Artist POD Platforms: Who Pays the Most?
If you're an artist selling on print-on-demand platforms, knowing your real cut matters. Most platforms give you a percentage, but the base prices are different, the rules are different, and the math isn't obvious. This guide breaks it all down in plain English.
Quick Comparison
Here's the short version before we dive in:
| Platform | Your Cut | You Control Price? | Subscription? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redbubble | ~16–45% (you set markup) | Yes — via markup % | No |
| Society6 | 5% or 10% fixed | No | No |
| Zazzle | 5–99% (you set royalty) | Yes — via royalty % | No |
| Merch by Amazon | $0.06–$12+ per sale | Limited (suggest price) | No (invite-only) |
Use the Calculator
Punch in your products and see real numbers — no guessing.
Calculate My Earnings →Redbubble
Redbubble — You Set the Markup
Redbubble has a fixed base price for each product. You add a markup percentage on top — default is 20%. Your earnings = base price × markup %.
Example: T-shirt base is $24.04. At 20% markup, you earn $4.81 per sale. Retail = $28.85.
Redbubble is one of the largest artist marketplaces in the world. It gets millions of organic visitors, so you can earn sales without doing your own marketing. The tradeoff is that you get a thin slice of each sale.
How the Markup Works
Your markup is a percentage of the base price — not the retail price. This is different from margin. If the base price is $24 and your markup is 20%, you earn $4.80 and the retail price is $28.80. Your margin on the retail price is only about 16.7%.
Redbubble Pros and Cons
- Pro: Built-in traffic — you don't need your own audience
- Pro: Easy to use — no tech skills needed
- Pro: Wide product range (100+ product types)
- Con: Competition is extremely high
- Con: Base prices can be high, making your markup less competitive
- Con: Redbubble takes a cut + controls fulfillment and customer service
Society6
Society6 — Fixed Rates, No Control
As of March 2025, Society6 pays a fixed artist rate: 10% on posters, framed art, pillows, and tapestries — 5% on everything else. You no longer set your own markup on most products.
Society6 used to let artists set their own margin on art prints. They removed that in 2025, which caused frustration among long-time sellers. Now the math is simple: multiply the sale price by 5% or 10% to find your cut.
Society6 Product Earnings (Fixed)
Here are some examples of typical earnings per sale:
- Framed Art Print (~$62): you earn ~$6.24
- Rectangle Pillow (~$39): you earn ~$3.90
- T-Shirt (~$32): you earn ~$1.60
- Mug (~$21): you earn ~$1.05
- Tote Bag (~$28): you earn ~$1.40
Society6 Pros and Cons
- Pro: Nice-looking storefront, appeals to art buyers
- Pro: Strong brand — buyers trust Society6 for art products
- Con: Lowest effective payout of the four platforms
- Con: No control over pricing or markup
- Con: Less organic traffic than Redbubble
See Your Society6 Numbers
Enter your sales estimate and see what you'd actually take home.
Open Society6 Calculator →Zazzle
Zazzle — Highest Potential Royalty
Zazzle lets you set a royalty rate from 5% to 99% of the base price. Higher royalties mean higher retail prices — so there's a balance. Most successful Zazzle sellers use 10–25%.
Zazzle has a volume bonus program. Once you earn enough in a month, Zazzle adds an extra 1–17% bonus on top of your royalty. At Diamond level ($5k+/month in sales), you earn an extra 17%. That's a strong incentive to grow your Zazzle shop.
Zazzle Volume Bonus Tiers
- Under $100/mo: no bonus
- $100–$499: Bronze — +1%
- $500–$999: Silver — +2%
- $1,000–$2,499: Gold — +5%
- $2,500–$4,999: Platinum — +10%
- $5,000+: Diamond — +17%
Zazzle Pros and Cons
- Pro: You control your royalty rate — up to 99%
- Pro: Volume bonus rewards top sellers significantly
- Pro: 17 million monthly visitors (largest of the four)
- Con: Setting royalty too high reduces conversions
- Con: Older interface, less modern-feeling than competitors
- Con: Payout threshold of $50
Merch by Amazon
Merch by Amazon — Amazon Sets Everything
You upload a design, pick a product type and price tier. Amazon handles fulfillment, pricing, and customer service. Your royalty is a fixed dollar amount based on the list price.
