Are you planning to start your own online store? One of the easiest ways to fulfill your orders is by working with one of the best print-on-demand companies.

We’ve talked to numerous small business owners in the clothing industry, and they all agree that on-demand T-shirt printing is the easiest way to start an online business. So we reviewed the best print-on-demand companies for you to work with, whether you’re printing T-shirts, mugs, or something else.

We’ll explore the features of the top print-on-demand companies of 2024, discuss the importance of quality and shipping times, and explain how to start a small business using a print-on-demand model.

[su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]Learn how to start your own successful print-on-demand business with this step-by-step guide. Click on any of the links below to jump straight to that section.

• What is print-on-demand?
• How does print-on-demand work?
• Top 11 print-on-demand companies
• Choosing the right print-on-demand company
• Print-on-demand marketplaces
• How to start a print-on-demand business
• Print-on-demand FAQ
• Start using print-on-demand services[/su_note]

What is print-on-demand?

Print-on-demand (POD) is a business model that provides custom designs without carrying inventory. This has caused an upsurge of POD services suited to various interests and customer demands.

A suitable print partner will offer plenty of products, including T-shirts, wall art, phone cases, and more. Manufacturing happens within several days at a reasonable rate, even when the products are personalized to customers. That means it’s ideal for starting an online store!

How does print-on-demand work?

Print-on-demand is a technology that allows businesses to create unique and attractive designs for their products without the need for inventory management. This process involves third-party companies, which handle printing and shipping.

It’s essential to select an appropriate print-on-demand provider, as it impacts product quality, shipping times, fees charged, and customization options.

Providers also offer eCommerce platform integrations that help improve profits while reducing upfront costs. This can allow sellers to offer goods at competitive prices.

Top 11 print-on-demand companies

To help you decide which print-on-demand solution your business should use, we have compiled a list of the top print-on-demand companies in 2024. These include:

1. Merch by Amazon
2. Printful
3. Printify
4. Gooten
5. SPOD
6. TPop
7. JetPrint
8. Teelaunch
9. CustomCat
10. Gelato
11. Apliiq

The following sections will outline the features of each print-on-demand platform so you can select the best partner for your business needs. Once you’re done reading the following sections, you’ll be prepared to make an informed decision about which company you want to work with.

Merch by Amazon

Merch by Amazon is an exclusive POD platform with generous royalties, fast delivery services, and access to Amazon’s large user base.

It gives sellers a unique advantage in the print-on-demand sector by providing swift shipping and allowing sellers to adjust profits and set their margins. The site allows people to design prints for clothing but has limited branding choices (e.g., no branded packaging or product labels).

Merch by Amazon requires acceptance into the program, and many get denied for Amazon print-on-demand.

Printful

Printful is renowned for its customization possibilities, connections to well-known eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy, and its extensive selection of items. Companies can personalize their product offerings with custom labels, uniquely designed packaging, and personalized packing slips.

By integrating 17 different eCommerce outlets and five online marketplaces into one system, Printful presents a hassle-free solution for enterprises aiming to broaden their market share.

Printify

Printify is one of the highest-rated print-on-demand solutions available for businesses of all sizes.

Thanks to its network reaching over 200 global printing partners, Printify offers a wide selection of custom-designed products—such as apparel, homeware, and accessories—at competitive prices.

This extensive catalog also includes integrations with leading eCommerce platforms. Keep in mind that Printify does not manage labels or pack-ins itself, nor can you store goods there. You might need to test each Printify supplier before outsourcing to them; otherwise, quality control and customer service could be an issue.

Gooten

Gooten provides a vast selection of customizable goods, fast turnaround times for manufacturing and shipping, and rewards through its loyalty program.

Its fulfillment network links up more than 30 producers in 70+ international locations, which allows businesses to have prints generated swiftly and received promptly by customers.

Although Gooten offers many product options and customization possibilities, the print quality of prototypes may not match those provided by other print-on-demand companies.

SPOD

SPOD is an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable POD service, competitive prices, and white-label items. More than 90% of orders are fulfilled in 48 hours or less.

Businesses that desire control over shipping rules for upselling and cross-marketing may lean toward SPOD. Unfortunately, the company has fewer print-on-demand products than other POD companies on the list.

TPop

TPop is a European POD provider that specializes in environmentally friendly items and practices, custom designs, and sustainable delivery services.

Its broad range of customization allows you to add pockets or patches to clothing and design the inner linings of hoodies. You might want to choose this print-on-demand service if you are an eco-friendly brand.

Learn more about TPop.

JetPrint

JetPrint offers a comprehensive selection of distinct print-on-demand products like shoes, watches, and jewelry. Plus they have stunning product images and free or express delivery options. With these features, JetPrint allows businesses to build striking visuals and stand out in the print-on-demand marketplace.

Production times may extend from three up to five days, which could affect customer satisfaction levels if you do not adequately disclose the print-on-demand terms in your own store.

teelaunch

Teelaunch is an attractive option for those looking to bring luxury products to their customers. The teelaunch mockup tool produces professional images. Plus their list of goods may enhance your brand and customer loyalty.

Features include an artist bio, follow button, profile pictures, headers, and product personalization.

Like other print-on-demand companies, teelaunch production times range from three to six business days.

CustomCat

CustomCat offers customers an expansive selection of over 550 print-on-demand products, competitive price plans, and a straightforward design tool to create engaging designs.

Businesses that use CustomCat benefit from product variety as well as an affordable paid plan. But some POD companies provide more customization options than CustomCat currently has available.

Gelato

Gelato is a well-known print-on-demand company with an array of impressive features. It has 100+ partners across over 200 countries for speedy production and delivery. Meanwhile, its cost-effective local printing options are attractive to customers.

Gelato’s mobile application allows for easy ordering while its tracking capabilities provide updates on shipment progress. Basic analytics offer insight into performance.

Unfortunately, the downside lies in the variable quality, which may undermine customer satisfaction levels. This could be improved upon moving forward.

Apliiq

Businesses can create unique, high-quality custom products with Apliiq. These include digital printing, screen printing for bulk orders, plus cut and sew, appliqué, and embroidery services. This gives entrepreneurs a competitive edge.

Unfortunately, other print-on-demand companies have lower prices than Apliiq.

Choosing the right print-on-demand company

Now that you’ve gained an understanding of the top POD companies, it’s time to pick one suitable for your business. Consider criteria such as:

• Product quality
• Shipping times
• Fees
• Pricing schemes
• Customization options
• Platform integrations

A reliable partnership between your business and a print-on-demand company will help cultivate customer satisfaction and improve profit margins (since you won’t have the upfront costs associated with carrying inventory).

