Comparison
Redbubble vs TeePublic
Redbubble and TeePublic are both print-on-demand marketplaces owned by the same company, but they pay artists in completely different ways. Here's how they compare.
Last Updated: June 2026
Reviewed for current platform fees and pricing rules.
Side-by-side comparison
A quick overview of how Redbubble and TeePublic stack up on the things that matter most.
| Factor | Redbubble | TeePublic |
|---|---|---|
| Payout model | Base cost + your markup (you set the price). | Fixed amount per item sold (set by TeePublic). |
| Per-sale earnings (default) | Standard tier ~$2–3 per shirt. | Artisan tier ~$4 per shirt (about 2x Redbubble Standard). |
| Seller fees | Platform fee by tier: Standard 50%, Premium 20%, Pro 0% + excess markup fee. | No seller fees. |
| Traffic | Much higher — roughly 10–15x TeePublic. | Smaller, niche community. |
| Sales/discounts | Frequent sales reduce artist earnings during the sale. | Frequent sales reduce artist earnings during the sale. |
| Product range | Wider catalog (apparel, stickers, home goods, wall art). | Narrower — mostly apparel and accessories. |
| Best for | Volume sellers at Premium/Pro tier — far more traffic. | Standard-tier or new sellers — higher pay per sale, simpler setup. |
Pros and cons
Redbubble
Pros
- Massive traffic compared to TeePublic.
- Wide product catalog beyond apparel.
- Set your own markup for higher per-item earnings.
- Tier system rewards top sellers (Premium, Pro).
Cons
- Standard tier earnings are low (~$2–3 per shirt).
- Frequent sales cut into your margin.
- Tier qualification and excess markup fee add complexity.
- Heavy competition for visibility.
TeePublic
Pros
- Higher fixed payout per sale — about 2x Redbubble Standard.
- No seller fees and no tier system.
- Simpler dashboard and upload flow.
- Lower competition than Redbubble.
Cons
- Much smaller traffic and discovery.
- You can't set your own price.
- Frequent sale events lower your per-unit payout.
- Narrower product catalog.
Example scenarios
Realistic situations and which platform tends to fit best.
Brand new POD artist with a small portfolio
TeePublic first. Higher fixed payouts mean fewer sales needed to see real money, and the simpler setup gets you live faster.
Artist with a growing catalog (100+ designs)
Upload to both. They share an owner, so your designs can live on both with the same files — Redbubble adds traffic, TeePublic adds per-sale pay.
Established Redbubble seller at Premium/Pro tier
Lean into Redbubble. Once the platform fee drops, the traffic advantage makes Redbubble clearly the higher-earning platform.
Artist who hates pricing decisions
TeePublic. Fixed payouts mean no markup math, no tier juggling, no excess markup fee — you upload and TeePublic handles the rest.
Who should choose Redbubble?
Artists with a large catalog, anyone who has reached Premium or Pro tier, and sellers who want products beyond apparel. The traffic advantage is real, but you need volume (or a high tier) to outpace TeePublic's fixed payouts.
Who should choose TeePublic?
New artists, anyone at Redbubble's Standard tier, and sellers who want a simpler setup. The fixed ~$4 payout per shirt usually beats Redbubble Standard on a per-sale basis.
Can you use both?
Yes — and since Redbubble and TeePublic share an owner, many artists upload the same designs to both. Each platform reaches different shoppers, and there's no exclusivity rule.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Redbubble or TeePublic pay more per sale?
- TeePublic usually pays more per sale at the default Artisan tier (~$4) versus Redbubble Standard (~$2–3). Redbubble can pay more once you reach Premium or Pro tier.
- Why does Redbubble have a tier system?
- Redbubble's tier system reduces its platform fee as your sales grow — Standard takes 50%, Premium 20%, Pro 0%. The catch is qualifying for higher tiers requires sustained sales volume.
- Are Redbubble and TeePublic owned by the same company?
- Yes — Redbubble Group owns both. They run as separate marketplaces with different audiences and payout models.
- Should I upload the same designs to both?
- Yes, most artists do. There's no exclusivity rule, and reaching both audiences is easy since the upload requirements overlap heavily.
- How do sales events affect my earnings?
- Both platforms run frequent storewide sales, and your per-sale earnings drop during those events. You can't opt out, so factor it into your expected average.
Related calculators
Put the comparison into numbers for your own shop.
Related guides
Plain-English deep dives that pair with this comparison.
Seller hub
Print-on-Demand Seller Hub
Calculators and guides for POD sellers on Printify, Printful, and Redbubble.
All seller tools
Browse every calculator and guide
Etsy, KDP, print-on-demand, and more.
More comparisons
Etsy vs Shopify
Marketplace traffic vs full brand control — which fits your shop?
Printify vs Printful
Lower base costs vs higher quality and integrations — POD compared.
KDP vs IngramSpark
Amazon reach vs bookstore distribution — self-publishing platforms compared.
Etsy vs Amazon Handmade
Marketplace fees and reach compared — which keeps more of your profit?
KDP vs Draft2Digital
Amazon exclusivity vs wide distribution — ebook publishing compared.