If you’ve reached this article, you may be thinking about starting your print-on-demand project to target Canadian users. You may also be looking for companies located in Canada that operate internationally so that you can ship orders worldwide, but why should you look for Print On Demand Canada companies?
In this article, we will explore the advantages of producing in Canada to effectively serve and sell products to your audience. We will analyze which are the best POD providers and discuss the factors to consider when choosing a Canada Print On Demand company. Finally, we will look at the production and delivery times of these companies.
Stay with me to the end to find out how to get started in Print on Demand in Canada. Let’s dive in!
Why choose a Print On Demand company in Canada?
Choosing a print on demand (POD) company based in Canada offers several advantages, especially if you are targeting Canadian customers or you have a significant portion of potential customers in the country.
As you well know, speed and excellence in e-commerce is essential nowadays and that is exactly what a POD provider located in Canada will solve. Overall, opting for a Canadian print-on-demand company can provide you with this and other competitive advantages that benefit you and your own customers.
Benefits of partnering with Print On Demand companies in Canada:
- Faster delivery times: By choosing a local POD company, you can significantly reduce shipping times, making it faster for your customers to receive their orders, which results in a better shopping experience.
- Lower shipping costs: By working with a company located in the country, if your primary customer base is in Canada, you can save on shipping costs, reduce cross-border fees and import taxes. This will also benefit your end customers.
- Better customer service: A POD company based in Canada is more likely to know the local market, production process and logistics related to your orders. As a result, it is likely to be able to offer you better customer service and more personalized assistance.
- Increased compliance with local standards: These companies are more likely to be aware of local guidelines, regulations and certifications. This ensures that the products that your customers will receive are produced in accordance with the essential requirements, thus improving their compliance with quality standards.
- Eco-friendliness: Local production and shipping can help reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation of goods.
What are the Best Print On Demand Companies in Canada?
Finding the right partner is essential for those looking to offer their customers exceptional service and looking to start a Print On Demand business. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best Print On Demand companies in Canada that stand out for offering fast delivery times, competitive pricing and exceptional customer service.
These companies have been carefully selected based on their production capacity, product range, ease of integration with e-commerce platforms and overall level of customer satisfaction. They are also rated after we have worked directly with most of them on several POD projects.
1. Printful
Printful, a leading print-on-demand company that officially expanded its operations to Canada in 2021, making it easier for Canadian entrepreneurs to bring their creative ideas to life. This company was born in Latvia in 2013 and has grown into a global company with over 200,000 customers and more than 62 million products manufactured to date.
The company established its facility in Mississauga, Ontario, strategically located near Toronto Pearson International Airport. This move has allowed Printful to enter the thriving Canadian market and continue its plans to expand and set up its own factories.
It is hands down our favorite and most highly recommended company as they control the entire production and shipping process (unlike other POD companies) and have a very high level of quality and dependability.
Printful Pros
Printful Cons
⮕ Read our Printful review
2. Printify
Printify, a leading print-on-demand platform that was born in Riga, Latvia and expanded its operations to Canada in 2018. This company does not have its own factories, but partners with other companies to which it delegates those tasks. Today, Printify works with three manufacturers in this country, so you can produce and ship customized products quickly in this market.
Having worked with this company, we can mainly highlight the competitive prices offered by their premium plan, something you should definitely take into account when choosing a partner. The quality of products is good (although lower than Printful) and it integrates with the most popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, Wix eCommerce or Etsy among others.
Printify Pros
Printify Cons
⮕ Read our Printify review
3. Gelato
Gelato is a company that was founded in 2012 in Oslo (Norway) and later, in 2015 began to provide POD services in Canada thanks to 9 associated production centers in the country. As with Printify, this Nordic company does not have its own infrastructure, but instead reaches agreements with local manufacturers to provide services. Gelato has a huge network of more than 100 printing partners in 32 countries, which makes it the largest company in this regard.
It is also important to highlight their commitment to the sustainability of the planet. Thanks to their local production and short transport distances, they manage to reduce the carbon footprint of each order. Finally, it is worth mentioning that its product catalog is of medium size and that the quality of its products is well above the industry average.
Gelato Pros
Gelato Cons
⮕ Read our Gelato review
4. Sellfy
Sellfy is an e-commerce platform that was created in 2011 in Riga, Latvia. It was designed to simplify the process of selling digital products, physical products and online subscriptions.
This e-commerce tool has become popular among those who sell POD products as it directly integrates Print On Demand services in a specific section that you can see in the control panel of this tool. This is an all-in-one tool that integrates POD services and allows you to build your own online store.
Sellfy Pros
Sellfy Cons
5. Printbest
Printbest was founded in 1999 as a family-owned business under the name SinaLite and now has a production facility in Markham, Ontario, Canada, and offices in Dublin, Ohio, USA. Over the years, they started offering fulfillment and dropshipping services to entrepreneurs, artists and small business owners offering fast delivery in Canada and the United States.
