In 2024, choosing the right Print on Demand (POD) platform can make or break an independent artist’s business. Two of the most popular options, Redbubble and Teepublic, have been industry favorites for years. But which one is the best for creatives looking to showcase their work and maximize earnings? In this post, I’ll break down the pros and cons of each platform, covering everything from product variety to audience reach, so you can make an informed decision and pick the right marketplace for your art.
1. Platform Overview
Before diving into the details, let’s look at a brief overview of what each platform offers:
Redbubble is a well-established marketplace with a diverse range of products, from apparel and accessories to home decor. Founded in 2006, Redbubble has built a strong artist community, providing exposure through features and artist spotlights.
Teepublic, on the other hand, started in 2013 and was later acquired by Redbubble in 2018. Although it operates under Redbubble’s umbrella, Teepublic maintains its own distinct brand and audience, focusing more on apparel and emphasizing the community-driven aspect of its marketplace.
2. Product Range & Quality
Redbubble:
- Offers one of the largest selections in the POD world, featuring over 60 different product categories.
- Products include everything from classic t-shirts and hoodies to more niche items like wall art, clocks, phone cases, and bath mats.
- Quality is generally good, but it varies depending on the product type and manufacturer. For example, apparel is typically high-quality, while some home goods may not have the same durability.
Teepublic:
- More streamlined product selection, focusing heavily on apparel such as t-shirts, tank tops, and hoodies.
- Also includes accessories like mugs, phone cases, and stickers.
- Known for consistently good print quality on apparel, making it a favorite for clothing-based designs.
- If your designs are mainly clothing-oriented, Teepublic’s focused catalog can help maintain a high-quality product range.
3. Audience & Reach
Redbubble: With over 700,000 active artists and millions of monthly visitors, Redbubble attracts a massive, diverse audience. This makes it ideal for artists who want to tap into a broader market and increase the visibility of their work. Additionally, Redbubble’s high domain authority means designs can often rank well in Google searches.
Teepublic: Though smaller, Teepublic has a strong niche appeal and a loyal customer base that frequently buys designs in categories like pop culture, gaming, and geeky themes. If your art style falls into these areas, Teepublic can provide a more targeted reach, helping your designs find the right buyers quickly.
4. Artist Commission & Pricing Control
One of the biggest deciding factors for artists is the level of control over pricing and commission rates.
Redbubble: Allows artists to set their own margins, which means you can decide how much profit you want to make from each sale. While Redbubble’s base prices can be high, adjusting your margin can help keep your products competitively priced.
Teepublic: Offers a set artist commission for each product. This means you earn a fixed amount for every sale, regardless of the product price. While this makes pricing straightforward, it also limits your earning potential if you want to experiment with higher profit margins.
5. Uploading Process & Ease of Use
Both platforms make it relatively easy to upload designs, but there are a few nuances:
Redbubble: Offers a more detailed interface, allowing you to customize each product individually. This is ideal if you want to tweak the positioning and color options for every product. However, it can be time-consuming for those with large design catalogs.
Teepublic: Streamlined upload process that quickly applies your design to a range of products. This is a time-saver, but it offers less control over individual product positioning compared to Redbubble.
6. Marketing Tools & Support
Redbubble: Features a robust community section, artist blogs, and promotional tools like discount codes and e-mail marketing for top artists. It also has a partnership program that helps top-performing artists get even more exposure.
Teepublic: Prioritizes community engagement through its blog and artist spotlight features. While it doesn’t have as many promotional tools, Teepublic often runs site-wide sales, giving your designs extra visibility without requiring your involvement.
7. The Reality of Selling on Print-on-Demand Platforms
While Redbubble and Teepublic might seem like great places to start, it’s important to understand the challenges that come with each platform. Both are highly saturated, with thousands of new designs uploaded daily. For artists starting out, breaking through the noise isn’t easy. You’ll need a substantial number of designs and a strategy to stand out.
It’s not uncommon for new designers to struggle to make their first sale. It takes time, effort, and a lot of consistency to build up a portfolio that catches people’s attention. Some artists may get lucky with a viral design, but that’s the exception, not the rule. The reality is that building a successful POD business requires designing thought-provoking and visually appealing products that resonate with your target audience.
The same principles apply to Teepublic. Researching what’s trending on each platform is crucial. Take the time to study top sellers, analyze which niches perform well, and see how your style can align with what buyers are currently seeking.
8. Final Thoughts: Which Platform is Best?
Choosing between Redbubble and Teepublic ultimately comes down to your priorities as an artist:
Go with Redbubble if: You want a wide variety of products to feature your art, prefer having control over pricing, and aim to build a long-term presence with strong SEO visibility.
Choose Teepublic if: You focus primarily on apparel, want a quick and easy upload process, and are looking to tap into a more niche, community-driven audience.
But remember, neither platform is a magic ticket to overnight success. Print-on-demand isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of business. It requires hours of work, niche research, keyword optimization, and constant design updates. You’ll have good months and bad months, just like any other business. But if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, it can become a rewarding and sustainable income stream over time.
I’ll be diving deeper into topics like niche research, choosing a niche, what to sell, keyword research, tagging, design tutorials, and more in future posts, so stay tuned! If you have any questions or feel stuck somewhere, feel free to shoot me an email or DM me on Instagram. I’ve been through the ups and downs of the POD journey and am always happy to help fellow artists find their path.