Merch by Amazon (now called "Amazon Merch on Demand") is invite-only and has a tiered system — you start with 10 design slots and unlock more as you make sales. The big draw is Amazon's massive shopper base. You don't need a social following or marketing skills.
How MBA Royalties Work
Royalty tables are by product and price range. For a standard T-shirt at $19.99, you earn $4.30. At $24.99, you earn $5.43. Amazon's cut covers production, shipping, customer service, and Prime eligibility.
MBA Pros and Cons
- Pro: Amazon Prime badge — huge conversion advantage
- Pro: Massive organic audience, no ads required
- Pro: No inventory, no shipping headaches
- Con: Invite-only — can take months to get in
- Con: Amazon controls pricing, design quality standards are strict
- Con: No custom products beyond t-shirts, hoodies, popsockets, etc.
Which Platform Pays the Most?
It depends on your volume and strategy, but here's the honest answer:
- Highest per-sale potential: Zazzle (if you set a high royalty and convert well)
- Best for passive organic traffic: Merch by Amazon and Redbubble
- Best for art print buyers: Society6 (but lowest actual payout)
- Most flexible: Redbubble (widest product range, easy to start)
Most serious POD artists list on all four. Different platforms attract different buyers, and it costs nothing to list on all of them at once.
Compare All Four Platforms
Plug in your numbers and see monthly projections side by side.
Open the Calculator →Tips to Earn More on Artist POD Platforms
1. Niche Down Your Designs
Generic designs get lost. Pick a specific niche — hiking golden retrievers, vintage astronomy, lefthand calligraphy — and dominate it. Buyers searching for a specific niche buy faster than general browsers.
2. Optimize Your Titles for Search
Each platform ranks products based on keywords in your title and tags. Include what the product is (e.g., "throw pillow"), your main theme, and style words. Think like a buyer, not an artist.
3. Use All Product Slots
When you upload a design to Redbubble, enable it on all 100+ product types. You never know which product a buyer wants. T-shirts and stickers sell most often, but art prints and phone cases can be big earners too.
4. Price Strategically on Zazzle
On Zazzle, a 15–20% royalty tends to hit the sweet spot — competitive retail price while still earning meaningfully. Going too high (30%+) will make your products look overpriced next to competitors.
5. Treat MBA Like a Long Game
Merch by Amazon rewards designs that sell consistently. Early sales trigger BSR (Best Seller Rank) which drives more organic sales. Focus on evergreen designs rather than trend-chasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell on all four platforms at once?
Yes. Redbubble, Society6, and Zazzle have no exclusivity requirements. Merch by Amazon is invite-only but once you're in, there's nothing stopping you from also listing elsewhere.
Do these platforms take anything else besides the base price?
Redbubble and Society6 handle all transaction fees within their base pricing. Zazzle is the same. Merch by Amazon's royalty table already accounts for everything — what you see is what you get.
When do I get paid?
Redbubble pays monthly (15th) once you hit $20. Society6 pays monthly (1st–3rd) once earnings clear a 30-day hold. Zazzle pays on the 15th after hitting $50. Merch by Amazon pays monthly, usually in the last few days of the month.
How long before I see sales?
Most new sellers see their first sales within 1–3 months if they have 50+ designs up. Redbubble and Zazzle index designs relatively quickly. MBA can take longer due to the tier system limiting early design slots.
Is this considered passive income?
Sort of. You do upfront work (making designs, uploading, optimizing). Once live, designs can earn for years with no extra effort. But "passive" doesn't mean "automatic" — you still need good designs and some SEO effort upfront.