts, hoodies, leggings, sweatshirts, and even sneakers. Prefer home decor? Try mugs, wall art, throw pillows, blankets, and posters. 

Want to target office workers or students? Journals, notebooks, phone cases, and laptop sleeves are solid options. 

You can even create personalized jewelry, tote bags, and water bottles—the list goes on.

This variety allows you to test different products to see what sells best, expand your store without big upfront costs, and cater to different customer interests. 

Cons of Print-on-Demand

1. Lower Profit Margins

Since the POD supplier handles printing, packing, and shipping, they take a cut of your sales. 

And your supplier’s prices are non-negotiable, so you’ll need to price your product strategically to make decent profit margins. 

2. Limited control over production & shipping

One of the biggest downsides of print-on-demand is that you don’t control production or shipping. 

Since a third-party supplier handles everything, you’re at their mercy when it comes to quality, fulfillment speed, and delivery times. 

That might not seem like a big deal—until a customer complains about a late shipment or a misprinted item.

If a POD provider gets overwhelmed with orders (especially during peak seasons like holidays), processing times can slow down. 

You can’t speed up the fulfillment process, and you can’t reassure customers with exact timelines because you don’t control production.

Most POD platforms don’t offer Amazon-level shipping speeds. Some take 7-14 days just to fulfill an order before it even ships. 

Add shipping time on top of that, and customers could be waiting weeks to get their products. 

That’s a tough sell in a world where people expect same-day to two-day delivery.

3. Quality can vary 

Not all print-on-demand providers deliver the same level of quality. Some offer vibrant, long-lasting prints, while others fade after a few washes. 

The last thing you want is for a customer to receive a dull, misprinted, or unappealing design—it’ll hurt your brand and lead to bad customer reviews.

That’s why ordering samples is a must. You need to see firsthand how the colors look, how the fabric feels, and whether the print holds up after washing. 

Some POD companies print directly onto the fabric (DTG printing), while others use heat transfers or screen printing. Their method can impact the durability and overall appearance of your product.

4. Refund & Return Options Are Limited

Another downside of print-on-demand is the strict refund and return policies. Most POD suppliers don’t accept returns unless the item is defective or damaged. This means your customers can’t ask for a refund or return only if their product has been damaged or the wrong product was delivered. 

That means if a customer changes their mind, gets the wrong size, or just doesn’t like how the design looks in person, they’re stuck with it—and that can lead to complaints and bad reviews.

Conclusion

Starting a print-on-demand business in 2025 is one of the most accessible ways to dive into the eCommerce industry with minimal upfront investment. 

You don’t need to worry about inventory, manufacturing, or shipping—your POD supplier handles it all. But while the setup is simple, success requires strategy.

Choosing the right niche, working with a reliable POD platform, and creating unique, high-quality designs are key to getting sales and maintaining profitability. 

Marketing also plays a huge role, too. Whether through social media, SEO, or paid ads, getting your products in front of the right audience is what drives sales.

Like any business, POD has its challenges, but with smart pricing, a strong brand, and consistent effort, you can build a profitable and scalable business.

How to start a print-on-demand business FAQ 

How do I make my print-on-demand business profitable?

Profitability in print-on-demand depends on smart pricing, great designs, and a great marketing strategy. Here are a few tips to make your print-on-demand business profitable:

• Choose high-margin and low-competition products: The clothing niche is too competitive and extremely popular. You can opt for phone accessories, cushions, tote bags, jewelry, or premium home décor for better profit margins.
• Optimize pricing: Factor in production costs, platform fees, and shipping to set a price that yields a good profit.
• Sell on multiple platforms: Don’t limit yourself to one store—sell on Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, and even TikTok Shop.
• Run targeted ads: Facebook and Instagram ads work well for niche audiences. Try organic strategies like SEO and influencer marketing too.
• Offer bundles and upsells: Selling matching sets, offering limited-time discounts, or adding small upsells (like stickers) can boost your average order value.

How to start a pod? 

You can start a print-on-demand business with the following steps:

1. Pick a niche—Find a profitable theme or audience that aligns with your interests.
2. Select a POD platform—Based on product options and pricing, choose a provider like Printful, Printify, or Gelato.
3. Set up your store— Launch a Shopify, Etsy, or WooCommerce store and link it with your POD provider.
4. Create unique designs—Use tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator, or hire a designer on Fiverr or Upwork.
5. List products— Upload mockups, write compelling descriptions, and set competitive prices.
6. Market your store—Use social media, influencer collaborations, and paid ads to attract buyers.
7. Fulfill orders—Once a customer buys, your POD supplier prints and ships the product for you.

Is print-on-demand business profitable?

Yes, but it depends on your strategy. Many sellers make consistent income, but success doesn’t happen overnight. You need to:

• Find a niche with high demand.
• Partner with a reliable POD supplier 
• Price products strategically to cover costs and make a profit.
• Drive traffic to your store using paid ads, SEO, or organic social media growth.
• Test different designs and products to see what sells best.

It takes time, but with consistent effort, you can turn it into a reliable income stream.

Which print-on-demand business is most profitable?

The most profitable POD businesses usually focus on:

• Custom apparel (hoodies, joggers, all-over print shirts) — This has a higher perceived value and better margins than basic tees.
• Niche home décor (canvas prints, pillows, wall tapestries) – People love unique home designs and gifts.
• Personalized products (mugs, phone cases, jewelry) – Custom name-based products have a high demand because of their unique designs.
• Premium accessories (backpacks, duffel bags, sneakers) – These have higher price points, so you earn more per sale.

How much money can you make with print-on-demand?

Earnings vary widely. Some sellers make a few hundred dollars a month, while others scale to six or seven figures.

• Beginners: $100 – $1,000/month (side income).
• Intermediate sellers: $1,000 – $10,000/month (profitable side hustle or full-time).
• Top sellers: $10,000+/month (with paid ads, strong branding, and repeat customers).

A print-on-demand business can earn anywhere from $100 per month on the low end to $10,000+ per month on the high end with strategic and consistent marketing, expanding product lines, and optimizing pricing.

Can I do print on demand for free?

Yes, but you need to pay to use advanced features and also spend money on marketing. You can:

• Use free platforms like Redbubble, Teespring, or Merch by Amazon (no upfront costs, but lower profit margins).
• Start an Etsy store (low listing fees, but you need to drive traffic).
• Market organically on social media (TikTok and Pinterest work well).

If you want to build a full-fledged brand with Shopify, ads, and custom designs, you’ll need some upfront investment. But you can start small and reinvest profits as you grow.