⚖️ Screen Print vs DTF Cost Calculator
Same job, two methods, one honest answer. Feed it your overhead, setup time, production rates, and film cost, and see which method wins on cost and time for any run size.
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How it works
- Overhead is the referee. Your monthly burn rate over real working hours prices every minute of shop time, whichever press it runs on.
- Screen printing pays a setup toll. Each color costs a screen setup (time × overhead), then units run fast. That's why it wins big runs.
- DTF pays per square inch. No setup, but every unit carries film cost plus press time. That's why it wins small runs.
- The tool finds the crossover. Same markup on both sides, winner highlighted, with total run times so you can weigh schedule against margin.
Screen printing ink and garment costs are not modeled (same as the original tool), so the comparison isolates overhead, setup, and DTF materials. For most jobs that's where the decision lives.
Frequently asked questions
When does screen printing beat DTF?
On bigger runs. Screen printing pays a per-color setup toll that spreads across the whole order, while DTF pays film cost on every unit. The tool shows the exact crossover for your numbers.
Why is garment cost left out?
Both methods print on the same blank, so it cancels out of the comparison. The tool isolates the things that actually differ: setup, speed, and materials.
Does markup change the winner?
No. Markup applies equally to both methods, so the winner stays the same, but the numbers become quote-ready prices.