Gelato Print On Demand Review (2023): The Best POD Choice?

Print on Demand is becoming an increasingly popular business model. Its structure and the way it works does not require as much effort and resources as traditional e-commerce. Therefore, in this article we tell you about our professional experience with this company and we will also do a full review of Gelato Print On Demand.

Gelato review and analysis:

Review of: Gelato
Price: Free (installation)
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Rating

Features: 9/10
Ease of use: 8/10
Help and support: 7/10

Overall Score: 8/10

Pros

✔️ Very good production and shipping times
✔️ Outstanding product quality
✔️ A good manufacturing network based across 32 countries
✔️ No monthly subscription required

Cons

❌ Offers only the main product categories
❌ Reduced printing methods, with no sublimation, screen printing or embroidery available

Summary

Gelato is a Norwegian-based company established in Oslo in August 2012 by Henrik Müller-Hansen. Based in 32 countries worldwide, it has more than 5 million customers.

Thanks to its 130 management facilities and its presence on every continent, delivery times are fast and efficient. Gelato Print On Demand estimates 3 days for average delivery.

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The alternatives to choose from among reliable Print On Demand companies are very broad, but you will always need a solid base of arguments to choose a reliable supplier. This Gelato review will be based on everything we have been able to discover about the company, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. That’s why we encourage you to stay until the end of the article 😉

What is Gelato Print On Demand and How Does it Work?

Gelato is one of the most important POD companies you will find on the market. It was established in Oslo (Norway) in August 2012, when Henrik Müller-Hansen decided to launch the company. Today, it has more than 5 million customers and 130 production partners in 32 countries around the world.

It is worth noting that it has been recognized as one of the most sustainable Print On Demand companies on the planet. Thanks to their local production and the reduction of transportation distances, they manage to reduce carbon emissions of each order and costs and delivery times.

But what really makes Gelato special? The business grew out of the existence of Optimalprint, a highly rated photo printing company in Europe. Following its success, a team of technology experts decided to modernize this business model by creating what is now known as Gelato.

Gelato Print On Demand is one of many print-on-demand solutions available, but we want to highlight it as one of the best. The company focuses on managing the entire process, from production and order handling, to packaging and shipping the products to your customers. Gelato does not have its own factory network, so it functions as an intermediary that connects vendors with manufacturers. To get started with the tool and see the control panel, you can sign-up for free.

Thanks to this system, you can have an online store that provides your customers with personalized items without needing such a large infrastructure. Gelato is one of the best options you will find because its product catalog includes more than 100 products and it has up to 130 production centers that allow the company to produce and ship very quickly.

It is true that it does not have as much variety as other companies, but the quality of its products is one of the best you will find. In addition, the shipping costs are reasonable and Gelato’s delivery times are below average. If you choose this supplier for your print-on-demand products, you will be amazed by its ease of use. It also has integrations for easy connection with platforms like Shopify, Etsy or Wix eCommerce among others.

Gelato Pros

As with any good review, it is necessary to determine what are the advantages of Gelato to be able to make the best choice for your business.

• Production: It operates in more than 32 countries with a sustainable local production model. You will be able to sell almost everywhere in the world, using the closest factories to the final customer.
• Delivery times: Thanks to its 130 production partners and presence on every continent, production lead times are between 2 and 3 working days (in most cases), while shipping lead times are between 1 and 4 working days.
• Software: The platform is very intuitive and easy to use.
• Quality: The quality of the products stands out from other competitors.
• Integrations: You have available integration with the most popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Wix eCommerce, WooCommerce or Etsy. Additionally, you have the option to use their API for any other integration.
• Pricing: This provider does not require any monthly subscription. However it has three premium plans in case you want to have some extras (although they are not necessary). Regarding the prices of their products, are the most competitive in the market.
• Custom packaging: It allows you to place your branded labels and brochures. Unlike other suppliers, it does not require you to send them to the production centers as they are printed by Gelato when you place or receive an order.

Gelato Cons

While we are convinced that Gelato offers some great features, there are some small details to consider.

• Variety: Gelato has only about 100 customizable products in the main categories (apparel, home decor, phone cases, mugs, etc.), while other suppliers offer other product categories as well.
• Printing methods: Their printing methods are limited, with no sublimation, screen printing or embroidery.
• Integrations: In those platforms where integration is not foreseen, it is necessary to hire a developer to implement it.

Gelato Print On Demand Product Catalog

Gelato’s product catalog is not very extensive compared to other providers such as Printful and Printify, but the quality of the products is very high. You can find the following products:

The company has an advanced tool that will allow you to design and preview the final product. Also, you have available a mockup generator that you can use to display realistic images in your online store.

Among the most relevant products you can find:

• Clothing: All types of T-shirts, hooded or non-hooded sweatshirts and baby clothing
• Home Decor: Posters, canvases, frames, and calendars
• Stationery: Photo books, greeting cards, flyers, folders and brochures
• Others: Tote bags, mugs, mobile phone cases

According to company data, Gelato’s most popular product category in 2022 was apparel-related. Other categories that have also seen high market demand include stationery and home decor products.

