How to Calculate Your Printify & Printful Profit
Printify and Printful let you sell custom products with no inventory. But your real profit is smaller than the price tag, because the base cost and platform fees take a cut. Here's how to work out what you keep.
Last Updated: June 2026
Reviewed for current platform fees and pricing rules.
How the money works
You pay the supplier a base cost (product + printing). You set the selling price. Your profit is the selling price minus the base cost, minus the fees of wherever you sell (Etsy, Shopify, your own store), minus shipping you cover and any ads.
Printify vs Printful base costs
The two price differently. Printify often has lower base costs and many print providers to choose from. Printful often costs a bit more but is known for tight quality control. The same selling price can give you different profit depending on which you use, so check both.
A worked example
A mug sells for $19. Base cost $9, platform and payment fees about $2, no shipping you cover. Profit = $19 − $9 − $2 = $8 per sale, around a 42% margin. Add $4 of ads to make the sale and profit drops to $4.
Watch your traffic cost
Like all print-on-demand, ads can eat a thin margin fast. Free traffic (Etsy SEO, your own audience) keeps your profit. Know your profit per sale before you spend on ads.
Tips
Compare base costs between suppliers and print providers, price for a real margin, and watch shipping, which varies a lot by product and region.
Frequently asked questions
- How much profit do you make on Printify or Printful?
- After base cost and platform fees, often $3–8 per item, depending on price and product.
- Is Printify or Printful cheaper?
- Printify usually has lower base costs; Printful often charges more but is known for quality. Compare both for your product.
- What fees should I include?
- The supplier base cost, your selling platform's fees, shipping you cover, and any ads.
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Printify & Printful Profit Calculator
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