The custom T-shirt business is booming, and there are two popular ways to get started: home printing or print on demand (POD).
The main difference is that home printing involves producing shirts yourself, while print on demand (POD) relies on third-party services to fulfill orders.
Each method has its costs, benefits, and challenges.
This guide will discuss both options' pros and cons, comparing costs, scalability, and customization to help you choose the best fit for your business.
Let’s dive in!
An overview of home T-shirt printing vs. print on demand
Let's start with a handy overview table showing the pros and cons of at-home T-shirt printing and POD:
| Pros of home T-shirt printing | Cons of home T-shirt printing | Pros of print on demand | Cons of print on demand |
| Higher profit margins | High upfront costs for equipment and materials | Low startup costs with no inventory needed | Lower profit margins due to POD fees |
| Full control over quality and customization | Time-consuming to print and ship | Easy to set up with no skills required | Limited control over quality and customization |
| Ability to experiment with different methods | Risk of unsold inventory | Fast scalability without managing production | Shipping times depend on the POD provider |
| Keep all profits after initial costs | Requires storage space | Focus on marketing while POD handles fulfillment | Higher cost per shirt |
| Fix mistakes immediately | Harder to scale without help | Low-risk way to test new designs | Less flexibility for custom printing |
Let's now explore which business model is best for whom:
Home T-shirt printing is the best choice for you if:
- You want complete control over the printing process and product quality.
- You prefer higher profit margins per shirt.
- You’re comfortable with the upfront investment in equipment and materials.
- You want the flexibility to offer custom designs and printing methods.
- You’re prepared to handle shipping, packaging, and logistics yourself.
Print on demand is the best choice for you if:
- You want a low-risk, low-investment option with no upfront costs.
- You prefer letting a service handle printing and shipping.
- You want to scale quickly without managing production or inventory.
- You’re okay with lower profit margins in exchange for convenience.
- You want to focus on marketing and growing your business instead of fulfillment.
Which has lower starting costs?
To start, here's a look at which one is best for your budget:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing gives you complete control over every part of the process.
You buy materials, print the designs, and ship the orders. This lets you fully customize each T-shirt and maintain total quality control.
However, this option requires a significant upfront investment in equipment and supplies.
Managing printing, production, and shipping yourself also takes more time and effort!
While you keep more profit per sale, the higher workload and financial risk may be a drawback for some business owners.
Here's a breakdown of some of the costs you can expect when investing in home T-shirt printing:
- Basic DTG machine. $10,000 - $30,000
- Vinyl cutter. $300 - $600
- Heat press. $200 - $500
- Blank T-shirt. $2 - $5 per shirt, depending on quality
- Shipping label printer. $100 - $200
- Inks and transfer paper. $100 - $300 for bulk orders, depending on the type of printing
Print on demand
POD offers a low-risk, hands-off approach. You don’t need to invest in equipment or materials or handle shipping.
The POD service prints and ships each order for you after a sale.
The downside? Lower profit margins.
Since the POD company manages everything, the cost per shirt is higher, and you have less control over production details.
POD might be better if you want a simple, low-maintenance solution with less financial risk.
Here's a breakdown of some of the costs you can expect with POD printing:
- POD supplier subscription. $20-$30 per month
- Supplier T-shirt. $8-$15 per shirt, depending on quality
- Shipping fees. $3-$7
Verdict: When it comes to starting costs, POD is the clear winner. You can get started for as little as a monthly subscription fee and a few dollars per shirt.
If you’re looking to minimize initial expenses, POD is your best bet. However, if you’re willing to invest more upfront for long-term savings and control, home printing could still be worth considering.
Which offers a better cost per T-shirt and potential earnings?
Profit margins can make or break a business, so let’s see which option provides the best cost per T-shirt:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing can lead to higher profits per shirt. After covering the initial investment, your cost per shirt decreases, especially if you buy materials in bulk.
You have complete control over pricing and keep all the profits, which offers more significant earning potential!
However, the time and effort required for each shirt can reduce your overall profit. As orders increase, so does the time spent on printing and shipping.
Home printing offers more substantial profit potential if you can handle the workload over time.
Here's a breakdown of the costs and potential profits for home printing:
Cost per shirt (materials):
- Blank T-shirt. $2 - $5 per shirt
- Ink (for DTG). $1 - $2 per shirt
- Vinyl (for heat transfer). $1 per shirt
Total cost per T-shirt. $4 - $9 per shirt, depending on the method and materials used.
Profits:
- Selling price. $20 - $30 per shirt
- Profit margin. $11 - $26 per shirt
Print on demand
With print on demand, the base cost per shirt is higher.
This is because POD companies manage printing and shipping, taking a portion of the profits.
This results in lower profit margins per sale.
However, POD lets you scale quickly since you don't handle production or shipping.
You can focus on marketing and growing your business while the POD service manages fulfillment.
POD might be the better choice if you're comfortable with smaller profits but want a more manageable and scalable solution.
Here's a breakdown of the price of the T-shirt and what you can profit from:
Cost per shirt (including printing & shipping):
- Cost per printed shirt. $8 - $15, depending on the service provider and shirt quality.
