Cloudprinter vs Printful (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Printful: it is second in our ranking of print-on-demand and dropshipping services, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Printful grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cloudprinter
Print API that routes print-on-demand orders to local printers
Printful
Print-on-demand company that makes and ships orders in-house
Which one is for you
Pick Cloudprinter if
- Fits if you are a developer or platform that wants to send print orders by API
- Works for sellers who need local printing in different countries
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you outgrow Starter: Business is 199 euros a month
- Skip it if you want to buy online, as Business is bought by contacting sales
- Not for you if you want a mobile or desktop app, as it is a web dashboard and API only
- Watch out: print and shipping costs vary by product and country, and none are listed
Pick Printful if
- Fits if you want one company to print, check and ship every order
- Works for Etsy and Shopify sellers adding embroidered or all-over-print apparel
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want branded labels, as printed inside labels are $0.99 each and outside ones $2.49
- Watch out: extra print placements, premium images and embroidery digitization at $2.95 to $6.50 a design all cost extra
- Not for you if you're outside the US and want a Quick Store, as those need US tax residency and US buyers
- Tight if you order lots of samples, as the free plan allows 1 sample order a month with up to 3 items
- Pricey if your sales are under $12K a year and you want Growth's discounts, at $24.99 a month
How we grade them
| 2.6GPACloudprinterGood | 3.2GPAPrintfulVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $0 and you pay print and shipping per order. The first paid plan is 199 euros a month, far above the $25 category middle, and no print costs are published. | AThe figure is $0 a month: the free plan has all 584 products, unlimited stores and the design and mockup tools, which is enough to sell. Growth is $24.99 a month for up to 33% off products, and turns free once sales reach $12K a year. Its rival printers are free to sell on too. |
| Free plan and trial | BStarter includes the Print API, print apps, automated routing, chat support and the full catalog, free for good. Nothing about it is time-limited. | AFree with no time limit, with every product, unlimited store connections, the Design Maker, the Mockup Generator and 24/7 support. The cap you might notice is samples: 1 order a month with up to 3 items, at 20% off. |
| Features | BPrint API, a global print network, routing profiles and a 50,000+ product catalog. Ecwid, Order Desk and Big Cartel need Zapier, a small gap. | BCovers the whole job, made in-house: DTG, DTF, all-over print and embroidery including 3D puff, 20+ sales channels from Shopify and Etsy to TikTok Shop and Amazon, free design tools, and branded labels and packaging. Quick Stores are US-only, but nothing core is missing. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating is on record. It is API-first, so a developer or a print app is needed to connect your store. | CNo store rating on record. You connect a store or open a Quick Store, design in the Design Maker and publish, so there's setup before your first sale. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and API, with Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, eBay and Amazon Seller Central. No desktop or mobile apps. | BWeb, with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, TikTok Shop, Amazon, Wix, Squarespace and BigCommerce among 20+ channels. No phone or desktop app on record, so B is as high as it goes. |
| Best for | a print API that routes orders to local printers | print on demand made and shipped in-house |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cloudprinter and Printful. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cloudprinter starts at about $222.32 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Printful starts at $1 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Printful starts $221.32 a month lower. Of the other print-on-demand and dropshipping services on the chart, 1 scores higher than Cloudprinter for less, and none scores higher than Printful for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Cloudprinter also covers dropshipping.
At a glance
| Cloudprinter | Printful | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | €199 per month (Business plan) | $24.99 per month (Growth), free once sales reach $12K a year |
| Free plan | Starter plan: Print API and print apps, 24/7 chat support, a self-serve help center, automated routing and the full 50,000+ product catalog. | All 584 products, unlimited store connections, the Design Maker and Mockup Generator, 24/7 support and 20% off sample orders. You pay for each product and its shipping when an order comes in. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of Printful Growth |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Cloudprinter.com B.V. | Printful Inc. |
| Price read from | cloudprinter.com | printful.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cloudprinter
- The Business plan is priced in euros and is bought by contacting sales, not through self-serve checkout.
- Print and shipping costs vary by product and country; the pricing page lists none.
- Ecwid, Order Desk and Big Cartel connections need Zapier, according to the apps page.
- Runs as a web dashboard and API; there are no desktop or mobile apps.
Printful
- Products are paid per order plus shipping and taxes: the Bella + Canvas 3001 unisex T-shirt page lists $11.92, which includes one print.
- Extra print placements, labels, premium images and embroidery digitization ($2.95 to $6.50 per design, once) all cost extra.
- Free plan sample orders are limited to 1 a month with up to 3 items, at 20% off.
- Quick Stores work only for sellers with US tax residency and buyers with US shipping addresses.
Key features
Cloudprinter
- Print API
- A RESTful API with PHP and Node.js SDKs for sending print jobs; the site says API calls are unlimited.
- Global print network
- Orders print and ship from 381 print locations in 104 countries, which the vendor says cuts shipping distance.
- Print apps
- More than 50 integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, eBay and Amazon Seller Central.
- Wide product range
- Over 50,000 print products, from T-shirts and posters to photobooks, textbooks, puzzles and flyers.
- Routing profiles
- Rules that decide which print partner takes an order; the Business plan gives 10 or more, Enterprise adds custom ones.
- PDF FIX
- A tool that checks and corrects print files, included from the Business plan.
Printful
- In-house production
- Printful makes every order in its own facilities with a 3-step quality check, and covers a free reprint or refund for manufacturing errors.
- Printing methods
- Direct-to-garment, direct-to-film, all-over print and embroidery, including 3D puff and unlimited-color embroidery.
- Store integrations
- Connect Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, TikTok Shop, Amazon, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Square or Big Cartel, among 20+ channels.
- Quick Stores
- A free Printful storefront you can launch in minutes, with your store name and logo; available only to US sellers shipping to US buyers.
- Design Maker and mockups
- Free design and mockup tools, with paid Getty premium images at $1 per image, placement and item sold.
- Branding options
- Printed inside labels ($0.99 each), outside labels ($2.49 each), and branded packaging and inserts, at extra cost per order.
Plans
Cloudprinter
Starter$0
Print API, print apps, automated routing and the full catalog; you pay print and shipping cost per order.
Business€199
per month
Adds 10+ routing profiles, PDF FIX, a dedicated regional manager and a 10% discount on print cost; sold through sales.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds custom product templates and routing profiles, a key account manager, a custom print-cost discount and carbon emissions reporting.
Printful
Free$0
584 products, unlimited stores, free design and mockup tools, 20+ sales channels and 24/7 support.
Printful Growth$24.99
per month
Up to 33% off products, 9% off branding, 25% off samples and a large front print on some items. Free once your sales reach $12K a year.
EnterpriseCustom
For high-volume brands: a store built and run by Printful's team, custom solutions, a dedicated success manager and market data.
Ways to pay less
Cloudprinter
No public discounts listed.
Printful
- Other savings
Growth plan free at $12K a year in sales
Printful's pricing page says the $24.99-a-month Growth plan becomes free once a store reaches $12,000 a year in sales.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cloudprinter or Printful?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Printful is cheaper to start with: $1 a month when paid by the year, against about $222.32 a month for Cloudprinter. Cloudprinter starts at €199 per month (Business plan), and Printful starts at $24.99 per month (Growth), free once sales reach $12K a year.
Which has a free plan, Cloudprinter or Printful?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cloudprinter and Printful have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.