How To Print on Demand Stickers + Top Companies

Are you a creative spirit eager to turn your designs into income? Or a seller aiming to expand your product offerings? Starting a sticker business can be a profitable venture. It’s easy to get started, simple to learn, and offers good earning potential. The global sticker market is even projected to hit $60.5 billion by 2026.

However, there are some important decisions to make first. You’ll need to figure out your target customers, choose the best sales channels, and decide how to produce your stickers. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about launching your own sticker business.

What Is Print-on-Demand (POD) for Stickers?

Print-on-demand (POD) stickers allow you to create and sell custom designs without the hassle of managing inventory or storage. When a customer places an order, a third-party service prints and ships the stickers directly to them. This setup lets you focus on designing and marketing while reducing the risk of unsold products.

POD stickers come in two main types:

• By Cut: Options like kiss-cut, die-cut, and sticker sheets.
• By Finish: Choices include vinyl, matte, holographic, mirrored, and transparent finishes.

These options let you create unique stickers that fit your brand and customer preferences.

How Does POD for Stickers Work?

• Create Your Design: Design unique stickers using graphic tools.
• Upload & List Products: Upload your designs to a POD platform and set prices.
• Receive Orders: Customers place orders through your online store.
• Printing & Shipping: The POD service prints and ships the stickers to your customers.

Should you Start a Print-on-Demand Sticker Business?

Starting an online business can be tough due to high upfront costs like hiring staff, producing products, or renting a physical store. However, launching a custom sticker business is much easier and more affordable.

• Low Startup Costs: Starting a sticker business typically costs between $100 and $1,000. You won’t need bank loans or investor funding.
• High Profit Margins: Stickers are cheap to produce, allowing for profit margins of up to 80%.
• Beginner-Friendly: The process is simple — choose a niche, design your stickers, find a supplier, and start selling.
• Run It from Anywhere: With an online store, there’s no need for a physical shop. Once your store is set up, you can make sales anytime and manage it from your laptop.
• Growing Market: Custom stickers are in high demand on platforms like Etsy and RedBubble, where top sellers have thousands of reviews. Their low price makes them perfect for impulse buys.

How to Start a Print-on-Demand Sticker Business

Step 1: Do a Market Research and Target Audience

If your sticker business tries to target everyone, it might not connect with anyone. Focusing on a specific audience helps you reach the people most likely to buy from you.

1. Start by looking at your competition. Check out what other sticker sellers on sites like Etsy or Amazon are offering. 

• Who are their customers? 
• What stickers are popular? 

Pay attention to their designs, how they interact with customers, their social media posts, and sticker themes. Look for gaps in the market you can fill. For example, there are many plant name stickers on Etsy, but none with care instructions. That’s a gap you could target!

2. Next, create buyer personas. These are detailed profiles of your ideal customers. They help you understand their needs, so you can create content and products that speak to them.

Think about your personas in terms of demographics, education, hobbies, social preferences, communication styles, goals, and challenges. You might target parents who need labels for their kids’ things, like TurtleTags. Or, maybe your audience is reptile fans who enjoy colorful illustrations, like Starrypaige’s designs.

By understanding your audience, you can create stickers that truly connect with them and meet their unique interests.

Step 2: Choose a Niche and Sticker Types

Now, it's time to choose a specific type of sticker to sell to your target audience. Focusing on a niche helps you create designs that directly match your customers' interests. As a beginner, it's best to start with sub-niches. 

For example, instead of just selling animal stickers, you could focus on zoo animals, colorful insects, or endangered species. You could also choose a specific style, like watercolor designs or cartoon characters, or even combine cute animals with flowers, like the artist KindGardenist on Etsy. 

By narrowing your niche, you'll stand out from other sellers and face less competition, which means you can charge higher prices.

Step 3: Design your Unique Stickers

Sticker design involves more than just arranging images and text. To create designs that resonate, you need to understand your audience and what appeals to them. For example, designs for kids should be fun and colorful, while business stickers may require a more professional, polished look.

Since stickers are small, it’s important to keep your designs simple and clear. A straightforward design helps your message or image stand out and be understood quickly.