- Shipping costs. $3 - $7, depending on the provider and location.
Total cost per T-shirt. $11 - $22 per shirt, including printing and shipping.
Profits:
- Selling price. $20 - $30 per shirt
- Profit margin. $3 - $18 per shirt
Verdict: Home printing costs less per shirt ($4 - $9) and offers higher profits ($11 - $26), but it requires more effort. POD costs more per shirt ($11 - $22) with lower profits, but it's easier to scale. Ultimately, it depends on your priorities—home printing is better for higher margins, while POD is better for scaling quickly.
In the end, it’s a draw because it all comes down to what you value more.
Which is easier to start?
Home printing and POD can both be easy to start. Read on to see which one is the easiest:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing involves more hands-on work.
You’ll need to learn to use equipment like a heat press and printer. Mastering printing techniques takes time and practice.
Managing supplies and getting the process right will also require trial and error. Expect a learning curve before you become confident in the process.
If you’re willing to invest the time upfront, home printing offers complete control but requires more work initially.
Print on demand
Print on demand is much simpler to set up. You don’t need special skills or equipment.
Most POD platforms let you upload your designs and start selling right away—no learning curve involved.
The POD service handles everything from printing to shipping, making it the easiest option if you want a quick start.
Verdict: Print on demand (POD) is a breeze to start. No equipment, no hassle—just upload your designs and go. Home printing requires much more setup, so POD is the winner if you want a quick launch.
Which gives you more control over quality?
A significant difference between the two options is quality control, but how much control do you really have?
Here's what you should know:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing gives you complete control over every detail. You oversee the printing process, which ensures each T-shirt meets your quality standards.
This lets you fix mistakes on the spot and guarantee a high-quality product for your customers.
Home printing is better if you care about consistency and want to manage every aspect of production!
Print on demand
With print on demand, quality control is mostly out of your hands.
The POD company handles printing and shipping, so the final product depends on its processes and standards.
While most POD services aim for good quality, you won’t have direct control over the materials or printing methods.
POD is a simpler option if you prioritize convenience over control, but you’ll need to trust the supplier’s quality.
Verdict: Home T-shirt printing wins here. You control every part of the process, from material choice to the final print. On the other hand, POD means trusting someone else with the quality, which can be hit or miss.
Which business model supports better growth?
Scalability is essential when you’re looking to grow your business. Let’s see how each option measures up:
Home T-Shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing can lead to higher profits per shirt.
Once you’ve covered the upfront costs for equipment and materials, the price per shirt drops—especially when buying in bulk.
This gives you complete control over pricing and lets you keep all the profits.
However, the downside is time.
The more orders you receive, the more time you spend printing and shipping. As your business grows, managing this workload could limit your earnings.
If you’re prepared to handle the production, home printing offers better profit potential in the long run.
Here's a look at the overhead costs for home T-shirt printing:
- Space and rent. Requires dedicated space for equipment and inventory, which could cost $500 - $2,000 per month.
- Labor costs. You’ll need help as orders grow, costing $12 - $20/hour per employee.
- Equipment maintenance. Regular upkeep or replacements can cost hundreds to thousands annually.
Growth limitations include increasing space, labor, and equipment, which leads to higher costs.
Print on demand
With print on demand, the base cost per shirt is higher.
POD services handle printing and shipping but also take a significant cut, reducing your profit margins.
The upside? You can scale much faster since you’re not spending time on production or shipping.
POD might be your better option if you’re willing to accept smaller profits per shirt in exchange for less hassle.
Here’s a look at POD’s scalability costs:
- No physical overhead. No rent, equipment, or maintenance costs.
- Platform fees. Most POD platforms are free, but some charge $20 - $30/month for premium features.
- Focus on marketing. With no production responsibilities, you can invest in marketing and design to scale your business.
POD businesses scale quickly as you don’t have physical limitations or high overhead costs, allowing for growth without significant expenses.
Verdict: Home T-shirt printing can make you more money per shirt, but it’s harder to scale because of time and labor demands. POD makes less profit per shirt, but it’s easier to grow since you don’t have to handle production.
So, if you want to scale quickly without operational constraints, POD is the better choice.
Which offers less risk and more flexibility?
Risk can be scary, and that's why it's essential to look at which of the two methods would be best for you:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing involves higher risk due to the upfront investment in equipment, materials, and inventory.
If your designs don’t sell, you might be stuck with unsold stock, leading to wasted money on products that don’t move.
You’ll also need space to store inventory, which limits flexibility.
While you have more control over the process, this model can be riskier, especially for new businesses!
Home printing might be a good fit if you’re comfortable with the initial investment and can handle potential surplus. Just be prepared for the financial risks involved.
Print on demand
Print on demand offers much lower risk. With no upfront costs, shirts are only produced after customers order, eliminating the worry of unsold inventory.
This makes POD ideal for testing new designs without any financial strain.
It’s also more flexible, as there’s no need for storage or stock management, and you can easily add or remove designs without affecting production costs.
If minimizing risk and staying adaptable are your priorities, POD is safer and more flexible.
