Setup Fee
A one-time charge that covers the labor of preparing the press, screens, or digitization for a job.
Setup fees pay for the time it takes to get a job ready to print. In screen printing, that is screen preparation, ink mixing, and press registration. In embroidery, it is the digitizing of the logo. In DTG, it is usually minimal or zero because the printer just loads the file.
Common amounts: $20–$50 per screen for screen printing, $30–$80 per logo for embroidery digitizing, $0–$25 for DTG. Some shops waive setup on reorders if you supply the same artwork.
When a shop quotes "$5 per shirt with a $200 setup," the real per-shirt cost depends entirely on quantity. At 24 pieces it is $13.30 each ($5 + $8.30 setup). At 100 pieces it is $7. This is why bulk orders save so much — the setup cost spreads across more pieces.
Related terms
MOQ
Minimum Order Quantity — the smallest order a printer will accept for a given method.
Screen Fee
A per-color screen-printing setup charge — pays for burning the screen for one ink color.
Bulk Discount
Lower per-piece pricing kicks in at higher quantities — usually at 24, 48, 100, 250, and 500 piece breaks.