Using high-contrast colors can make your stickers grab attention, even from a distance. Keep in mind that colors can evoke certain feelings and reactions, so consider the emotional impact of your color choices.

For text, choose fonts that are easy to read and stand out against the background, ensuring people can quickly read your message.

Feel free to get creative with the shape of your stickers. Going beyond standard shapes like circles and rectangles can make your design more memorable. Just make sure to add a clear border around unique shapes so printers can easily cut them.

Step 4: Use Software to Create Stickers

Most stickers are designed using illustration or graphic design software. These tools help you arrange images and text and make sure your designs are ready for machines like Cricut or similar devices.

If you've drawn your stickers by hand, you can upload high-quality scans of your artwork, whether it's a painting or illustration.

The key thing to remember when uploading stickers is resolution. Make sure your uploaded files match or resize images if needed to meet the requirement, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch).

Save your file as a CMYK to ensure accurate color printing.

Here are some popular software options for designing stickers:

1. Procreate

Procreate is a drawing app for iOS tablets. With the Apple Pencil, you can draw, color, and texture your digital images. One of its standout features is the ability to use custom brushes that mimic real drawing tools, giving your designs a handmade touch. Once you're finished, it's easy to save your work in high resolution for printing.

2. Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a professional design tool for creating detailed, vector-based stickers. It offers many features to help you design intricate artwork, add text, and apply effects. You can export your designs in various formats for printing.

For beginners, Adobe Express is a free alternative, offering ready-made templates and simple editing tools for creating stickers.

3. Canva

Canva is a great option for beginners. It offers customizable templates for stickers and a large library of fonts, images, and shapes to help you create your design. Canva also provides a sticker printing service, so you can easily turn your designs into physical stickers.

Step 5: Choose Printing Materials

The material you choose for your stickers affects how they look and feel, so it’s important to match the material to the intended use.

For example, bumper stickers need a strong, weather-resistant material, while stickers for notebooks are typically made from cheaper paper.

The adhesive is also key to the quality of your stickers. If your stickers peel off easily, it could harm your reputation, so choose the right adhesive strength. Use a high-tack adhesive for rough surfaces like wood or plastic, and a low-tack adhesive for removable decals.

Here are some common sticker finishes and their uses. It’s a good idea to try different finishes before deciding:

1. Vinyl

Vinyl stickers have a smooth, shiny surface and are durable, making them perfect for outdoor use. They can handle moisture better than paper, so they’re great for water bottles, lunchboxes, or phone cases.

2. Matte

Matte stickers are affordable and great for showing fine details. They don’t have glare, which makes the design clearer. If you want a glossy finish, you can add a laminate sheet to a matte sticker for extra shine and protection.

3. Holographic and Prismatic

Holographic stickers create a rainbow effect by reflecting light, while prismatic stickers sparkle by reflecting light in multiple directions.

4. Mirrored

Mirrored stickers have a shiny, reflective surface made from metallic or chrome materials. They’re eye-catching and perfect for creative or promotional designs.

5. Clear

Clear stickers are made from transparent materials, giving a seamless look when applied to surfaces. They're commonly used for window decals or items that need to withstand the outdoors, like water bottles.

There are different ways to print stickers. Some people do everything themselves at home with a regular printer and a cutting machine. Others send their designs to a professional sticker printer. But we will go deeper into the option of using a print-on-demand service, where the service prints and ships your stickers directly to customers. 

Step 6: Pick a Reliable POD Service

Print on Demand (POD) takes care of all the challenges involved in producing, printing, and shipping high-quality stickers traditionally. They are the ones who actually turn your ideas into real products and items.

To choose one best POD that is qualified to meet your demand, consider these criteria: 

• They handle everything from working with suppliers to printing, cutting, and packaging, a comprehensive process that makes sure stickers are in the hands of customers.
• POD service partners with top printing and shipping companies worldwide, so your customers will get their stickers quickly and in great quality.
• Order a sample to both check the quality and time delivered, no worry about delays or shipping issues. It’s better to choose the POD that is near your target customers. 

