TLDR
CatPrint vs Prints of Love comes down to control versus convenience. CatPrint is better if you care about paper options, sample packs, foil, custom quantities, and seeing a hard-copy proof before the full order prints. Prints of Love is better if you already bought an Etsy, Canva, or designer template and want the simplest upload-your-own invitation printing workflow with fast production and less print-shop homework.
Our practical recommendation: choose Prints of Love for most finished-file invitation orders. Choose CatPrint when paper feel, physical proofing, and print control matter more than the fastest checkout.
If you already finished your invitation design in Canva, Etsy, Corjl, Templett, or Adobe Express, the hardest part should be over. In theory.
In reality, this is where a perfectly nice invitation can turn into a tiny rectangle of regret. The file looked great on screen. Then it printed too dark, the trim felt off, the paper felt flimsy, or the “gold” looked like mustard wearing a tuxedo.
That is why the CatPrint vs Prints of Love decision matters. These are both strong upload-your-own invitation printers, but they are not built for the same buyer. CatPrint feels more like a flexible online print shop for people who want proofing and paper control. Prints of Love feels more like a polished upload-and-print service for people who have a finished design and want the order handled quickly.
This comparison is for people who do not need a giant template marketplace. You already have the design. You just need the printer not to ruin it. A modest request, honestly.
Quality (Materials and Print)
CatPrint has the stronger quality ceiling of the two, especially if you are picky about paper. It is the better fit for invitation buyers who want to compare textures, weights, colors, specialty stocks, foil options, and hard-copy proofs before committing to the full run.
That matters for wedding invitations, formal event cards, watercolor designs, delicate typography, and anything where paper feel is part of the experience. If your invitation is supposed to feel like stationery rather than just a printed card, CatPrint gives you more room to get there.
CatPrint is also the safer pick if your design uses:
- Fine line art
- Thin serif fonts
- Soft watercolor backgrounds
- Dusty or muted colors
- Full-bleed backgrounds
- Foil accents
- Unusual card sizes
- Coordinating suite pieces
The big CatPrint advantage is that it lets you treat the invitation like a real print job. That is not always necessary, but when it is, it is very nice to have.
Prints of Love is still a good print-quality option for upload-your-own invitation buyers. It is not the “paper nerd” pick, but it is very strong for normal finished files, especially 5 x 7 flat invitations, save the dates, shower invitations, graduation cards, and simple wedding inserts.
Its quality story is more about clean execution than deep material choice. Upload the file, let their team review it, print the cards, ship the order. That is exactly what many Canva and Etsy template buyers want.
The tradeoff is that Prints of Love is not trying to be a specialty paper playground. If you want to compare a dozen paper stocks with the intensity of someone choosing a mattress, CatPrint is the better match. If you just want good-looking invitations without learning every print term on earth, Prints of Love is easier.
Price and Value
Prints of Love usually has the clearer value story for standard upload-your-own invitation orders. It is especially appealing when you count the practical extras, including free envelopes and free contiguous U.S. shipping on many orders.
That makes it a strong choice for people printing:
- Etsy wedding invitation templates
- Canva invitation files
- Bridal shower invitations
- Baby shower invitations
- Graduation announcements
- Birthday party invitations
- Simple RSVP or details cards
For a clean, standard invitation order, Prints of Love feels like the better “just get this printed well” value. You are paying for speed, convenience, and a human-reviewed workflow, not for a huge menu of paper experiments.
CatPrint is often more expensive, especially once you start moving into specialty paper, foil, custom formats, and proofing-related choices. But the value makes sense if those details matter.
CatPrint is not the cheapest upload-your-own invitation printer. It is the one you choose when you want fewer unpleasant surprises. A hard-copy proof can save you from ordering 150 invitations on a paper stock you end up hating. That has value. Not fun value, like cake tasting, but very real value.
So the price decision is simple:
- Choose Prints of Love if you want the best value for a finished standard invitation file.
- Choose CatPrint if you are willing to pay more for paper choice, hard-copy proofing, and more print control.
Design, Templates, and Customization
Neither CatPrint nor Prints of Love should be your first stop if you still need a template-heavy invitation design platform. If you want a full wedding-suite design ecosystem, envelope tools, color customization, websites, guest lists, and matching stationery collections, a platform like Basic Invite, Zola, or Minted may make more sense.
