How to Get Cheap Custom T-Shirts Without Sacrificing Quality

A custom t-shirt that costs $10 to print will generate more than 5,000 impressions over its lifetime at a cost of roughly $0.002 each, according to ASI’s 2023 Ad Impressions Study. That reframes the whole question: finding a cheap custom t-shirt isn’t really about finding a cheap shirt. It’s about finding one that’s affordable to produce but doesn’t feel budget when someone actually wears it. We’ve helped millions of groups thread that needle, and the strategies that work come down to four things: choosing the right print method, picking the right blank, designing smart, and ordering with quantity in mind. This guide covers all four, in the order that has the most impact on your final cost.

In This Article

• How Printing Method Affects Price Per Shirt
• Choosing the Right Budget-Friendly Blank
• Design Choices That Lower Your Cost
• Ordering Strategy: How Quantity Unlocks Savings
• Frequently Asked Questions

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How Printing Method Affects Price Per Shirt

The blank shirt is only part of your cost. The printing method, and how well it matches your order size and design, determines whether you save money or leave it on the table. We use both screen printing and digital printing, and we automatically select the right method based on your order details. Understanding how each one works puts you in a stronger position before you start designing.

Screen printing is the most cost-effective method for larger orders with simple designs. Each color in your artwork requires its own screen, so setup costs are real. But once those screens are made, printing a hundred shirts costs almost nothing more per piece. A one- or two-color screen-printed design on a standard cotton tee can fall well under $10 per shirt at quantities of 48+, and keeps dropping from there.

Digital printing (DTG/DTF) has no per-color setup costs, which makes it the better choice for small orders, multi-color or photographic designs, or situations where you only need a handful of shirts. The per-piece cost stays flat regardless of color count, which is a real advantage for complex artwork. At high quantities, it becomes more expensive than screen printing for simple designs, but for the right use case it’s both cheaper and a better artistic fit.

These methods compare as follows across typical quantity tiers. Ranges reflect all-inclusive pricing: garment, printing, artwork review, and our free standard shipping. No setup fees added at checkout.

The practical takeaway: if your group is ordering 48 or more shirts with a 1–3 color design, screen printing is almost always cheaper. Below that threshold, or for full-color or photographic artwork, digital printing is the better call. Our Design Lab shows you pricing in real time as you adjust quantity and color count, so you can see the exact impact of each choice before you commit to anything.

• Every color costs money in screen printing. Reducing from four colors to one can cut your per-shirt print cost by $3–$5 at a 50-piece order. That savings adds up fast across a large group.
• No hidden fees. Our pricing includes the garment, printing, artwork review, and free standard shipping. When a competitor quotes $4/shirt, check whether that includes screen setup fees and shipping before you compare.
• Rush delivery is available if you need it faster. Standard orders arrive in about 2 weeks. See our delivery options for current rush timelines and additional costs.

Choosing the Right Budget-Friendly Blank

Not all budget shirts feel budget. The difference between a shirt that looks cheap and one that simply costs less usually comes down to fabric weight, yarn quality, and construction, not price. We’ve seen groups order the most affordable blank available and still have team members wearing those shirts three years later. The key is matching the blank to how the shirt will actually be used.

These are the budget blanks we recommend most often, with the specs that actually matter for print quality and durability:

• The Gildan Ultra Cotton is our most-ordered budget blank because it covers nearly every use case. It holds color well on both dark and light shirts, fits predictably, and comes in 50+ colors. At 100+ pieces, it’s the hardest to beat on cost per shirt.
• The Softstyle is the upgrade that doesn’t break the budget. The price jump is small. The difference in how it feels on skin is significant. People keep wearing this one well past the event it was ordered for.
• The Port & Company Essential is the right call for large mixed groups. Its S–6XL range (plus women’s, youth, and tall) covers more of your group in a single style than almost any other budget blank, which simplifies ordering logistics and eliminates the cost of tracking down a separate tall or plus-size version.
• The Sport-Tek Competitor is purpose-built for athletic events. At 3.8 oz with PosiCharge technology, it keeps your logo looking sharp through a muddy 5K or a full day of outdoor activities. It’s also available across the widest size range of any performance option we carry.

Customer Story

“We have been having annual family reunions in my dad’s home town since 1948. This is the second time we have ordered shirts from Custom Ink for our week-long event. The shirts certainly help cement the bonds we share. Thanks for great customer service and this boomer loves the help from the chat features on the website. So helpful!”

