Screen printing and print-on-demand platforms like Printful and Bear Grips Pro Shops solve the same basic need, custom apparel, using two fundamentally different production methods. Neither is universally cheaper. The right choice depends almost entirely on order size, color complexity, and whether the seller needs one big batch or an ongoing shop with variable orders.
Screen printing pushes ink through a physical mesh screen, one screen per color in the design, onto a stack of blank garments. Setting up those screens takes time and cost regardless of how many pieces get printed, which is why shops require a minimum order to make the setup worthwhile. Print on demand applies ink digitally per individual order with no physical screen to build, so cost per piece stays flat and there is no minimum.
| Factor | Screen printing | Print on demand |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | Often 24 to 50+ pieces | 1 piece |
| Setup or screen fee | Per color, per design | $0 |
| Cost per piece at high volume | Drops significantly | Stays flat |
| Color complexity | Each additional color adds cost | Unlimited colors, same price |
| Turnaround | Days to weeks depending on shop backlog | About a week |
A single large one-time event order, say 150 identical shirts in one or two colors for a race or a company picnic, often comes out cheaper per piece through screen printing once the setup cost is spread across that many units.
An ongoing storefront with multiple designs, variable sizes, and unpredictable order timing favors Bear Grips Pro Shops style print on demand. There is no leftover inventory risk, no guessing sizes in advance, and unlimited colors at the same $19.88 tee base or $36.88 hoodie base.
Plenty of sellers use both: screen printing for a known bulk event order, and an always-on Pro Shop storefront for everyday sales and one-off requests. See the custom hoodie pricing guide for what a typical everyday storefront lineup looks like.
No screens, no setup fee, no minimum. Print one piece or a hundred at the same base price.
Start FreeIt depends on the design and shop, but bulk savings generally start to show up somewhere between 50 and 150+ identical pieces in a simple one or two color design.
No. Designs can use unlimited colors at the same per-piece price with no setup or per-color charge.
Yes, the same artwork file typically works for both, though very fine gradient detail may need adjusting for screen printing.
No. One piece prints at the same base price as a hundred, with free shipping included either way.
Bear Grips Pro Shops