Stickers are printed and shipped from a location close to the customer, so if they’re in Australia, for example, the stickers are printed and shipped there too. And since stickers are only printed after an order is made, there’s no need for inventory or warehouses.

*Note: Some POD services may not ship to all locations, so it’s important to check.

While POD services are popular, not all of them offer stickers in their product catalog, we will go deeper to explore them more in the coming next part. Some of the top options for printing stickers are:

• Printify
• Printful
• Zazzle
• Gooten
• Stickermule
• and Redbubble

These companies have made it easier for artists and businesses to create and sell custom stickers without worrying about the production process, and you can design at your own pace without needing special equipment or inventory management.

Step 7: Choose a Platform to Sell Stickers

Once you're happy with your sticker designs and know who you'll be selling to, it's time to start selling. Choose the right sales platform based on your business goals and target customers. 

Here are some popular places to sell your stickers:

• POD Sites: Use a Print on Demand service like Printify to design and sell your stickers. You can even sell without a dedicated store using Printify's Pop-Up Store feature.
• Your own Website (using eCommerce Platforms): Platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce can help create your own site, gives you full control over your sticker business and avoids advanced knowledge on coding.
• Marketplaces: eBay or Etsy are great for selling stickers. These established a place where they provide a huge base of audience making selling easier.
• Social Media and Influencers: Sell directly on Instagram or Facebook. You can also team up with influencers to promote your stickers to their followers.
• TikTok Shop: This fast-growing platform allows you to sell stickers with seamless integration through Printify, making it easy to manage orders and reach new customers.

As our recommendation, creating your own website might be the best option since you can fully manage how it looks, what message it conveys to your target market, and, most importantly, avoid direct competition with other sellers, as you would on marketplaces. 

If coding is not your thing, Shopify is a great option, as it allows you to create a POD store using a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Step 8: Set Up Your Online Store

(Image Source: Sticker Sheets)

Now that you’re ready to start selling, it’s time to set up your online store. Here’s how to do it on different platforms:

1. Setting Up a Store on Website Builders (e.g., Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce)

Creating your own website gives you full control over your sticker business. Here’s how you can set it up:

• Choose a Website Builder: Platforms like Shopify, Wix, or WooCommerce are great options. Pick one that fits your needs.
• Select a Template: Choose a store template that looks good and fits your brand. These platforms offer a variety of pre-designed themes you can customize.
• Add Your Products: Go to your store’s dashboard and add your stickers as products. Include a clear title, description, price, and upload high-quality images of your stickers.
• Install Necessary Apps or Plugins: Depending on your platform, install apps or plugins that help with store management, product promotion, shipping, or social media integration.
• Publish Your Store: Once everything is set up, hit “Publish” to make your store live and ready for customers to visit.

For Print on Demand stickers, you just need to build a few key pages, such as the homepage, about us, collection, and product pages, and your store will be ready to launch. 

Templates from these platforms are often limited, and you might need to adjust them to meet your needs, especially during special occasions. Our suggestion is to use a Page Builder app like EComposer, it can help you create outstanding pages with high-converting features, thanks to its built-in tools.

2. Listing Products on Marketplaces (e.g., Etsy, Amazon)

(Image Source: Stickers on Etsy)

Marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon are great for reaching a larger audience. Here’s how to list your stickers:

• Create an Account: Sign up on the marketplace of your choice.
• Set Up Your Shop: Customize your shop with a name, description, and logo to make it stand out.
• Add Listings: For each sticker design, create a new product listing. Include the title, detailed description, pricing, and images. Make sure the photos are clear and high-quality to grab attention.
• Set Shipping Options: Choose how you’ll ship the stickers and set up pricing for shipping.

Read our blogs to find out more details on how to sell print on demand on Etsy and guide to POD on Amazon.

3. Selling on Social Media (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, TikTok)

(Image Source: Love Wisd shop on Instagram)

Social media is a great way to promote your stickers and sell directly to customers.

