Redbubble vs Amazon Merch on Demand: Which Should You Start With?
Both pay royalties on a fixed catalog, but the access models are night and day. Redbubble: sign up today, upload tonight, sell tomorrow. Amazon Merch on Demand: apply, wait months (sometimes a year), get accepted into Tier 10 with only 10 design slots, and earn your way up to higher tiers by selling. Amazon's conversion rates are roughly 3-5× higher than any other POD platform thanks to Prime, but the slot constraint forces ruthless selection. Most successful POD sellers do both — Redbubble for breadth, Amazon for depth.
TL;DR · Our verdict
Apply to Amazon Merch today (the wait is real). While you wait, build your portfolio and learn what sells on Redbubble. When Amazon accepts you, upload only your top 10 Redbubble winners — the slot system rewards quality over quantity. Long-term: Amazon should out-earn Redbubble per design once you reach Tier 1000+.
Redbubble
Option AMass-market discovery shoppers — gift-driven, design-led, ~70% mobile
- Visitors / mo
- ~30M
- Founded
- 2006
- Fee model
- Base price + your margin (avg 20%)
- Payout
- Monthly via PayPal/bank, $20 minimum
- Catalog
- 70+ (apparel, stickers, home, stationery, wall art)
- $25 t-shirt math
- $25 tee → ~$5 to artist (20%)
Pros
- Largest organic discovery engine in POD
- True passive income — RB owns fulfillment, returns, customer service
- 70+ product types from one design upload
- Free to start, no monthly fees
Cons
- Margins compressed since 2024 (default 20%, was 30%)
- Fierce internal competition — saturation in evergreen niches
- No customer ownership; you can't email buyers
- Account-bans for trademark mistakes are aggressive
Best for: Beginners who want true passive income and don't want to run ads or build a list.
Visit RedbubbleAmazon Merch on Demand
Option BAmazon Prime shoppers — broad, US-heavy, conversion-optimized
- Visitors / mo
- ~2.5B (Amazon overall)
- Founded
- 2015
- Fee model
- Royalty model (~13-37% depending on tier)
- Payout
- Monthly via Amazon, no minimum
- Catalog
- Apparel + select home goods (US/EU/JP)
- $25 t-shirt math
- $19.99 tee → ~$5.46 royalty
Pros
- Amazon traffic + Prime shipping = highest conversion in POD
- Tier system rewards consistent sellers
- No marketplace listing fees
- Brand registry available at higher tiers
Cons
- Tier 10 onboarding waitlist (months to years)
- Strict TM/IP enforcement — single strike can terminate
- Slot limits — must delete losers to upload winners
- Royalty rates dropped repeatedly since 2020
Best for: Patient sellers who can survive the waitlist and want Amazon's conversion engine.
Visit Amazon Merch on DemandWhich one should you pick?
Have you been accepted to Amazon Merch yet?
Then start with Redbubble today
Amazon — drop everything and upload
Do you have 100+ designs ready to upload?
Redbubble — no slot limits
Amazon Tier 10 only allows 10 designs
Are you obsessive about IP/trademark research?
Redbubble is more forgiving on first strikes
Amazon — one TM strike can terminate the account
Don't pick a platform — pick a niche.
Profit Lab 360 surfaces high-demand, low-competition niches across all POD marketplaces in seconds.
FAQ
How long is the Amazon Merch waitlist?+
Officially undisclosed. As of 2026, applicants report waits ranging from 2 months to 18+ months. Apply with a real portfolio link to improve odds.
Can I upload the same design to Redbubble and Amazon Merch?+
Yes — there's no exclusivity clause. Many top sellers do exactly this.
What's the Amazon Merch tier system?+
Starts at Tier 10 (10 design slots). Sell ~25 units to advance to Tier 25, then 100 units to Tier 100, and so on up to Tier 8000+.