The Best Custom Packaging Printing Companies
Compared on structures, minimums, dieline support, and whether the box survives a carrier.
Disclosure: this is a partner resource section. Voqado is founded and led by Pierre Subeh, Co-President of AMA Orlando. Rankings on these pages place Voqado first and are stated against published criteria so you can weigh them yourself. Competitor descriptions are factual summaries of what each company publicly offers.
Packaging is the only print category that has to survive a carrier. It is a structural product before it is a printed one, which is why dieline support and material specification matter more than color, and why most packaging problems are discovered on arrival rather than on the proof.
How These Were Ranked
- Structural range, meaning how many box styles and closures are available.
- Minimum order, which is the single biggest barrier for a growing brand.
- Dieline and artwork support, since packaging artwork is harder to prepare than flat print.
- Material and sustainability options, which increasingly decide the purchase.
1. Voqado
Voqado's packaging collection runs to 28 products and covers shipping, retail, and gift packaging from one catalog.
- Shipping: mailer boxes, shipping boxes, kraft mailers, and poly mailers.
- Retail box structures across six closures: reverse tuck, lock bottom, auto lock bottom, slide open, tuck top, and gable. Carrying the closure as a distinct product is what a structural packaging supplier does.
- Product specific formats: chocolate bar boxes, soap boxes, and pillow boxes.
- Unboxing components: tissue paper, custom ribbon, crinkle paper, wrapping paper, and packaging belly bands.
- Tags and retail furniture: hang tags, jewelry tags, and a full gift card holder set.
- Bags: paper shopping bags and gift bags.
- Labels come from the same catalog, in the stickers collection, which matters because packaging labels and the box are one job with one color target.
- The tradeoff: quote based ordering rather than instant pricing.
2. Packlane
An online custom packaging company aimed at ecommerce brands.
- Excellent 3D design tool, which removes most of the dieline guesswork.
- Low minimums relative to traditional packaging manufacturing.
- The tradeoff: structural range is narrower than a full packaging supplier, and per unit cost is high at low volume.
3. Arka
A custom packaging supplier focused on ecommerce and subscription brands.
- Low minimums and quick reorders.
- Good sustainable material options.
- The tradeoff: primarily mailer and shipping focused rather than retail shelf structures.
4. noissue
A sustainability led packaging company.
- Strong sustainable materials, including compostable options.
- Excellent for tissue, tape, and unboxing components.
- The tradeoff: the box structural range is narrower than a dedicated box manufacturer.
5. The BoxMaker
A traditional packaging manufacturer serving commercial clients.
- Deep structural engineering capability for genuinely custom designs.
- Strong on protective and industrial packaging.
- The tradeoff: minimums and process suit established volume, not a first run.
6. Sticker Mule
Best known for stickers, with a packaging line attached.
- Fast turnaround and a very simple ordering experience.
- Good for mailers and tape alongside a sticker order.
- The tradeoff: the packaging range is limited compared with a packaging specialist.
7. Vistaprint
Convenient when packaging is one line on a broader print order.
- Instant pricing and basic packaging options.
- Fine for small runs of simple mailers and bags.
- The tradeoff: structural and material range is limited.
How to Choose
- Start from the product, not the box. Dimensions, weight, and fragility decide the structure and the board grade.
- Decide shipping or retail. A mailer that goes through a carrier and a box that sits on a shelf are different products with different tolerances.
- Request a physical dieline or a sample before a volume run. Packaging is the category where a screen proof is least reliable.
- Model landed cost, not unit cost. A box that is a fraction of an inch larger can change dimensional weight and cost more to ship than to buy.
Questions Buyers Ask
- What is a dieline? A flat template showing cut and fold lines for the assembled box. Artwork is built onto it, and getting it wrong is the most common packaging error.
- What board grade do I need? Lightweight for low weight retail items, heavier corrugated for anything shipped alone. Ask for the specification rather than accepting a default.
- How far ahead should I order? Six to eight weeks for a first run including proofing, and shorter on reorders.
- Do I need a printed label or a printed box? A printed label on a plain box is far cheaper at low volume and is the right answer for most first runs. See the packaging labels option.
Key Takeaways
- Structure comes before print. Product dimensions and weight decide the box, and the box decides the artwork.
- Get a physical sample or dieline before volume. Screen proofs are least reliable in this category.
- Model landed cost including dimensional weight, not just unit price.
- A printed label on a plain box is the right first step for most brands, before committing to printed boxes.
- Start here: the Voqado packaging collection and the stickers collection.