Most artists pick their POD platform based on what other artists recommend on Reddit. That's how you end up earning $4 per art print when you could be earning $12.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: The "easiest" POD platforms pay artists the least. The platforms with the best margins require more effort. The platforms with the most traffic have the strictest approval processes. There is no perfect platform. There's only the right mix for your strategy.
If you want passive income, you optimize for traffic. If you want high margins, you optimize for control. If you want both, you use multiple platforms and let each do what it does best.
What Makes a POD Platform Good for Artists?
Traditional art sales require gallery representation, trade show booths, or printing inventory upfront. POD flips this - you upload digital files, the platform handles production and shipping, you collect royalties.
The key variables that determine your income:
- Profit margin - How much you earn per sale
- Traffic volume - How many people see your work
- Product variety - What items feature your art
- Quality control - How good the final product looks
- Approval barriers - How hard it is to get accepted
- Payment terms - When you get paid
The trade-off: High-traffic platforms (Amazon Merch) have low margins. High-margin platforms (MyDesigns) require you to drive more traffic yourself. The winning strategy is using both types.
1. MyDesigns - Best for Profit-Focused Artists
Profit margins: $10-15+ per sale (physical POD) + digital product sales
Why artists should care: MyDesigns gives you the highest per-sale earnings of any POD platform. An art print that earns you $4 on Redbubble earns $12+ on MyDesigns. That 3x difference compounds fast.
The Unique Advantage: Physical + Digital
MyDesigns is the only major POD platform that also lets you sell your design files as digital products. Upload one piece of art, sell it as:
- Wall art prints (POD)
- Apparel (POD)
- Digital download files (instant delivery, 100% profit)
This matters because: Digital products have zero production cost. A $9.99 digital art print generates $9.99 profit vs $4 profit on a physical Redbubble print.
When MyDesigns Makes Sense
- You have a social media following or email list
- You're willing to run low-budget ads ($5-10/day)
- You want to build a brand, not just list designs
- Maximum profit per sale matters more than passive traffic
Real math: 50 sales/month at $12 margin = $600. On Redbubble at $4 margin = $200. Same sales, 3x the income.
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2. Amazon Merch on Demand - Best for High-Volume Passive Income
Profit margins: $2-6 per item
Why artists should care: Amazon has 200+ million Prime members. Your art gets in front of more buyers in one week than Society6 delivers in a year.
The Traffic Advantage Nobody Talks About
Amazon Merch listings appear in regular Amazon search results. Somebody searching "mountain landscape wall art" sees your design next to traditional sellers. You're not competing only against other POD artists - you're reaching every Amazon shopper.
This is why Amazon Merch sellers with 500+ designs can generate $5K-10K/month passive income despite lower per-sale margins. Volume beats margin when traffic is 10x higher.
The Approval Barrier
Amazon Merch requires approval. Application to approval currently takes 1-6 months. Once approved, you start at Tier 10 (10 live designs max) and unlock higher tiers by making sales.
Tier progression:
- Tier 10 → Tier 25 (after 10 sales)
- Tier 25 → Tier 100 (after 25 sales)
- Tier 100 → Tier 500 (after 100 sales)
- Tier 500 → Tier 1000 (after 500 sales)
The strategy: Apply NOW even if you're not ready. The clock starts when you apply, not when you're ready to upload. Use the approval wait to build your design library.
When Amazon Merch Makes Sense
- You can wait 1-6 months for approval
- You want passive income without marketing
- You're comfortable with tier restrictions initially
- Long-term volume matters more than immediate per-sale profit
3. Redbubble - Best for Immediate Start and Testing
Profit margins: $4-8 per sale
Why artists should care: No approval process. Create account, upload art, go live in 24 hours. Perfect for testing concepts fast.
The Product Variety Advantage
Redbubble offers 50+ product types. One design becomes:
- T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops
- Art prints, canvas prints, framed prints
- Phone cases, stickers, laptop skins
- Bags, pillows, notebooks
- And 40+ more
This matters because: You upload once, Redbubble generates 50 listings. More listings = more search exposure = more sales from one creative effort.
The Margins Problem
Redbubble's base margins are the lowest among major POD platforms. A standard art print earns you around $4. A t-shirt earns $6-8. You can increase margins by raising prices, but higher prices hurt conversion in Redbubble's marketplace.
The trade-off: Redbubble is easiest to start but hardest to scale past $1K/month unless you have 500+ designs.