Picking out the right POD supplier can make all the difference. Choosing the right customization solutions and pricing points can delight your customers and your pocketbook.

Product quality

You should test product quality from potential print-on-demand partners before choosing to go with them. Print-on-demand work can vary dramatically, which affects customer satisfaction, revenue, and profit.

Evaluate samples from different companies to find the print-on-demand partner that meets your quality standards. A great design combined with top-notch direct-to-garment printing results will make all the difference!

Premium custom-printed products will help protect your brand and prepare you for long-term success.

Shipping times

Consider the standard shipping times when you choose which print-on-demand site to use for your online stores.

The time to print and ship can vary dramatically. Using a U.S. factory will be more expensive for each item, but it is far quicker than free global shipping from China.

You’ll also want to pay attention to fulfillment center locations. The shorter the distance between the fulfillment center and the customers, the easier it is to build brand loyalty. Competitive shipping rates can also please potential buyers.

Pricing and fees

The best print-on-demand offerings can last for years, while cheaper products may be destroyed after a couple of washes. To understand where a prospective POD company falls on that scale, check their prices and fees.

Low fees and prices may mean low-quality items, while higher figures often mean better print-on-demand results.

It will take some trial and error to balance quality and affordability, but don’t worry. Everyone goes through that when selecting print-on-demand sites.

Customization options

Customization capabilities impact how unique your products are. Search for a POD provider with the specific features you want, including personalization services, product options, and logo branding.

Offering an array of modification choices allows you to create items that consumers feel are more personal. Just don’t go overboard because decision fatigue can cause customers to leave your site.

Platform integrations

Having a POD service that integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, and other eCommerce platforms will make it much easier to streamline order management, stock tracking, and customer service.

Connecting the online store with your POD partner makes life simpler by seamlessly integrating these systems. Then your print-on-demand service can efficiently provide support for multi-channel selling.

Print-on-demand marketplaces

Print-on-demand marketplaces are specifically designed for artists to promote their creations and sell their products in one place. You’ll want to consider:

• Redbubble
• Society6
• Zazzle

Let’s look at each print-on-demand marketplace.

Redbubble

Redbubble is a POD eCommerce platform that prioritizes artists who make custom designs. You can create an online store with lots of products and adjustable pricing. You can also set your own profit margins, which some other platforms do not allow.

Other platforms offer better royalties, so it’s vital that creatives consider the pros and cons before choosing Redbubble.

Society6

Society6 offers many printed art options and an online community for independent artists to collaborate and receive feedback. It allows artists to design, market, and make money from their artwork (such as wall art or apparel) without worrying about manufacturing and fulfillment.

By joining this print-on-demand marketplace, you can focus solely on honing your craft while growing a faithful customer base that will enable you to profit from what you create.

Society6 carries various unique items, like home decorations, which helps put artwork in front of buyers who love it!

Zazzle

A great benefit of using Zazzle is its personalization and associate programs, offering the ability to customize products with designs in addition to selling artwork you made elsewhere.

Despite these advantages, other print-on-demand marketplaces provide more significant royalties than this platform, so it’s essential to consider all options before committing.

How to start a print-on-demand business

Now that you know about different print-on-demand companies and marketplaces, it’s time to discuss starting your own business with a print-on-demand model. You’ll want to follow the steps below to create your brand.

1. Choose a niche.
2. Create eye-catching designs.
3. Set up online stores.
4. Calculate shipping costs.
5. Market your products.

Choose a niche

Before you can start a successful business with a print-on-demand model, you’ll need to identify a niche that reflects your passions and interests. It’s easier to generate your own designs when you are interested in the products your target market wants.

You might narrow your target market by:

1. Their interests: Eco-friendly products might be important to some people, while low-cost products might be more important to other target markets.
2. Type of product: When you create your own brand, you might want to narrow the types of products you sell. If you split your efforts between wall art, digital products, and print-on-demand T-shirts, you might have a hard time developing authority for each.
3. Competition: Less competition can be a good thing, but it may also mean that there is no demand for the type of products. If there is high search volume and low competition, you may have found a winner.

Once you’ve chosen your niche, it's time to start designing.

Create designs

You’ll have to create designs using tools like Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or Illustrator. Creating nice-looking, legible graphics may take some time. Most print-on-demand companies provide design guidelines to make it easier to create quality prints.

Quality products can make it easier to improve product sales and grow your business.

Set up your online stores

Once you have your designs ready to go, the next step is setting up your online store. To do this, choose an eCommerce platform such as:

• Shopify: The print-on-demand or dropshipping business model works particularly well on Shopify because of its built-in marketing tools that help you integrate with Amazon, Facebook, and other major eCommerce platforms.
• WooCommerce: The WordPress eCommerce solution, WooCommerce, is also an acceptable option for setting up your online store.
• Etsy: You can use print-on-demand companies with Etsy, but you’ll need to get a production partner and set up estimated delivery dates to make sure customers understand the delivery time frame.

Next, you’ll want to integrate your print-on-demand partner into your eCommerce platform. You’ll sync your products, and they’ll appear in your store. This simplifies inventory management, ordering, payments, and customer service.

You can also construct product listings that show off each of your own designs correctly while providing necessary details, like sizing info, material type, and shipping information.

Calculate shipping costs

Your shipping costs depend on factors including:

• Products: The size and weight of products impact shipping rates.
• Customer location: Some print-on-demand or dropshipping companies may charge different rates for different distances from the company.
• Print-on-demand company location: You may have shipping and fulfillment costs if you choose to store any inventory on site to speed up delivery times.
• eCommerce site: Many eCommerce sites charge a fee based on the cost of the product plus the shipping. Etsy fees are between 6.5% and 21.5%, which means if you sell T-shirts that cost you $16.50 to make and ship, you won’t even break even until you make $20.05. Make sure to check the break-even point on each site you sell, then price your shipping based on the most expensive platform.
• Shipping discounts: Many print-on-demand companies offer free shipping depending on the size of the order. When you offer free shipping, you need to include it in your product cost, which would use the same calculation we used in the example above.

Cost-effective shipping can be a selling point, so make sure to spend some time figuring out the best way to handle your shipping costs.

Market your products

You’ll need to market your print-on-demand store to become a successful print-on-demand business.