• Create Accounts: If you don’t already have them, create business profiles on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.
• Post High-Quality Images: Share images of your stickers in action or styled creatively. Show potential customers how they can use or display your stickers.
• Write Engaging Captions: Add fun and informative captions that describe your stickers and encourage people to buy. Include relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience.
• Use “Shop” Features: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow you to set up a shop directly on your page. Upload your sticker designs and link them to your product listings.
• Collaborate with Influencers: Team up with influencers who can promote your stickers to their followers.

If possible, you can sell on all of these platforms or or consider opening up business scale to expand your market and reach more customers later on.

Step 9: Launch and Promote Your Store

Once your store is ready, it's time to launch and promote it to attract customers.

1. Set a Price for Your Stickers

Pricing your stickers can be tricky, but it’s essential for profitability. Stickers typically sell for $2 to $7, though larger or more detailed designs can be priced higher. 

To find a competitive price, check out other sticker shops and see what they’re charging. Make sure to factor in all costs—materials, labor, and packaging—so you can still make a good profit. If you're new to selling stickers, consider offering a discount to build up your reputation.

2. Market Your Stickers

To get your stickers noticed, you’ll need to market them. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are great places to start. Here are some marketing tips:

• Post eye-catching photos or videos of your stickers.
• Engage with your followers by liking and replying to comments.
• Use paid ads to increase your reach and visibility.
• Collaborate with influencers who match your target audience.
• Run giveaways and encourage people to tag their friends to win.
• Partner with other artists or businesses to create joint sticker packs and promote each other.

3. Ship Your Stickers

Normally POD services will take care of this shipping for you. However, not all of them provide a service of packaging, you can choose to ship back to your place if it is near to wrap as your demand or simply use their regular shipping method to send directly to customers.

For most orders, you can use a regular envelope and a stamp. To protect your stickers during shipping, use rigid mailers or envelopes with sturdy cardstock inside. Adding a "Do Not Bend" sticker can further protect your items.

To make your packaging stand out, you can include fun touches like a handwritten thank-you note or a branded sticker. Keep in mind, though, that while creative packaging can be a nice touch, it’s important not to let it eat into your profits.

By pricing your stickers wisely, promoting them on social media, and shipping them thoughtfully, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful sticker business.

Others also read

• How To Start a Print-On-Demand Business
• 16 Best Print-On-Demand Sites For Artists
• 17 Best Print On Demand Companies Review

Top 5 Companies for Print on Demand Stickers

Now, as mentioned before, we will discover Top Print on demand companies for stickers to find out which is the best suitable for you:

1. Printful

Printful is known for offering a wide variety of products beyond just stickers, including clothing, accessories, and home goods. It easily integrates with eCommerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopify, Wix, and eBay, and offers a wide selection of high-quality items.

When a customer orders, Printful takes care of printing and shipping the product, so creators can focus on marketing and interacting with customers. Although there’s a fulfillment fee, Printful’s streamlined process is more affordable than handling production on your own.

Pros:

✔️ High-quality prints

✔️ Fast order processing

✔️ Works well with popular eCommerce platforms

Cons:

❌ You need to set up your own store

❌ You handle customer support

❌ Slightly higher prices compared to some other options

Pricing: Printful doesn’t have a monthly fee. The pricing for stickers is clear and depends on the size and quantity.

Best for: Small businesses or individuals who want a large variety of customizable stickers and easy integration with popular eCommerce platforms.

2. Printify

Printify offers over 900 customizable products including stickers, giving merchants a wide range of options. Printify also works with many third-party printing companies to manage orders, which can lead to faster shipping and lower costs for merchants, making it a popular choice.

Pros:

✔️ Large network of print providers

✔️ Competitive prices

✔️ User-friendly platform

✔️ Global shipping with clear, upfront shipping rates

Cons:

❌ Delivery may be slower and more expensive due to third-party providers

❌ Limited options for packages and products

❌ Quality can vary depending on the print provider

Pricing: Printify offers competitive prices, with costs per sticker depending on size, material, and where it's printed.

Best for: People or businesses needing a variety of printing options and competitive pricing.

