4imprint vs Vistaprint Compared: Which Company Is Best for Promotional Products?

Last Updated on June 13, 2023 by Ewen Finser

When I started working in the music industry ten years ago, I learned that merchandise and other promotional products are big money-makers.

Since few people buy physical CDs, bands started relying on shirt sales for revenue. I took this business approach to my books. I only purchased book covers with stellar artwork that I can put on bookmarks, posters, and t-shirts.

All businesses should use this same promotional approach–not just those in creative fields. But finding the best promo product solution is difficult, especially since there are so many options.

I first turned to Vistaprint, a company I trusted to print my first business cards. They offer various print products and a catalog of promotional products, from t-shirts to flash drives. But Vistaprint has many verticals, and some consumers don’t want to support jack-of-all-trades companies.

I put Vistaprint up against 4imprint, an industry-standard in business promotional products. Which company should you choose? Continue reading my 4imprint vs Vistaprint compared guide for more information.

Bottom Line Up Front

This is a tie. I recommend choosing the brand that works best for you. If you want a one-stop shop to buy print and promo products, I recommend Vistaprint. But if you only want commercial promo products, I suggest choosing 4imprint. I also suggest the other alternatives for high-quality promotional products.

Main Differences Between 4imprint vs Vistaprint

The main differences between 4imprint vs Vistaprint are:

• 4imprint specializes in promotional products, whereas Vistaprint has various specialties
• 4imprint has a smaller selection, whereas Vistaprint has a massive catalog
• Vistaprint offers design services, whereas 4imprint doesn’t
• 4imprint requires a minimum, whereas Vistaprint doesn’t

4imprint

4imprint specializes in promotional products. 4imprint has been around for decades, making them a go-to source for promo items. They offer everything from t-shirts to writing utensils.

Since 4imprint only functions as a promo product creator, they offer more options for businesses. For example, businesses can choose from different types of apparel in various materials.

There are many ways to save with 4imprint. They offer an outlet, a sales section, and even a “deal of the day.” They have a generous refund policy; for example, if your order doesn’t get shipped on time, you can get your money back.

Pros

• Wide catalog of promo items
• Great customer service
• Gives free samples
• Can support large orders
• Good quality items
• Affordable
• Generous refund policy

Cons

• Requires an order minimum
• Lacking color choices
• Outdated website

Features and Products

4imprint is a promo product retailer, meaning they sell everything your business needs to accelerate your brand. They offer nearly every type of writing utensil, a whole apparel wardrobe, different drinking containers, and even food items. These are high-quality items, but 4imprint can still send samples for any product. On any product page, click the “request a free sample” button on the left-hand side.

There are some downsides to 4imprint. Their website is extremely outdated. While it’s easy to navigate, it’s not as intuitive and reminds me of a web page from the early 2000s. While I appreciate them showing pictures of customers, the whole website looks awkward and has no personality.

You can customize and brand your items, but 4imprint doesn’t offer the user-friendly tool that competitors like Vistaprint boast. I tried to design a t-shirt on 4imprint and gave up because I couldn’t figure it out. Even though you have various apparel types, you’re limited on color, design, and templates.
Bottom line: 4imprint sells customizable promotional products to businesses.

They sell nearly every promo product, and you can request a free sample before you buy. However, their website is outdated, it’s difficult to upload your design, and you’re limited on customizations.

Specialties

4imprint specializes in corporate-branded apparel and other promotional products. They offer various products in these categories:

• Auto
• Apparel
• Tools
• Home
• Drinkware
• Bags
• Candy
• Food
• Awards
• Office
• Leisure
• Outdoor
• Technology
• Stationary
• Novelties
• Toys
• Signage
• Trade shows
• Safety
• Wellness
• Writing

I like 4imprint because they offer items that most competitors don’t. For example, you can give away branded ice scrapers and golf balls. 4imprint also offers Better Choices materials. These include recyclable and sustainable items, plus products that are antimicrobial and child-safe.

4imprint uses screen printing to print your artwork on the merchandise. I did this before in school. This method uses ink to print the graphic on the item.

I wish 4imprint offered holiday items and customizable products for personal use. Otherwise, 4imprint offers everything you need to create an effective promotional campaign.

Bottom line: 4imprint offers every promotional product out there, even some that competitors don’t offer. They use screen printing to print your artwork on your products. It would be nice if they offered holiday-specific items and products for personal use.

Pricing

4imprint is pretty affordable. 18 basic t-shirts will cost around $185, which isn’t a bad price. You’ll save even more when you order in bulk. For example, 36 of the same shirts will cost $279. Instead of paying $10.25/per shirt, you’re only paying $7.75/per shirt.

I don’t like how 4imprint has an order minimum (for t-shirts, the minimum is 18), but at least you won’t be spending a ton if you need a lot of merch. 4imprint also has a sales and outlet section if you want to save even more.