When Redbubble Makes Sense
- You want to start immediately (no approval wait)
- You're testing whether POD works for your art style
- You like the idea of 50+ products per design
- You're okay with lower margins in exchange for convenience
4. Society6 - Best for Fine Art and Home Decor
Profit margins: $5-10 per sale
Why artists should care: Society6 attracts design-conscious buyers willing to pay more for quality. Better audience fit for fine art and abstract work than Amazon's mass market.
The Curation Advantage
Society6 is more selective about what gets promoted. Their editorial team features standout designs in email campaigns and on the homepage. Getting featured can generate 100+ sales in a weekend.
The audience skews toward:
- Interior designers sourcing client projects
- Home decor enthusiasts
- Art collectors looking for affordable originals
- Gift buyers seeking unique pieces
The Product Limitations
Society6 limits you to ~20 products per design compared to Redbubble's 50+. Focus is on home decor (wall art, furniture, bedding) and less on apparel.
When Society6 Makes Sense
- Your art style is fine art, abstract, or illustrative
- You target home decor and interior design markets
- You want a more curated, less crowded marketplace
- Quality control matters more than product variety
5. Etsy (via Printify/Printful Integration) - Best for Niche Audiences
Profit margins: $6-12 per sale (varies by product and fulfillment partner)
Why artists should care: Etsy buyers actively search for unique, handmade-style art. Better for niche styles (boho, cottagecore, vintage) than mass-market platforms.
The Marketplace Difference
Unlike automated POD platforms, Etsy is a marketplace where you run a "shop." This requires more hands-on management but gives you more control over branding, pricing, and customer relationships.
Integration workflow:
- Connect Printify or Printful to your Etsy shop
- Upload designs
- When orders come in, Printify/Printful fulfills automatically
- You collect payment minus production cost and fees
The Fees Stack Up
- Etsy listing fee: $0.20 per item
- Etsy transaction fee: 5% of sale price
- Payment processing: ~3%
- Printify/Printful production cost
- Total margin: 30-50% depending on pricing
Higher maintenance but better brand control. Etsy works if you want to build a recognizable shop brand, not just list anonymous designs.
When Etsy Makes Sense
- Your art fits niche aesthetics (boho, vintage, cottagecore)
- You want to build a branded shop experience
- You're comfortable managing listings and customer questions
- You can handle $0.20/listing + 5% transaction fees
6. Printful - Best for Custom Storefronts (Shopify/WooCommerce)
Profit margins: Variable (you set pricing, production cost ranges $8-20 per item)
Why artists should care: Printful integrates with your own Shopify or WooCommerce store. Full brand control, own your customer relationships, build an email list.
The Control Trade-Off
Printful isn't a marketplace - it's a fulfillment partner. You drive all traffic yourself via ads, social media, or SEO. In exchange, you control:
- Pricing (set any margin you want)
- Branding (no Printful branding on packaging)
- Customer data (build your email list)
- Store design and experience
Best for artists who want to build a brand, not just sell designs in someone else's marketplace.
When Printful Makes Sense
- You have an existing audience or advertising budget
- You want to build a long-term brand
- Owning customer relationships matters
- You're willing to handle more logistics for higher control
7. TeePublic - Best for Tee-Focused Artists
Profit margins: $4-6 per sale
Why artists should care: TeePublic is owned by Redbubble but focuses heavily on apparel (especially tees). Good for graphic/illustrative art that works on shirts.
The Apparel Focus
TeePublic's buyer base skews younger and more interested in pop culture, fandom art, and graphic tees. Better for bold, graphic styles than fine art.
Frequent sitewide sales (40% off) drive high volume but cut into margins.
When TeePublic Makes Sense
- Your art style is graphic/illustrative
- You target younger demographics (18-35)
- Apparel sales matter more than home decor
- You're okay with frequent platform sales reducing margins
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The Multi-Platform Strategy (What Successful Artists Actually Do)
Here's the secret nobody tells you: Top-earning POD artists don't pick one platform. They use 3-5 simultaneously.
The strategy:
- High-traffic platform (Amazon Merch) - Passive sales from organic traffic
- High-margin platform (MyDesigns) - Drive targeted traffic here via ads or social
- Easy-entry platform (Redbubble) - Test concepts, build initial portfolio
- Niche platform (Society6 or Etsy) - Target specific buyer demographics
Why this works: One piece of art uploaded to 5 platforms = 5x exposure with no extra creative work. Automation tools handle the cross-listing grunt work.
How to Cross-List Efficiently
Manual method (slow): Upload to Amazon, then manually re-upload to Redbubble, then Society6, then... 30-40 minutes per design.
Automated method: Prepare all listings in a spreadsheet, use automation tools to push to multiple platforms simultaneously. 5-10 minutes per design.
