Screen printing cost calculation formula

Wrong pricing is one of the biggest reasons print shops lose money.

Many shop owners guess prices or copy competitors. This leads to losses, especially on bulk jobs.

You need a clear formula to calculate your cost per print.

Basic Screen Printing Cost Formula

Use this simple formula:

Cost per Print = (Setup Cost + Material Cost + Labour Cost + Overheads) ÷ Quantity + Profit Margin

Break this into parts.

1. Setup Cost

This is a one-time cost per design.

Includes:

Screen preparation

Artwork setup

Machine setup

Example:

Screen making = ₹300

Setup time cost = ₹200

Total setup cost = ₹500

2. Material Cost

This depends on each print.

Includes:

Ink

Fabric or paper

Chemicals

Example per piece:

Ink = ₹5

Material = ₹20

Material cost per piece = ₹25

3. Labour Cost

Cost of workers per job.

Example:

Worker cost per hour = ₹200

Time for 100 prints = 2 hours

Total labour = ₹400

Labour per piece = ₹400 ÷ 100 = ₹4

4. Overhead Cost

Indirect costs:

Rent

Electricity

Machine maintenance

Example:

Monthly overhead = ₹50,000

Monthly production = 10,000 prints

Overhead per print = ₹5

5. Final Calculation Example

Order:

100 prints

Now calculate:

Setup = ₹500

Material = ₹25 × 100 = ₹2500

Labour = ₹400

Overhead = ₹5 × 100 = ₹500

Total cost = ₹500 + ₹2500 + ₹400 + ₹500 = ₹3900

Cost per print = ₹3900 ÷ 100 = ₹39

Add profit margin:

Profit = ₹11

Final price = ₹50 per print

Why Most Print Shops Get This Wrong

Ignore setup cost

Do not track labour properly

Do not include overheads

No fixed formula

This leads to underpricing.

Smart Pricing Tip

For small quantity:

Increase setup recovery

For large quantity:

Reduce per unit cost

This keeps pricing competitive and profitable.

Use a Simple Cost Structure

Create a standard template:

Fixed setup cost

Per unit material cost

Per unit labour cost

Overhead per unit

This removes guesswork.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Same price for all quantities

Ignoring machine time

Not tracking wastage

Not updating costs regularly

How Software Helps

Manual calculation takes time and leads to errors.

A system can:

Auto calculate cost

Save pricing templates

Convert estimate to order

Track profit per job

This improves accuracy and speed.

Real Business Impact

A small print shop improved pricing accuracy and increased profit by 20 percent after using a structured formula instead of guessing.

Free Tool Recommendation

Use a print cost calculator to:

Enter job details

Get instant cost

Save estimates

Convert to order

Final Takeaway

You should never guess printing prices.

Follow a clear formula:

Setup

Material

Labour

Overhead

Profit

This ensures every job is profitable.