When it comes to online printing services, Vistaprint and GotPrint are two of the biggest names in the business.
But which one is right for your printing needs? This comprehensive guide examines the key features, pricing, quality, and advantages of each service to help you decide.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Feature | Vistaprint | GotPrint |
| Pricing | Very low, frequent discounts | Reasonable everyday prices |
| Print Quality | Good for the price | Excellent, professional grade |
| Product Selection | Huge catalog of printed items | Smaller selection of core essentials |
| Order Volume | Best for smaller, one-off orders | Better value for large bulk orders |
| Shipping Speed | Ships within 24 hrs, fastest delivery | 1-3 day production time before ship |
| Sustainability | Some eco-friendly options | Specializes in recycled/veggie ink printing |
| Customer Service | Okay, can be frustrating | Excellent, very empowered agents |
Overview Of Vistaprint And Gotprint
Founded in 1995, Vistaprint is one of the oldest and largest online printing companies.
They offer a wide range of printed products including business cards, marketing materials, signage, clothing, promotional products, and more.
GotPrint started in 2001 as an environmentally-friendly printing service focused on high quality and affordable pricing.
They print everything from business cards and postcards to booklets, brochures, stickers, banners, and more.
Both Vistaprint and GotPrint have online design studios that make it easy for anyone to customize templates. You don’t need design experience to create professional looking materials.
Also Read: Comparison Between JiffyShirts And ShirtSpace
Comparison Between Vistaprint And Gotprint
Print Quality
When it comes to print quality, Vistaprint and GotPrint are quite comparable. Both use professional grade printing presses and high quality inks. Expect crisp, vibrant colors and clear, sharp text from either service.
Vistaprint offers more customization options for paper type, thickness, and finishing. This allows you to select the specific paper stocks and glossy finishes that work best for your project.
GotPrint has fewer paper choices, but high quality matte and glossy options for most products.
GotPrint specializes in eco-friendly printing practices such as recycled paper and vegetable based inks. So if sustainability is important to you, GotPrint has the advantage.
Pricing and Affordability
One of the biggest differences between Vistaprint and GotPrint is pricing. Vistaprint built their reputation on being the cheap, low cost option. Their pricing is extremely competitive, with frequent sales and discounts up to 50% off. Coupon codes can also be easily found online for additional savings.
GotPrint is focused more on excellent value rather than being the absolute cheapest. Their prices are very reasonable, but typically higher than Vistaprint for similar products. What GotPrint offers is exceptional print quality and great customer service at fair everyday prices.
When it comes to very high volume orders (like 5,000+), GotPrint can become the more affordable option due to their bulk pricing discounts.
So Vistaprint is better for smaller orders on a tight budget, while GotPrint offers exceptional value on large production runs.
Ordering Process and Fulfillment
Ordering from both Vistaprint and GotPrint is simple and convenient. Their online design studios walk you through customizing your items step-by-step. No design experience required.
Vistaprint has the faster fulfillment, with most standard orders shipping within 24 hours. Expect delivery in 3-4 business days in the US. GotPrint production takes 1-3 business days before shipping, then allow 3-5 days for delivery.
For rush orders needed in 1-2 days, Vistaprint offers expedited shipping for an additional fee. GotPrint does not have a rushed delivery option currently.
Also Read: Comparison Between Canvas Champ And Easy Canvas Prints.
Product Selection and Customization
With hundreds of available products, Vistaprint unquestionably has the larger product catalog. From mugs and masks to banners and yard signs, they can print just about anything for your business or event.
GotPrint focuses on core essentials like business cards, postcards, booklets, and brochures. Their product selection is more limited but covers most small business printing needs.
Both companies allow fully customizing your items with personalized text, images, logos, and more. Vistaprint offers a few more template options and greater font selection. GotPrint has enough design flexibility for most projects, just fewer fancier accents like foil printing.
For promotional products like shirts, hats, and pens, Vistaprint is the clear winner for selection. GotPrint only offers eco-friendly apparel currently.
Customer Service and Support
Vistaprint and GotPrint both provide customer service by phone, email, and online chat support. Wait times tend to be slightly faster with GotPrint by a couple minutes on average.
For basic guidance on the order process, design software, or shipping status – the customer service experience is comparable for both companies. Where GotPrint excels is issue resolution for problems like damaged items, misprints, and other issues. Their smaller team is empowered to resolve problems and make things right.
Some customers report frustrating experiences getting remedies from Vistaprint’s overseas support agents. So GotPrint’s superior service gives them an advantage, especially for large or complex print projects.
Also watch the review video of Vistaprint!
Pros And Cons Of Vistaprint and GotPrint
Vistaprint Pros:
- Very low pricing
- Huge selection of printed products
- Fast turnaround and delivery
- Easy-to-use online design studio
- Frequent sales and discounts
Vistaprint Cons:
- Quality not quite as high as GotPrint
- Customer service not very empowered
GotPrint Pros:
- Excellent print quality
- Environmentally friendly practices
- Great customer service experience
- Good value on large volume orders
- Fast turnaround time
GotPrint Cons:
- Smaller product selection
- Base prices higher than Vistaprint
- No expedited delivery option
Also Read: Comparison Between UPrinting And PrintRunner Printing Service.
Frequntly Asked Questions (FAQ)
Vistaprint is able to offer extremely low pricing by running high volume presses to print hundreds of thousands of products per day. Their huge automation and scale allow them to maintain profit margins while passing significant savings to customers.
For the price, Vistaprint delivers very good quality. They use professional grade printing presses and inks. The print quality is perfectly acceptable for most small business needs. It’s just not quite as premium as some higher-end printers.
Yes, Vistaprint makes excellent business cards, postcards, and greeting cards. They offer many high end paper choices and coating options for good thickness, texture, and gloss. The print quality is vibrant and lasts well, especially when a UV coating is added.
Moo is known for premium modern designs and eco-friendly luxe paper. This higher quality comes at a higher price, so Vistaprint is generally 25-50% cheaper than Moo for similar sized orders. But Moo may be worth it if quality outweighs budget.
The Final Verdict
For most small businesses and casual users, the convenience and affordability of Vistaprint make them the best choice for one-off orders like business cards and marketing materials. The combination of low prices, massive selection, and fast shipping is hard to beat.
However, for large volume orders or print projects where quality is paramount, GotPrint is the superior option. Their exceptional customer service, sustainable printing, and value pricing make GotPrint the right fit for big production print runs.
Either company can meet basic printing needs, so assess your priorities for budget, quality, and convenience to decide if Vistaprint or GotPrint is a better fit. Evaluate the types and volume of products you plan to order to make the best choice for your business.