Last Updated on April 27, 2026 by Ewen Finser
VistaPrint has become somewhat of a household name for customized items like business cards, coffee mugs, and T-shirts. They’re often the best solution for events where you want lots of different kinds of swag, but there are a few other custom printers that you should consider before you submit your order.
What Is VistaPrint?
You’ve probably heard of VistaPrint in the context of business cards and marketing materials. It’s why they’re commonly chosen by companies that want an all-in-one source for branded items. And in many cases, getting all your business cards, flyers, signs, and custom shirts from them in one go could be the right choice. You could also just design a shirt for yourself, for fun or as a way to advertise your business.
They don’t always have a minimum order, they can print front and back, and they have several shirt options to choose from. They can do direct-to-garment (DTG), heat transfer, screen printing, and textured direct-to-garment. DTG is a popular choice for printing with VistaPrint (and many of their shirts allow for only this method), but just keep in mind that it can be more finicky than a method like screen printing if you’re printing on dark fabric.
But perhaps the biggest drawback is the fact that VistaPrint outsources much of its printing services to third parties around the country. This means that if you’re ordering multiple runs of the same order, you might get slightly different (or markedly different) shirts from each batch. And if you need support, you’re stuck with a service rep who might be helpful but won’t have great answers on what went wrong in a specific batch.
Pros
- No minimum order for some shirts
- Some shirts are as low as $8.99
- Lots of variety in styles and colors
- Free shipping on orders over $100.00
Cons
- DTG-only printing on several shirts (works best on lighter-toned, natural fabrics)
- Shipping takes three to eight days
- Emphasis on variety and cheap custom swag
- Outsourced printing that puts consistency and quality at risk
But what if you’re not in charge of the marketing for a big event, or you only need shirts? What if you want to prioritize printing quality over variety and cost?
There’s probably a better alternative out there.
Top 4 VistaPrint Alternatives for Custom Shirts
Though VistaPrint can be a solid choice for many people, it’s frankly not the best in terms of quality and consistency. It’s hard to beat the kind of variety they offer, and the cost of a custom shirt can be some of the cheapest you’ll find, but if you want a snazzy, comfortable custom shirt that puts you or your business in the best light, you’ll likely be better off looking elsewhere.
With that in mind, here are some alternatives worth considering.
BlueCotton
BlueCotton is a print-first swag vendor, meaning their top priority is the quality of the print or stitching, rather than racing to the bottom on cost or offering every item imaginable. That said, they do offer items like blankets, drinkwear, towels, sports equipment, and office supplies.
They offer screen printing, embroidery, and direct-to-fabric (DTF) printing and produce everything in-house rather than outsourcing, making it easier to ensure all your shirts look the same over multiple orders. Plus, the chances of your custom shirts getting all the way to the finish line with an issue are slim, thanks to a nine-point quality check system.
They do have a minimum order of six pieces for screen printing and embroidery, and they can handle a quick turnaround with lead times of one to 10 days. Shipping times are as short as one, three, or five business days for an additional fee, and it’s guaranteed for the continental 48 states. They will ship internationally, but standard shipping is the only option in this case.
Pros
- Close attention to detail
- In-house production
- Variety of styles available
- Fast turnaround (including a Shirts-in-a-Day category)
- Hosted fundraising option available
Cons
- Minimum order quantity of six
- Higher price than some other options
Custom Ink
Custom Ink offers screen printing, digital printing (DTG and DTF), and embroidery. They’re a good choice for large orders, with shirts priced as low as $8.15 at high quantities, but costs can be a bit high if you just need a few.
One of their best features is their online design lab — users consistently praise how easy and intuitive it is to customize exactly what you want, with a large assortment of templates and clipart to make your design pop.
Their other big selling point is their group order form, which you can send to anyone who needs a shirt so that they can enter their size preference without you having to nag them. You can even set up a fundraiser at no cost. And with customer service available seven days a week, you’ll be able to get feedback and recommendations at your convenience.
