Best 4imprint Alternatives Guide: Which Company Has the Best Promotional Products?

Last Updated on April 22, 2023 by Ewen Finser

I’ve witnessed firsthand the success that many brands have had with promotional products, which is why I’m starting to use them for my books.

When I entered the research phase, 4imprint was one of the first brands I found. I liked their massive product selection and their affordable prices.

But it didn’t take me long to abandon this company. First, their website looks outdated, and I can’t help but wonder if my products will also look outdated. Their design tool was also clunky, and I struggle to customize my items.

Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for 4imprint alternatives. Recently, I wrote a guide comparing 4imprint to Vistaprint. I love Vistaprint and know they have high-quality promo products. They deserve another mention on this list, but I wanted to find more affordable companies that offered as much of a diverse selection as 4imprint.

I will mention these brands and more in my best 4imprint alternatives guide.

Bottom Line Up Front

ePromos Promotional Products is the main alternative to 4imprint that I recommend. This company offers a massive product catalog, and you can easily customize and brand your items.

Their design tool is also super user-friendly, perfect if you have no design skills. I still recommend considering all my alternatives to find the right promotional company for you.

I also love Vistaprint, with super fast shipping, they also have some promo products and they are one of the largest in the industry for reason! 

My Top Picks at a Glance

• Vistaprint
• ePromos Promotional Products
• Discount Mugs
• Crestline
• 4AllPromos

Tips When Choosing 4imprint Alternatives

Before I mention these alternatives, I want to offer some tips for choosing the best one. I will mention several companies, so this advice will help you determine which companies are best for you.

Do Your Research

While all of these companies offer promotional products, each is very different. For example, Vistaprint is a company that specializes in paper products. I will also mention companies with a niche specialty in specific products, such as making pens or mugs.

While I will be describing the background of each company, so you’ll learn all of this information here. I still suggest doing your own research to know if this company will work for you.

For example, you may need new company business cards and will want to order shirts, so why not order them all from Vistaprint?

You may also have special considerations, such as printing on recycled materials. If you have a time-sensitive order, you may want to research the company’s shipping options and if they can work with your deadlines. I also suggest reading reviews and knowing the business’ reputation.

What Makes Sense for Your Brand?

There are so many promotional products that it can be challenging to choose what’s suitable for your company. I suggest looking for products that make sense for your brand. For example, other authors and publishers give away branded pens and notebooks. It makes sense, right?

Writers can use these writing utensils to plan out their books, write notes, document any changes in their books, write character profiles, plan their writing calendars, and more. So these are products that I would be prioritizing.

While most promo product companies offer pens, not all offer notebooks. And other items, such as keychains, won’t make sense for my brand. This is why choosing the products you want first will help you pick the best promo product company.

Set a Budget

This tip should be obvious. While you want high-quality products (which I will discuss next), you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on your promo products. If you have a limited budget, you’ll either want to use a brand that offers cheaper products or will offer sales, discounts, and promotions.

You should also pay attention to how you will disperse these products. Most businesses give the products away at trade shows and other events.

If you only hand them out occasionally, you may get away with spending more on your promo products. But some of my clients regularly hand out branded products, usually as gifts and prizes. In this case, you’ll want to prioritize your budget more.

Quality

Quality is one of the biggest factors that can make or break a potential customer’s perspective of your brand. Paying more for an item that will be useful and functions well is always better than settling for the cheapest brand or product–especially if your users throw them in the trash.

The product may be more affordable, but you’re only wasting your marketing dollars if it serves no purpose.

How do you know if a product is of good quality before ordering it? Most brands include samples and proofs of your order before ordering them. Take advantage of this.

When you do receive your proofs, check every detail of the item to ensure you’re satisfied with it. I suggest paying close attention to all of the different aspects of your branding, such as if your logo looks good and if any company information mentioned is correct.

Your Promotion Strategy

Every company approaches a promotion strategy differently. I often hold giveaways that include a free poster with a book order. This excites readers and encourages them to buy my book–and is an excellent way to entice readers who may have my book at the bottom of their TBR (to be read) list.

But other brands may not approach a promotion strategy this way. As I said, I have clients who gave me their branded products if I wrote a certain number of articles.

Some friends and colleagues told me they earned branded products as gifts. I attend many conventions and have collected numerous branded t-shirts, flash drives, and stress balls.

