Free tool · Print pricing Print job profit and pricing calculator.
See the true cost, margin and break-even of a print job before you quote it. Works for DTG, DTF, screen printing and embroidery, and for offset, digital, label and packaging jobs. Pick a preset, replace the example numbers with yours, and the results update as you type.
2. What this job really earns
True cost per unit by run size
Doing this by hand works for one quote. Torno's AI layer works it out for every order in your shop system, before the job runs and after it ships.
How the calculator works
It adds up everything a job costs, then compares that with what you charge:
- Units you actually run = quantity × (1 + spoilage %). Spoiled blanks, makeready sheets and test prints cost material, ink and time just like good ones.
- Materials = (blank or substrate + ink and consumables) × units run.
- Machine and labor = minutes per unit ÷ 60 × hourly cost × units run.
- Setup = setup minutes ÷ 60 × setup hourly cost + setup materials. This is the same whether you run 12 pieces or 12,000, which is why short runs lose money.
- Order costs = packaging, shipping, rush and split shipments, plus payment or platform fees as a share of the price.
Use fully loaded hourly rates: wages plus rent, equipment, software and owner pay, spread over the hours your presses actually produce. Our guide to true job costing for print shops shows how to calculate that rate.
How to price a print job
- Start from cost, not from a competitor's price list. Enter your real costs above and read the true cost per unit.
- Price for a margin, not a markup. A 40% markup on cost is only a 28.6% margin. The calculator shows the price that hits your target margin after fees.
- Charge setup separately on short runs, or set price breaks that reflect it. Watch the run-size chart: the unit cost curve shows where small orders stop paying.
- Allow for spoilage and makeready waste. A few percent of extra units is normal; quoting as if every unit is perfect hands that cost back to you.
- Add rush and split-shipment fees that cover the real freight and disruption.
What changes by print method
| Method | What drives cost most | Where margin leaks |
|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | Setup per color (screens, registration, cleanup) | Short runs and many colors priced off a volume list |
| DTG | Ink and pretreatment, especially on dark garments; print time | Darks and large prints priced like lights; spoilage and reprints |
| DTF | Film, powder and transfer printing; pressing labor | Labor per transfer on mixed orders |
| Embroidery | Machine time per stitch count; digitizing | Stitch-heavy designs priced per piece without a stitch count |
| Offset (sheetfed) | Plates and makeready; paper | Makeready waste and short runs that belong on digital |
| Digital press | Click charges and paper; finishing | Long runs that would be cheaper on offset; finishing time |
| Labels and packaging | Substrate, plates or dies, setup and waste per job | Frequent changeovers, die costs and waste on short runs |
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the cost of a print job?
Add materials (with spoilage), machine and labor time at fully loaded hourly rates, setup or makeready, packaging and shipping, and payment fees. Divide by the quantity for the true cost per unit, then compare it with the price.
How much should I charge for screen printing?
Work out your true cost per unit for the run size and number of colors, then set a price that reaches your target margin. Many shops add a setup or screen charge per color on short runs, or set a minimum order, because setup costs the same for 12 pieces as for 200.
What is the cost per shirt for DTG printing?
It depends on the garment, the print size and whether the shirt is dark (which needs pretreatment and white ink). Enter your blank, ink and pretreatment cost, print time and labor in the DTG preset to see your own number.
What is makeready waste?
The sheets, labels or garments used to set up a job before saleable output starts: registration, color matching and test prints. Enter it as a percentage of the run in the spoilage field.
What is a good profit margin for a print shop?
It varies widely by method and customer mix. PRINTING United Alliance reports that in the first nine months of 2025 only 26.7% of decorated apparel shops grew pre-tax profit, as operating costs rose 8.1% while prices rose 7.1%. Set your own target margin, then check every job against it.
Does the calculator save my numbers?
No. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent to Torno.
Source for the industry figure: PRINTING United Alliance, State of the Decorated Apparel Industry, Winter 2026 executive summary. All preset values are illustrative examples.