← All articles · 2026-06-24

What are custom t-shirt setup fees — and who charges $0?

Short answer: A setup fee is a one-time screen charge of about $20–35 per ink color, per side of the shirt — so a three-color front and one-color back can add $80–140 before any shirts print; Togethread charges $0 setup.

Setup fees are the most misunderstood line on a custom-apparel quote. Here’s exactly what they are, why they exist, and how to avoid them.

What a setup fee actually is

Traditional screen printing burns a separate physical screen (stencil) for each ink color. Making, coating, and aligning each screen takes labor and materials, so printers bill a one-time setup or screen fee for it — typically $20–35 per color, per side. It’s charged once per order regardless of quantity, which is why it stings most on small runs.

Design	Colors × sides	Setup fee at ~$25/color/side
1-color front	1	~$25
2-color front	2	~$50
3-color front + 1-color back	4	~$100
4-color front + 3-color back	7	~$175

Why it hits small orders hardest

Because setup is fixed, it divides across however many shirts you buy. A $100 setup on 50 shirts is $2 per shirt; on 500 shirts it’s $0.20. So the same design can feel cheap at volume and painful at minimum quantity. This is the single biggest reason small group orders look expensive per shirt.

How to avoid or reduce setup fees

1. Use a printer with no setup fee. The cleanest fix — the charge simply doesn’t exist.
2. Limit colors if your printer bills per color. Spot-color logos are cheaper than full photo art on screen presses.
3. Print one side only. Each side multiplies the screen count.
4. Choose digital/full-color printing, which doesn’t burn per-color screens — though some printers still attach a flat prep charge.

How Togethread handles setup

We charge $0 setup and no per-color fee. Your quote is one all-in price covering the garment, full-color print or embroidery, and delivery duty-paid to your door — no screen charges hidden underneath. That means a seven-color two-sided design costs the same to decorate as a one-color pocket print, and a 50-piece minimum order isn’t penalized by fees that only make sense at high volume. A real designer sends a free mockup within 24 hours; you approve before paying and see finished photos before the balance. Production runs 15–20 business days after approval.

FAQ

How much are custom t-shirt setup fees? Typically $20–35 per ink color, per side, charged once per order — so multi-color, two-sided designs can add $80–175 before printing.

Why do printers charge a setup fee at all? Because screen printing burns a separate screen for each color and side, and making those screens takes one-time labor and materials regardless of how many shirts you order.

Can I get custom shirts with no setup fee? Yes — Togethread charges $0 setup and no per-color fee, quoting one all-in delivered price instead.

Related: How bulk t-shirt quantity discounts actually work, Why multi-color shirts cost more, Custom company shirts in bulk

Get an all-in price with $0 setup → Start your quote