That’s why the products you choose should be functional to your brand, and the business you choose should make sense to your strategy. For example, if you regularly give away merch, you may want to choose a dropshipping company that will handle all printing and storage for you. That way, you save money and time in the long run.

You may also want to choose a specialty company for a certain event. For example, my brother works at a brewery and often attends craft beer events where breweries give away free branded beer glasses. Some companies specialize in selling different types of beer glasses to breweries, so these companies may better align with your company and strategy.

How I Chose These Alternatives

I used the previous criteria to choose these competitors, but I also kept some additional best practices in mind. Here are the factors that I considered when choosing these alternatives.

Product Selection

I talked about promo product variety, but what do I mean by that? Well, you can seriously find any promo product that you want. 4imprint especially has a diverse catalog. For example, they offer custom tote bags to lip balm. They also offer promo products in the outdoor/leisure, auto, office, and food categories, and so many more.

As I advised, the products you choose should relate to your brand or the event, so I prioritized brands that had a wide product selection. These brands are also the best competitors to 4imprint. However, there are some exceptions here.

Some of the brands I will mention, such as Vistaprint, has a smaller product selection. They still offer the most popular promo products, and their items are all high-quality. There are also specialty promo product companies here, which may be a better option if you’re looking for only one type of item.

Shipping

One of the perks of 4imprint is its versatile shipping options. On average, items take one week to arrive, though 4imprint offers a 24-Hour Rush shipping deal. I also like how 4imprint ships to multiple business locations.

However, there are some downsides to 4imprint’s shipping policies. For example, I don’t like how 4imprint separates these shipping options by item since all products should have different shipping options.

When I was researching these brands, I found the ones that have the best and most affordable shipping. I also looked for brands that offered international shipping and searched for free domestic and international shipping options.

I understand that shipping is very complex. Because of the supply chain, shipping delays do happen. Shipping costs also increase if the promo products are heavy and may be delayed to businesses in remote regions.

That’s why I read all of these businesses’ shipping policies and used my own personal experience to determine the competitors that have the best shipping.

Returns

4imprint has a pretty lenient return policy. If you’re not satisfied with your order, whether the product was damaged or the item didn’t come out as expected, 4imprint can either rerun the order for you or refund the money.

One thing I learned from my years of buying business products and writing these reviews is not all companies offer fair return policies, which is why I read all of these businesses’ return policies. I’m fortunate I never had to return any of my promo products, but I always like to read return policies before ordering.

User-Friendliness

One of 4imprint’s biggest downsides is its design tool. It’s clunky, and I struggled to upload my design. You only have the option to upload artwork after you check out, which is a shame. I prefer seeing a sample while working on my piece and only checking out when I’m 100% satisfied with the final result. Plus, their website design looks outdated.

That alone makes me want to seek out competitors. That’s why I ensured all these competitors were user-friendly.

Vistaprint especially has an excellent design tool that’s easy enough for design novices. You can upload your logo or artwork and edit other aspects of your products, such as the color. Every item has its own customizations, so I suggest comparing all these design tools.

I also ensured these companies had easy website navigation and modern design. These are basic qualities that a business website should have, so a high-quality website tells me you should trust that company.

Design Options

Finally, every business has different design and customization requirements for its products. This usually varies by item, though all businesses are different. For example, 4imprint will let you choose the color of your item, but you must upload all artwork and logos after you check out.

Other companies are more versatile. For example, Vistaprint will let you choose a color for the item but will also have you upload artwork or a logo. With some products, you can adjust the transparency, rotate the image, move all designs, add text and shapes, and more.

As I said, all companies are different. Some may only let you add specific colors or won’t let you add graphics or designs. Others, like Vistaprint, are more flexible. I tested all these brands and only recommended the ones with customization options.

My Favorite 4imprint Alternatives

Now that you know the tips to choose the best alternatives and how I chose these companies, it’s time to introduce all my favorite 4imprint alternatives. There are a lot of companies here, so choose the one that’s best for your brand.

Vistaprint

You’re probably familiar with Vistaprint. They’re one of the biggest print product companies in the world. While they’re most famous for their business cards, Vistaprint has promo products. While their inventory is limited, they offer items such as mouse pads and pencils.

There are many reasons why I would still choose Vistaprint. First, their shipping is extremely fast. For my last Vistaprint haul, they delivered my products earlier than the deadline.

