Custom Ink Alternative for High School Volleyball Programs
Quick Answer- Custom Ink minimums and one-off pricing do not fit ongoing high school volleyball program needs
- Bear Grips Pro Shops has no minimum and an ongoing supporter merch shop
- Per-unit pricing on small orders is significantly lower at Bear Grips Pro Shops
- A built-in storefront lets the program sell merch to parents and supporters which Custom Ink does not
High school volleyball coaches and booster clubs comparing Custom Ink and Bear Grips Pro Shops usually find that Custom Ink works for one-time large orders but does not fit ongoing program needs. Custom Ink minimums and one-off pricing do not match a 14-player roster that needs a coach shirt, a senior shirt, and a tournament shirt at different points in the season. Here is the side-by-side and where each platform actually wins.
Where Custom Ink Wins for High School Volleyball Programs
- One-time large runs (50+ identical shirts). A 100-person school-spirit shirt run for the entire student section.
- Tournament hosting: A 200-person tournament that the school is hosting and needs branded shirts for.
- In-person design assistance. Their art team can clean up a design as part of the order.
Where Bear Grips Pro Shops Wins for High School Volleyball Programs
- No minimum order. Custom Ink generally requires 6+ per design. Bear Grips has no minimum. Order one coach shirt or one tournament shirt at the same per-unit price.
- Lower per-unit cost on small orders. A 14-player roster shirt run at Custom Ink usually lands above $24 per shirt. The same 14 shirts on Bear Grips VIP land at $20 per shirt.
- Built-in storefront. Bear Grips gives the program a public shop URL where parents and supporters can buy merch year-round. Custom Ink does not offer ongoing storefront fulfillment.
- Twice-monthly profit payouts. When supporters buy, the margin lands in the booster club account. Custom Ink has limited fundraising but not an ongoing merch revenue model.
- No setup fees. Custom Ink charges setup and ink-color fees on small orders. Bear Grips does not.
- Order one tournament shirt fast. When the team makes a tournament run and you need shirts in a week, no-minimum POD beats a Custom Ink bulk order.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Custom Ink | Bear Grips Pro Shops |
|---|
| Minimum order | Typically 6 per design | None |
| Setup fees | Often $50 to $100 per order | None |
| Per-unit price (14 tees) | $25 to $32 | $20 VIP, $24 Free |
| Supporter storefront | Limited fundraising option | Full storefront with payouts |
| Reorder a single shirt | Hits minimum again | One shirt at same price |
| Free shipping | Varies | Always included |
| Monthly cost | $0 (pay-per-order) | $0 Free, $59 VIP, $109 DFY |
When High School Volleyball Programs Use Both
Some larger programs split orders by use case:
- Custom Ink for one-time large runs (school-spirit shirts for the whole student body, tournaments the school is hosting).
- Bear Grips Pro Shops for ongoing program merchandise, coach apparel, senior night shirts, tournament shirts, position shirts, mom shirts, and booster fundraiser drops.
Most high school volleyball programs settle on Bear Grips alone after 3 to 6 months because the no-minimum model covers everything an active program actually needs.
Switch From Custom Ink
Open a free Bear Grips Pro Shop, upload your program logo, and order with no minimum and no setup fees. Add a supporter storefront in the same shop.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Custom Ink for high school volleyball shirts?
For small-to-mid orders (under 30 pieces per design), Bear Grips Pro Shops is significantly cheaper than Custom Ink because there are no minimums and no setup fees. Per-unit pricing on a 14-shirt roster order lands $5 to $12 lower per piece than Custom Ink for high school volleyball programs.
Why do high school volleyball programs switch from Custom Ink to Bear Grips?
No minimum order (Custom Ink usually requires 6+), built-in supporter merch storefront with profit payouts, lower per-unit pricing on small runs, no setup fees, and the ability to order one tournament shirt or one coach shirt without hitting a quantity minimum. Volleyball programs running multiple shirt designs per season benefit most from the flexibility.
Can my volleyball booster club sell merch to supporters through Custom Ink?
Custom Ink offers a limited fundraising and group-order option but not an ongoing public storefront with twice-monthly profit payouts. Bear Grips Pro Shops includes a full storefront URL where supporters can buy any merch year-round, with margin paid back to the booster club on a regular schedule.
Hannah KowalskiSchool Spirit and Greek Life Specialist
Hannah works in a state university Greek life office and previously taught middle school. She writes about school spirit programs, sorority and fraternity ordering cycles, and how K-12 programs handle the apparel side of community building.
More articles by Hannah →
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