Updated October 25, 2026. Competitor numbers are what each company publishes on its own site on that date, with links below. Shirt52 numbers come from our live price builder.
The Short Answer
For a typical order of 24 to 48 shirts with a logo on the front, the big online printers and a local shop land in a similar per-shirt range, roughly $10 to $16 a shirt. None of the four charge setup or screen fees. The real differences are the minimum, how long it takes, whether shipping is included, and whether a person checks your art before it prints.
Prices at a Glance
| Published price | What it covers | |
|---|---|---|
| Shirt52 (Tempe, AZ) | $15.79 each at 12 · $12.99 at 24 · $12.34 at 48 · $12.02 at 96 | Gildan 5000 tee, one print location in any number of colors, sizes S–XL. Pickup in Tempe is free. |
| Custom Ink | $10–$16 a shirt at 12–24 (screen print, 1–2 colors) · $9–$14 at 12–24 (digital) · $5–$10 at 48–72 | Ranges from Custom Ink's own pricing guide. Shipping included. Exact prices require their quote tool. |
| Rush Order Tees | $10.83 each at 50 | Gildan G500 catalog price. The page does not say how many colors or locations. Free shipping. |
| Vistaprint | From $10 for 1 tee | Quantity pricing is only shown inside their design tool. Shipping is extra under $100. |
Sizes 2XL and up cost more at every company, including ours.
Minimums, Fees and Turnaround
| Minimum | Setup / screen fees | Standard turnaround | Rush | Shipping | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirt52 | 12 per design, color and style | None | 10-15 business days from proof approval | 5 or 3 business days, added charge | Free pickup in Tempe, or we ship |
| Custom Ink | 1 on many products; screen print minimums vary by product | None ("all inclusive") | About 2 weeks, free delivery | 1 week (+15%) or 3 days (+30%) | Standard shipping included |
| Rush Order Tees | No minimum on printed tees; 6 on embroidered items | None | 9–12 business days, free delivery | As little as 2 business days | Free shipping |
| Vistaprint | Screen print 6 (1 ink color only); DTG has no minimum | None stated | About 6 business days including production | Express 3 or rush 2 days | Free over $100; from $5.99 under |
What Actually Changes the Price
1. Quantity
More shirts means a lower price per shirt at every printer. At Shirt52 a one-location print on a Gildan 5000 goes from $15.79 each at 12 to $12.99 at 24.
2. Print locations
Each extra location adds cost. A front logo plus a full back print costs more than a front logo alone.
3. Ink colors (screen printing)
Screen printing uses one screen per color, so a one-color design is cheaper than four colors on big runs. Digital printing (DTF or DTG) costs the same whether your design has one color or twenty, which is why it wins on smaller orders and full-color art.
4. The shirt
A basic cotton tee and a premium tri-blend print the same, but they don't feel or fit the same. For staff uniforms or retail, the better blank is usually worth it.
5. Shipping and rush
Some prices include shipping and some don't. Rush can add 15% to 50% or more. Compare the total delivered price for the date you actually need.
How to Compare Quotes Fairly
- Same shirt, same sizes. A quote for all size M is lower than your real size mix.
- Shipping in or out? Vistaprint's listed prices exclude delivery under $100. Custom Ink and Rush Order Tees include standard shipping.
- The date you need it. A cheaper price with a three-week delivery doesn't help for an event in ten days.
- Who checks your art? A real mockup approved by you catches low-resolution files and wrong colors before they print.
- The minimum per color. Shirt52's 12 piece minimum is per design, color and style, so 6 black and 6 white is two separate runs.
When Each Option Makes Sense
An online printer is a good fit when your art is print-ready, you're comfortable designing in a browser, you need very small quantities, and shipping is fine.
A local shop like Shirt52 is a good fit when you want someone to check and clean up your art, approve a real mockup, pick up in person, or reorder the same thing for a business without starting over. See Custom Ink vs a local print shop for the full comparison.
Get Your Exact Price
Build a quote online or send us your design and quantity, and we text you an exact price in minutes. No setup fees.
Related
- We secret-shopped 11 t-shirt printers: real quotes for the same three orders
- Custom Ink vs Rush Order Tees: head to head
- Embroidered polo prices compared
- DTF vs screen printing by quantity
Sources (read October 25, 2026)
- Custom Ink pricing guide: customink.com/blog/how-to-get-cheap-custom-t-shirts/ (ranges are Custom Ink's own illustrative figures)
- Custom Ink rush and delivery: customink.com/quotes and customink.com help center
- Rush Order Tees: rushordertees.com/catalog/gildan/heavy-cotton-mens-t-shirt/ and rushordertees.com/services/screen-printing/
- Vistaprint: vistaprint.com t-shirt listings and shipping help pages
- Shirt52: shirt52.com live price builder, Gildan 5000, one print location