Threadless vs Redbubble: Which Platform is Better?

If you’ve ever thought about launching a business with print on demand, you’ve probably heard of Threadless and Redbubble.

Both platforms make it easy to start selling custom products. You don’t even need your own ecommerce storefront. You can simply create an account and start uploading products to sell on marketplaces already visited by thousands of shoppers.

While these platforms are similar in a lot of ways, there are some major differences between them that could sway your decision on which to use.

To help you make the right choice, I put both of these platforms to the test, learned about their features, and even researched their reputations to create this comparison guide.

We take a hands-on approach to reviewing every platform we compare in this guides. Learn more about our research strategy here.

Threadless Pros and Cons

Redbubble Pros and Cons

Threadless vs Redbubble: Deep Dive Comparison

On the surface, Threadless and Redbubble are pretty similar. They both allow companies to create basic “storefronts” they can use to promote and sell customized products without investing in an ecommerce platform.

They also both give you access to a pre-built marketplace (with thousands of visitors), useful design tools, and global fulfillment.

Both options also allow you to set your own profit margins (which is a nice touch), and neither option charges any monthly subscription fees.

But, as I tested both of these platforms, I noticed a few key differences in their products, features, and overall profitability potential.

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Product Options, Customization, and Product Quality

Let’s start with the things that I think matter most for any POD merchant – product options and quality. Both Redbubble and Threadless give you a lot of product options to choose from.

Options on both platforms range from top-selling apparel like t-shirts, to stickers, accessories, stationary, and office supplies.

Threadless offers a few slightly more unique choices, such as custom shoes, but the variety on both platforms is excellent.

Both of these companies seem to prioritize basic printing strategies like DTG printing – I couldn’t find any options for things like embroidery from either platform.

However, Redbubble offers all-over-print, which is a great way to differentiate certain products.

A slight downside is there aren’t any advanced “branding” options from Redbubble or Threadless, so you can’t use custom packaging or labels on your designs.

The quality of the products from both companies seems to be relatively variable too. However, Threadless has a slightly better reputation overall.

Though some customers have complained about occasional print defects and shrinking issues with apparel, Threadless still has a decent 3.8 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot.

Redbubble has a slightly lower rating of 3.7 out of 5, and many customers seem to complain that quality from the company isn’t consistent, and the products they produce look a little “cheap”.

Product Design Tools and Ease of Use

Although there are some limitations on how much you can customize your products on both websites, they do have reasonably straightforward design tools.

The design uploader interface on Threadless can be a little slow and clunky at times. One thing I disliked was the fact that there’s no “automatic tiling” function for creating seamless patterns with a single image.

Additionally, you’ll need to choose specific file types for the different types of products you want to create, like t-shirts and stickers, to get the best results.

On the plus side, you do get relatively detailed customization options for scaling and design placement.

Redbubble’s design solution is a lot easier to use. The uploader works quickly, and you can generate product previews with an image in seconds.

Plus, you can use an automatic tiling function to create seamless patterns for all over print. You also get a slightly easier way to add product descriptions and tags to your products before you add them to your marketplace store.

Artist Stores and Marketplace Options

As mentioned above, Threadless and Redbubble don’t integrate with ecommerce platforms and existing marketplaces like Amazon to enable POD selling.

They instead allow you to build your own “storefront” and list products on a free marketplace.

In my opinion, Threadless has the much better storefront builder overall. You get a lot more creative control over your storefront’s design, banners and logos, and navigation menus. This means you can really make your storefront stand out.

However, Threadless seems to be a little less popular than Redbubble, which could mean you end up with less traffic from the marketplace (if you choose to use it).

Redbubble, on the other hand, benefits from much better organic traffic. The marketplace receives millions of visitors thanks to the company’s ongoing marketing efforts.

The problem is, it’s much harder to stand out as a seller on Redbubble. Not only is the marketplace more competitive, but you can’t do much to customize your storefront.

You can really just list products, and add a profile photo or banner image. On the plus side, this does mean it doesn’t take much time to get your Redbubble business up and running.

Included Marketing Features

Both Threadless and Redbubble work to promote their own marketplaces, to increase traffic to your store.

However, Threadless does require creators to put a little more effort into their own marketing strategies. You’re responsible for driving attention to your store through social media, and other channels.

However, you do get built-in tools for collecting email addresses and sending newsletters.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of analytical tools to help you track how well your campaigns are working to drive conversions.

Redbubble, on the other hand gives you access to strong traffic insights and reports you can use to potentially increase your sales.

Plus, all Redbubble users have the opportunity to be included in marketing programs, and if you’re a high-volume seller, you get even more marketing benefits.

For instance, Redbubble Premium and Pro tier users get access to advanced marketplace insights, new PR opportunities, and email newsletters with tailored tips and insights for conversion rate optimization.

Threadless vs Redbubble: Pricing Plans and Payouts

As I mentioned above, you won’t need to pay a monthly subscription to use either Threadless or Redbubble.

You only pay for the base cost of your products, and any other extras you might need. Additionally, both of these companies occasionally run sales on base prices for specific products.

However, Redbubble does charge an “account fee” based on the number of sales you make in a certain month – so as you earn, you’ll start to incur extra costs.

Threadless has its “Art Shops Premium” service, for companies who want to access VIP support with product and site design, digital marketing, and even offline retail placement. The team can even help you design and launch product collections across various sales channels.

However, pricing for this service starts at a massive $2,500 per month, so it’s unlikely to appeal to beginners.

Redbubble doesn’t have any premium plans, but it does offer account tiers. This basically means the more traction you get on the site, the more benefits you can access.

For instance, Premium level merchants get advanced notice of sales dates, and don’t have to pay any account fees.

Pro account merchants get the same benefits as the Premium level sellers, as well as advanced insights and analytics, alongside other features.

Payouts on both platforms work a little differently too. Threadless provides access to a consistent income flow, allowing you to access your earnings every month, regardless of how much you make.

Redbubble, on the other hand, requires sellers to reach at least $20 before they can request a payout, which can be a problem for smaller sellers.

Customer Support and Service

From a customer support perspective, Threadless offers access to a wide range of resources and guides for all merchants.

You can also text the team, send them an email, or get in touch via Facebook or X (Twitter) if you have technical concerns.

Redbubble has its own, relatively useful help center, as well as the option to contact support via email.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any options for live chat or phone calls, and the “chat” button on the website only allows you to speak to a chatbot, not a human representative.

In my opinion, this makes Threadless a much better option for merchants that want more extensive support and guidance.

However, it’s worth noting that the simplicity of Redbubble could mean that you don’t have to reach out to the support team as often in the first place.

MORE: Redbubble Review

Threadless vs Redbubble: The Verdict

Overall, both Threadless and Redbubble have their benefits, particularly for new POD merchants who want to start selling quickly.

However, I do think Redbubble is the more straightforward option overall, and I like the fact that you can access premium features as you sell more.

On the other hand, Threadless is the more reliable option for more established artists who want more control over store customization, and access to a few more unique features.

It also delivers a better quality of customer support, and has a slightly better reputation for product quality.