Online sales strategies will normally combine social media, paid ads, and email collection to reach new customers and sell products. You’ll want to use strategies like a loyalty program, subscription boxes, email marketing, and remarketing campaigns to encourage repeat business.

Print-on-demand FAQ

Next, we’re going to answer some of the frequently asked questions about print-on-demand sites.

Which print-on-demand companies work with Etsy?

Several companies that specialize in print-on-demand services integrate with Etsy to give their customers an easier way to manage orders, inventory, and customer service.

Gelato, Printful, Printify, and AOP+ are some of the print-on-demand companies that work with Etsy. By using a POD company compatible with Etsy, you can easily keep track of your products without stressing over order fulfillment or timely delivery.

Which print-on-demand companies work with Shopify?

There are over 450 Shopify print-on-demand apps. Shopify print-on-demand apps include:

• Zendrop: 6,322 reviews with a 4.7-star rating
• Printful: 4,634 reviews with a 4.6-star rating
• Printify: 1,960 reviews with a 4.4-star rating
• ShineOn: 769 reviews with a 4.8-star rating
• SPOD: 709 reviews with a 4.1-star rating

Which print-on-demand companies work with Amazon?

Merch by Amazon is directly integrated with Amazon and allows people to add custom branding to quality products. You have to be approved, though.

For those with their own website, any print-on-demand companies that are integrated with Shopify can also sell products on Amazon through the Shopify integration.

Is print-on-demand profitable?

The print-on-demand industry can be extremely profitable. According to the business research firm IBIS World, the average online store makes about $90K per month.

Logo Unlimited makes $170K per month. Find out how below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJRWc1ZPCpQ

Effective SEO and brand positioning can help entrepreneurs reap potentially lucrative rewards from print-on-demand businesses.

Start using print-on-demand services

The print-on-demand business model is an amazing way to start a business with no money. You should thoroughly research on-demand printing services to find one that meets your standards for product quality, shipping time, pricing, customization options, and platform integrations.

After you’ve decided which of the print-on-demand services best meet your needs, start designing and selling your products. You can get started with print-on-demand companies in a day and start making money fast.

Have you created print-on-demand shirts? What do you think are the best print-on-demand companies?

Are you considering taking on consulting work? Every industry needs business consultants to help individuals achieve their goals. Your knowledge and experiences can make you the next rockstar business consultant, but first, we’ll help you learn how to help clients. From OnStrategy to Restaurant Boss, marketing to sales, human resources, and more! Business consultants in all fields have found ways to make millions of dollars per year in the consulting field. We’ve interviewed business consultants in most fields to learn the secrets to their success.  We’ve gathered information from those interviews to help you understand what a business consultant does. We’ll share information from companies making millions per year to help you decide if business consulting is right for you, and give you a guide on how to pursue your goals. [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"] If you’d like to jump to a certain question, use the table of contents below:

• What is a Business Consultant?
• Types of Consultants
• What’s the Difference Between Consultants and Management Consulting Firms?
• What Does a Business Consultant Do?
• How Much Does a Business Consultant Charge?
• How Much Does a Business Consultant Make?
• How to Become a Business Consultant
• How to Start a Business Consultant Business

[/su_note]

What Is a Business Consultant?

A business consultant provides advice or services to help organizations achieve their goals within a division of business such as:

• Management
• Finance
• Marketing
• Strategy
• IT
• Human Resources 
• Pricing
• Operations
• Sales
• Security
• Law
• Accounting
• Data Analytics
• Sustainability
• Engineering
• Science
• Digital Transformation
• Exit Planning

Many consulting services provide more than advice. A good business consultant goes beyond just offering advice to help their clients gain the most by helping implement the advice and train the company on how to make the most of the solutions. We’ll go into each of the types of business consultants next to help you understand what each does.

Types of Business Consultants 

Each field of business consulting has different aspects of business that are the primary focus of the business consultant. We’ll cover some of the common types of consulting options you will come across and what they do.

Type #1. Business Consultant

“Business consultant" is the most generic of the consulting terms. People describe themselves this way primarily when they are giving a quick answer of what they do. A business consultant is focused on helping companies solve problems that the owner or team doesn’t have the knowledge, time, or experience to solve. They will normally fall into one of the other categories that we discuss below because one person can’t successfully solve all problems.

Type #2. Business Management Consultant

A management consultant focuses on solving a specific business problem that a company faces day to day. The consultant will perform tasks including:

• Analyzing business data
• Interviewing employees
• Documenting recommendations
• Helping an organization understand why the changes are important

Implementing a consultant’s recommendations may be part of the consultant’s job or may be handled by the client. The end goal is to help other businesses streamline operations.

Type #3. Industry Business Consultant

Some business consultants choose to focus on a particular industry. For instance, Ryan Gromfin started Restaurant Boss after he had a heart attack and a partnership ended. Now he is a business consultant focused solely on the restaurant industry. Ryan told us about the start of his journey: [su_quote]I had to Google, ‘What is a consulting business?'[/su_quote] Today, he’s making $420K per year as a business consultant. Find out how in our podcast below:

Type #3. Financial Consultant

A financial consultant advises businesses and people on financial matters to help them better achieve their goals. They might provide services like:

• Analyzing the financial performance compared to competitors
• Suggesting ways to save money
• Reviewing proposed executive payment packages
• Valuing a business that a company is planning to purchase

Type #4. Marketing Consultant

A marketing consultant reviews current marketing efforts and identifies ways to improve the results. These consultants often help their client’s business with:

• Creating a new digital marketing strategy
• Running marketing campaigns
• Implementing new marketing and analytics software
• Training the marketing team

Hear from a marketing consultant who created Brandetize with nearly $5 million in annual revenue. The CEO Eric Berman told us: [su_quote]I was consulting for renowned writer Brian Tracy to help build his brand, and people kept asking me to help them do the same thing. So I took the division helping Brian Tracy and started an agency to help others succeed.[/su_quote]

Type #5. Strategy Consultant

Strategy consulting focuses on helping business leaders create plans that will help the company achieve success. Strategy consultants will often help companies focus of topics like:

• Finding opportunities for growth
• Improving efficiency
• Implementing mergers
• Reducing costs

They may simply provide strategic advice or help with the implementation process like OnStrategy CEO, Erica Olsen. Erica told us: [su_quote]Having goals is great, but if you don’t have a strategy to get there, it’s hard to achieve them. That’s where we come in.[/su_quote] Find out how they make $6 million by offering consultation and software: 

