SmartMockups Shut Down — Here’s What POD Sellers Should Use Instead
SmartMockups ended standalone operations in September 2024. If you used it for your print-on-demand store, here’s an honest breakdown of what to move to.
SmartMockups was a favourite among print-on-demand sellers for a straightforward reason: it was clean, fast, and didn’t get in your way. Upload a design, pick a template, download. Done.
In September 2024, that changed. SmartMockups was absorbed into Canva, and the standalone product stopped receiving new content or features. The templates still exist inside Canva’s ecosystem, but the focused, dedicated mockup tool is effectively gone.
Why “Just Use Canva” Isn’t Always Right
Canva is a brilliant general design tool — but it’s optimised for creating things from scratch. For POD sellers, the day-to-day reality is different. You’re not making one mockup. You’re making dozens across multiple designs, colors, and product types. You need speed, automation, and a place where everything lives together. Canva isn’t built for that.
- No color variant automation: You have to create each color separately — there's no way to generate 10 colorways from a single positioned design.
- No Etsy video output: Etsy prioritises listings with video. Canva has video tools, but not a dedicated product listing video workflow.
- No catalog-level management: Managing dozens of products, designs, and variants across Canva folders isn't the same as a dedicated POD asset manager.
MockupGen
Best for POD sellers who need more than mockups
Pros
- Unique product photos — not shared templates
- AI color variant generation (position once, generate all colors)
- Etsy video creation built into the workflow
- Batch asset download and catalog management
Cons
- Smaller template library than established tools
- Focused on POD products, not device or packaging mockups
Canva
Best if you're already in the Canva ecosystem
Pros
- SmartMockups templates accessible inside Canva
- Familiar interface for existing users
- Free tier available
Cons
- Not built for high-volume POD workflows
- No color variant automation
- No Etsy video output
Mediamodifier
Best for quality + PSD access
Pros
- Clean, focused mockup interface
- PSD download option for Photoshop post-processing
- 4,000+ templates
Cons
- Free tier includes watermarks
- Less suited to high-volume catalog work
Placeit
Best for raw template variety
Pros
- 40,000+ templates across every product category
- Video mockups included
- Established platform with regular new content
Cons
- Popular templates mean less differentiation
- No color variant automation
- Template overload can slow down your workflow
Quick Comparison
| Feature | MockupGen | Canva | Mediamodifier | Placeit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unique product photos | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| AI color variants | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Etsy video creation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Batch asset download | ✅ | Limited | ❌ | ❌ |
| Template library size | Focused | Large | Medium | 40,000+ |
| Free tier | ✅ 15 credits | ✅ Free | ✅ Watermarked | ❌ |
The Bottom Line
SmartMockups shutting down is genuinely inconvenient for POD sellers who relied on its simplicity. If you want the closest like-for-like experience inside a familiar tool, Canva will do. But if you’re ready for something built around the full POD workflow — mockups, variants, video, and asset management in one place — MockupGen is worth a proper look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SmartMockups still available?
SmartMockups ended standalone operations in September 2024 and was absorbed into Canva. The templates still exist inside Canva, but the dedicated product no longer receives new content or features.
What is the best SmartMockups alternative for POD sellers?
MockupGen is the most capable alternative for print-on-demand sellers. It generates unique product photos, automates color variant creation, and produces Etsy listing videos — all from one workflow.
Can I still access my SmartMockups templates?
If you had a SmartMockups account, the templates are now accessible inside Canva. However, new content is no longer being added to the SmartMockups library.
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