Spreadshirt and Teespring are both popular platforms for selling custom printed-on-demand apparel, but they each have their unique features and advantages. Understanding the differences can help you decide which platform is best for your business.
Before diving into the details, let's briefly explain each platform. Spreadshirt is a popular global marketplace for print-on-demand clothing, founded in 2002. It offers a wide range of products and has a significant built-in audience. Teespring, on the other hand, is a newer platform (founded in 2011) that focuses more on custom t-shirt designs and has gained traction among creators due to its simplicity and creator-friendly features.
Product Range and Customization
Spreadshirt offers a vast array of products, including t-shirts, hoodies, bags, phone cases, and even home decor items. This variety can be beneficial if you wish to sell a broader range of products. Teespring, meanwhile, specializes in t-shirts, but they also offer a selection of hoodies, tank tops, and other apparel.
Both platforms allow for custom design uploads, but Spreadshirt has a more robust design tool with advanced editing features. Teespring's simplicity might.make it the better choice if you prefer a user-friendly interface without too many design options.
Design Upload and Customization
Spreadshirt allows you to upload your design in various formats (PNG, SVG, JPG, etc.) and offers advanced editing tools, including layers, masks, and Vector Editor Pro for resizing and editing SVG files. This flexibility caters to both casual users and professional designers.
Teespring also enables design uploads, but its tools are more straightforward. You can drag and drop design elements onto the canvas, adjust their size and position, add text, and choose from a library of simple design templates. It's less versatile but more user-friendly for beginners.
Design Mockup Images
Spreadshirt provides high-quality, automatic mockups of your design on various products, which can enhance your store's professionalism. However, these mockups can't be customized, which might limit your branding options.
Teespring creates design mockups, but they're not as high-quality as Spreadshirt's, and customization options are limited. To counteract this, Teespring allows you to upload your own mockups, giving you more control over branding.
Selling and Promotion Options
Spreadshirt and Teespring have different approaches to selling and promoting products.
Spreadshirt functions as a marketplace, with built-in traffic and a loyal customer base. However, this also means you'll have more competition, and your products might not stand out as much. Spreadshirt offers various promotional tools, like a referral program and social sharing options, but they come at an additional cost.
Base Price and Profit Margin
Spreadshirt uses a base price system for products, which means you set your desired profit margin, and Spreadshirt adds a base price to cover production costs. This can lead to higher prices for customers but potentially higher profits for you.
Teespring, however, uses a fixed price per product, with your profit being the difference between the sale price and Teespring's base price. This results in more competitive pricing but potentially lower profits. However, Teespring's low base prices might still make it more profitable for low-priced items.
Promotion and Marketing
Teespring excels in marketing tools, offering a built-in promotion tool called "Boosted Network" that can help increase your product's visibility. It also has a more flexible social sharing policy, allowing you to run paid ads and participate in Facebook groups to promote your products.
Spreadshirt also offers social sharing and advertising options, but it has a stricter policy regarding what you can promote and where. Moreover, these promotional tools come at an additional cost.
In conclusion, the choice between Spreadshirt and Teespring depends on your priorities. If you want a wide product range, advanced design tools, and a built-in customer base, Spreadshirt might be the better choice. However, if you prefer competitive pricing, more marketing flexibility, and a user-friendly interface, Teespring could be your best bet. Both platforms have their strengths, so weigh the pros and cons based on your specific needs before making a decision.