← All articles · 2026-06-28

CustomInk alternatives for bulk group orders (honest comparison)

Short answer: CustomInk is a reliable, well-known option for bulk group shirts, but its per-color pricing structure makes full-color and multi-color orders expensive. The right alternative depends on your order size, design complexity, and how much lead time you have.

This comparison is written to help you choose, not to declare a winner. All services mentioned have legitimate uses—the question is which one fits your specific order.

The main options compared

Service	Minimum qty	Full-color pricing	Turnaround	Human designer	Ships from
CustomInk	6	Per-color + setup fee	2–3 weeks standard	Online tool + phone	US
Broken Arrow	12	Per-color + setup fee	8 business days standard	Phone support	US
Rush Order Tees	12	Per-color + setup fee	3 days rush available	Online + phone	US
Printify / Printful	1	Full-color flat rate	3–7 days (POD)	No—self-serve only	US
UberPrints	6	Per-color + setup fee	7–12 business days	Online tool	US
Togethread	50	Full-color flat rate (no per-color charge)	15–20 business days after approval	Yes—dedicated designer	Overseas, DDP delivery

Note: Pricing varies by quantity, garment, and design. Request quotes from each service for your specific order to compare actual costs.

Where CustomInk is genuinely strong

CustomInk has earned its market position:

• Trusted brand with a long track record and many verified reviews
• No-minimum concern—you can order as few as 6 shirts
• Fast turnaround options available, including rush production
• Design Lab is a capable online tool for simple designs
• Phone support from knowledgeable staff if you get stuck
• US production means no international shipping variables

For small orders (under 30 pieces), simple 1–2 color designs, or orders needed within two weeks, CustomInk or a similar US printer is often the right choice.

Where CustomInk gets expensive: multi-color designs

CustomInk uses screen printing as its primary method, which charges per color plus setup fees. A typical screen printing pricing structure looks like this:

• 1-color design: relatively affordable, setup fee around $15–$30 per color per location
• 3-color design: three separate setup fees, per-piece cost increases
• Full-color or photographic design: either not available via screen printing, or priced at a significant premium via digital printing

For a 100-piece order with a 4-color front design, setup fees alone might total $60–$120, plus per-piece color surcharges. If your design uses gradients, multiple colors, or complex artwork, this structure adds up fast.

Services that use full-color digital printing (DTF or direct-to-garment) don’t charge per color—the price per piece is the same for a 1-color design as a 6-color design.

Where Togethread fits—and where it doesn’t

Togethread is right for you if:

• Your order is 50+ pieces
• Your design is full-color, multi-color, or embroidered
• You have 3+ weeks before you need the shirts
• Per-piece cost matters and you want to compare landed cost (including duties)
• You want a human designer to create or refine your design, not a drag-and-drop tool

Togethread is not right for you if:

• You need fewer than 50 shirts
• You need shirts within two weeks
• You want to use a self-serve online design tool
• You need US-domestic production (Togethread produces overseas and ships DDP)

Being honest about these limits matters. A 25-shirt order with a 1-week deadline belongs at CustomInk, Rush Order Tees, or a local print shop—not at Togethread.

The full-color cost difference in practice

To illustrate where pricing diverges most, consider a hypothetical 100-shirt order with a 4-color front design:

• US screen printer (typical): base per-piece cost + 4 color setup fees ($60–$120) + 4 per-color surcharges per piece. The design complexity adds meaningfully to the total.
• Togethread (full-color digital): same per-piece price regardless of color count. No setup fees.

For a 1-color text design, the difference narrows significantly. For complex or full-color designs, it’s where bulk overseas ordering creates the most savings.

For more on how this works, see why multi-color shirts cost more (and when they don’t).

How Togethread handles the overseas concern

The most common concern with overseas ordering is risk—wrong design, poor quality, surprise fees at delivery. Togethread addresses each specifically:

• Free mockup within 24h, written approval before production starts
• 50% deposit via PayPal (PayPal Buyer Protection applies)
• Finished product photos before you pay the balance
• DDP shipping—duties included, nothing extra owed at delivery
• Full door-to-door tracking

See ordering custom shirts overseas: is it safe? for a full breakdown of the risk mitigation process.

FAQ

Is CustomInk the highest-quality option? Quality depends more on the specific garment and print method than the vendor name. CustomInk offers quality control and a straightforward replacement policy, which is part of what you’re paying for. Overseas suppliers with a photo-before-payment model offer comparable quality assurance through a different mechanism.

Can I get a quote from Togethread to compare with CustomInk? Yes. Submit your design brief and quantity through the quote form. You’ll receive a price within 24 hours and can compare it against any other quote you have.

What about local print shops? Local shops are excellent for rush orders and small quantities, and you can inspect quality in person. They generally use screen printing, so the per-color pricing structure applies. For 50+ piece full-color orders, they’re worth quoting but may not be the lowest-cost option.

---

Related: Why multi-color shirts cost more (and when they don’t) · Ordering custom shirts overseas: is it safe? · Fundraiser shirts in bulk

→ Start your free quote