Custom shirts sound simple until you start comparing quotes. One printer comes in low on a basic design. Another quotes higher for what looks like the same job. The gap usually comes from the printing method, the shirt itself, the artwork, and how many shirts you want.
Digital shirt printing is popular with businesses, event organizers, and small brands that want detailed designs without the setup that screen printing needs. It works especially well for small orders, photos, and colorful graphics.
So what does it actually cost? And what should you know before asking for a quote? Let’s break it down.
How Much Does Digital Shirt Printing Cost?
There’s no one price that fits every shirt. The final number depends on the garment, print size, design, quantity, and deadline.
Choice Image lists its direct-to-garment (DTG) printing at a starting price of $25, with the shirt and the print included. That’s a handy reference point, but not a flat rate for every job. For an exact number, check current pricing for your specific order.
Digital printing makes the most sense when you need a few custom shirts, not hundreds of identical ones. The design goes straight onto the fabric, so there are no screens or color separations to prepare.
Just don’t pick on price alone. Look at the quality of the shirt, how the print turns out, and whether the quote covers everything your order needs.
1. The Type of Shirt You Choose
The garment is one of the first things that moves the price.
Basic tees cost less than heavier or specialty garments. If you’re handing shirts out at a promotion, a standard tee may be plenty. If you’re selling merchandise or the shirts will be worn often, a sturdier option is probably worth it.
Common choices include:
- Basic cotton tees for giveaways
- Premium cotton shirts for retail merchandise
- Long sleeves for cooler weather
- Hoodies and sweatshirts for team gear
Fabrics also behave differently under a digital printer. Before you order, confirm the shirt you picked works with the process.
2. The Size and Placement of the Design
A small logo on the left chest uses far less print area than a big graphic across the whole front.
Larger designs take more ink and more time. Printing in several spots, like the front, back, and sleeves, adds to the total too.
Say a business wants a small front logo. A clothing brand wants a full-front graphic plus a smaller design on the back. Those two jobs won’t land at the same price.
Bigger isn’t always better. A well-placed logo can look sharp without covering the whole shirt. If you’re watching your budget, ask your printer if trimming the size or dropping a print location would help.
3. How Complex Your Artwork Is
Detailed, multicolor artwork is where digital printing shines.
With screen printing, every extra color adds setup. DTG doesn’t work that way. It can handle photos, illustrations, and gradients without that extra step.
The number of colors usually won’t change the price much on its own. But artwork that needs heavy cleanup, editing, or design help might come with added charges.
The easiest way to keep costs down is to send a clear, high-resolution file. Choice Image recommends JPEG or PNG files for DTG, sized correctly at around 300 pixels per inch.
If the shirt isn’t white, prep matters even more. A transparent background keeps an unwanted box from showing up around your image. And if your file needs fixing, ask about artwork fees before you approve anything.
4. The Color of the Shirt
A white shirt and a black shirt aren’t prepped the same way.
Printers that use white ink can put bright designs on dark garments. But dark shirts often need extra preparation so the colors show up clearly, and that can affect the price.
Dark shirts are great for bold graphics and merchandise that needs to stand out. Lighter shirts work just as well for plenty of designs, and the process can be simpler.
When you ask for a quote, name the shirt color. Don’t assume every color costs the same. Not sure which to pick? Ask your printer what suits your artwork best.
5. How Many Shirts You Need
Quantity changes the picture quite a bit when you compare digital printing with screen printing.
Digital is a good fit for small runs since there are no screens to prepare. That makes it practical for a handful of shirts, personalized gifts, or a limited merchandise drop.
Screen printing usually gets cheaper per shirt as the order grows, because the setup cost gets spread across more garments. That’s why schools, teams, and big events often go that route.
DTG doesn’t work the same way. Choice Image notes that its DTG process doesn’t offer quantity discounts.
So if you need dozens or hundreds of the same design, compare both methods first. The right answer depends on your order size, colors, design, and budget.
6. Artwork Prep and Design Help
Not everyone shows up with a print-ready file. Some people have a polished logo. Others have a rough sketch, an old image, or just an idea.
Prep work can mean cleaning up an image, resizing it, boosting contrast, or getting the file ready for production. It helps the design print more accurately on fabric.
If your artwork is already in good shape, you may skip some of that cost. Choice Image also has an online design lab where customers can build or upload designs for digital apparel printing.
Before you order, ask whether artwork prep is included or billed separately. It makes quotes much easier to compare.
7. Turnaround Time and Delivery
Your deadline can change the price too.
Maybe you need shirts for a trade show, a fundraiser, or a product launch. When the date is close, you have less room to wait. Rush production may carry an extra charge, depending on the printer’s schedule. Shipping fees can add up as well, especially if the order is going out of town.
Share your event date when you request a quote. Giving the printer enough time can help you dodge rush fees, and it leaves room to review the artwork before anything gets printed.
Digital Shirt Printing vs Screen Printing: Which Is the Better Value?
Both have their place.
Digital works well for smaller orders, photo-style artwork, and colorful designs with fine detail. You don’t need a big batch of identical shirts to make it worthwhile.
Screen printing tends to win on larger orders with the same design. Setup costs apply, but the price per shirt drops as the quantity goes up.
Neither is the automatic winner. A small order with detailed artwork leans toward DTG. A big order with a simple company logo leans toward screen printing.
Choice Image offers both, and can help you weigh the artwork, quantity, and garment before you decide.
How to Get an Accurate Quote
Have a few details ready before you reach out:
- Quantity: How many shirts you need
- Garment type: T-shirts, hoodies, or something else
- Shirt color: Light or dark
- Artwork: Your design file, if you have one
- Print placement: Front, back, sleeves, or more than one spot
- Deadline: The date you need them by
With that information, the printer can give you a quote that actually reflects your job.
Final Thoughts
Digital shirt printing costs depend on the garment, print size, artwork prep, shirt color, and turnaround time. Order quantity matters too, especially when you’re choosing between digital and screen printing.
For smaller orders and detailed artwork, digital printing gives you flexibility without the screen setup. For larger runs of one design, screen printing may give you better value per shirt.
Choice Image offers DTG printing, screen printing, and artwork support for custom apparel. Share your design, quantity, shirt preferences, and deadline, and the team can point you to the method that fits your budget.
A little planning up front makes pricing clearer. And it gets you shirts that suit both the design and the job.
Business Name: Choice Image
Address: 1420 Quail Street, Lakewood, CO 80215, USA
Phone: (303) 232-4250
Website: https://choiceimage.com/