Verdict: POD is the safer, more flexible choice. There are no big upfront costs, no inventory risk, and you can scale as needed. Home printing involves higher risk with more equipment and inventory to manage.
Which provides better customization options?
Customizations can be a big reason why your brand stands out from others. Here’s how both methods compare:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing gives you maximum flexibility for customization!
You can easily offer custom designs tailored to your customers' preferences and experiment with different printing methods, such as direct-to-garment (DTG) and vinyl transfers.
However, as a small-scale home printing owner, you may not have access to all the advanced machines.
Most home printers typically use DTG or vinyl transfers, as screen printing can be expensive and labor-intensive for a single person.
The real flexibility in home printing comes from your ability to accommodate customer requests like resizing or repositioning prints.
This level of customization is difficult for POD platforms to match since they usually follow standardized settings.
Print on demand
POD platforms often have access to advanced technology, like sublimation, laser cutting, and embroidery, which most home setups can’t replicate.
However, customization is still limited to what the POD platform provides.
While you can upload your own designs, making changes like repositioning elements or using unique materials may not be available, or it could come with extra costs.
POD is ideal for simpler, standardized products but can feel restrictive for more detailed customizations.
Verdict: Home printing offers more customization freedom, as you can tweak designs and experiment with different techniques and materials. POD limits you to what their platform provides, so you’re more restricted.
If customization, flexibility, and control are your priority, home printing is a better choice.
Who offers faster and more reliable shipping?
Shipping speeds play a huge role in meeting customer expectations.
Let’s see how home T-shirt printing and print on demand compare:
Home T-shirt printing
With home T-shirt printing, you’re responsible for packaging and shipping each order.
This gives you control over shipping methods, but it also means you’ll need to manage all costs, tracking, and logistics!
Shipping speed depends on how quickly you can fulfill and send orders, which may slow down as order volume increases.
While you can customize the shipping process, handling it all yourself can become time-consuming as your business grows.
Print on demand
With print on demand, the POD supplier handles all shipping tasks.
Once an order is placed, the product is printed, packed, and shipped directly to the customer, making the process seamless and hassle-free.
However, shipping times depend on the POD provider’s location and process, so you’ll have less control over delivery speed.
Still, POD ensures consistent shipping without putting a logistical burden on you.
Verdict: POD typically offers faster and more reliable shipping since they often have multiple fulfillment centers. Home printing can be quick for local orders, but managing shipping at scale becomes challenging.
There is no winner for this verdict.
Which has a more significant overall profit potential?
When looking at all things cost of these models, here's how they stack:
Home T-shirt printing
Home T-shirt printing typically offers higher profit margins per shirt.
Once you cover the initial investment in equipment and supplies, your cost per shirt drops, especially when buying materials in bulk.
You control the pricing and keep all profits, making it easier to maximize earnings.
However, the time and effort involved in printing, packing, and shipping can limit how much you can scale.
Managing a high volume of orders may become overwhelming without additional resources.
Here are the home T-shirt printing profit margins:
- Cost per shirt. $4 - $9
- Selling price per shirt. $20 - $30
- Profit per shirt. $11 - $2
Print on demand
Print on demand offers lower profit margins per shirt since the POD service handles production and shipping and takes a cut from each sale.
While the base cost per shirt is higher, POD allows you to scale quickly without the time commitment required for home printing.
Although the profit per sale is smaller, the ability to focus on marketing and customer growth may lead to a more significant overall profit in the long run.
Here are the print on demand profit margins:
- Cost per shirt. $11 - $22 (includes production and shipping handled by the POD service)
- Selling price per shirt. $20 - $30
- Profit per shirt. $3 - $18
Verdict: Home T-shirt printing has a higher profit potential per shirt since you keep more of each sale. But POD can win in volume. There is less profit per shirt, but the ability to scale without extra work can add up over time.
Summary
Before we go, we've created a quick summary of this article for you so you can easily remember it:
- Home T-shirt printing gives you complete control over quality but requires more time and effort.
- Print on demand is more accessible to start and scale but offers lower profit margins.
- Home printing costs higher upfront, while POD has little to no initial investment.
- Print on demand allows you to focus on design and marketing, with the POD service handling production and shipping.
- Home printing offers better customization options, while POD limits customization based on the provider.
- Print on demand reduces risk by avoiding unsold inventory and significant upfront expenses.
Final Verdict
So, which one is best?
Final verdict: For most, print on demand is the better option. It offers a low-risk, low-effort way to start and grow your business without significant upfront investments.
You can focus on marketing and scaling while the POD provider handles production and shipping.
However, if you’re willing to invest time and money upfront for complete control and higher profit margins in the long run, home T-shirt printing could be a rewarding choice!
It’s best suited for those who want complete customization and don’t mind putting in more effort.
Want to learn more about POD?
Ready to move your print on demand store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
- 32 Print on Demand Statistics You Must Know in 2025
- How to Move From T-Shirt Printing to Print on Demand
- 8 Advantages of Print on Demand (Is It Worth It in 2025?)
- Is Print on Demand Saturated in 2025? (Should You Start?)
Plus, don’t forget to check out our in-depth how to start a print on demand business guide here!