Donna Ballak | View full story

Featured Products from This Story

Gildan Ultra Cotton T-Shirt

• 6.0 oz/sq yd, 100% preshrunk ring-spun cotton for lasting durability
• Seamless body with taped neck and shoulders for shape retention
• 50+ colors, sizes YXS–4XL plus Tall

Gildan Softstyle Jersey T-Shirt

• 4.5 oz/sq yd, 100% ring-spun cotton with 30-singles yarn for a softer feel
• High stitch density and quarter-turned body for a clean print surface
• 60+ colors, sizes S–5XL

Sport-Tek Competitor Performance Shirt

• 3.8 oz/sq yd, 100% polyester with PosiCharge color-lock technology
• Moisture-wicking construction for athletic and outdoor events
• XS–6XL including Youth and Women’s cuts

Design Inspiration

Design Choices That Lower Your T-Shirt Cost

Your design is both an aesthetic decision and a pricing decision. The choices you make in our Design Lab directly affect what you pay per shirt, especially for screen-printed orders. The good news is that the moves that save money in screen printing almost always make the design stronger too. Clean, high-contrast, fewer-color designs tend to read better on a shirt than complex ones, and they cost significantly less to produce.

Reduce Your Color Count

In screen printing, each color requires a separate screen, and screens cost money to make. A four-color design at 50 pieces can run $5–$6 more per shirt than a one-color design at the same quantity. Before adding that third or fourth color, ask: is it adding meaning, or just complexity? Some of the most striking group shirts we’ve ever seen used a single color on a dark blank. The contrast does the work.

• One-color designs are the most affordable screen-printed option. A white logo on a black shirt, or a navy design on a white shirt, can look clean and professional at a fraction of the cost of a multi-color print.
• Two-color designs still give you real flexibility: enough for a logo, text, and a secondary element, while keeping costs well below a full-color print.
• For complex multi-color artwork (photos, gradients, detailed illustrations), digital printing is the better route. No setup costs per color means you’re not penalized for complexity, and the print quality on detailed artwork is excellent.

Simplify Design Placements

Every print location is a separate cost. A front-chest print alone is almost always cheaper than front plus back. If you’re printing front, back, and sleeve, you’re paying for three separate setups. Choose your most important placement and design it well. It will make a bigger visual impact than three average placements.

A left-chest logo on a clean shirt communicates professionalism. A full-back design makes an event memorable. You rarely need both to accomplish your goal. Our design experts are available seven days a week to help you figure out which placement serves your specific purpose, whether you’re outfitting a team, organizing a fundraiser, or building staff uniforms.

Use Templates as Your Starting Point

Starting from a template in our Design Lab is free and significantly speeds up the design process. Our template library already has layouts optimized for print quality: clean lines, high-contrast color combinations, and type sizes that hold up through the printing process. Many of our most budget-focused customers start from a template, swap in their group name and event year, and have a print-ready design in under 30 minutes.

Customer Story

“These shirts were our warmups and jerseys for a church basketball tournament in the summer. The shirts were extremely comfortable, lightweight, and cheap! A lot of other church members and even members outside of our church that were not part of the basketball team wanted to order these shirts so we had to order another batch.”

CCM Basketball | View full story

Featured Products from This Story

Hanes Beefy-T

• 6.1 oz/sq yd, 100% US-grown ring-spun cotton for maximum weight and opacity
• Clean Canvas technology ensures optimal print quality on every order
• S–5XL plus Youth and Tall sizing for mixed-age groups

Hanes Authentic T-Shirt

• 6.0 oz/sq yd, 100% preshrunk cotton with tear-away label for all-day comfort
• Self-fabric neck tape and double-needle stitching throughout
• Available S–3XL, with select colors to 6XL

Port & Company Essential T-Shirt

• 6.1 oz/sq yd, 100% preshrunk cotton with shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• S–6XL with women’s, youth, and tall extensions for full group coverage
• 50+ colors, widest size range of any budget cotton blank we carry

Design Inspiration

Ordering Strategy: How Quantity Unlocks Savings

Quantity is the most powerful pricing lever available to most groups, and it works in a way that benefits everyone in the order. The more shirts you order, the more fixed costs (production setup, artwork review, order handling) get distributed across each piece. That’s why every additional person you bring into an order actively reduces what everyone else pays.

According to PPAI’s 2024 Sales Volume Report, apparel accounts for more than 26% of the $26.78 billion promotional products industry. Groups ordering shirts at volume are participating in the most established segment of that market. The practical math: a standard cotton tee at 12 pieces might cost $15 per shirt. The same shirt at 100 pieces can fall under $8. At 250 pieces, under $6. That drop is why we frequently see groups with 45 people recruit five more. Not because anyone needs more shirts, but because hitting the next quantity tier saves everyone on the order real money.

• Use our group order feature to let each person choose their size and pay separately. This eliminates the logistics of collecting money and sizing information yourself, and works especially well for large groups across multiple locations. Set up a group order here.
• Order the same design in different colors for subgroups (families, teams, or departments) while keeping one consolidated order. You get volume pricing across the full quantity even when individual shirt colors differ.
• Plan at least two weeks ahead. Our free standard shipping gets your order to you in approximately 2 weeks. Ordering with a full two-week window also gives time for small design revisions without paying for rush production.
• Check no-minimum products if your group is smaller than 12. Some styles have no minimum order requirement and are decorated using digital printing, making them ideal for small runs, sample orders, or groups of just a few people.

