Screen printing cost comes down to four things: the garment, the number of ink colors, the number of shirts and a one-time setup for each screen. Once you see how those pieces fit together, a quote stops being a mystery and you can design a run that fits your budget. So here is how we price runs at our Orlando studio, with the reasoning behind each line.
The four parts of every quote
Almost every screen printing quote, ours included, is built from the same blocks:
- The blank garment. The shirt or hoodie itself, before any ink.
- Print cost per color. The labor and ink to print each color on each piece.
- Screen setup. Making one screen for every color in the design.
- Extras. Things like a second print location, specialty ink or rush timing.
Shipping then sits on top of that, and it depends on where the run is going.
Why screen printing cost drops as the run grows
This is the part that surprises people. That is because screens are made once per color, whether we print 12 shirts or 500. So the setup is a fixed cost, and the more shirts share it, the less each one carries.
The print cost per color also drops at bigger quantities, because the press is already set and the run flows. That is why shops, including ours, price in tiers.
| Quantity | What changes |
|---|---|
| 12 to 23 | Setup is a big share of each shirt; the smallest runs cost the most per piece |
| 24 to 47 | Setup starts to spread out; a common size for teams and bands |
| 48 to 143 | Per-color print cost drops; good value for merch |
| 144 and up | The lowest price per piece; setup barely shows |
Comparisons of the industry, like this guide from Gelato, often put screen setup somewhere around $25 to $50 per color. Our placeholder pricing, for example, uses the low end of that range.
A worked example
Let’s price a simple job with the numbers in our home page calculator. They are sample figures while we finalize our price list, but the math is real.
- Classic tee blank: $6.50
- Two ink colors, at 48 pieces: about $1.30 per color, per shirt
- Two screens at $25 each, shared across 48 shirts
That works out to $6.50 + $2.60 + about $1.04, or roughly $10.14 per shirt and $487 for the run. Now double the run to 96 shirts. The setup share halves and the per-color price drops to the next tier, so each shirt costs less. In other words, ordering a few more often costs surprisingly little extra in total.
Colors are the biggest lever you control
Every color adds a screen and another pass on every shirt. So a six-color design costs noticeably more than a two-color one at the same quantity. If budget matters, the cheapest improvement is usually fewer colors, not fewer shirts.
Still, designing for fewer colors is a craft of its own. We wrote a whole piece on it: why fewer colors make better prints.
Dark garments and the underbase
Bright colors on a black or navy shirt usually need a white layer printed first, called an underbase. So it counts as one more screen and one more pass. So a two-color design on a black hoodie can price like three colors. We always show this on the proof, so it never shows up as a surprise.
What else changes the screen printing cost
- Garment choice. A 6.5 oz heavyweight tee costs more than a classic tee, and fleece hoodies cost more again.
- Larger sizes. 2XL and up use more fabric, so blanks cost a little more.
- Print locations. A front and a back print, for example, are two separate setups.
- Specialty inks. Puff, discharge and metallic inks cost more to buy and to print. See specialty screen printing.
- Timing. Rush jobs push other work around, so they cost more.
- Artwork work. Clean, print-ready files cost nothing extra. Redrawing a blurry logo does. Our artwork guide shows how to avoid that.
How to lower your screen printing cost without cutting corners
We would rather help you plan a smarter run than a cheaper-looking one. These moves save real money:
- Cut a color. Often a three-color design reads just as well in two.
- Print on light garments when it suits the design, since they rarely need an underbase.
- Combine orders. Same design, same colors, mixed garments and sizes still share one set of screens.
- Order once, not twice. Two runs of 24 cost more than one run of 48, because you pay setup twice.
- Send vector art. It also saves prep time and gets you a cleaner print.
Is screen printing worth it for small runs?
From 12 pieces, usually yes, especially with one or two colors. Below that, a digital method like DTG may be cheaper, and we will tell you so. Our screen printing vs DTG guide explains where each one wins.
Reading a screen printing quote
However, quotes look different from shop to shop, which makes them hard to compare. Some show one price per shirt. Others split out screens, colors and extras. Neither is wrong, but you should be able to see every part. When you compare quotes, check these lines:
- Is setup included? A low per-shirt price can hide a big screen fee.
- Is the underbase counted? On dark shirts it is a real extra screen.
- Which blank is it? A classic tee and a heavyweight are not the same product.
- Are larger sizes extra? Many shops add a few dollars from 2XL up.
- Is shipping included? Especially for international orders.
Two quotes with the same screen printing cost per shirt can end up very different once every line is added. So compare the final total for the whole run, not the headline number.
Reorders cost less
After a design is separated and approved, a reorder skips part of the work. We keep your separations and proof on file, so a second run of the same design usually moves faster and needs no new artwork prep. As a result, reorders are a good reason to start a little smaller and print again when you sell out.
Getting an exact price
First, the calculator gives you a sample estimate in seconds. For an exact number, send your artwork, the garment, the quantity and the date through our custom run form. We reply with a proof and a price that includes everything above, so the screen printing cost you see is the one you pay.
Screen printing cost: quick answers
What is the minimum order for screen printing?
Our custom runs start at 12 pieces per design. You can mix sizes and garments within the run.
Why do more colors cost more?
Each color needs its own screen and its own pass on every shirt, so every color adds setup and printing time.
Does a back print cost extra?
Yes. A second print location needs its own screens and its own pass, so it is priced like a second print.
How do I get an exact price?
Send your artwork, garment, quantity and date through the custom run form. We reply with a proof and a price that includes everything.
