Bear Grips Pro ShopsBest Alternatives to Custom Ink in 2026
- Custom Ink alternatives fall into two groups: print-on-demand marketplace connectors, and platforms with a branded storefront included.
- Printify, Printful, and Gelato are the most common marketplace-style alternatives businesses compare against Custom Ink.
- Threadless and Teespring (Spring) run more of a fan-facing artist-shop model rather than a group-order tool.
- Bear Grips Pro Shops is the option built for gyms, studios, small businesses, and creators who want an always-open branded shop with free shipping and no minimums.
Businesses searching for the best Custom Ink alternatives are usually solving for one of three problems: they want an ongoing shop instead of a one-time group order, they want a fixed price instead of a per-run quote, or they want free shipping included instead of tied to order size. Here is how the most commonly compared alternatives stack up, with Bear Grips Pro Shops covered last since the fit depends heavily on the business type.
The alternatives compared at a glance
| Platform | Storefront included | Pricing | Order minimum | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Ink | Group order page, not an ongoing shop | Quoted per run | Varies by product | One-time team, event, or fundraiser orders |
| Printify | No, connects to Shopify/Etsy/Wix | Varies by print provider | 1 piece | Sellers with an existing marketplace store |
| Printful | No, connects to Shopify/Etsy | Varies by print provider | 1 piece | Wide product catalog beyond apparel |
| Gelato | No, connects to ecommerce platforms | Varies by print provider | 1 piece | International print-local fulfillment |
| Threadless | Artist storefront included | Set by the marketplace | 1 piece | Artists selling design-led merch to fans |
| Teespring (Spring) | Creator storefront included | Set by the platform | 1 piece | Creators selling merch to their own audience |
| Bear Grips Pro Shops | Yes, branded shop included | Fixed catalog price, free shipping included | 1 piece | Gyms, studios, small businesses, creators wanting an always-open shop |
Printify, Printful, and Gelato: the marketplace connector group
Printify, Printful, and Gelato are all marketplace-style connectors: they fulfill orders placed through a storefront the seller runs elsewhere, most commonly Shopify or Etsy, with per-item pricing that varies by which print provider fulfills the order. Gelato leans on local production in multiple countries, useful for a business with an international buyer base. All three require the seller to bring their own storefront, unlike a group order tool or a branded shop that already includes one.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Threadless and Teespring: fan-facing storefronts
Threadless runs a marketplace where independent artists list designs for a broad audience to discover, and Teespring (rebranded as Spring) gives creators a storefront tied to their own audience, often linked from a YouTube channel or social profile. Both include a storefront the way Bear Grips Pro Shops does, though the audience model differs: Threadless leans on marketplace discovery across many artists, while Spring is built around a single creator's existing following.
Custom Ink: a different business model entirely
Custom Ink is built around one-time group orders, a team, a company event, a fundraiser, run through its online Design Lab and a group order page that closes once the run is ready to print. That is a strong fit for a genuinely one-time need. It is not a direct substitute for a business that wants an ongoing, owned storefront it keeps open between orders and adds new designs to over time. See the full Bear Grips vs Custom Ink comparison for the detailed breakdown.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: the always-open branded shop
Bear Grips Pro Shops is built for the business that wants the storefront, the pricing, and the fulfillment in one system that stays open, instead of a marketplace connector plus a separate ecommerce platform, or a group order tool that closes after each run. The catalog runs 63 apparel and headwear products from Bella+Canvas, Next Level, Champion, Gildan, Sport-Tek, and other recognized brands, with tees from $19.88 VIP base and hoodies from $36.88. Every order ships free to the buyer in about a week, there is no order minimum, and the vendor sets the retail price and keeps the margin. A built-in affiliate program pays 10% of a referred vendor's subscription plus $1 per unit they sell, on top of whatever the shop itself earns.
Try the Always-Open Shop Free
Storefront, pricing, and free shipping in one system that stays live. No minimums, no card required to start.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What is the single biggest difference between Custom Ink and the platforms on this list?
Custom Ink is built around one-time group orders that close once a run is ready. Printify, Printful, Gelato, Threadless, Teespring, and Bear Grips Pro Shops are all built around an ongoing storefront, though only some of those include the storefront itself.
Which alternative fits a one-time team order instead of an ongoing shop?
A group order tool like Custom Ink is built specifically for that. Bear Grips Pro Shops fits an ongoing shop a business or creator runs long term.
Which alternative is best for a business that wants non-apparel products too?
Printful or Printify, both of which offer wider non-apparel catalogs across their print provider networks. Bear Grips Pro Shops is apparel and headwear only.
Does Bear Grips Pro Shops charge shipping separately the way a group order threshold might?
No. Shipping to the buyer is free and included in the item price on every plan, including the Free tier, regardless of order size.
