PremiumFakes vs OldIronSides options

I've ordered from both PremiumFakes and OldIronSides this year and want to document what the actual decision looks like, since most comparison threads I've found are either too vague or too old to be useful for current orders.

Where PremiumFakes Wins

PremiumFakes has the stronger template accuracy for a handful of specific states — particularly in the South and Southeast. If your target state is one where the forum reviews specifically highlight PremiumFakes, the advantage is real and noticeable. Their UV element reproduction has also been consistently praised in recent reviews, with better density and coverage than I've seen in some competing vendors' outputs. If template accuracy for your specific state is the primary criterion, check whether PremiumFakes has a particular strength there before ruling them out.

Where OldIronSides Wins

OldIronSides is more consistent across states rather than having specific strengths and weaknesses. If you're ordering a less-common state that doesn't have a lot of dedicated vendor reviews, OldIronSides tends to be a lower-risk choice because their general production quality is reliable even when there isn't community documentation of their specific template for your state. Their barcode quality has also been highlighted in multiple recent reviews — very few decode failures reported in the community over the past six months.

Communication

Both vendors have slower support than you'd want. OldIronSides edges out PremiumFakes here based on the posts I've read — replies within two to three days versus PremiumFakes' more variable four to eight day range. Neither is fast enough to catch a proof error before production if you approve and then immediately spot a mistake, but OldIronSides gives you a slightly better window.

My personal recommendation: check the community reviews for your specific target state first. If PremiumFakes has a documented strength there, choose them. If the state is average or undocumented for both vendors, OldIronSides is the safer default.