Redbubble vs Spreadshirt? If you want a global audience and lots of product types, especially stickers and wall art, Redbubble is the stronger choice. If your buyers are mostly in Europe, or you want a free store where you set your own margin, Spreadshirt and its Spreadshop are the better fit. Both are free to join, and you can use both. This comparison covers fees, earnings, audience and products so you can pick where to start.
Lire en français : Redbubble ou Spreadshirt : lequel choisir pour vendre ?
Table of contents
Redbubble vs Spreadshirt at a glance
| Feature | Redbubble | Spreadshirt |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | Australia, same group as TeePublic | Germany (Leipzig) |
| Strongest audience | Global, mostly English-speaking | Europe, plus a US site |
| Cost to join and upload | Free | Free |
| Who sets your earnings | You, with a percentage markup | Spreadshirt on the marketplace; you on Spreadshop |
| Seller fees | Platform fee based on account tier | No subscription fees |
| Custom storefront | Limited shop page | Yes, with Spreadshop |
| Product strengths | Huge range: stickers, posters, phone cases, home decor | Apparel, with flex and flock printing for vector designs |
How Redbubble works
You upload a design once and enable it on the products you want: tees, hoodies, stickers, posters, phone cases, notebooks. Redbubble sets a base price per product, and you add your markup as a percentage.
Redbubble account tiers and fees
What you keep depends on your account tier. According to Redbubble's help center (checked October 2026):
- Standard: 50% platform fee on monthly earnings.
- Premium: 20% platform fee.
- Pro: no platform fee.
Fees are capped at $150 (or €150 / £150) per payment period, and a markup above 20% triggers an extra fee on the portion above that threshold. In practice, a new Standard account earns little per sale until volume picks up.
Where Redbubble shines
Traffic is global, and stickers and small items sell well as impulse buys. One clean, readable design can live on dozens of products with no extra work.
The flip side is competition. Redbubble hosts a huge catalog, so broad topics are crowded and search position matters. Specific niches, clear titles and well-chosen tags make the difference between a design that gets found and one that never gets a view.
How Spreadshirt and Spreadshop work
Spreadshirt gives you two sales channels from one account and one set of designs.
The Spreadshirt marketplace
Your designs appear on Spreadshirt's own site, where shoppers find them through search. Spreadshirt sets the retail prices and pays you a commission per item sold. Designs are reviewed before they go live on the marketplace, so expect a short delay and follow the trademark rules.
Spreadshop: your free online store
Spreadshop gives you a free branded store you can customize and link from your blog or social accounts. Here you set your own margin on every product, while Spreadshirt handles printing, shipping and customer service. It is the best option when you bring your own traffic.
💡 Pro tip
Create your designs as vectors when you can. On Spreadshirt, a vector design with few colors can be printed with flex or flock, which hold up very well in the wash. For Redbubble, keep a large transparent PNG so the design fits every product.
How much you actually earn
Exact numbers are hard to compare because base prices, sales events and fees change often. Use these rules instead:
- Redbubble: your earnings = your markup minus your tier's platform fee. Sell more, move up a tier, keep more.
- Spreadshirt marketplace: a commission set by Spreadshirt, reduced during promotions, with no pricing work on your side.
- Spreadshop: you keep the full margin you set above the base price. Usually the best profit per sale, but you have to drive the traffic.
On any platform, the niche and the presentation are what make sales. If you have not picked yours yet, start with how to find a print on demand niche, then see how to make a POD product look premium.
Which one should you choose?
| If you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Make illustrations that work as stickers, posters and decor | Redbubble |
| Sell English slogans to a worldwide audience | Redbubble, then TeePublic |
| Target buyers in Europe or in other languages | Spreadshirt + Spreadshop |
| Already have a blog, Instagram or TikTok following | Spreadshop (best margin on your own traffic) |
| Want to test as many products as possible | Both |
Why not use both?
Uploading to several platforms only costs time, and each one has its own buyers. At S.T.Designer I run a Redbubble shop, a Spreadshirt shop and a Spreadshop, alongside TeePublic and Fine Art America. Master one platform first, then copy your best sellers to the second.
Mistakes to avoid
- Picking a platform on the headline commission alone, without looking at its audience.
- Uploading without a trademark check: both platforms take those designs down.
- Skipping mockups and keywords. My guide on choosing better mockups for POD listings will help.
How to get started on both in 6 steps
- Open both accounts under the same brand name so buyers recognize you across platforms.
- Prepare one master file per design: a large transparent PNG, plus a vector version when the design allows it.
- Upload to Redbubble first, where listings go live right away, and enable only the products where the design stays readable.
- Upload the same design to Spreadshirt and let it pass the marketplace review.
- Add it to your Spreadshop with your own margin, then link the store from your blog and social accounts.
- Compare after 60 days: views, favorites and sales on each platform. Focus new designs where your niche responds best.
Keep the same titles and similar keywords on both platforms. It saves time and keeps your results comparable.
FAQ
Does Redbubble charge fees to artists?
Joining and uploading are free. Depending on your account tier (Standard, Premium or Pro), Redbubble takes a platform fee from your earnings, capped at $150 per payment period.
Can I sell the same design on Redbubble and Spreadshirt?
Yes. Neither platform requires exclusivity: you keep ownership of your designs and can upload them anywhere, as long as they are original.
What is the difference between Spreadshirt and Spreadshop?
Spreadshirt is the marketplace, where the platform sets prices and pays you a commission. Spreadshop is your free store, where you set your own margin and bring your own customers.
Which is better for beginners, Redbubble or Spreadshirt?
For a global, English-speaking audience and a wide product range, Redbubble is easier to start with. For European buyers or your own branded store, Spreadshirt is the better pick. Testing both is the safest option.
Key takeaways
Redbubble wins on product range and global reach, with fees that drop as you sell more. Spreadshirt wins on apparel and Europe, with Spreadshop letting you keep your full margin. Choose based on your audience, then expand to the other platform once your first designs sell.
My designs
See both platforms for yourself: my designs are on each of them.
Lire en français : Redbubble ou Spreadshirt : lequel choisir pour vendre ?
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