It’s not the cheapest option out there, especially for smaller runs, but for groups and organizations that want a smooth, reliable process, Custom Ink is a solid choice.
Pros
- Printing methods matched to your design
- Very strong design tools
- Ability to send your shirts to multiple locations if you have a one-time order (use their sister platform, Swag.com, for recurring orders)
- Easy group ordering and fundraising
Cons
- Minimum order quantities on some shirts
- Slower turnarounds; two-week guarantee with a three-day super rush option available
- Can be expensive if you don’t want many shirts
Printful
Printful is a print-on-demand company, rather than strictly a printer. Instead of shipping you 50 shirts at a time, they act as a storefront to your team members, customers, or friends, allowing them to purchase directly from the site and have the apparel shipped to their door — no need to store dozens of boxes in your garage. You can also integrate it with the storefront of your choice, allowing you to act as the seller and Printful merely the shipper.
When it comes to printing methods, Printful can do embroidery, all-over print, and DTFlex — Printful’s version of DTF printing that allows for more vibrant, durable prints. What’s nice about this is that DTF is usually recommended for natural fibers, but DTFlex doesn’t have to work within those constraints.
The sore spot here is a tedious product hunt — if you want shirts, you’ll need to filter first for unisex clothes, men’s clothes, and/or women’s clothes. From there, you’ll need to go into a separate area of the filter and select all the types of shirts you want to see (otherwise, you’ll still be scrolling through dad caps, beanies, socks, etc.).
Shipping is okay; shirts shipped to the U.S. or Canada will usually arrive within three to four days (after a couple of days of production), and international orders can take five to 20 days. They also have no minimum order, so if you just want one shirt for yourself, a friend, or a giveaway, you won’t need to pay for more than you want or need.
Pros
- Shirts cost as little as $9.25 on small orders
- No minimum order
- Decent shipping options
- Eco-friendly selection with recycled and organic fabrics
Cons
- Middling search filter
- Not meant for large orders, but possible (bulk price calculator goes up to 500)
- Not ideal for rush orders, but it’s easy to see which products will arrive sooner rather than later
- Outsourced printing on some options
Printify
Printify is another print-on-demand company that allows you to sell your custom designs either through their site or your own storefront. Of course, you can also place an order for the number of shirts you want to sell in person (the minimum order is just one), and if you order in bulk, you can save up to 50%.
They offer DTG and embroidery (including a new Large Embroidery category), and you can choose from a variety of shirts and other products. This is another case where you could easily put together a combination of branded or team items, rather than just stopping at shirts.
However, Printify’s biggest weakness is that they outsource all of their printing to third parties. While Printful does the same with some products but not others, Printify seems to take advantage of this across the board. You’ll have a say in which one’s in charge of your shirt order if you’d like (or you can let Printify match you with the best option), but this also means that you’ll be doing a fair amount of research if you want to have a say in the quality of your product.
Pros
- No minimum order
- Vendor shopping allows for deal hunting (Printify Choice for easy selection)
- Easy, clear filters
Cons
- Can be difficult to find the right vendor
- Outsourced printing that results in more variability in quality and consistency
Finding the Best VistaPrint Alternatives for Custom Shirts
If you’re still not sure which to pick, here’s the short version:
- VistaPrint if you just need a small order (one to five items), don’t see yourself placing a repeat order, and need lots of other marketing materials to go with your shirts in a cohesive package.
- Printful if you want low-cost consistency or to sell through your own shop or website without managing all the details for every order.
- Printify if you’re a reseller on a budget, don’t need perfect consistency, and like the idea of choosing from a list of third-party vendors to get what you want.
- Custom Ink if you’re doing very large orders and want help with group ordering or setting up a fundraiser.
- BlueCotton if you want the best print results, in-house human support, or rapid delivery without sacrificing quality.
Of these options, BlueCotton edges out the rest with solid in-house production and a rigorous quality control process. VistaPrint is still good for a very wide variety of cheap products, while Printful is probably the safest POD option.