Type #6. IT Business Consultant

Information technology (IT) consultants help businesses identify and utilize technology that will help the business scale more efficiently. These business consultants help companies with tasks including:

• Identify pain points
• Propose hardware and software solutions to eliminate or reduce the pain point
• Help clients implement the software
• Train clients’ employees on the new software

Type #7. HR Consultant

A Human Resources consultant might help businesses:

• Recruit new employees
• Retain talent
• Develop compensation packages
• Recommend and implement new HR software
• Train the HR team on new software and practices
• Consult regarding how to address employee relations and compliance issues
• Perform staff training on workplace policies and laws

Jessica Miller-Merrell is the CEO of Workology. She told us: [su_quote]Entrepreneurs don’t go to school to learn how to start a business. We have to learn as we go. I take that same approach to helping companies hire. Look for people who have the basic skills and love learning. They’ll dig deeper to get the right answers.[/su_quote]

Learn more about being an HR consultant from Jessica below: Type #8. Pricing Consultant

Pricing consultants focus on helping companies find the right price point to maximize sales for their products and services. Companies hire this type of strategy consultant when they are struggling to encourage purchases through their pricing strategies. To ensure that the client is pricing their items right, these consultants review a variety of data including: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• Economic trends
• Consumer trends
• Marketing strategies 
• Competitor pricing and strategies

[/su_note] They then propose a path forward.

Type #9. Operations Consulting

An operation consultant specializes in operations management, which is finding the most efficient way to run the administrative portion of the business. This type of consultant may also be called a logistics consultant. Operational consulting will:

• Analyze current operations
• Recommend changes to:
  • Technology
  • Processes
  • Location
  • Job roles
• Help implement changes
• Train the client’s team on changes
• Provide referrals to organizations that can help

Type #10. Sales Consultant

Sales consultants help businesses improve their performance by increasing the sales team effectiveness. These consultants will:

• Analyze current sales techniques and processes
• Provide recommendations to help the sales team increase revenue
• Train their sales team
• Improve sales processes
• Adopt more successful sales team technology

Learn more about how to increase sales.

Type #11. Security Consultant

Security consultants help clients’ businesses with: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• Performing threat analysis
• Documenting risk management
• Performing vulnerability detection
• Providing recommendations
• Designing a security protocol
• Updating business systems and processes

[/su_note]

Type #12. Legal Consultant

Legal consultants are lawyers that help companies with:

• Regulatory compliance
• Risk mitigation
• Contracts
• Negotiations

A legal consultant is especially beneficial for small businesses that do not have the budget for a full time lawyer. They are also used by larger organizations that need expertise that is beyond their on-staff legal council.

Type #13. Accounting Consultant

Accounting consultants are similar to financial consultants because they advise companies on how to improve their financial position by:

• Analyzing the client’s books and processes
• Suggesting improved protocols, processes, and accounting tools
• Helping prepare companies to go public or pursue funding
• Providing tax advice
• Auditing books for financial statements
• Reviewing and reporting project financial results

Type #14. Data Analytics Consultant

A data analytics consultant helps companies improve their use of data through: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• Analyzing current data collection and compliance with applicable laws
• Recommending the structure of the collection and related policies
• Implementing and optimizing information collection and access

[/su_note]

Type #15. Sustainability Consultant

Sustainability consultants are rising in demand because consumers and governments expect businesses to reduce their environmental impacts. These consultants help companies identify areas to help:

• Reduce transportation costs
• Find more sustainable suppliers
• Improve energy efficiency
• Report the sustainability initiatives

If you start a sustainability consulting business, you might want to consider applying to become a benefit corporation. These corporations report on how they are positively impacting society.

Type #16. Engineering Consultant

An engineering consultant helps businesses achieve their design and construction goals. You’ll need an engineering degree, work experience, and potentially, any corresponding certifications. Many smaller construction companies do not have LEED APs on staff, so you can help businesses qualify for projects if you become one and work with them as an engineering consultant.

Type #17. Science Consultant

A scientific consultant helps business by:

• Advising on specialized subjects
• Performing research
• Suggesting solutions to problems
• Implementing scientific solutions beyond the client’s expertise

Type #18. Digital Transformation Consultant

Digital transformation consultants help companies adopt emerging technologies by:

• Understanding the client’s business
• Proposing solutions
• Improving design and customer experience
• Automating processes
• Integrating systems for improved efficiency
• Training clients on unfamiliar technology

For instance a friend of mine just became Chief Metaverse Officer, where he’ll be helping companies adopt virtual reality. Much of his work will be helping clients understand how to transition to the new technology and help improve customer experience.

Type #19. Exit Planning Consultant

An exit planner helps business owners create and implement a strategy to leave their business. Depending on the business owner’s goals this may mean: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• Advising on what needs to happen to reduce tax consequences to both them and their kids
• Helping create an alternate business structure
• Connecting the business owner with a business broker 
• Hiring a business manager

[/su_note] Every business is different, so you’ll need to help your clients figure out which exit strategy works best based on their needs.

Other Types of Consultants

Companies often also benefit from lesser-known consultants, like a business idea consultant that helps validate an idea and turn it into a reality. Service business consulting is another form of assistance that helps service entities like plumbers and cleaning companies optimize their business administration. Ultimately, choosing the right business consultant company for your mindset can help you perform better with the same set of skills.

What’s the Difference Between Consultants and Management Consulting Firms?

Business consultants normally work for themselves or as an employee of a management consulting firm, while consulting firms are larger organizations that have a professional network of management consultants working for them. If you just want to work for yourself, you’ll want to start a consulting business, but if you prefer to have a team and manage the operations of a business consulting service, you might want to consider starting a consulting firm.

What Does a Business Consultant Do?

A good business consultant will normally:

• Meet with clients
• Collect information about the client’s business
• Perform market research
• Review current operations
• Analyze data to find areas for improvement
• Organize and manage projects based on a client’s needs
• Create recommendations and business plans
• Present the recommendations
• Help the client implement recommendations
• Solve issues that arise during the implementation
• Train employees on the newly implemented processes and procedures

How Much Does a Business Consultant Charge?

According to Upwork, the best business consultants will normally charge between $25 and $200 per hour. The chart below displays the range of hourly rates. Half of business consultants on Upwork charge over $85 per hour with an average of $92.04, but some charge even more. When looking for a business consultant, IT can pay $500 to $1,000 per hour to find solutions depending on your skills. It’s far more important to be the right consultant than to set your hourly rate at market value. After all, if you can solve a problem in an hour that takes a lower-cost consultant a day, you should be able to make the same amount for solving the problem.

