How Much Does Custom Embroidery Cost? Stitch Counts Explained

Embroidery pricing confuses people because it plays by completely different rules than screen printing. With screen printing, color count drives the price. With embroidery, colors are basically free and the real question is: how many times does the needle go in and out of the shirt? That number — the stitch count — is the whole ballgame. Once you get that, embroidery pricing stops feeling like a magic trick.

Let's break down exactly what you're paying for.

How is custom embroidery priced?

Embroidery is priced by stitch count — the total number of stitches it takes to sew your design into the garment. A tiny monogram might be a couple thousand stitches; a big, detailed back design can be twenty-five thousand or more. More stitches means more thread, more machine time, and a higher price per piece.

Here's the part people love: thread colors don't add to the cost. Unlike screen printing, where every ink color is a separate screen and setup, embroidery can use a dozen thread colors without changing the price. A colorful logo and a one-color logo of the same size cost about the same to stitch.

What does stitch count mean, and how many stitches is my logo?

Stitch count depends on the size and density of your design and where it goes. Bigger and more detailed equals more stitches. Here's a realistic cheat sheet:

Placement	Typical Size	Approx. Stitch Count
Sleeve or small text	1–2 inches	2,000–4,000
Left-chest logo	3–4 inches	4,000–8,000
Cap front	2–3 inches	5,000–8,000
Full jacket or hoodie back	8–12 inches	15,000–25,000+

These are ballparks — a design packed with tiny text and fills will run denser than a clean, simple logo of the same size. When we set up your art, you'll get the actual number.

What is a digitizing fee?

Before a machine can stitch your logo, the artwork has to be digitized — converted into a special stitch file that tells the needle exactly where to go, in what order, and which direction each stitch should lay. It's part art, part engineering, and it's what separates a crisp logo from a puckered mess.

Digitizing is a one-time setup fee per design. The best part: once your logo is digitized, that file is reusable forever — every future order of that same design skips the fee. So the first run carries the setup, and every reorder after that is cheaper.

Is embroidery more expensive than screen printing?

It depends on the item. For a big batch of tees with a large, colorful print, screen printing is usually cheaper per piece. For polos, caps, jackets, and bags — or smaller quantities — embroidery is often the better value and looks more premium. There are no per-color screen fees, and embroidery has a lower minimum than screen printing, so it shines on small runs like a dozen staff polos.

Embroidery also wins on durability: thread doesn't crack or fade the way a print eventually can, which is exactly why you see it on gear meant to last for years.

What affects the final embroidery price?

A few things move the number up or down:

• Stitch count — the biggest factor, driven by design size and density.
• Digitizing — a one-time setup fee for each new design.
• Quantity — higher counts lower the per-piece price.
• Garment type — caps and structured items take special hooping, which can affect setup.
• Placement count — a left chest plus a sleeve hit is two stitch-outs, not one.

One money-saver: if your logo has tiny text or fine detail that won't stitch cleanly at a small size, simplifying it can drop the stitch count and make it look sharper. Our design team does this cleanup at no charge.

How do you get an exact embroidery quote?

Start by browsing our custom apparel collection and picking your polo, cap, jacket, or bag. On any apparel product page, flip on the Add Decoration tool, choose embroidery, and enter your quantities by size to get instant pricing — no waiting on an email. Send your logo and we'll confirm the stitch count and handle digitizing before anything hits a machine.

Frequently asked questions

How is embroidery priced?
Embroidery is priced by stitch count, the total number of stitches needed to sew your design. More stitches means more thread and machine time, so larger and denser designs cost more. Thread colors do not add to the price.

How many stitches is a typical logo?
A small left-chest logo usually runs 4,000 to 8,000 stitches, a cap front runs about 5,000 to 8,000, and a large jacket back can hit 15,000 to 25,000 or more. Size and density determine the exact count.

What is a digitizing fee?
Digitizing converts your logo into a stitch file that guides the embroidery machine. It is a one-time setup fee per design, and once your logo is digitized the file is reusable, so future reorders skip the fee.

Is embroidery more expensive than screen printing?
For large batches of printed tees, screen printing is usually cheaper per piece. For polos, caps, jackets, and smaller quantities, embroidery is often the better value and looks more premium, with no per-color fees and a lower minimum.

Does thread color affect embroidery cost?
No. Unlike screen printing, embroidery can use many thread colors at no extra charge. A colorful logo and a one-color logo of the same size cost about the same to stitch.

What's the minimum order for embroidery?
Embroidery typically has a lower minimum than screen printing, so it works well for small runs like a dozen staff polos or a handful of caps. Send us your quantity and we'll confirm.