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Print-on-Demand Profit Calculator

A friendly print on demand profit calculator for Printify, Printful, Redbubble, and Etsy POD shops. See real profit per item, monthly profit, margin, and yearly income — after base cost, shipping, platform fees, processing, ads, and taxes.

Last Updated: June 2026

Reviewed for current platform fees and pricing rules.

What the customer pays for the item.

What Printify, Printful, or your supplier charges you.

Your shipping cost per item (not what you charge the buyer).

Total monthly ad spend across all channels.

Leave 0 if you don't track sales tax here.

Platform fee settings

Etsy ≈ 6.5%, Redbubble varies, Shopify 0%.

≈ 3% in most regions.

Looking healthy — about $547.60 a month at a 28.5% margin.

Profit per item

$6.84

Monthly profit

$547.60

Profit margin

28.5%

Moderate Profit Potential

Total monthly expenses

$1,372.40

Estimated yearly income

$6,571.20

Suggested price (≈35% margin)

$26.80

Real Profit Snapshot

After platform fees

Estimated monthly profit

$342.25

Verdict: Moderate margin — profitable, but optimize costs or pricing for more cushion.

Per-item breakdown

Sale price $24.00
  • Base cost
    $9.00
  • Shipping
    $4.00
  • Platform fee
    $1.56
  • Processing fee
    $0.72
  • Ads (per item)
    $1.88
  • Tax (per item)
    $0.00
  • Profit
    $6.84

Selling on Etsy POD? Cross-check with the Etsy Profit Calculator. Running your own store? See the Shopify Profit Calculator.

All calculations are estimates based on average platform fees. Real profits may vary depending on category, ads, and shipping.

Free worksheet for your next step

Turn this calculator result into a plan with a matching worksheet, checklist, or printable resource.

  • ChecklistPrint-on-Demand

    Print-on-Demand Profit Checklist

    A checklist for reviewing base cost, fees, shipping, and margin before listing.

    Open the checklist →
  • WorkbookPrint-on-Demand

    Printify Profit Workbook

    Plan Printify product profit, base costs, shipping, and margins with a step-by-step workbook covering pricing, fees, and monthly profit goals.

    Open the worksheet →

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your numbers in each field above — the calculator updates instantly as you type, so there's nothing to submit.
  2. Use your real figures when you have them, or sensible estimates while you're planning. If a field doesn't apply, leave it at zero.
  3. Compare the results, then change one input at a time to see how each lever (price, cost, fees, volume) moves the outcome.

Formula

Profit / item = Sale price − Base cost − Shipping − Platform% − Processing% − Tax% − (Ads ÷ Orders) · Monthly profit = Profit/item × Orders − fixed ad spend adjustments

Worked example

$24 t-shirt, $9 Printify base, $4 shipping, 6.5% Etsy fee, 3% processing, $150/mo ads, 0% tax, 80 sales/mo.

  1. Platform fee = 24 × 0.065 = $1.56
  2. Processing fee = 24 × 0.03 = $0.72
  3. Ads per item = 150 ÷ 80 = $1.88
  4. Expenses per item = 9 + 4 + 1.56 + 0.72 + 1.88 = $17.16
  5. Profit per item = 24 − 17.16 ≈ $6.84; Monthly profit ≈ $547

Answer: ≈ $6.84 profit per item · ≈ $547/mo · ≈ 28.5% margin

How it works

Print on demand looks simple — upload a design, list it, get paid. The reality is that base costs, platform fees, and ads quietly eat most of the sticker price. This POD profit estimator separates each cost so you can see exactly where the money goes.

Use it as a Printify profit calculator or Printful profit calculator before you publish a product: punch in the base cost from your supplier, the platform you're selling on, and a realistic monthly ad budget. If the suggested price comes back much higher than what competitors charge, that's a signal the niche is being run on razor-thin margins.

Because it updates live, you can test pricing changes, swap a cheaper blank, or model what happens when ad spend doubles — without touching your real shop.

How to interpret your results

  • Dollar values are shown per sale, per order, or per item unless a result is explicitly labelled monthly, weekly, or daily.
  • Percentages (margin, ROI, conversion rate) are easier to compare across products and price points than raw dollars — use them when you benchmark.
  • A positive result means you're ahead after the costs and fees you entered. A negative result means the current numbers don't work — change a lever (raise price, cut a cost, lower ad spend) and recalculate.
  • Treat the output as a planning estimate, not a guarantee. Fees, taxes, and conversion rates shift over time — re-run the numbers whenever a key input changes.