I never had to contact customer support, though they offer service via live chat, phone, and email. They also have an in-depth knowledge base to learn more about the company and its products.

Pros

• Many customer communication methods
• High-quality products
• Quick shipping

Cons

• Promo products are expensive

ePromos Promotional Products

ePromos Promotional Products is the leading company that I recommend. Like 4imprint, they offer a diverse catalog of all promo product types. But unlike 4imprint, ePromos has a very user-friendly and diverse editor.

You start by selecting your product and choosing the color, then ePromos will take you to a new window where you can further customize your item. You can add text, upload an image, or combine both. You can also add special instructions or request a different imprint location. I wish the design tool updated in real-time, but that’s just a minor flaw.

ePromos offers physical samples and even apparel samples for all products. You will need to sign up for an account, and apparel samples do come with a price (the amount depends on the price of the product).

If you ever have any questions, they have wonderful support. You can contact an expert via phone or live chat or read any of their educational blogs. ePromos offers five-day shipping on average, and you have a Rush Production option.

Pros

• Plenty of shipping options
• Generous return policy
• Diverse product selection
• Excellent customer service
• Educational blog
• Various product customization options
• User-friendly website
• Great design tool
• Offer physical product samples

Cons

• Some samples cost extra
• Can’t see design updated in real-time
• Pricey

Discount Mugs

It’s beneficial to choose a company that offers numerous promo product options, but there are items I see more frequently than others. Mugs are one of the best examples. You have no idea how many branded mugs and tumblers I’ve collected over the years.

We all love a good cup of coffee in the morning–and I especially love free coffee mugs! Tumblers are also beneficial since you can take them to work, the gym, and when you’re out running errands.

If you only want mugs, why not buy from a company specializing in this item? That’s where Discount Mugs come in. They offer coffee mugs, tumblers, travel mugs, plastic cups, water bottles, coasters, can coolers, barware, glasses, dinnerware, and so much more.

But Discount Mugs offers more than just drinkware. They offer various promo products, from wedding gifts to backpacks. Their website is well-designed and super user-friendly, so you can find any item you want. No matter what you order, Discount Mugs offers good-quality items that users will enjoy for a long time.

You can customize your item in any way you want. I’m creating a mug now with many different materials and size options, and I love how I can also choose the color and the print method.

You can see a sample of your customized item to update the size, font color, and even apply layers to your design. If you already have a logo or artwork, you can upload a design and edit the layout.

There’s another fantastic aspect I love about Discount Mugs that many competitors don’t offer. Discount Mugs will save your order, so you can reorder whenever necessary.

Pros

• User-friendly website
• Specializes in mugs
• Offers various other promo products
• Easy-to-use design tools
• You can see the sample while you edit your design
• You can upload your logo or any artwork to all promo products

Cons

• Not the best customer service

Crestline

If you’re looking for a promo product company with excellent customer service, I suggest choosing Crestline.

They offer various communication methods, such as live chat, email, and phone. If you don’t know what you want or how to work their system, their sales representatives are extremely helpful and will guide you in the right direction. They can even assist you using the design tool so you get the best product design the first time.

There are some downsides to this company. First, they’re more expensive than 4imprint. While 4imprint charges $4-$5 for each shirt, Crestline charges $8 if you order in bulk. You can’t see a preview of your item while you’re designing it, but Crestline can send you a free sample.

Their shipping is pretty slow–it may take as long as two weeks for them to print and ship your item. They offer rushed delivery, but you must call them first.

Pros

• Free samples
• Good customer service
• Reputable company

Cons

• Slow processing and shipping
• You can’t see proof while you’re editing

4AllPromos

4AllPromos is one of the best alternatives to 4imprint for various reasons. First, they offer quick shipping. Depending on your order quantity, you can expect your order to arrive in five business days. You can always call the company if you need faster delivery.

What makes 4AllPromos stand out is how they separate items by industry. For example, they have a spirit section for schools and sports teams. They also offer every popular trade show product in its own section. No matter what you order, all their items are good quality and functional.

There are some downsides to this company. 4AllPromos says they offer live chat, though I don’t see this option anywhere. In general, their customer service isn’t the best. They don’t offer a resource page, FAQ, or refund information.

