DTF or screen printing?
Both put your design on a shirt; they part ways on setup and color. Screen printing sets up one screen per color, then each shirt costs little. DTF has no setup and any number of colors, so it wins on small runs and photos. Enter your order to see where the line falls.
Checked October 1, 2026 by G Bros in Carson, California. Prices are estimates until your free proof confirms them, before we make anything.
Price both for your order
| Made with | Each | In all |
|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | $15.34 | $368.20 |
| DTF printLowest | $12.97 | $311.20 |
DTF print costs the least here. DTF has no screens to pay for, so it wins on smaller runs and full color.
Prices are estimates until your free proof confirms them, before we make anything.
Design it in the studioWhere screen printing starts to cost less
Screen printing makes one screen for each color (plus a white base under the colors on a dark shirt), at $25.00 a screen, once per order and free from 144 pieces. After that, each shirt costs little. DTF has no setup at all, so a small order pays only for its prints, and it prints any number of colors.
So the more colors your design has, the more shirts it takes before screen printing catches up. Here is each way per shirt, on an everyday cotton tee in a dark color, garment included.
| Shirts | 6 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 144 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | $30.70 | $17.42 | $13.13 | $10.24 | $8.99 | $7.50 |
| DTF | $15.00 | $14.30 | $12.80 | $11.65 | $11.65 | $11.00 |
| Shirts | 6 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 144 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | $36.87 | $20.75 | $15.18 | $11.51 | $9.94 | $7.95 |
| DTF | $15.00 | $14.30 | $12.80 | $11.65 | $11.65 | $11.00 |
| Shirts | 6 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 144 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | $49.20 | $27.42 | $19.26 | $14.05 | $11.84 | $8.85 |
| DTF | $15.00 | $14.30 | $12.80 | $11.65 | $11.65 | $11.00 |
| Shirts | 6 | 12 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 144 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | $50.23 | $28.53 | $20.67 | $15.23 | $12.74 | $10.00 |
| DTF | $23.00 | $22.30 | $20.00 | $18.05 | $18.05 | $17.00 |
Per shirt, size L (2XL and up cost a little more). A photo or shading can’t be screen printed: it needs DTF at any quantity.
How they differ
| Trait | Screen printing | DTF printing |
|---|---|---|
| Looks | Bright, solid ink | Full color, satin finish |
| Feels | Soft to thick, by ink | A thin, flexible layer |
| Colors | Up to 8 screens a spot | Any, photos too |
| Best from | 24 pieces | 1 piece |
| Setup | A screen per color, once | None |
| Lasts | The life of the shirt | Dozens of washes, cold |
| Fabrics | Cotton best; polyester with a blocker | Almost anything |
Choose screen printing for a design in a few solid colors on two dozen shirts or more: bright ink that lasts the life of the shirt, and the lowest price per shirt on bigger runs.
Choose DTF for small runs, photos, gradients and many colors, or when every shirt is different: no setup, full color on almost any fabric. Pressing your own? Order DTF transfers and press them yourself.
Ready when you are
Every order gets a free proof from a real person in our shop before we make anything. Questions? Call (424) 570-0185 or stop by 1007 E Dominguez St, Suite B, Carson.