Common mistakes

  • Forgetting shipping cost — POD suppliers charge shipping on top of the base, and it often rivals the base itself.
  • Treating revenue as profit. A $24 sale with $17 in costs is $7, not $24.
  • Ignoring ad spend per item — a $5 cost-per-sale on a $7 margin leaves almost nothing.
  • Using a 6.5% Etsy fee but skipping payment processing, which adds another ~3%.
  • Pricing to match competitors who are losing money — many POD shops quietly close within a year.

Related Guides

Go deeper with plain-English guides on the same topic.

FAQ

What is a healthy POD profit margin?
25–40% net margin after fees and ads is healthy for print on demand. Below 20% leaves no cushion for refunds, returns, or slow months. Above 40% usually means a strong brand or low ad dependency.
Does this work for Printify and Printful?
Yes. Enter the base cost shown in your Printify or Printful catalog plus their shipping rate. The math is identical — only the numbers change.
How do Redbubble and Etsy POD differ?
Redbubble sets a base price and you add a markup, so your 'profit per item' equals your markup minus any per-item costs. For Etsy POD, the platform fee (≈ 6.5%) and processing (≈ 3%) apply to the full price you set.
Should I include taxes?
Only if you remit sales tax yourself. On Etsy and most US marketplaces, the platform collects and remits it for you — leave the tax field at 0 in that case.
What ad spend should I enter?
Use your real total monthly ad spend across Etsy ads, Pinterest, TikTok, and anything else. If you don't run ads, leave it at 0.
Is the calculator free?
Yes — no sign-up, no email, no limits. It runs entirely in your browser.

Why trust this calculator?

This tool uses standard mathematical formulas and commonly accepted calculation methods, shown openly in the Formula section above so you can verify the math yourself. Results are estimates based on the information you enter and do not account for every individual circumstance. For important financial, tax, legal, medical, or business decisions, please double-check with a qualified professional before acting on the numbers.

Keep going

One calculator rarely tells the full story. Pair this one with a related tool below to pressure-test your numbers from a different angle, or browse Work & Money Calculators for more in the same category.

What to calculate next

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Related Resources

Helpful guides and tools to take your next step.

  • Printify Profit Workbook

    Plan Printify product profit, base costs, shipping, and margins step by step.

    Open resource →

  • Print-on-Demand Profit Checklist

    Review base cost, fees, shipping, and margin before listing a POD product.

    Open resource →

  • Printable Pricing Worksheet

    A workbook for pricing digital products, lifting profit, and planning sales goals.

    Open resource →

Related Guides

  • Is Print-on-Demand Profitable?

    Low-risk but thin-margin — here's how POD economics really work and whether it's worth it.

    Read guide →

  • How To Calculate Printify Profit: Complete Profit Guide

    A complete 2026 Printify profit guide — base costs, shipping, Etsy/Shopify fees, ads, subscriptions, margin vs markup, and worked examples for t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, totes, and posters.

    Read guide →

  • How to Calculate Your Printify & Printful Profit

    Work out your real profit per item on Printify and Printful — after base cost, fees, and shipping.

    Read guide →

Related Calculators

  • Printify & Printful Profit Calculator

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  • Profit Margin Calculator

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  • Redbubble Profit Calculator

    Real earnings after Redbubble's platform and excess markup fees.

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Compare Alternatives

  • Printify vs Printful

    Lower base costs vs higher quality and integrations — POD compared.

    Compare →

  • Redbubble vs TeePublic

    Two POD marketplaces, two payout models — which pays artists more?

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Help Me Decide

  • Should You Scale or Stay Small?

    Scaling sounds like the obvious goal, but staying small can be more profitable per hour. Use this framework to choose deliberately instead of by default.

    Read decision guide →

Troubleshooting

  • Why Is My Profit Lower Than Expected?

    Revenue is up, but profit isn't. The gap is almost always one of five hidden leaks — fees, returns, shipping, COGS drift, or unpaid owner time. Find which one is eating you.

    Read fix →

Recommended Downloads

  • Print-on-Demand Profit Checklist

    A checklist for reviewing base cost, fees, shipping, and margin before listing.

    Open resource →

  • POD Product Launch Planner

    A step-by-step planner for launching new print-on-demand products — research, mockups, listing copy, pricing, and launch-week promotion.

    Open resource →

  • Print-on-Demand Monthly Profit Tracker

    Track monthly POD revenue, base costs, fees, shipping, and net profit per product to see exactly where your margin is going.

    Open resource →

Continue Learning

  • Business Math Basics for Online Sellers

    A five-lesson starter course covering the only five numbers every online seller actually needs to track — revenue, margin, break-even, ROI, and cash flow.

    Open course →