DTF Printing Cost: What Determines the Price?
DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing cost depends on a different set of factors than screen printing, since color count isn’t part of the equation. Here’s what actually drives DTF pricing, and how to keep your costs down.
What Affects DTF Printing Pricing?
Because DTF prints directly onto film regardless of how many colors are in the design, pricing is driven by different variables than screen printing.
- ● Print size (larger designs use more film and ink)
- ● Order quantity
- ● Garment style and base price
- ● Number of print locations
Why Colors Don’t Raise the Price
One of the biggest cost advantages of DTF printing is that a five-color design costs the same to print as a one-color design. Because the entire image is printed onto film in a single pass, there’s no per-color setup fee the way there is with screen printing — making DTF especially cost-effective for detailed or full-color artwork.
Why Print Size Matters
Since DTF pricing is closely tied to how much film and ink a design uses, a small left-chest logo will cost less than a large full-back design. If budget is a concern, reducing the physical size of your design is one of the most direct ways to lower cost per piece.
The More You Print, the More You Save
Just like other decoration methods, DTF printing follows volume-based pricing at DecorateONE — your per-item decorating cost drops as your quantity increases. Unlike screen printing, though, you’re never required to hit a minimum order size to get started; the savings simply scale up as your order grows.
How to See Current Pricing
Because DTF pricing depends on your specific garment, print size, and quantity, the most accurate way to see your cost is to select your product and quantity directly on the DecorateONE website. Pricing is shown transparently before checkout using our formula: Product Price + Decorating Price + Tax/Shipping = your total cost.
Ways to Lower Your DTF Printing Cost
- ● Order in larger quantities to unlock better per-piece pricing
- ● Keep your print size reasonable rather than maximizing it
- ● Stick to one print location instead of several
- ● Choose a standard garment rather than a premium blend
DTF Printing Cost vs. Screen Printing Cost
For a simple, one- or two-color design ordered in bulk, screen printing is often the more economical choice since its per-piece cost drops sharply at scale. For a detailed, full-color, or gradient-heavy design — especially at smaller quantities — DTF printing is usually the better value, since color count has no impact on price.
Quick Takeaway
DTF printing cost is driven by print size, quantity, and garment choice — not by how many colors are in your design. The more you print, the more you save per piece, with no minimum order required.