Gelato’s products are manufactured by its production partners, not by the company itself. As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, one of the characteristics of Gelato is that it does not have its own manufacturing infrastructure, as is the case with Printify, one of its main competitors. The main objective of Gelato Print On Demand is basically to reach agreements with reliable manufacturers that guarantee quality in production and optimal global services.

Gelato Print On Demand Pricing

In order to break down Gelato’s pricing, we will divide this section into several parts. We will look at the different subscription plans, product costs and shipping costs.

1. Gelato Plans

If you are wondering about Gelato’s subscription plans, the company has four options.

Gelato’s Free plan is perhaps the best plan you can start working with. At the beginning of your e-commerce project you may want to use this plan and as you grow, you can consider changing it. Like other POD companies, Gelato does not require minimum orders to get started, something that is very interesting for people who are just starting out.

Gelato+ plan with a cost of $14.99/month (or $139/year) is recommended for those users who already start selling consistently every month. Among the advantages of starting with this plan, we can highlight the 30% discount on all standard shipments, availability of premium stock images or premium mockups among others. Facing the $14.99/month fee is easy as long as you receive a few orders per month.

The Gold plan with a cost of $99/month (or $999/year) is interesting for those who get more than 50 orders per month. This plan goes a little further, offering up to 50% discount on shipping costs and 30 days free shipping if you sign up for the annual plan. It is important to note that shipping costs in any online store are a key element when it comes to talking about profit margins.

The Platinum plan is designed for larger projects that are handling at least 500 orders per month. This plan is tailored to the size of the project and offers discounts on shipping, allows you to set your own margins on shipping rates or gives you access to exclusive discounted products.

2. Gelato Product Prices

Gelato is quite competitive when it comes to the prices of its products, but it is not the lowest priced in the market. Their main strength is the quality of their products which is very high something that is also key for any store offering POD products.

Below, you can see a summary of the prices of some of Gelato’s products, as well as a comparison table with price ranges compared to other POD suppliers.

Some Gelato Print On Demand product prices:

Regarding the prices of the products, we can highlight that Gelato is the chepeast one compared to other Print On Demand companies.

The products that stand out the most in terms of price are the posters and canvases, which are really good and have a high perceived value by users. Photo albums, or calendars should also be highly considered with this supplier. In reference to other products, Gelato has an average market price.

3. Gelato Shipping Rates

Gelato offers flat shipping rates for many of their products. This means that they charge the same amount to ship a product to countries within the same geographic region. Products without flat shipping rates have quite variable shipping prices depending on the destination country.

They also offer express shipping (somewhat more expensive) for some products and in some countries.

To see the flat shipping rates you can visit the specific product pages in the product catalog section. They also have a shipping calculator where you can choose any product and any shipping country to calculate shipping rates.

As we have mentioned in previous sections, the Gelato+ plan means a 30% discount on all shipments and the Gold plan a 50% discount, something you should definitely evaluate.

Gelato Integrations

Gelato currently has integrations with the most popular e-commerce platforms in the market, such as Shopify, Wix eCommerce, WooCommerce, Squarespace and BigCommerce and Etsy. They also plan to add new integrations in the near future.

If you plan to sell using other platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Magento, Ecwid or Weebly you also have integration options through the API or third party applications.

Below, in this comparative table, you can see the integrations of the main Print On Demand companies.

Gelato Print On Demand Alternatives 

As you may have guessed, although Gelato is a very good Print On Demand platform for your e-commerce business, it is not the most popular. For this reason, here are some Gelato alternatives that I hope will help you.

1. Printful

Printful is considered one of the best POD companies that allows individuals and businesses to create and sell their own custom products online without the need for inventory or upfront costs. They offer a wide variety of products, high-quality printing, and reliable shipping, making it a popular choice for those looking to start their own e-commerce business or sell custom merchandise. It stands out due to its high-quality products, fast shipping and large product catalog.

⮕ Read our complete Printful review

2. Printify

Printify is also one of the most popular Print On Demand platforms. It competes with Printful for being the largest POD company. It stands out for its product prices (they are very cheap) and probably has the most extensive product catalog in the market. The ideal is to work with Printify Premium, which has a monthly cost of $29/month that allows you to purchase products 20% cheaper.

⮕ Read our complete Printify review

Summary and conclusions

In our opinion, Gelato Print On Demand is one of the best options out there in the POD market. It is a solid company that differentiates itself from its competitors by offering the most competitive prices and also high quality products. If you are looking for a company that allows you to produce almost anywhere on the planet and thus reduce delivery times, Gelato is a good choice.

Another key aspect of Gelato is that it is an experienced company. It has experience in the industry and has many customers worldwide. This company is on track to become, along with Printful and Printify, one of the best Print On Demand suppliers.

In short, it is a quality POD partner for entrepreneurs and designers who are starting out in Print On Demand. If you still have doubts about which POD provider is best for you, we recommend you to read our related articles.

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