How Much Does Custom T-Shirt Printing Cost?

Custom T-Shirt Printing Cost Overview

Custom t-shirt printing in Canada costs $8.99-$25.99 per shirt including the blank and printing. Small orders (1-49 shirts) cost $15.99-$18.99 each. Bulk orders (50+ shirts) cost $8.99-$12.99 each. Setup fees of $35-75 per color apply for screen printing only.

Quick Price Breakdown

• 1-24 shirts: $15.99-$18.99 each (DTG/DTF, no setup fees)
• 25-49 shirts: $12.99-$14.99 each (DTG/DTF)
• 50-99 shirts: $8.99-$11.99 each (screen printing + $35-75 setup per color)
• 100-499 shirts: $7.99-$9.99 each (screen printing)
• 500+ shirts: $6.99-$8.99 each (screen printing)

Prices include blank t-shirt + printing. Additional costs for extra colors, print locations, dark fabrics, and rush orders.

Cost by Quantity

Why Bulk Pricing is Cheaper

Screen printing requires creating screens ($35-75 per color). This one-time setup cost spreads across more shirts in bulk orders:

• 10 shirts: $75 setup ÷ 10 = $7.50 per shirt extra
• 100 shirts: $75 setup ÷ 100 = $0.75 per shirt extra
• 500 shirts: $75 setup ÷ 500 = $0.15 per shirt extra

For orders under 50 shirts, DTG/DTF avoids setup fees entirely.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

1. Screen Printing Setup Fees

• $35-75 per color per design
• Front + back = 2 designs (double setup fees)
• Each color adds another screen
• Example: 3-color front + 2-color back = 5 screens × $50 = $250 setup

2. Additional Print Locations

• Front only: Base price
• Front + back: Add $4-8 per shirt
• Sleeves: Add $2-4 per shirt per sleeve
• Left chest: Add $2-3 per shirt

3. Dark Fabric Surcharge

• DTG on dark shirts: Add $1-2 per shirt (requires white underbase)
• Screen printing: No surcharge (same price all colors)

4. Rush Order Fees

• Standard (7-10 days): No fee
• Rush (3-5 days): Add 15-20% ($2-4 per shirt)
• Super rush (24-48 hours): Add 50% ($8-10 per shirt)

5. Design/Artwork Fees

• Print-ready files: $0
• Minor adjustments: $25-50
• Full design creation: $75-150
• Logo vectorization: $50

6. Shipping

• Free shipping: Orders $250+ (most providers)
• Standard shipping: $15-30 (Canada-wide)
• Express shipping: $50-100

How to Save Money on Custom T-Shirt Printing

1. Order the Right Quantity

• Under 50 shirts? Use DTG (no setup fees)
• Over 50 shirts? Use screen printing (lower per-shirt cost)
• Near 50? Get quotes for both methods

2. Reduce Colors

• Each color adds $35-75 setup (screen printing)
• 1-color designs are cheapest
• 2-3 colors still affordable
• 5+ colors? Consider DTG instead

3. Print Front Only

• Front-only printing saves $4-8 per shirt
• Back printing doubles setup fees (screen printing)
• Left chest logo is cheapest add-on ($2-3)

4. Use White/Light Shirts

• DTG on white shirts: No surcharge
• DTG on dark shirts: +$1-2 per shirt
• Screen printing: Same price all colors

5. Order in Advance

• Standard turnaround (7-10 days): No fee
• Rush orders cost 15-50% more
• Plan 2-3 weeks ahead to save money

6. Provide Print-Ready Files

• Vector files (AI, PDF, EPS): $0
• High-res PNG (300 DPI): $0
• Low-res JPEG/logo redraw: $50-150 design fees

7. Bundle to Hit Free Shipping

• $250+ orders ship free
• Combine multiple items to reach threshold
• Stock up on blanks to qualify

8. Compare Total Cost (Not Just Per-Shirt)

• Example 1: 40 shirts, DTG = 40 × $14.99 = $599.60 total
• Example 2: 50 shirts, Screen (1 color) = 50 × $8.99 + $35 setup = $484.50 total
• Ordering 10 more shirts SAVES $115 by switching methods