What it's for
Our Merch on Demand note is built on it.
- Print-on-demand shirts on Amazon
- Testing niche designs
- Passive design income
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price (USD unless shown) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Creator tier | Free to join (invite/approval) | Royalty per sale; US example: $0.96 on a $15.99 shirt up to $4.66 on a $25.99 shirt |
| Plus tier | 2x Creator rates (US store) | For creators who drive at least 15% of unit sales with non-organic traffic |
| Premium tier | 2.16x Creator rates (US store) | For creators who drive at least 35% of unit sales with non-organic traffic |
Read on the official pricing page on . Prices change; check before you buy.
Free plan in real output
No fees; Amazon pays a royalty per sale based on list price and tier. Royalty rates outside the US store are unchanged by the tiers.
- At a $19.99 list price, the Creator royalty is $2.44 per shirt; 100 sales a month is $244.
- Pricing higher raises royalty fast: $15.99 pays $0.96, $25.99 pays $4.66.
Cost at your stage
| Plan | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 (testing, low volume) | Free | $0 |
| Month 12 (working volume) | Free | $0 |
Break-even: No cost to list; royalties only.
Month-12 plan is our estimate of what a solo seller at steady weekly output needs, based on the plan limits above. Costs exclude tax.
Commercial use and output rights
Not a content generator. A print-on-demand marketplace; you must own or license your designs.
Your data and AI training: Not applicable.
This is a summary of public terms, not legal advice. Terms change; re-read the clause before client work.
First-hour setup
- Apply and wait for approval.
- Upload 5 designs in one niche.
- Set list prices with the royalty table in mind.
- Write keyword-rich titles and bullets.
- Add designs steadily as tier limits allow.
Competitors compared
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merch on Demand | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | Free to join (invite/approval) | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Reaching Amazon shoppers with designs |
| Redbubble | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | See official site | 1/5 | – | Selling designs without running a store |
| Printful | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | $0/mo · then $24.99/mo | 1/5 | Not a content generator | Quality print-on-demand with branding options |
| Printify | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0/mo · then from $39/mo, or from $24.99/mo billed yearly | 1/5 | Not a content generator | Lower base costs across many printers |
| Gelato | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | See official site | – | – | International orders printed locally |
| Spring | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | See official site | – | – | YouTubers selling merch |
| Etsy | Free to join, fee per sale | Yes | $0.20 per listing | 2/5 | Not a content generator | Printables and handmade goods with built-in buyers |
Learning difficulty
2/5: Invite-only; tiers and rules to learn.
When not to use it
If you want your own storefront and margins, Printful or Printify with Shopify or Etsy gives more control.
Cheaper or free alternatives:
Which of our hustles use it
- Amazon Merch on Demand: Selling print-on-demand designs on Amazon
Price history
Each monthly check adds rows here. Older rows are never edited, so you can see when prices changed.
Sources
- Merch on Demand: Royalties (read 17 October 2026)
Last verified . Anything we couldn't confirm on an official page is marked "not published", "not shown" or "not verified".