But that is not really the job here.
This comparison is about upload-your-own invitations. You already have the design. Maybe you bought it on Etsy. Maybe you made it in Canva. Maybe a designer sent you the final PDF. Either way, you are past the “which floral border feels like us?” stage. Congratulations. That stage can break people.
CatPrint is better for customization in the print-production sense. It gives you more control over paper, proofing, custom quantities, formats, foil, die-cut shapes, and matching pieces. It is flexible, but that flexibility comes with a more printer-like workflow.
Prints of Love is better for customization in the simple-ordering sense. You upload your design, choose the format, select options like addressed envelopes if needed, and move through the order with less friction. It is not as deep, but it is easier.
For most Etsy and Canva users, that simplicity is the point.
In the CatPrint vs Prints of Love matchup, CatPrint is the more flexible printer. Prints of Love is the more approachable upload workflow.
Customer Service
CatPrint has one of the stronger support and proofing stories among upload-your-own printers. It offers phone and email support, paper guidance, free hard-copy proofing options, online proofs, and the ability to approve proofs through an account workflow.
That is a big deal for invitation orders because most customers are not professional print buyers. They may not know whether their file needs bleed, whether the colors will shift, whether the paper will soften tiny text, or whether the trim margin is safe. CatPrint’s service model is useful for those situations.
CatPrint is especially reassuring if you are nervous about:
- Paper choice
- Color outcome
- Photo clarity
- Finishing
- Layout
- Cut lines
- Formal wedding stationery
Prints of Love also has a strong customer-support angle, but it feels different. The brand is built around helping finished-file customers move quickly. Live chat, text support, email support, and print specialists make it more human than many basic upload portals.
Prints of Love also has a clear reprint and refund path for qualifying print or quality defects, plus a design review process before printing. That gives the workflow a bit more safety than a blind upload button.
The key difference is timing and depth. CatPrint is better for proof-first support. Prints of Love is better for fast, support-assisted upload printing.
Ordering Experience & Tools
Prints of Love wins on ordering simplicity.
The site is built for people who already have artwork and want to print it. Choose the card type, select the size and orientation, upload the file, pick extras, and order. It does not feel like you are being asked to become a junior prepress technician before dinner.
That is exactly why Prints of Love is so appealing for Etsy and Canva invitation buyers. Most people in that lane do not want a huge design editor. They want to upload the finished invitation and trust that someone will flag obvious file problems.
CatPrint’s ordering experience is more powerful but less casual. It feels more like a real print shop, which can be either good or mildly annoying depending on the buyer.
If you know what you want, CatPrint gives you more control. If you are unsure what “linen stock” or “foil setup” means, the process can feel less breezy.
The simplest way to think about it:
- Prints of Love is better if your file is final and you want a quick guided order.
- CatPrint is better if the print choices are still part of the decision.
- Prints of Love is easier for normal consumers.
- CatPrint is better for designers, DIY couples, and paper-sensitive buyers.
If you need help preparing a Canva file before ordering, Big Print World already has a separate guide on where to print Canva invitations and how to think about exporting, bleed, and file setup. This article is meant to build on that, not repeat the same file-prep sermon. Nobody needs two sermons about crop marks in one week.
Turnaround Time and Shipping
Both companies can be fast, but they approach speed differently.
Prints of Love is the better pick for a straightforward fast upload job. Its invitation pages highlight fast production and free contiguous U.S. shipping, with express options available. If your design is finished, the size is standard, and you need the order moving quickly, Prints of Love is hard to argue with.
CatPrint also has a strong speed story, especially because it lets shoppers choose a delivery date at checkout. That is helpful for deadline-sensitive invitation orders.
But CatPrint’s hard-copy proofing can add time, which is the whole point of proofing. You are trading speed for confidence. A physical proof is not instant. It has to be printed, mailed, reviewed, and approved before the full order moves forward.
That makes CatPrint better when you have enough time to proof properly. It makes Prints of Love better when you already trust the file and need production to move.
