DTG vs DTF vs Screen Print, Side by Side
Watch the winner change as your run size climbs. The highlighted row updates as you move the quantity slider, so you can see exactly where DTF hands off to screen printing.
| Method | Best run size | Setup | Color & detail | Durability | Hand & feel | Fabrics | Lead time | Cost per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTG | Best at 1-50 | No setup | Full color, photographic | Good | Very soft, into the fabric | Best on 100% cotton | Fast | Flat per unit |
| DTF | Best at 1-100 | No setup | Full color, vivid | Very good | Slight transfer feel | Almost any fabric | Fast | Affordable small to mid |
| Screen Printing | Best at 100+ | Setup per color | Solid spot colors | Excellent | Sits on the fabric | Best on cotton | Longer (screen prep) | Cheapest at volume |
When to Choose Each Method
- DTG wins the low end, 1 to 50. No setup, photographic full color, flat per-unit price. Best when you order a dozen or two and want them fast.
- DTF owns the middle, roughly 24 to 100. Still no screens to burn, vivid color, and it holds its price edge further up the count than DTG does.
- Screen printing takes over at volume, 100 and up. The per-color setup is fixed, so every shirt past the break-even drops the per-unit price. At 250 or 500 pieces nothing else is close.
Because Arklavo runs DTG, DTF, and screen printing in house with no minimums and two-day shipping, we can push your exact quantity through all three and quote the one that lands cheapest at your run size, not the one we feel like running. Get a quote and we will confirm the best fit.
See your exact break-even
Email the comparison plus a quote for your exact garment and quantity, with an extra no minimums. Grab it here.
FAQ
There is no flat answer, it moves with your run size. Under about 24 shirts DTG or DTF win, from 24 to 72 DTF is usually the sweet spot, and past 100 screen printing pulls ahead on price. Set your priority and quantity in the tool above and it names the one that fits your count.
It is the biggest lever. Screen printing charges a fixed setup per color, so its per-unit price keeps falling as the run grows, while DTG and DTF stay flat. At 12 or 24 shirts digital wins easily, and the crossover to screen printing usually lands between 72 and 100 pieces before screen runs away with it at 250 or 500.
A properly cured screen print is the toughest of the three and lasts the life of the shirt with normal care. DTF is close behind and DTG holds up well when you wash cold and dry low. Durability rarely decides the crossover though, run size and color count usually do.
DTG feels softest because the ink soaks into the cotton with almost no hand. DTF leaves a slight transfer feel and screen print sits on top of the fabric. If a no-feel print matters more than shaving a few cents at volume, DTG is the pick even in the mid run sizes.
DTF is the most fabric-flexible of the three, running clean on cotton, polyester, and blends, which is part of why it holds the middle of the run-size range. DTG is happiest on 100% cotton and screen printing is best on cotton, so fabric can override run size when your garment is a performance poly.
Tell us your garment, quantity, and color count and we will run it through DTG, DTF, and screen printing to show which is cheapest at your run size. There are no minimums and no setup surprises. Use the quote link in the tool, or try our cost calculators for an instant estimate.
Last updated June 30, 2026