Customer Story

“This is our 3rd year and 3rd awesome shirt from CustomInk. We were definitely the best dressed at the event and can’t wait for next year. CustomInk is fantastic, fast and friendly — wouldn’t consider going anywhere else for our shirts!”

— Jamie Guinn | View full story

How to Order Budget-Friendly Custom T-Shirts

1. Choose your blank. Head to our custom t-shirts category and filter by price or use case. For 48+ shirts, the Gildan Ultra Cotton is the top recommendation for value. If comfort matters more than cost, the Softstyle is worth the small upgrade. For athletic events, go straight to the Sport-Tek Competitor.
2. Build your design in the Design Lab. Start from a template or upload your logo directly. Keep color count low for the best screen printing price. The Design Lab shows you real-time pricing as you adjust quantity and design complexity.
3. Enter your quantity and sizes. Watch the per-piece price drop as you increase quantity. If you need help collecting sizing, use our group order feature to send a size form directly to your group.
4. Review your proof. Our design experts review your artwork before production and flag anything that could affect print quality, at no extra charge.
5. Place your order. Free standard shipping gets your shirts to you in approximately 2 weeks. Rush options are available if you need them sooner, and you can review current timelines and pricing at our delivery options page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the cheapest way to get custom t-shirts printed?

The lowest cost per shirt comes from combining three things: a standard blank like the Gildan Ultra Cotton, a 1–2 color screen-printed design, and an order quantity of 48 pieces or more. At that combination, your per-piece price, which includes the shirt, printing, artwork review, and free standard shipping, can fall well under $10. Use our Design Lab to see exact pricing in real time as you adjust quantity and design.

Q: Are cheap custom t-shirts lower quality?

Not when you choose the right blank. The Gildan Ultra Cotton, for example, is 6.0 oz ring-spun preshrunk cotton with a seamless body and taped neck and shoulders. Those are construction specs you’d find on shirts costing significantly more. “Budget” in custom t-shirts means choosing a blank without premium brand premiums or specialty fabrics like tri-blend, not lower construction quality. Our design experts can recommend the right blank for your use case if you’re not sure where to start.

Q: How many custom t-shirts do I need to order to get bulk pricing?

Our pricing scales at every quantity tier, so savings begin as soon as you add more shirts. The most meaningful per-piece drops happen around 24, 48, and 100+ pieces. If you only need a small number, check our no-minimum products. Some styles are available with no minimum order requirement, decorated using digital printing, and are priced accordingly for small runs.

Q: Does using fewer colors really make a big difference in price?

For screen printing: yes, significantly. Each color requires a separate screen ($25–$35 to make), and that setup cost is spread across your order. A one-color design at 50 pieces costs considerably less per shirt than a four-color design at the same quantity. For digital printing, color count does not affect price. If you want a complex multi-color design and you’re ordering under 48 pieces, digital is both the cheaper and the better artistic choice.

Q: How long does it take to get cheap custom t-shirts?

Standard orders arrive in approximately 2 weeks with our free standard shipping. Rush and super rush options are available for an additional fee if you need shirts sooner. See our delivery options page for current timelines and pricing. Ordering within the standard window is the easiest way to avoid rush fees.

Q: Can each person in my group pay for their own shirt separately?

Yes. Our group order feature lets each person choose their own size and pay separately, with shirts shipped either to one location or to individual addresses. This is especially useful for large or geographically spread-out groups where collecting money and sizes from everyone would be a logistical challenge.

Q: Is there a minimum order quantity for cheap custom t-shirts?

For screen-printed styles, the minimum is typically 6 pieces, and pricing improves significantly as quantity increases. For digital printing, select products are available with no minimums at all. If you need just one or two shirts, look for products specifically marked as no-minimum in our catalog.

Q: What’s the best blank for cheap bulk t-shirt orders?

For most groups ordering in bulk, the Gildan Ultra Cotton hits the right balance of quality, print compatibility, and per-piece cost. At 6.0 oz ring-spun cotton, it holds up through repeated washing, prints cleanly in both screen printing and digital, and comes in 50+ colors and sizes up to 4XL. If softer hand-feel matters, the Gildan Softstyle is a small step up in price with a noticeably better feel in 30-singles ring-spun cotton. For athletic or outdoor events, the Sport-Tek Competitor‘s PosiCharge technology keeps your design sharp after intense activity.

Q: What’s the difference between cheap custom t-shirts and cheap custom tees?

Same thing, different terminology. Tees, t-shirts, tee shirts: all refer to short-sleeve crew-neck shirts. The most popular budget-friendly styles are 100% cotton blanks like the Gildan Ultra Cotton (6.0 oz) and Gildan Softstyle (4.5 oz), and performance options like the Sport-Tek Competitor (3.8 oz polyester) for athletic use cases. Browse our full selection of custom t-shirts to compare styles side by side.