Head to head
Printavo vs PrintIQ
Garment shop simplicity against commercial print automation — two very different answers to the word 'print'.
The shared word hides the gap. Printavo is built for screen printing and apparel decoration, and its strength is that it is quick to learn and pleasant to work in. PrintIQ is a commercial print MIS with web-to-print and deep automation aimed at larger print operations.
If you decorate garments, this is not a close comparison — PrintIQ is more system than the work needs. If you run commercial print with online ordering and repeat business at volume, Printavo will run out of room quickly.
Both, like most of this category, still organise the floor as a status pipeline you configure up front.
What you actually get
Printavo
Shop management built primarily for screen printers and apparel decorators.
Screen printing and apparel-decoration shops whose work is mostly garments.
Where shops get stuck
- → Workflow and pricing skew toward apparel/screen printing, not signage.
- → Limited fit for wide-format, vehicle wraps, and sq-ft based pricing.
- → Sign-specific materials (substrate/vinyl/laminate/grommets) aren't first-class.
PrintIQ
An automation-heavy print MIS aimed at commercial and enterprise printers.
Larger commercial/enterprise print operations that need deep estimating automation and have time for a full implementation.
Where shops get stuck
- → Enterprise scope and pricing — overkill for small/mid shops.
- → Longer, consultant-led implementation.
- → Complexity you pay for whether or not you use it.
Which should you choose?
Choose Printavo if…
Apparel and screen printing, a small team, and a preference for software that stays out of the way.
Choose PrintIQ if…
Commercial print at volume, customer portals and online ordering, and enough throughput to justify a real MIS implementation.
Choose PrinterFlo if…
Sign and wide-format work, where the quote has to understand substrate and square footage, and the floor wants to batch by material rather than march cards through stages.
Printavo vs PrintIQ — FAQ
Can Printavo handle sign work?
Not naturally. Its quoting is shaped around garment jobs, and pricing a wrap or a channel-letter set means working around the model rather than with it.
Is PrintIQ worth it for a small shop?
Usually not. It is built for operations with the volume and staff to justify an implementation, and a small shop typically pays in setup and unused capability.
What if we do both apparel and signs?
Then price the mix honestly, because most shops in that position end up running two systems or forcing half their work through the wrong one. PrinterFlo handles the sign and wide-format side properly; for heavy garment decoration workflows, a dedicated apparel system will know your trade better.
There is a third option
PrinterFlo prices your materials properly, writes each job's production checklist from the quote, and lets your customer approve the proof and pay the deposit from one link. No workflow to configure first.