How Much Does a Business Consultant Make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a business consultant's salary is between $50,000 and $160,000 per year. Business consultants who work for themselves can make far more than that because they also receive the profits from the business, and as a bonus, they can run their business from home. If you run a home-based consulting business, the areas highlighted in orange represent the business expenses that would effectively become income. Data is from IBIS Industry Report 54161. The job outlook is also much higher than most industries, with a growth of 11%.

	Dollars	Percent
Revenue	$388,439.00	100.00%
Wage	$160,000.00	41.19%
Gross	$228,439.00	58.81%
Rent	$15,926.00	4.10%
Utilities	$1,165.32	0.30%
Marketing	$6,603.46	1.70%
Purchases	$22,917.90	5.90%
Depreciation	$3,884.39	1.00%
Other Costs	$141,391.80	36.40%
Expenses (Excl. Wages)	$191,888.87	49.40%
Profit	$36,550.13	9.41%
Profit+Rent+Utilities+Dep	$57,525.84	14.81%

How to Become a Business Consultant

You’ll need to develop a reputation to become a business consultant. Consultants normally have a mixture of:

• Hands-on experience
• Education 
• Case studies and testimonials

Let’s look at how each of these can impact how to become a consultant in the business.

Hands-On Experience

There is no greater proof that you know what it takes to succeed in an industry than decades of experience. Many business consultants start by working with industry leaders, rise in the ranks, then enter business consulting.  There are substantial benefits to saying and proving, “I helped businesses like Disney, Intel, Marriott, and Capital One achieve their leadership goals.” Find out how Libby Gill did just that in our interview below: [su_quote]The most effective leader is the situational leader that can tap into the leadership style they need at a moment’s notice. The only way to do that is experience.[/su_quote] Take some time to learn how the industry works before jumping straight into offering business consulting services.

Education

Another key portion of developing expertise is education. There are three main types of provable education for business consultants:

1. Certifications
2. Bachelor’s Degree
3. Master’s Degree

Let’s look at some of the most in-demand education requirements for business consultants.

In-Demand Certifications

• Industry Specific Certifications: There are numerous industry specific certifications that may be helpful to prove the consultant has the necessary skills. Check out Indeed’s list of 20 in-demand certifications.
• Consulting Certifications: There are certification courses that require consultants to:

1. Work a certain amount of time in the field
2. Take courses (or self study)
3. Pass a written exam
4. Take continuing education courses

Some of the most popular certifications include:

• Certified Management Consultant (CMC): The CMC certification requires three years of consulting experience, five client testimonials, a written exam, an ethics exam, and an application fee to join the ranks of certified management consultants.
• Project Management Professional (PMP): Consulting success is often heavily tied into project management. That’s why the PMP is a common certification for business consultants. There are two paths to become a PMP:
  • Bachelor’s degree, three years leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education (or the CAPM)
  • High school degree, five years leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education (or the CAPM)
• Certified Human Resources Consultant (CHRC): The Human Resources Management Institute requires 10 years of experience, four years in management, and passing an exam to become a CHRC.
• Professional Certified Marketer: There aren’t requirements to take the PCM exam, but the American Marketing Association suggests a bachelor’s and seven years of experience for best results.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional: This certification shows clients you have at least two years of cybersecurity experience. A bachelor’s degree counts as one year. 

Check out more certifications that impress recruiters and hiring consultants.

Bachelor’s Degree

Whether management consultants work for themselves or for a consulting agency, clients still view a bachelor’s degree as a minimum to establish you have the expertise, skills, and most importantly patience to provide consultancy services. Not all schools are created equal, however. Check out the U.S. News and World Report’s top business schools. Consider fields like business administration, data analysis, finance, marketing, HR, or economics.

Master’s Degree

Most professionals in the business world have at least a bachelor’s degree so many business consultant types are expected to have a master’s degree or even a PhD to help some of the top-tier clients. You can also find the top MBAs on the U.S. News website.   While college is expensive, there are ways to cut costs. For instance, if there is a top-ranked college in your state, you might qualify for in-state discounts. I was able to use the Texas A&M online system to get an education that is valued at over $62,000 for around $25,000 by condensing my coursework into a year and enrolling through one of the satellite schools. This only works if the university system in your state shares online resources.

Case Studies and Testimonials

In addition to experience and education, you’ll want to have proof that you have helped others succeed. This can be in the form of:

• Case Studies
• Google Reviews
• Upwork Reviews
• Client Videos
• Invoices
• Partnerships

The main point is to show people that you have helped others as a business consultant. Now that you know how to become a small business consultant, it’s time to discuss how to start your own business consulting.

How to Start a Business Consultant Business

You’ll want to perform the following tasks if you want to join the ranks of consulting companies.

1. Do market research. 
2. Write a business plan.
3. Set your pricing.
4. Form your business.
5. Build a website.
6. Create a client proposal template.
7. Market your business. 
8. Help your clients succeed.
9. Measure customer satisfaction

Let’s look at each of these to prepare you for how to be a business consultant.

Step #1. Perform Market Research

At this point you should be able to answer, “What is a business consultant?” and know which type of business consultant you might want to be. So, now you’ll want to research two types of companies to establish how a consultant works. You’ll want to understand:

• Publicly Held Companies: Use IBIS World Reports or the NYU Margins by Sector table to establish the major players in your field and industry benchmarks. IBIS World Reports is easier to use, but is a pay service with 40 consulting business reports. You’ll  probably want their reports for collecting data for clients, so I’d recommend asking about their monthly or annual plans.
• Local Management Consultants: Business consultants work with companies all over the world, but when your company is just getting started, you’ll find it easier to compete in the local environment. That means you’ll need to know who your company is competing against and what others offer in-house.

Make sure to keep track of what McKinsey is doing. They are the biggest business consulting firm in the world and their reports can guide you to new opportunities.

Step #2. Put Together a Company Business Plan

A business plan is just to help you keep your company on track with its goals. You can have a plan that is informal or use one of our business plan resources:

• One-Page Business Plan: Keep it short and simple. Learn how to write a one-page business plan.
• How to Write a Business Plan: Mike Andes explains how he approaches business plans, and we provide a template based on his method.
• Business Plan Template: We provide a template and walk you through how to write a business plan based on how I approach them.

