Church Apparel Without CustomInk: Bear Grips Pro Shops Alternative
Quick Answer- Bear Grips Pro Shops as a CustomInk alternative for church apparel.
- From $19.88 with no minimum, free USA shipping, 63 product catalog.
- Permanent branded shop versus CustomInk's per-order campaign model.
- Earn on every sale as a ministry fundraising stream.
CustomInk is commonly used for one-time church group shirt orders, particularly through its Fundraising and Group Order tools. Bear Grips Pro Shops offers custom church shirts from $19.88 with no minimum, free US shipping, and a permanent branded storefront that keeps your church's apparel available year-round. No campaign window, no order collection deadline, no per-order design restart. Ships in about a week.
Bear Grips Pro Shops vs. CustomInk for Church Apparel
Core differences for churches evaluating both platforms:
- Permanent shop vs. campaign model: CustomInk's Group Order and Fundraising tools operate on a campaign window. Your congregation orders during a set timeframe, then the campaign closes. Bear Grips Pro Shops stays live indefinitely. Members can order on any Sunday, not just during a 2-week campaign.
- No campaign minimum: CustomInk's Group Order feature often has a minimum number of items to proceed. Bear Grips Pro Shops has no minimum on any order at any time.
- Pricing structure: CustomInk pricing decreases at quantity thresholds, incentivizing larger single orders. Bear Grips Pro Shops pricing is consistent per item, with VIP plan ($59/month) providing the lowest base prices on all orders regardless of batch size.
- Catalog breadth: Bear Grips Pro Shops offers 63 products across tees, tanks, hoodies, polos, shorts, leggings, and hats from premium brands. Members can mix product types in a single shop experience.
- Revenue model: Bear Grips Pro Shops allows your church to set retail prices and earn on every sale. CustomInk's fundraising model takes a platform cut. Bear Grips pays the church the full margin above base cost.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.
Why Churches Outgrow the Single-Campaign Model
CustomInk and similar platforms work well for a defined single event: everyone in the VBS orders by Friday, the campaign closes, shirts ship together. This model breaks down when:
- New members join after the campaign closes and need a shirt
- Multiple ministries within the same church need different shirts on different timelines
- The church wants to offer apparel year-round as a fundraising stream
- Members want to reorder a previous design they wore out
- A member who missed the campaign wants to participate in the next season
Bear Grips Pro Shops addresses all of these scenarios with a persistent shop that accepts orders at any time.
Setting Up a Church Apparel Shop Instead of Another CustomInk Campaign
Setting up a Bear Grips Pro Shop takes the same amount of time as configuring a CustomInk campaign, but the result is a permanent storefront rather than a temporary window. Upload your church logo or design, choose products, set prices, share the link. Members order independently and shirts ship to them directly. No coordinator tracking sizes and payments. No campaign window. No minimum. The free plan has no monthly cost. The VIP plan at $59/month delivers the lowest prices for churches with ongoing apparel volume.
Start Your Church Apparel Shop Instead of Another CustomInk Campaign
Set up a permanent church apparel shop at Bear Grips Pro Shops. Free plan, no minimum, free shipping.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replicate a previous CustomInk design at Bear Grips?
If you have the design file saved, yes. Upload it to Bear Grips Pro Shops and apply it to your chosen products. Any design file you own can be used.
Does Bear Grips Pro Shops have a group ordering feature?
Your Bear Grips Pro Shop link can be shared with any group for self-service ordering. Each member orders and pays directly. There is no coordinator role required, which simplifies the process compared to group order management.
Is the Bear Grips free plan comparable to CustomInk's standard pricing?
The free plan base prices are higher than the VIP plan. They are competitive with or below CustomInk's per-item pricing at low quantities, and the free plan includes free shipping versus CustomInk's shipping fees.
Connor MahoneyHockey and Lacrosse Coach
Connor coaches youth hockey and adult-league lacrosse in New England. He played D1 hockey and now spends most of his time on the bench writing about team gear, league night identity, and the casual-rec sport explosion.
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