3. RedBubble

RedBubble is popular for its lively artist community and the wide variety of unique designs contributed by independent artists to sell their work on products like clothing, accessories, home decor and even stickers. It combines print-on-demand services with a marketplace, letting creators sell directly through its site while third-party printers handle production.

However, Redbubble’s product catalog is smaller than other platforms, and many creators may find the product costs to be high.

Pros:

✔️ Diverse selection of designs

✔️ High-quality printing

✔️ Customizable options

✔️ Handles customer support for you

Cons:

❌ No control over branding

❌ Doesn’t integrate with other platforms

❌ Lower earnings per sale

Pricing: RedBubble’s pricing depends on the size and type of sticker, with artists deciding their profit margins.

Best for: Artists and designers who want to showcase and sell unique designs while being part of a vibrant community with an extensive collection of artistic creations.

4. Make Stickers

MakeStickers is known for being simple and affordable, providing easy-to-use design tools and competitive prices.

Pros:

✔️ Easy-to-use design tools

✔️ Affordable prices

✔️ Quick turnaround times

Cons:

❌ Fewer customization options than some competitors

Pricing: MakeStickers offers competitive pricing, with costs depending on the size, material, and quantity of the stickers.

Best for: This service is great for individuals or businesses with simple printing needs. It provides an easy, affordable option with user-friendly design tools and competitive prices.

5. StickerMule

StickerMule is popular for its high-quality printing and focus on customer satisfaction. It provides free online proofs, fast shipping, and a satisfaction guarantee to ensure a great experience.

Pros:

✔️ Top-notch printing quality

✔️ Free online proofs to review designs

✔️ Quick shipping

✔️ Customer satisfaction guarantee

Cons:

❌ Prices can be higher than some competitors

Pricing: StickerMule’s prices reflect its premium quality and excellent customer service, with costs depending on sticker size, material, and order quantity.

Best for: People who value high-quality printing, reliable service, and a hassle-free experience with free design proofs and fast delivery.

Trending Stickers Design Ideas to Start

Still need a burst of creativity? Don’t worry, we’ve got some ideas for you!

Here are a few sticker design ideas to spark inspiration. You can put almost anything on a sticker, from animals and food to tropical themes and beyond.

1. Vintage Stickers

Bring back the past with retro cars, old-fashioned typewriters, vintage cameras, and even a strawberry milkshake or two. Add a special touch with matte or holographic finishes.

2. Artwork Stickers

Celebrate creativity with stickers that showcase art. Turn your favorite artwork into a sticker, or create something completely new—your sticker is your blank canvas.

3. Social Activism Stickers

Stickers are a powerful way to spread important messages. Use them to raise awareness on issues like Pride Month or the climate crisis, with bold slogans and striking visuals.

4. Personalized Stickers

Custom stickers with names in unique fonts and colors can be a great way to stand out. Personalization might be the key to successfully selling stickers online.

5. AI Art Stickers

Create one-of-a-kind stickers with our AI Image Generator. Simply describe your idea, choose a style, and pick an image to print. Your customers won’t find these designs anywhere else.

Wrap Up

Now that you have a better understanding of different sticker types and the benefits of print-on-demand stickers, you’re all set to create your own stickers and start selling them.

Stickers are a great way to express your passions, share your story, or promote your business. Whatever designs you choose, make sure to develop a unique style. Build products with a clear visual identity, make your brand memorable, and then launch an online store that’ll leave a lasting impression on customers.

FAQs

1. Is print-on-demand stickers profitable?

Yes, print-on-demand stickers can be profitable. Since you don’t need to keep stock, you only pay for the stickers when someone buys them. This keeps your costs low, and if you price your stickers right, you can make a good profit.

2. Is it legal to print stickers?

Yes, it’s legal to print stickers, but you must make sure your designs don’t infringe on someone else’s copyright. For example, using a popular character or logo without permission can lead to legal issues. Always create original designs or use designs you have the right to print.

3. How much does it cost to make stickers?

The cost to make stickers depends on factors like size, material, and quantity. On average, it can cost anywhere from a few cents to a couple of dollars per sticker when using print-on-demand services. The more you order, the cheaper each sticker may be.