Pros

• Items separated by niche
• Fast shipping
• Expedited shipping option
• Top-quality items

Cons

• Could have better customer support

Vistaprint

You’re probably familiar with Vistaprint. They’re one of the biggest print product companies in the world. While they’re most famous for their business cards, Vistaprint has promo products. While their inventory is limited, they offer items such as mouse pads and pencils.

There are many reasons why I would still choose Vistaprint. First, their shipping is extremely fast. For my last Vistaprint haul, they delivered my products earlier than the deadline.

I never had to contact customer support, though they offer service via live chat, phone, and email. They also have an in-depth knowledge base to learn more about the company and its products.

Pros

• Many customer communication methods
• High-quality products
• Quick shipping

Cons

• Promo products are expensive

AnyPromo

AnyPromo is one of the most reputable names in promotional products for a reason. They offer excellent customer service and can contact a representative via chat, phone, or email. They also offer guides to learn more about their products and how to create your own.

There are ways that AnyPromo stands out from competitors. For example, they offer an entirely free shipping section.

Most items ship in five days, though they offer 3-day and 24-hour rush services. They also have some unique items, such as suitcases and barbeques. AnyPromo has a wider inventory, and all the items they sell are functional. If you’re unhappy with any of your items, they offer a 100-day return policy.

While 4imprint is still cheaper than AnyPromo, AnyPromo is still the cheapest company on this alternatives list. You can print a t-shirt for $5, which is a steal!

Pros

• Generous return policy
• Multiple shipping options
• Great customer service
• User-friendly website
• Reputable name

Cons

• The design tool is limited

Marco Promos

Marco Promos has been providing high-quality promotional products to businesses ever since 1964. They’re one of the most recognized names in the industry, especially since they sell every promo item that a business could want.

I like how Marco Promos sells functional and decorative promo products. While they sell functional and unique items, such as coloring books, they also have ribbons, and other items only meant for fashion. No matter what you order, all of their products are quality.

In addition to offering various customer contact forms, they have a massive resource center filled with ideas, tips, artwork guidelines, FAQs, and more.

I’m struggling to open the different sections on their FAQs page, which is a shame because they offer a lot of guidance on ordering and shipping. Marco Promos offers a 24-hour rush on deliveries.

Pros

• Various customer communication options
• Different shipping options, including 24-hour rush delivery
• Massive inventory
• Decorative and functional items
• Cheaper than 4imprint if you order in bulk

Cons

• Samples cost money
• The FAQ page isn’t working
• Can’t preview sample while editing

Imprint

Last but not least, Imprint is another company that offers limitless promo product options. They offer nearly every item you could want, from face masks to lanyards. I love how Imprint offers items for personal use.

You can order yard signs, shot glasses, and various items for weddings and other personal parties. They even offer LGBTQ and pride merch, which is a big plus.

Imprint’s ordering process is super user-friendly. I played around with their wristbands, and you have many customization options. You can choose the text style, color, and size of the wristband. Imprint even lets you order multiple colors in one order!

The design tool is also excellent. Because of the awkward size and design, customizing wristbands can be difficult; luckily, Imprint lets you upload a design or add text and art. Imprint also has different templates if you’re stuck on which design to choose.

For the quality you’re receiving, Imprint is affordable. They offer some shirts for as low as $2/each, which is a steal.

Their other prices are even cheaper than 4imprint’s–if you can believe that. Their shipping is fast, and they offer free shipping for qualified orders. Imprint also has expedited shipping options in case you need your products ASAP. You can track your order on their website.

Imprint offers customer service via live chat, phone, and email, and you can also submit a support ticket on their website. They offer an FAQ page and blog as a knowledge base.

Pros

• User-friendly website
• Many customization options
• Simple design tool
• Expedited shipping options
• Free shipping on qualified orders
• High-quality items
• Affordable

Cons

• Some products have a minimum order requirement

FAQs

Best 4Imprint Alternatives: Bottom Line

ePromos Promotional Products is the main 4imprint alternative I recommend. They offer everything you need in a promotional product service: a diverse product selection, an easy editor, and an educational blog.

Vistaprint is another great alternative that I can strongly recommend as well; with super fast shipping and competitive prices, it makes sense to use Vistaprint as well.

ePromos Promotional Products is different from 4imprint because they offer more customization options. For example, you can usually choose where your imprint will go on most products, and you can include special instructions on any of your items.

I wish they didn’t charge for samples, and ePromos Promotional Products is a little pricey, so I recommend considering the other alternatives.