Use CatPrint if:
- You have a wedding invitation timeline with enough breathing room
- You want to approve a physical proof first
- You are comparing papers
- You are using specialty finishes
- You care more about confidence than the fastest possible order
Use Prints of Love if:
- Your file is finished
- Your paper needs are straightforward
- You want a faster checkout
- You need the order produced quickly
- You do not want to overthink the print side
Use Cases / Best For
CatPrint is best for paper-focused invitation buyers
Choose CatPrint if your invitation is formal, tactile, or design-sensitive. It is the better choice when the paper is part of the finished impression.
CatPrint is best for:
- Wedding invitations with premium paper goals
- Couples who want a hard-copy proof
- Designers printing client invitation suites
- Etsy template buyers who want better paper control
- Canva users with formal designs
- Watercolor, botanical, or fine-art invitation styles
- Foil invitation designs
- Custom shapes or more unusual print setups
- Buyers who want to feel samples first
CatPrint is also the better choice if you are the type of person who can tell the difference between smooth, felt, eggshell, and pearlescent paper. Some people cannot. Some people absolutely can and will mention it at brunch.
Prints of Love is best for finished-file upload orders
Choose Prints of Love if you already have the file and mostly want a clean, fast, friendly print workflow.
Prints of Love is best for:
- Etsy invitation templates
- Canva invitation designs
- Save the dates
- Bridal shower invitations
- Baby shower invitations
- Graduation announcements
- Birthday invitations
- Simple wedding inserts
- RSVP cards
- Details cards
- Budget-conscious invitation orders
- Buyers who want free envelopes and simple shipping
Prints of Love is especially good for people who want a printer to review the file and produce it without turning the order into a paper research project.
Pros and Cons
CatPrint Pros / Cons
Pros:
- Better paper flexibility
- Free hard-copy proof option
- Free sample-pack appeal
- Strong for custom files and formal invitations
- Good for designers and DIY couples
- Strong proofing workflow
- More specialty print-control options
- Good fit for paper-sensitive wedding stationery
Cons:
- Usually not the cheapest option
- Ordering can feel more print-shop than consumer-simple
- Hard-copy proofing adds time
- More choices can be overwhelming
- Not as streamlined for quick standard uploads
Prints of Love Pros / Cons
Pros:
- Very simple upload-your-own workflow
- Strong for Etsy and Canva invitation files
- Fast production for straightforward orders
- Free envelopes and free contiguous U.S. shipping are useful value adds
- Live chat, text, and email support
- Human file review before printing
- Good for standard 5 x 7 invitation orders
- Easier for normal buyers who do not speak fluent printer
Cons:
- Less paper depth than CatPrint
- Not the best fit for true paper nerds
- Not as flexible for specialty print effects
- More production partner than design platform
- Finished-file errors are still ultimately the customer’s responsibility
Final Verdict / Conclusion
For most people comparing CatPrint vs Prints of Love, the better upload-your-own invitation printer is Prints of Love. It is faster, simpler, easier to understand, and well suited for the exact buyer who already has an Etsy, Canva, or designer-made file ready to print.
That said, CatPrint is the better printer for paper-focused orders. If this is a wedding invitation suite, a formal event invitation, or a design where paper texture and physical proofing matter, CatPrint is the smarter choice. It gives you more ways to control the final result before the full order prints.
So the final recommendation is:
Choose Prints of Love if your design is finished and you want a fast, simple, finished-file upload workflow.
Choose CatPrint if you want better paper choice, sample packs, hard-copy proofing, and more confidence before printing the full batch.
Both can print upload-your-own invitations well. They just solve different problems. Prints of Love removes friction. CatPrint removes uncertainty. Pick the problem you actually have.
References and Links
CatPrint official site:
CatPrint
CatPrint hard-copy proofing:
CatPrint Free Hard-Copy Proofs
CatPrint shipping:
CatPrint Shipping
Prints of Love invitation printing:
Prints of Love Invitations
Prints of Love artwork guidelines:
Prints of Love Artwork Guidelines
Prints of Love contact and support:
Prints of Love Contact
Prints of Love returns, refunds, and reprints:
Prints of Love Returns & Refund Policy
Internal Big Print World link:
Where To Print Canva Invitations: Best Online Options After Your Design Is Done
Internal Big Print World link:
What Paper Weight Is Best for Wedding Invitations?
Internal Big Print World link:
RGB vs CMYK for Consumer Print: When Color Changes and When It Really Doesn’t