For 100 designs: Manual = 50 hours. Automated = 8 hours. The time savings compound.
Common Mistakes Artists Make Choosing POD Platforms
Mistake 1: Optimizing for Ease Over Profit
Redbubble is easiest. It's also the lowest paying. If you're building a business, optimize for profit and traffic, not convenience.
Fix: Start on Redbubble to learn, but add MyDesigns and Amazon Merch within 90 days.
Mistake 2: Picking One Platform and Stopping
One platform = one income stream. If that platform changes algorithms or your account has issues, your income disappears.
Fix: Multi-platform from day one. Same art, 5 platforms, diversified income.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Traffic Strategy
MyDesigns pays more per sale, but if you get zero traffic, you earn zero. Amazon pays less per sale but drives 10x traffic, so you earn more total.
Fix: Match platform choice to your traffic acquisition ability. Have an audience/ad budget? Use MyDesigns. Want passive? Use Amazon.
Mistake 4: Uploading and Hoping
No platform does all your marketing for you (except Amazon). You need basic SEO: relevant titles, tags, descriptions.
Fix: Spend 10 minutes optimizing each listing. Keywords matter. "Mountain Landscape Wall Art" beats "Untitled Design 47."
How to Start Today (The 30-Day POD Launch Plan)
Week 1: Apply to Amazon Merch (even though it takes months). Create Redbubble and Society6 accounts. Sign up for MyDesigns.
Week 2: Upload your first 20 designs to Redbubble and Society6. Optimize titles, tags, descriptions for SEO.
Week 3: Cross-list your best 10 designs to MyDesigns. Set up basic social media profiles pointing to your MyDesigns store.
Week 4: Analyze which designs got the most views and favorites. Create 10 more designs in that style. Repeat.
Month 2-3: Amazon approval comes through (hopefully). Upload your proven winners there. Maintain 5-10 new designs/week across all platforms.
Month 4-6: You should have 100+ designs live, first consistent sales coming in, data on what works. Double down on winning niches and styles.
The Honest Income Expectations
Month 1-2: $0-50 (building inventory, waiting for indexing)
Month 3-4: $100-300 (first consistent sales appear)
Month 6: $500-1,000 (if you hit 100+ optimized designs across 3+ platforms)
Month 12: $2,000-5,000 (with 300-500 designs, multi-platform presence, optimization)
Year 2+: $5,000-15,000/month possible for top 5% of sellers who maintain velocity and optimization
The pattern: Passive POD income grows slowly then compounds. Your hundredth design performs better than your first because you've learned what works.
Final Recommendation: Start Wide, Scale Smart
If you can only pick one platform to start:
- Want immediate start: Redbubble
- Want highest margins: MyDesigns
- Want passive income (can wait): Amazon Merch
If you're serious about POD as income:
- Start Redbubble today (no wait)
- Apply to Amazon Merch today (approval clock starts now)
- Set up MyDesigns for your best 20 designs
- Plan to be on 3-5 platforms within 90 days
The platforms complement each other. Use all of them. Let each do what it does best.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best print on demand site for selling art?
MyDesigns offers the highest profit margins ($10-15+ per sale) with both physical POD and digital product options, making it the best choice for serious artists. Amazon Merch has the highest traffic but lower margins and requires approval. Redbubble is easiest to start but has the lowest artist margins.
How much do artists make on print on demand?
Artists with 50-100 designs on multiple platforms typically earn $500-3,000/month. Top sellers with 500+ optimized designs across Amazon Merch, Redbubble, and MyDesigns can earn $5,000-15,000/month. Margins range from $2-15 per sale depending on platform and product.
Should I use Redbubble or Society6 as an artist?
Redbubble offers more product variety (50+ items) and slightly higher margins. Society6 has better quality control and a more curated audience but limits you to 20 products per design. Most artists use both to maximize exposure.
Can I sell the same art on multiple print on demand sites?
Yes. Your original artwork can be uploaded to any platform you choose. Multi-platform strategy is standard - the same art on 5 platforms generates 5x the exposure without extra creative work. Use automation tools to avoid manual re-uploading.
Do print on demand sites for artists handle copyrights?
You retain full copyright to your original artwork on all major POD platforms. The platforms license your work for manufacturing and sales but you own the IP. Never upload art you don't own - copyright violations result in permanent account bans.
Which print on demand site pays the most to artists?
MyDesigns pays the highest per-sale margins ($10-15+ for wall art, apparel). Amazon Merch pays $2-6 per item but drives the most volume. Combine high-margin platforms for profit with high-traffic platforms for volume.