Last Updated on February 16, 2026 by Ewen Finser
Print on demand has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to get your custom branding on swag/apparel and resell it for a profit.
It’s especially effective for low-risk e-commerce models for a few reasons:
- No minimum order quantities: You’re only printing as many as you actually need for an order, which means you don’t have to bulk-order 500 shirts if you just want to sell 50.
- No need for inventory: You don’t have to store boxes upon boxes of custom shirts in your garage, just waiting for someone to place an order.
- Hands-off distribution: You don’t have to deal with logistics like shipping and handling, which means you can spend more time designing and less time micromanaging the nitty-gritty.
- Minimal investment necessary: The only thing you’ll need to pay for up front is a storefront or marketplace fees; you don’t have to rent space for stock, purchase inventory, or hire staff.
With that in mind, let’s dive into our picks for the best print on demand sites of 2026, judging by factors like:
- Turnaround Time: How soon can you expect your order to be completed?
- Customer Service: Can you talk to a real person and feel comfortable asking for help?
- Quality Assurance: How reliable is the quality, and what happens if something goes wrong?
- Labor Source: Is everything done in-house, or is it outsourced?
- Ease of Use: Is it a struggle to use the website and understand what to expect?
Note: Many people wanting to get custom apparel printed think they need to order through a print-on-demand site. But if you’re just ordering swag for your employees, shirts for a family reunion, or jackets for a volunteer crew, this isn’t always the best route. POD sites are first and foremost built for business owners to set up multiple specific designs that will be shipped out to their customers. So if you’re ordering 50 shirts that will all go to the same place, a print-on-demand site will likely just incur unnecessary costs. In cases like these, it’s far better to work with a professional printer that specializes in producing quality custom apparel at a cost that makes sense for your needs.
Vistaprint
VistaPrint has become a leading name in print on demand due to their capacity, the extent of their catalogue, and the beauty and quality of their work. You have the chance to order some truly one-of-a-kind promotional products through VistaPrint, including calendars, stickers, and postcards. It’s now even possible to start a Wix website with them, which can make things even easier for business owners.
Boasting 18 global production facilities that can manage all production and logistics, VistaPrint is ready to print and ship huge orders throughout the world, and an order can be shipped as soon as two days after ordering in most cases. Despite the scope of these orders, quality assurance is still taken seriously; designers give a complimentary review before every order is printed.
Customer service is available via AI chatbot 24/7 or by email and phone during regular business hours. This was, however, the weakest part of our experience with them. The wait to get in touch with support was long, and the agent we spoke with kept trying to redirect us to the website for answers. While this might not be your experience with VistaPrint, it’s always important to recognize the risk of impersonal service when working with such a large company.
Pros:
- Excellent capacity for orders of just about any size
- Ability to set up a Wix website
- Design services available
- Large catalogue of available products
- 24/7 customer service
Cons:
- Spotty customer service is spotty
- No sample program for apparel
- Primarily paper-based products — apparel will likely lose to other companies where clothing is the focus
4Imprint
Hailing from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 4Imprint markets themselves as a company specializing in large, corporate-sized orders — think company swag. Their huge catalog has entries for just about every type of product imaginable, so you’re likely to be able to promote in ways that other companies may not.
Your order will most likely be handled by either the Wisconsin branch or one of their factories in the UK, Ireland, or Canada. Some of the process will be handled in-house (screen printing and free reviews of your design, for example), but some design elements will be outsourced. This company takes shipping times seriously, guaranteeing delivery dates and offering full refunds if the order is late. Shipping can be rushed as far as 24 hours, but only for orders meeting certain requirements.
Customer service is available via call, chat, and email during business hours, and 4Imprint prides themselves on staffing their support with real humans. However, their support seems to be routed over the internet, which leaves the quality of calls up to the strength of the agents’ individual internet connections. Also, there didn’t seem to be a lot of product knowledge in the support department, making it difficult for us to get the answers we needed.
Pros:
- Large, varied catalog
- Ability to fulfill almost any size order
- Delivery dates are guaranteed
- Most design work is done in-house
Cons:
- Outfitted for corporate-sized orders; may be overkill for small businesses and individuals
- 24-hour shipping only available for single-color orders from one specific location
- Not much product knowledge from customer service
- Unavailable samples (to us), despite being listed otherwise on their website
RushOrderTees
RushOrderTees positions themselves on quick, high-quality service on custom swag like shirts, hats, bags, and drinkware — they even proudly print for the Phillies, the local MLB baseball team. They’ll get you what you need and ship it out in as little as two days without breaking so much as a sweat, and their 60,000 square-foot Philadelphia facility can handle very large orders and repeat orders quite easily.