Check out our interview with Mike below: [su_youtube url="https://youtu.be/Seac5PbUZXk"]

Step #3. Set Your Pricing

Your company’s finances will be impacted by your pricing. Price yourself too low, and you might not make enough money to survive, get burnt out, and decide to go a different way. Set your pricing too high and you won’t book jobs. Use some of the following tactics to establish a good price point.

1. Check the BLS for consultant wages in your area.
2. Call management consultants and ask them for a quote.
3. Compare pricing on job boards (multiply wages by two then divide by 1,000 hours to get billable rate) and freelance websites. 
4. Determine deliverables, and then calculate the time and expenses to give a fixed-rate price.
5. Charge a retainer. Many consultants will charge a retainer on a monthly basis. This works best with previous clients who understand the value of your skills.
6. If you can negotiate commission based on the value of a positive change, this can be lucrative (but this is rare).

Step #4 Get Business Licensing 

You’ll want to perform the following tasks before operating a consulting business.

1. Become an LLC
2. Get Business Licensing
3. Get Business Insurance 

Some states may require you to pay taxes on services or an income tax. Check with your state business bureau or a tax consultant to understand what you’ll need on a tax reporting basis. 

Step #5. Build a Consulting Website

Most companies today will have a website. You’ll want to create one so prospective clients can:

• Learn about your services
• Learn how you developed your skills as a consultant
• Schedule a consultation
• Pay invoices
• Provide reviews
• Get easy access to tools you regularly suggest (Make sure to use affiliate links to drive extra revenue.)

Learn more about website building.

Step #6. Create a Proposal Template

You’ll want a template for proposals that documents:

• Your Logo: Include your logo in the top left or in another prominent location.
• Both Parties Involved: Include the business name, authorized party name, address, phone number, and email information for both parties.
• Contract Length: Is the project for a few hours, fixed price, or an undetermined length of time?
• Project Scope: What will management analysts review before you propose solutions?
• Deliverables: What will you provide to the business? Companies might offer a document with suggestions, install software tools, and provide training documentation.
• Exclusions: What will not be included in the project? It’s common to exclude the ongoing costs of SaaS software, unless you will be providing ongoing support and billing monthly.
• Payment Terms: How and when will your clients pay your business. Company payment standards should have been determined in Step #3.
• Place to Sign: Include a signature and date block for each party at the bottom.

Step #7. Market Your Consulting Business

In addition to a website, you should market that you’re a consultant. Some of the ways you can market your business include:

• Business Cards: You’ll need them to hand clients. Find out where to get low-cost business cards.
• Blogs: Write about important subjects in your field and optimize it for SEO. 
• Social Media: Share useful information from your social media profile. Participate in business owner groups, too.
• Networking Events: Sure, digital marketing is a great way of reaching customers, but we connect way more with people in real life. Get out there and meet other business owners.

Step #8. Help Your Clients Succeed

Once you’ve booked a client, do everything you can to help your client succeed. You want to prove you are the right business consultant for them. Help them evaluate new systems, help them solve problems or find new clients. You always want to focus on what their needs are. If you focus on helping them, your business will grow. If you don’t know something or can’t figure it out, find someone who can help. Then, you’ve successfully helped two people and grown your professional network.

Step #9. Measure Customer Satisfaction

One of the keys to growth is showing how what you do helps others. There’s no better way to do that than to ask for feedback. Create a survey that you send with every invoice. Get feedback on what you did well and what you can improve. Don’t forget to include the Google Business Reviews link.  If a project was something other customers would find interesting, turn it into a case study and use quotes from the customers. Check out this survey from Darby Consulting for inspiration.

Improve the World Through Business Consulting

At this point, you know:

• What is a business management consultant
• Types of business consultants and what they do
• How to become a business consultant
• How to start a business consultant company

The future is yours! Go forth and create a more efficient business. Your knowledge could change people’s lives. What kind of consultants have you worked with before? Did you find them helpful? What tips can you share from your experiences?

Are you struggling to decide whether to get cheap business cards online or pay more for a custom business card for your business? That’s okay. It’s an important decision. The best business cards are the ones that help communicate what your brand is about at the lowest cost. We’ll help you decide what business card vendor to use by discussing the benefits of business cards, the goals you are trying to achieve with your business card design, the features you’ll want to consider, and our experiences with different business card printing companies. Throughout the blog, we'll provide business card examples to help you choose the best business card printing service. Once you are done reading this, you’ll be ready to choose the best card for your business. Let’s get started.

Benefits of Business Cards

Every business should have a business card. Some of the reasons to have one include:

1. A printed design helps portray a professional image.
2. They are a quick way to share contact information.
3. Business cards are the ultimate networking tool.
4. All business cards help with lead generation.
5. Business cards are a branding tool.
6. It is easy to transport business cards.
7. Cards are one of the lowest-cost marketing tools. Compare the cost of business cards to your other marketing spending.
8. Unique business cards stand out and give your new contact something to remember you by later.
9. Touch builds cooperation and trust. Give potential clients something to hold.
10. Business cards can get you free stuff.

I know the last one sounds silly, but I got a $300 meal at the Foundation Room in Las Vegas from putting a 10-cent business card into a drawing. It was one of the best meals of my life.

What Goals are You Trying to Achieve?

Ultimately, a business card is to help people reach you easier. You’ll want to consider what you are trying to achieve with the business card. Some goals may be: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

1. Provide your contact information.
2. Share the company values.
3. Communicate a specific brand image. Do you want to be viewed as no-frills, a premium product, fun, or another image?
4. Make it easy to pull up a specific web page.
5. Provide an easy way to add contact information into phones with QR codes.
6. Show off your artwork.
7. Provide a personal business card while job hunting.

[/su_note] Depending on what you are trying to achieve, you’ll want to include specific features. Let’s look at the features you want when designing a business card.

How to Make Cheap Business Cards

There are a lot of choices you’ll need to make when designing business cards. You’ll have to choose:

1. Quantity
2. Size and Shape
3. Material
4. Texture
5. Customization
6. Shipping or Pickup
7. Timeline
8. Price

We’ll discuss how these impact the best place to get business cards.

Quantity

Business cards come in different quantities. The more you buy, the less each unit costs. Depending on the type of business card and provider, you may be able to order in quantities of: [su_table responsive="yes" alternate="no" fixed="yes"]

10 Business Cards	100 Cards	1,000 Business Cards	10,000 Cards
25 Cards	250 Business Cards	2,500 Cards	25,000 Business Cards
50 Business Cards	500 Cards	5,000 Business Cards	Or More!

