Merch by Amazon vs Spreadshirt (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Spreadshirt grades higher than Merch by Amazon: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Spreadshirt grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Merch by Amazon
Amazon program for uploading designs and earning royalties
Spreadshirt
Free Spreadshop stores with print-on-demand apparel and gifts
Which one is for you
Pick Merch by Amazon if
- Fits if you want your designs sold on Amazon with Amazon handling customer service
- Makes sense if you can wait for an approval decision before selling
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: accounts are reviewed and approved, so you may not get in
- Watch out: Amazon can remove designs or suspend accounts that break its content policy
- Skip it if you need to know your earnings in advance, since the royalty formula is on a separate page
- Tight if you want your own storefront, as your products live on Amazon
Pick Spreadshirt if
- Fits if you want a free shop and no inventory to manage
- Works for shops on Shopify or WooCommerce through Spreadconnect
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: product prices aren't on the pages, so your profit is only what you can see after signing up
- Not for you if you want a mobile app, since shops run in a browser and none is listed
- Watch out: Spreadconnect is a separate service and its pricing wasn't read
- Skip it if you need a trial to compare, as free is the only plan shown
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMerch by AmazonFair | 2.8GPASpreadshirtGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo upfront costs, but the royalty rate is on a page we did not read, so it can't be set against the category. | CNo shop cost, but product prices aren't listed, so the margin can't be compared with the category. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to join and no trial needed, though a request goes through approval and Amazon replies by email. | ASpreadshop has no costs or fees to set up or run, no card and no cap named on the page. |
| Features | CUpload art, pick a product and colour, Amazon makes and ships it, with Prime shipping and sales analytics. The listing names t-shirt artwork rules, 300 dpi PNG, and nothing on royalties. | BOver 350 products, own production sites, your own margin and Spreadconnect for outside stores. Nothing on the listing is missing for the job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You prepare artwork to a 15 by 18 inch print area and wait for approval. | CNo store rating on record. You still build a shop and set margins. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no API or integrations on the listing. | BWeb only, with Shopify, WooCommerce, TikTok, Squarespace and Magento links. |
| Best for | selling t-shirt designs on Amazon with no upfront cost | a free print-on-demand shop with 350+ products |
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: Merch by Amazon and Spreadshirt. How we grade
Price against what you get
Merch by Amazon has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Spreadshirt has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
Spreadshirt scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other print-on-demand and dropshipping services on the chart, none scores higher than Merch by Amazon for less, and none scores higher than Spreadshirt 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
- Merch by Amazon also covers amazon selling.
- Spreadshirt also covers online store and dropshipping.
At a glance
| Merch by Amazon | Spreadshirt | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | No upfront costs: the page says Amazon prints and ships each sale and pays the creator a monthly royalty. | Spreadshop is free: the page says there are no costs or fees for setting up or operating a shop. You set your own margin. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Amazon.com, Inc. | Spreadshirt |
| Price read from | merch.amazon.com | spreadshirt.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Merch by Amazon
- Accounts are reviewed and approved; the page says Amazon will send a decision by email after a request.
- Amazon can remove designs or suspend accounts that violate its content policy.
- T-shirt artwork should be a 300 dpi PNG with a 15 by 18 inch printable area.
- The royalty formula is on a separate page not read here, so rates are not stated.
Spreadshirt
- Your profit is only the margin you set above Spreadshirt's product price; product prices are not listed on the pages read.
- Spreadconnect is a separate service from Spreadshop; its pricing is not covered here.
- Shops are managed in a browser; no desktop or mobile app was listed.
Key features
Merch by Amazon
- No upfront costs
- Upload artwork, choose a product type and color and add a description; Amazon builds the product page and prints after each sale.
- Royalties on each sale
- Amazon pays a royalty per product sold; the landing page points to a separate Royalty Calculation page for the formula.
- Prime shipping
- The page says all products are eligible for Prime shipping, with the same shipping options as other Amazon items.
- Non-exclusive
- The FAQ says the program is non-exclusive, so the same design can be offered on other sites.
- Sales analytics
- Creators get analysis tools showing their best-selling designs and revenue.
Spreadshirt
- Free shop, no fees
- Spreadshirt says Spreadshop is and will remain free, with no setup or operating costs; the home page adds no setup fee, card or minimum order.
- You set your margin
- The product price includes a print area; the difference between that and your customer price is your profit.
- Over 350 products
- T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, bags and other items, printed only after an order is placed.
- Own production sites
- Spreadshop's page cites four of its own production facilities in Europe and the US and a typical 48-hour print-and-ship time.
- Spreadconnect
- A separate fulfilment service connects stores on Shopify, TikTok, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Magento and others through an API.
Plans
Merch by Amazon
Content creator$0
Sign up with an Amazon account and wait for approval; Amazon pays a royalty on every product sold.
Spreadshirt
Spreadshop$0
Free shop with 350+ products; you set the margin over the product price, and Spreadshirt prints, ships and handles returns.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Merch by Amazon or Spreadshirt?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Merch by Amazon and Spreadshirt are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Merch by Amazon or Spreadshirt?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Merch by Amazon and Spreadshirt 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.