Note: Printbest is also a Printify partner company (under the name SinaLite), so you can also work with them from that platform.
Printbest Pros
Printbest Cons
6. Slaite
Slaite is a company located in Oakville, Ontario, Canada with more than 20 years of experience in Print On Demand. Choosing a local company like this allows you to ship most packages in 1-3 business days to ensure your customers receive their products quickly. This company stands out for having a wide selection of textile products such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, pants or jackets but they do not have an extensive catalog of other types of products.
Slaite Pros
Slaite Cons
7. Duplium
Duplium is a company founded in 2000 in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada that was originally focused on supporting the software, music, film and entertainment industries. As it evolved, it focused on custom printing and packaging, advanced e-commerce solutions (such as Print On Demand) and merchandise manufacturing using industry-leading technology.
Note: Duplium is also a Printify partner company, so you can also work with them from that platform.
Duplium Pros
Duplium Cons
8. Coastal Reign
Coastal Reign was founded in 2013 by two students named Boaz Chan and Eddison Ng. and has in-house production in Vancouver and Toronto. They previously offered Print On Demand services through their Teehatch brand which was eventually absorbed by this, the parent company.
Coastal Reign Pros
Coastal Reign Cons
What are the delivery times of Print On Demand companies in Canada?
Production and delivery times of Print On Demand companies in Canada may vary depending on the individual manufacturer, the products ordered and the shipping method chosen.
In the table below, we have compiled valuable data from the official sites of these companies, which will allow you to determine average production times, domestic shipping times in Canada and standard international shipping times. Please note that these lead times may vary, so it is advisable to confirm them with official sources to get the most accurate information.
Production and Shipping times of Print On Demand Canada companies:
| POD Company | No. facilities in Canada | Avg. production time | Avg. shipping time to Canada* | Avg. international shipping time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printful | 1 | 2–5 business days | 2 business days | 3–10 business days |
| Printify | 3 | 2–7 business days | 3–7 business days | 5–15 business days |
| Gelato | 9 | 1–6 business days | 1–2 business days | 1–4 business days |
| Sellfy | 1 | 2–7 business days | 6–10 business days | 5–20 business days |
| Printbest | 1 | 2–5 business days | 1–5 business days | 1-5 business days (ships only to the U.S.) |
| Slaite | 1 | 1–5 business days | 1–5 business days | 1-5 business days (ships only to the U.S.) |
| Duplium | 1 | 1–3 business days | 1–7 business days | USA: 3–10 business days Rest of World: 10–30 business days |
| Coastal Reign | 2 | 7–13 business days | 1–5 business days | 1-5 business days (ships only to the U.S.) |
* Note: Taking into account that standard shipments are made. The data reflected in this table are extracted from official sources, but may change at any time. Gelato, Printify and Sellfy do not have their own production facilities, but delegate production to third party companies. Table updated: April 26, 2023
Summary and Conclusions
As a summary, we have looked at some of the most important Print On Demand companies operating from Canada and we have tried to analyze their pros and cons. Our recommendation in this regard is that you analyze each option calmly and carefully in order to choose a good partner for the long term.
This step is crucial to launch any POD project, since working with a reliable partner is one of the keys to take into account. Among the most important elements that you need to consider we can highlight production and delivery times, product quality and the size of the product catalog.
This is our selection of Print On Demand companies in Canada:
- Printful: The most reliable and best value for money company
- Printify: Undoubtedly the most competitive POD company in terms of price
- Gelato: A high-growth player that provides very good POD services
It is important to note, as we often do, that we recommend our readers not to partner with Chinese print-on-demand companies. Often their low-cost services may be eye-catching, but our past experiences have shown us that the products are generally of poor quality and the shipping times are really long.
Should you have any inquiries or concerns, feel free to drop us a line in the comments! 😊
Want to Learn More?
- How to Start a Print On Demand Business (Tips & Tricks)
- 20 Successful Print On Demand Store Examples
- 35 Best Print On Demand Niche Ideas (Evergreen & Popular)
Frequently Asked Questions
When choosing a Canadian POD company, you should consider a number of factors, taking into account the importance of choosing a reliable long-term partner. From our experience, factors such as the quality level of the products and the manufacturing and shipping lead times are crucial when making this type of decision. The most reliable companies we have worked with are Printful, Printify and Gelato.
Printify is considered one of the most affordable POD companies producing in Canada due to its ability to negotiate with its printing partners, and its accessibility with a free plan. If you want to enjoy even lower prices, this company wants your loyalty, so you’ll have to subscribe to a monthly plan for $29 per month.
To ensure the quality of the products, we recommend you to choose a company with good reviews and positive testimonials. It is also important to ask for samples of the products to evaluate the quality first hand before making them available to your customers.
First of all, you can start by doing a complete market research. For that, you can get inspired by Print On Demand store examples and then choose from different Print On Demand niches that will help you to plan your project. Then you will need to create unique designs and build your online store by integrating a POD company with the platform chosen for your store.