[/su_table] The business card printing services have the same amount of labor whether you order one or a million business cards, so they give nice discounts when you buy in bulk. Vistaprint provides an 87% savings when you buy 10,000 cards instead of 100.

Size and Shape

A standard business card is 2” x 3.5”, but many printing services have other shapes like squares, circles, triangles, rounded corners, or mini business cards. The business card printing services will normally charge a premium for anything other than the standard 2” by 3.5 “ size because custom shapes are ordered less frequently. You can even get die cut business cards in custom shapes like the cupcake business cards that UPrinting created. While this business card example makes an impression, unique shapes may have storage challenges and get damaged easier than standard business card shapes. Based on my experience, rounded corners (sometimes called rounded edges) are the most durable of the product options based on pricing.

Material

Your business cards can be made out of different materials. Some of the options are:

• Paper Stock: The standard material for business cards is paper.
• Metal: Typically, stainless steel is used for this style.
• Plastic: These are similar to the plastic for drivers licenses and debit cards. You can find ones made out of recycled materials as well.
• Fabric: Business cards made of fabric are most commonly used on clothing as labels.
• Hemp: Use hemp if you want a more sustainable paper business card. It produces 4 to 10X the paper as trees per acre, but most processing is out of the US, decreasing some of the sustainability.
• Recycled paper: Recycled paper is meant to prevent cutting down trees, but it’s more expensive to produce because of the additional production steps.
• Cork: Be careful when buying these. Read the materials because it is often just normal paper that is designed to look like cork.
• Photostock: If you’re using photos, this stock is similar to what you use for photographs.
• Bamboo: Bamboo can grow up to 3.28 feet per year. Unfortunately, most of the production is in China, so the transportation costs offset some of the environmental impact that this plant could make.
• Wood: You can make business cards out of Oak, Cherry, Walnut, Cedar, Maple, and other woods using a provider like Cards of Wood.
• Magnets: Magnets are a great way to create a business card if you work directly with consumers. They can just slap them on the fridge and they see your logo and name every time they get a snack.
• Stickers: Have some fun and create business cards that can also be stickers.

Cheap Business Cards Stock

When you talk about business card stock, you are talking about the thickness of the materials. According to Brandly business cards are typically rated in points (pt.) and range from 11 pt. to 34 pt. Most business card printing companies use 14pt. to 16 pt. paper, but thick card stock tends to resist bending and creasing. The corners hold up better than thin paper stock, too.

Texture

In addition to stock and material, the texture will also play a role in your business card purchasing. Cheap business cards will normally be flat with a matte finish, a term that means dull and without gloss. You can get affordable business cards with other textures including:

1. High gloss UV coating: These slide across the hand better, and are similar to a glossy finish on a photo. They might show fingerprints, though.
2. Silk printed: These cards use silk to accent the card for a soft smooth texture. You can choose flat or raised silk to create a custom feel.
3. Foil embossed: Offset your primary material with foil accents to create a different feel. This can be raised or flat with paper stock.
4. Natural texture: Natural texture cards look similar to a wall’s texture.
5. Woven: Criss-crossed fabrics give the card a pattern you can feel.
6. Material’s texture: Many of the materials have a texture that is readily identified. For instance, most people can readily identify the difference between metal, plastic, and wood.
7. 3 dimensional: Die-cutting has made it easy for small business owners to get unique business cards. The die-cut shapes don’t have to be flat. They can have multiple layers to them creating completely new textures and tactile sensations.

QR Codes

These are similar to bar codes except they are square. I mentioned them briefly before, but QR codes are one of the greatest business automation tools I can have ever seen. You can use them for anything if you customize them right. 

• Scan and pay? No problem.
• Pull up a menu? Sure can!
• Send people to your website? You got it!
• Automatically input your contact information and branding in their phone? Just scan the code!

QR code business cards are readily available through most printers and you can use dynamic QR codes to track the number of uses and change what the code links to. Beaconstac is rated the easiest to use and best ROI by G2 with over 250 reviews. You can also generate free QR codes in Canva and other apps, but won’t have as useful of features.

Customization 

Each business card printing service will have its own professionally designed templates that small businesses can use to create standard business cards. For instance, VistaPrint has millions of variations for standard business cards when you customize based on the design, stock, finish, and other options. If you want custom business cards, printing services often have a professional graphic designer on staff that can help you for an additional cost. They will also provide guidance on the sizing templates to create your own design. Moo offers templates for custom design using: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

• Photoshop
• InDesign
• Illustrator

[/su_note] They recommend the following specifications:

1. Text should be larger than 8 pt. 
2. Lines must be .5 pt or larger.
3. 300 dots per inch (DPI) are needed.
4. File size should be smaller than 50 MB.
5. QR codes should be as large as possible, but no smaller than ½ inch and should be high contrast. They won’t scan if they aren’t done right.

Same Day Business Cards, Bad Customer Service

Another factor that impacts pricing is how quickly you need the business cards printed. You can normally find a much better price online. It may even come with free shipping depending on the size of your order.  That won’t work if you need a same-day printing service. You’ll have to go local when you need business cards fast. You’ll want to consider the following companies for the best, fast business cards:

• Don’t procrastinate: A business card printing service will provide the lowest price if they have time to print them and complete the delivery.  GotPrint.com lets you know how fast they can provide their products Typically, around 7 to 10 business days will give you the cheapest price for online business cards.
• Local Printing Companies: Find a great local printing company to print business cards and other marketing materials. You might pay more, but if you go with a big box store, be aware of their reviews. (They are often not desirable unless you find an employee who cares.) Local business owners want every customer to leave happy because it’s their business and livelihood at stake.
• Staples Business Cards: Many call Staples the best for same-day business cards. If you order before 2 pm, Staples prints the same day. They often have free delivery for orders over $50. Their Trustpilot score is miserable at 1.6 stars, but 250 cards start as low as $12. When you need cheap business cards printed fast, it’s an option.
• Office Depot Business Cards: You can get a box of 50 for about $12.00 (or take advantage of their sales for better values. I found eight coupons for the site). The best thing about Office Depot is they have Canva built-in. They also have a miserable 1.5 star Trustpilot Score. I have ordered print products from them and have had no issue, however.
• FedEx Business Cards: It’s official, big box corporations are not ideal for printing cards. FedEx also has a ton of bad reviews and a 1.3 Trustpilot Score. They also don’t offer same-day orders online. Their pricing starts at $10 for 100 business cards, though.

