TeePublic is a free print on demand platform: you upload designs, it sets the prices, prints, ships and pays you a margin every month. To sell there, focus on your main tag and upload original designs from day one, since your account category depends on it. I have 41 designs live there today, and it is a platform with its own rules, quite different from Redbubble or Spreadshirt. Here is how it works, based on its official documentation, and what you should know before you upload.
Lire en français : Vendre sur TeePublic : le guide complet pour débuter
Table of contents
How TeePublic works
TeePublic belongs to the same group as Redbubble. The idea is the same as other print on demand platforms: you upload a design, TeePublic offers it on shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs and more, then handles printing, shipping and customer service.
Signing up, uploading and selling are free. Apparel is printed with DTG (direct to garment) on Kornit machines, and each design is prepared and checked before printing. On dark shirts, the white underbase that makes colors pop is added automatically.
The big difference from Redbubble: you do not set your prices. TeePublic applies the same prices to every creator, with a regular price and a sale price.
Artisan or Apprentice: your account category
This is the most important thing to understand before you start. TeePublic sorts accounts into two categories:
| Category | Visible in search | Earnings | Uploads per 24 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artisan | Yes | Higher on most products | 50 designs |
| Apprentice | No | Lower | 25 designs |
| Pending | Under review | Same as Apprentice | 25 designs |
According to TeePublic, the category does not depend on sales: it reflects how original and appealing your uploads are. Accounts that mass-upload automated content, vector packs or clip art are classed as Apprentice, and their designs do not appear in on-site search. TeePublic also states that it does not respond to category upgrade requests.
Tip
Your first uploads matter a lot, since they are used to assess your account. Start with your best original designs, fully polished and well tagged, rather than a quick big batch. Five careful designs beat fifty rushed ones.
Prices, margins and payouts
Every product has two prices set by TeePublic: a regular price and a sale price. The sale price applies during the first 72 hours after a design goes live, during site-wide sales and when a design is featured.
Your margin is lower in three cases: a sale during a site-wide sale, a sale within the first 72 hours, and a sale using a coupon at your storefront. Your earnings report shows whether each sale earned a "regular" or "sale" margin. TeePublic does not publish the amounts in its help center and points to its service agreement instead, so I am not quoting numbers here.
Earnings for each month are paid on the 15th of the following month, through PayPal or Payoneer. Before your first payout, TeePublic asks you to complete seller verification through Stripe, based on your country's rules.
Uploading a design: file, colors and tags
The file
TeePublic asks for a transparent RGB PNG at 150 DPI. The minimum is 1500 × 1995 px for apparel, and 5000 × 5500 px to unlock every product. Transparent space around the artwork is trimmed automatically, and opacity must be at least 40%. All the details are in my guide on the t-shirt print file.
Colors
Apparel comes in more than 60 colors, which you can preview in the uploader. Not every color is available for every style. For non-apparel products you pick a single background color, with a hex code if needed.
The main tag
TeePublic says it plainly: a design's success rests on its main tag. Choose the word or phrase a shopper would type to find that design, then add secondary tags for the theme and style. The method in my guide on Redbubble tags works just as well here.
TeePublic and Redbubble: should you use both?
Both platforms belong to the same group, but you can sell on either one or both. TeePublic even offers an importer that copies an existing Redbubble store in one click, so you can reach a new audience without re-uploading everything by hand.
Being on both makes sense: prices, buyers and search differ. On Redbubble you set your margin; on TeePublic prices are standardized. To see where Spreadshirt fits in, read my comparison Redbubble vs Spreadshirt.
Rules to follow
- No brands or characters: as everywhere, designs using a protected brand, logo or character are removed. TeePublic runs a Fan Art program with official licenses, but it has its own rules. Always check with my guide on how to check trademarks before selling t-shirts.
- You keep ownership of your designs: TeePublic's help center explains who holds the rights and how to report a copy of your work.
- Press "Publish" only once: every click counts as an upload toward your 24-hour limit.
My tips for getting started
- Prepare about ten original designs before you open your store.
- Pick a precise main tag for each one, then add secondary tags.
- Plan a light and a dark version so you cover every shirt color.
- Customize your store: profile picture, banner and artist name.
- Upload regularly, staying under the daily limit.
- Share your designs elsewhere (social media, a blog): TeePublic encourages off-site marketing.
To know when to upload, keep my print on demand calendar close at hand.
Finally, give it time. Search needs a while to pick up new designs, and a store with a few dozen well-tagged designs has far better odds than one with a handful. Track which designs get views, and build variations on the ones that do.
FAQ
Is it free to sell on TeePublic?
Yes. Signing up, uploading designs and selling are free. TeePublic earns its share on each sale.
Can I set my own prices on TeePublic?
No. TeePublic applies the same prices to every creator, with a regular price and a sale price during the first 72 hours, site-wide sales and features.
What is the difference between Artisan and Apprentice?
Artisan accounts are visible in on-site search and earn more on most products. Apprentice account designs do not appear in search.
How do you get paid on TeePublic?
Monthly, on the 15th, for the previous month's sales, through PayPal or Payoneer, after seller verification via Stripe.
Key takeaways
TeePublic is free, sets prices itself and pays monthly through PayPal or Payoneer. Your account category, Artisan or Apprentice, decides your visibility in search: start with your best original designs, nail the main tag, prepare files at the right size and follow the trademark rules.
Lire en français : Vendre sur TeePublic : le guide complet pour débuter
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