Bottom line: 4imprint is affordable, especially if you order in bulk. You can also take advantage of their sales and outlet areas. I don’t like how they have an order minimum, but 4imprint is still cheaper than the competition.

Vistaprint

Vistaprint first emerged to expand the business print industry to an online platform. Since then, its catalog has expanded to include promotional items such as t-shirts and earphones.

While Vistaprint doesn’t offer the impressive and unique catalog that 4imprint boasts, they still carry everything you need to create an effective branding strategy. Vistaprint also makes up where 4imprint falls short, such as not requiring an order minimum. Though Vistaprint is more expensive than 4imprint, they may be a better solution for other reasons.

Pros

• Reputable
• Fast shipping
• High-quality items
• Huge inventory

Cons

• Not the best customer service

Features and Products

Vistaprint is best known for its business cards and other print products. They offer standard print products and premium options, such as cards with foil accents and even ones made with hemp.

That’s not all they offer. They offer a decent selection of promotional products, making them a good competitor for 4imprint. Vistaprint also expanded its business to include various verticals, such as a web design service and social media design.

But you don’t need to use their web design services to get great print and promo products. I love Vistaprint’s user-friendly design tool that anyone can use, even DIYers like myself. Unlike 4imprint, you can easily upload your logo, artwork, and customize your items using Vistaprint’s convenient tool.

Bottom line: Vistaprint has a massive catalog filled with all business promotional needs. This includes various promotional products, though they don’t offer as many as 4imprint. Vistaprint’s design tool is easy enough for novices to use, though you can also hire one of their professionals.

Specialties

Even though Vistaprint offers promotional items, understand that paper products are Vistaprint’s niche. Vistaprint is especially famous for its business cards and all the different options you have to create eye-catching ones. They even offer eco-friendly business cards made from recycled materials.

However, Vistaprint has expanded its catalog wide beyond this. Like 4imprint, they offer different promotional products for businesses.

Popular items include cups, pens, and USB flash drives. You can give these out as freebies or sell them as swag. I love how Vistaprint offers items for personal use, such as wall art, and they even have wedding mementos.

Bottom line: While Vistaprint offers many promotional items for commercial and personal use, remember that print products–specifically business cards–are their specialty.

Pricing

The only downside to Vistaprint is their promo products are expensive. While their print products are affordable, you can expect to pay nearly $230 for 18 shirts. 4imprint is by far the most affordable option here.

Bottom line: Vistaprint’s promotional products are more expensive than 4imprint’s.

Read More: Vistaprint vs Uprinting Compared

Alternatives

Did you read this guide and realize neither Vistaprint nor 4imprint are right for you? Here are some of my favorite alternatives.

Quality Logo Products

I love Quality Logo Products if you want a more promo item-centric alternative to Vistaprint. Quality Logo Products has a diverse catalog, but they also include items for personal use. They’re also extremely popular among charities and offer a section for charitable items. Even though this is an online business, they have a local company feel to them. Their website is still modern, and their design tool is easy to use.

There are still downsides to QLP. They have an order minimum of 48, and they’re more expensive than 4imprint (but still cheaper than Vistaprint). But they offer discounts and coupons, so take advantage of them. You can see a mock-up of your items, but you must sign up for an account first.

Totally Promotional

Totally Promotional is great if Vistaprint nor 4imprint offers the customizations you need. They offer merch in various colors, you can choose which design you want and where to place it. Their products are all high-quality, and they ship quickly.

While their prices are pretty standard, Totally Promotional offers perks such as free shipping and coupons. They also have great customer service–reach out if anything with your order is incorrect, and they will take great care of you.

I also recommend Totally Promotional if you like how 4imprint offers various unique products but want to choose a different company.

Totally Promotional has hard-to-find customizable products such as beer glasses and cocktail napkins. They also have different home products, such as branded toolkits. There are some downsides to this company. For example, Vistaprint offers better and more accurate print quality than this company.

4AllPromos

4AllPromos is the best place for high-quality promo products at an affordable price. They’re the cheapest option on this list–for 24 shirts, you only pay about $135! I also see plenty of items here that I don’t see anywhere else, such as branded work gloves and pom poms.

Their customer service is also excellent and personable, especially if you need product recommendations. Remember that items sell out quickly, and you may need to replace some items. I also suggest checking your proofs since the logo or artwork size on the editor isn’t always accurate.

FAQs

Bottom Line

This is a tie. I suggest choosing the company that works best for you. Vistaprint is the better option if you want a one-stop shop. They specialize in business cards, but you can buy business print materials and promotional products here.

If you’re only looking for a reliable promo item retailer, I suggest choosing 4imprint. I also recommend looking at the other alternatives, since they may be a better option than both companies.