Don’t get me wrong. The quality will be acceptable, but you may find yourself wasting a lot of time if the employee(s) don’t take pride in their jobs as they make your cards. You’ll also be limited in the options you can print. Let’s look at pricing next.

Pricing

You can find cheap and even free business cards, but you might not like the quality. There are online deals where you can get professional business cards for as low as a penny per card when you buy $500, but if you want higher quality custom business cards, you can spend up to $153K for 100 business cards with diamonds. If you want to make a real first impression, check out the Black Astrum cards. Now that we’ve covered the customization options that go into the price of modern designs, let’s look at some of the best inexpensive business cards.

Where Can I Get Cheap Business Cards?

There are a ton of places to order online. Depending on the features you want, there are thirteen companies that people commonly hire for printing business cards.

1. GotPrint: Best cheap business card design and printing service
2. MOO: Best place to get business cards
3. Zazzle: Best for custom business cards
4. Print Place: Best for business card designers
5. PsPrint: Best for custom shapes 
6. Vistaprint: Best design templates
7. PrintRunner.com: Only provider I found with a free shipping coupon
8. Elite Flyers: Best for bulk orders
9. UPrinting: Worst of the white label providers others might rate
10. Overnight Prints: Best for technical problems, they try to cover with great prices
11. Staples: Best to print business cards the same day
12. Office Depot: Second Best same day business card printer
13. FedEx: Lower ratings than Office Depot, but at a much lower cost, does not offer same-day business cards for small business owners

Rating Methodology of a Business Card Printing Service

I went through some of the most commonly mentioned places for where to get cheap business cards. I gave each business a score from 1 to 10 for each of the 17 categories. 10 is the best. The companies received scores between 66 and 135, which I divided by 14 to create a 10 point scale. To convert these to a 10-point scale, I divided each value by 14. View the full sheet.

GotPrint: 9.64/10

Best Cheap Business Card Design and Printing Service

GotPrint has a 4.5-star rating from Trustpilot from over 6,000 customers. They offer a wide selection of design options and templates to customize and offer 100 standard business cards for about $10. If you need more, you can order up to 100,000 standard business cards. They also offer custom design, elegant finish options, and 500 business card magnets at a great price.

MOO Business Cards: 8.93/10

Best place to get business cards

Moo is focused on quality and they definitely deliver. They aren’t exactly low-cost, nor are they the fastest business card maker. They are the highest rated on Trustpilot and have the most reviews. You can get 50 cards for about $20 or 400 unique business cards for around $120. Literally, each card can have its own picture on it using Printfinity. Another reason Moo is one of the best business card makers is that they offer full branding services. I have personally ordered from them before and love their quality. The full-color pictures are amazing for photographers, but Moo is more expensive. 

Zazzle: 7.86/10

Best Custom Business Cards 

Zazzle is a marketplace of business card printing service companies and other vendors. You can buy designs ranging from their popular 100 QR code business cards for about $30 to the super cool etched plated stainless steel cards by a designer called FoxiPrint on the high end. If you use Zazzle consistently, they offer an annual package similar to Amazon Prime. Between customizability, quality, and the lowest cost shipping, Zazzle is a great option for buying business cards and other office supplies.

Print Place: 7.79/10

Best if You Design Business Cards

You might want to check out PrintPlace if you are in the design industry. They are one of four services that appear to be focused on graphic designers. They have a 3.8-star rating compared to the other ones at 1.9 to 2.8 stars. In addition, they offer the largest orders of business cards.

PsPrint: 7/10

Best For Custom Shape Business Cards

Customize business cards in unique shapes with PsPrint custom die-cut cards.  They are a good deal if you want a card for business that stands out or if you order in bulk. The picture below is one of their business card examples.

Vistaprint Business Cards: 6.21/10

Best Custom Design Templates

Whether you are looking for personal business cards for services or other printing products, you probably know about Vistaprint. Their customer service isn’t that great, but they offer a great selection of free templates to use. If you don’t find what you are looking for, save time and money with free design assistance. Five hundred business cards for $10 is the best known promo, which makes them one of the best places to order cheap business cards online. I bought from Vistaprint back in the day when you could get 500 business cards for $5. They were quick and accurate from a text standpoint, but their full color cards were lackluster and the corners were flimsy.

Printrunner: 5.36/10

Fast cheap business cards, Free shipping over $39 (Subject to Change).

Printrunner is where to print business cards cheaply if you have a small order. Their print prices claim to be as low as under $7, but I could only order business cards online for $8.64. They seem to have the same offerings as PrintPlace, but their expedited costs are lower for 500 business cards or less. 

Elite Flyers 5/10

Fast Bulk Order Business Cards 

If you are looking to get your cards fast and save some money, Elite Flyers is one of the better pricing and speed performance options for expedited orders and shipping. The price is best when you buy higher volumes. They have reasonable rates and lots of options. Design starts around $50 if you need help creating a business card.  Their most unique offering is the Lenticular Business Card for 3D images with up to 30 morphing positions. These stand out among the other providers because they use screens that can tell a story.  They would have ranked higher if they had more reviews, but without personally testing them I can’t rank them as high as I would like. I personally want to test the Lenticular cards.

UPrinting 4.93/10

This is another one of the places to get cheap business cards that doesn’t have templates but has similar offerings to PrintPlace and Printrunner. I found UPrinting to be the lowest rated of the competitors that offer virtually identical services because

1. They had more bad reviews than the others.
2. Shipping is the only category where they outperformed competitors.
3. The free shipping deal for over $39 (subject to change) made Printrunner a much better deal.

Overnight Prints: 4.71/10

If you want a wide variety of templates, limited size options, but cheap business cards, Overnight Prints might be an option. It’s at the bottom of the list for a reason, though. The reviews are bad, the shipping estimator didn’t work for me, and they offered an 80% discount. I wouldn’t have listed them except 80% off of $7 is definitely one of the lowest-cost ways to get business cards. 

Get Your Cheap Business Cards Printed

Ultimately, the decision comes down to three choices: [su_note note_color="#dbeafc"]

1. Quality
2. Product features
3. Timeliness of the order

[/su_note] For business cards that communicate a brand message, I would recommend the following:

• Rounded corners
• At least 16 pt. stock, but higher is better
• Consider magnet, sticker, or other specialty business card options

I Want to Leave You with This…

The value of a good impression is measured by the lifetime value of a customer. For most businesses, revenue will exceed the cost of a business card by 1,000 times (or more). While it’s great to have cheap business cards, get the ones that create the brand image you want to portray. What is your experience with printing companies? Should we add others to the list?