If you want to start a print on demand business then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve created this list of the top tools for your print on demand business.

I’ve personally been selling my art through print on demand websites for over 8 years and have tried many different tools and approaches. In this post you’ll get all of the top tools and resources I’ve found for getting started with print on demand and scaling your business.

To get started selling your art online you’ll need to create some designs and optimize your artwork for print. Then, you’ll need to decide on a platform and upload your art or list your products there while using targeted key words to help them get found. Finally, you’ll need to market those products to your customers and continue learning to grow your business.

So let’s get into the top tools for your print on demand business!

Table of Contents

• Creating your designs
• Websites to sell your art
• Apps to upload your designs faster
• Keyword and niche research tools
• Marketing your products
• Business tools and resources
• Further education

* Please note, some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase using the links below I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support and it helps me create more content for you to enjoy!

Creating your Designs

First, you’ll need to create some designs or digitize your existing artwork so you can upload them to print on demand websites. Keep in mind the type of products you will be selling. A design for a t-shirt will much different than one for fabric for example.

Below are a few different (free and paid) design tools and resources for creating your designs for print on demand.

• Best Practices to Design for Print on Demand
• Canva – Note you cannot sell the pre-made graphics provided by Canva but can use their tools to create your own
• Photopea – A free web-based Photoshop alternative
• Photoshop or Illustrator – The OG design software
• Procreate – If you have an iPad you can use this app to create your designs
• Book Bolt – Design and research tool for Amazon KDP (julie20 for 20% off membership)
• Creative Fabrica – Digital assets like fonts, graphic designs etc.(35% discount on monthly all-access subscription)

Websites to Sell Your Art

The next thing you’ll need to do is decide on one or more print on demand websites to sell your designs through. Below is a list of sites I’ve personally used and sold my art through.

• Redbubble – Good for beginners
• Zazzle – More advanced with customization options
• TeePublic – Super simple upload process
• Society6 – Tedious upload process but worth the effort
• Amazon Merch on Demand – You must apply and wait to be accepted but worth it
• Spoonflower – Sample purchase requirement in order to list for sale
• Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) – No application process
• Printful – Via your own website or Etsy

Apps to Upload your Designs Faster

If you have a lot of designs ready to upload these are a few apps that you can use to speed up the process.

• Podconnect – Use code julie20 for 20% off membership
• Flying Upload – Use code julie10 for 10% off membership
• Merch Informer – For Amazon Merch but includes other websites as well
• Merch Titans – Similar to above

Keyword and Niche Research

In order for people to find your products you’ll need to make sure you’re including key words that people are searching for! Include them in your title, tags and description. Here are some tools and resources to help you with this.

• Google Trends – For general overall trends
• Popular Redbubble Tags and Trends
• How to Find Keywords for your Zazzle products
• Book Bolt Keywords Finder – Specifically for Amazon KDP (julie20 for 20% off membership)
• Related words
• Amazon keyword research tool

Marketing your Products

Marketing helps drive sales and raise awareness about your designs and the products you offer. You can do this in a variety of ways including through social media, Pinterest, blogging and more. Below are some excellent tools and resources to help you with your marketing efforts.

• How to Set up an Instagram shop with your Print on Demand products
• 7 Ways to Promote your Print on Demand Products
• How to use Pinterest to Promote your Print on Demand Products
• Art Marketing Strategy – How Art Blogs Increase Sales
• Place It – Create unique mockups of your designs on products
• Buffer – A tool to schedule Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest posts
• Canva – Create blog images, social media posts, mockups, image editing and more
• Pinterest – Create boards and pin your products, designs, blog posts etc.

Business Tools and Resources

As your business grows you’ll need to implement good business practices like keeping track of finances, doing your taxes, building a website, email list and general organization.

• How to Create a Basic Accounting Ledger for your small business
• How to Fill out the W8-BEN Tax Form for POD Sites
• WordPress – Website content management system
• Cosmotown – Cheap domain names
• Woocommerce & Shopify – Apps to sell print on demand products through your own website
• Notion – The ultimate planning tool for organizing your business (and life)
• Mailchimp – E-mail list management system

I’ve recently created an all in one Art Business Toolkit to help you get your business started and organized!

Further Education

In order to grow your business you’ll need to continue learning and honing your skills in both design, marketing and overall business skills. There are many excellent resources out there, here are a few of my favourites!

• Skillshare – Professional development courses for art and business. [Check out my class on how to sell your art through Print on Demand websites]
• Kelsey Rodriguez on YouTube
• Sophie Mahir on YouTube
• Cat Coquillette classes on Skillshare
• The Abundant Artist website
• Ryan Hogue YouTube channel
• Detour Shirts on Youtube
• Semrush and Hubspot academy free courses
• My YouTube channel

Conclusion

There are so many resources and tools out there to help you grow your print on demand business. What was your favourite resource? Did I leave something out? Feel free to leave links below so we can all benefit.

Cheers,