Quality assurance is taken very seriously at RushOrderTees; not only does their creative team review your design and make small adjustments for free, but they also double-check your orders to ensure that you own the rights to the images you use. You can also leave notes so they can make adjustments for you that you might not be able to do yourself.
Free shipping is available on standard orders within the contiguous United States and Canada, and you can rush-ship printed products in two days, embroidered products in six. Rush orders have guaranteed delivery.
Customer service is available 24/7 via phone, chat, and email. In our experience, the support is friendly, though there didn’t seem to be a ton of product knowledge, and we were left feeling as if we were being pressured off the phone.
Pros:
- Varied catalog
- In-house production that promises more control over quality
- 24/7 customer service
- Guaranteed rush orders
Cons:
- No guaranteed delivery dates for free shipping
- Rushed customer service that doesn’t seem to have much product knowledge
- No samples without a purchase
Custom Ink
Custom Ink has been a trusted name in POD for over two decades, offering a wide range of products that are easily customizable through their proprietary Design Lab software. Every design that’s sent their way is also reviewed by an internal team, completely free of charge.
Delivery is guaranteed on all forms of shipping, from their standard option to their one-week rush option to their “super-rush” three-day option, although the printing is outsourced to one of over 100 third-party vendors.
Customer service is available 24/7 by chat, email, and phone. When we spoke with their support team, we were delighted with how friendly, calm, and helpful they were. They asked questions to help us make the best choices, were knowledgeable about their products, and were even so kind as to offer to help us with their design software.
Pros:
- Works with over 100 third-party vendors
- Guarantees all delivery dates
- Sizeable catalogue
- Friendly, helpful, readily available customer service
Cons:
- Third-party vendors means less reliable product quality
- Samples are paid for at wholesale price (but credited to your order post-purchase)
- Design software is a little complicated
- Six-color limit across the catalog; if a design is submitted with more than six colors, it will need to be adjusted by their design team
Blue Cotton
First and foremost, Blue Cotton is not a print-on-demand company. They won’t handle inventory or distribution; they specialize in the printing process itself.
However, this specialization means they’re incredibly good at what they do. The quality you’ll get here will far surpass most POD shops, with a comprehensive in-house operation that will work closely with you to ensure your design turns out exactly like you expect. So if you’re ordering for your own crew, or if you don’t mind holding onto inventory if it means a better product, this is a brand we’d be remiss not to mention.
A hidden gem nestled in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Blue Cotton offers a wide range of different products to print on, from T-shirts and sweatshirts to blankets and drinkware. Everything is high quality (even the “lower tier” brands available), and that attention to detail follows you through the ordering process.
It’s easy enough to order online, but should you need help, you can call customer service and speak to a real person who works within the same building as the production team. You can even request help designing your order without feeling overwhelmed or as if you’re wasting someone’s time.
Once your order is in, it’s reviewed by their design team at no additional cost, and then it’s printed and goes through a nine-point inspection process. Your order is then guaranteed to show up on the guaranteed delivery date (even if it’s super rushed for one-day delivery). This leaves very little room for disaster and a lot of space for peace of mind — but if something should go wrong, you’re given a number of options, from a free reprinting of your order to a refund.
Pros:
- Multiple turnaround times available (including three-day and one-day)
- In-house production; no third-party vendors
- Fantastic customer service
- Equipped to handle large-scale and repeated orders
- Extensive quality control process
- Small business feel with big business capabilities
Cons:
- Smaller catalog than some POD shops
- No 24/7 customer service
- Standard shipping only available when shipping internationally
Choosing Among the Best Print on Demand Sites
Your choice of printer is going to be a highly personal one, and it’s entirely dependent on your needs. As you compare your options, ask yourself:
- Can the company handle my order?
- Can I wait for a late delivery?
- Is the company able to happily answer all of my questions?
- Will I likely receive exactly what I asked for?
- Do I really need a print-on-demand company, or will a professional printer work?
If you’re in the market for a POD site that will take all the complexity of your e-commerce shop off your hands, a company like 4imprint and Custom Ink will get you where you need to go. If you’re willing to hold onto an inventory or if you just need apparel for your team, printing via Blue Cotton is a second-to-none experience.