What DTF transfers actually cost per shirt
Gang sheets are priced by length, not by design count — so your cost per shirt depends entirely on how you nest. Here is the math I use with customers, with real numbers.
DTF transfers · Updated August 22, 2026 · 6 min read
The only formula that matters
People call and ask what a DTF transfer costs. The honest answer is that I do not sell transfers by the piece — I sell 23 inch wide sheets by length. What you pay per shirt comes out of one bit of arithmetic:
Sheet price ÷ number of prints you fit on the sheet = your cost per print
That is it. Nothing about the design count changes the sheet price, so every extra piece you nest makes the run cheaper. A customer who lays out their art tightly can land under a dollar a print on small logos, while somebody who leaves half the sheet empty pays several times that for the exact same film.
The cheapest way to buy from me is the 23" x 240" (20 ft) sheet at $240.00 — but only if you actually have the artwork to fill it. If you do not, a shorter sheet you fill completely beats a long sheet you waste.
Worked examples
Cost per print at every sheet length
Estimated fits for rectangular artwork with about a quarter inch of spacing. Your real count depends on the shape of your art — we confirm it on your proof before anything prints.
Pocket logo (3" x 3")
| Sheet | Sheet price | Est. prints | Cost per print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23" x 12" | $18.00 | 21 | $0.86 |
| 23" x 24" | $32.00 | 49 | $0.65 |
| 23" x 36" | $45.00 | 70 | $0.64 |
| 23" x 60" (5 ft) | $70.00 | 126 | $0.56 |
| 23" x 120" (10 ft) | $130.00 | 252 | $0.52 |
| 23" x 240" (20 ft) | $240.00 | 511 | $0.47 |
Youth front (8" x 8")
| Sheet | Sheet price | Est. prints | Cost per print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23" x 12" | $18.00 | 2 | $9.00 |
| 23" x 24" | $32.00 | 4 | $8.00 |
| 23" x 36" | $45.00 | 8 | $5.63 |
| 23" x 60" (5 ft) | $70.00 | 14 | $5.00 |
| 23" x 120" (10 ft) | $130.00 | 28 | $4.64 |
| 23" x 240" (20 ft) | $240.00 | 58 | $4.14 |
Adult front (11" x 11")
| Sheet | Sheet price | Est. prints | Cost per print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23" x 12" | $18.00 | 2 | $9.00 |
| 23" x 24" | $32.00 | 4 | $8.00 |
| 23" x 36" | $45.00 | 6 | $7.50 |
| 23" x 60" (5 ft) | $70.00 | 10 | $7.00 |
| 23" x 120" (10 ft) | $130.00 | 20 | $6.50 |
| 23" x 240" (20 ft) | $240.00 | 42 | $5.71 |
Full back (12" x 16")
| Sheet | Sheet price | Est. prints | Cost per print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23" x 12" | $18.00 | — | — |
| 23" x 24" | $32.00 | 1 | $32.00 |
| 23" x 36" | $45.00 | 2 | $22.50 |
| 23" x 60" (5 ft) | $70.00 | 3 | $23.33 |
| 23" x 120" (10 ft) | $130.00 | 7 | $18.57 |
| 23" x 240" (20 ft) | $240.00 | 14 | $17.14 |
What people miss
Three things that quietly raise your cost
Too much spacing
A quarter inch between pieces is plenty. Big gaps between designs are the most common reason a sheet holds far fewer prints than a customer expected.
Ordering long and filling short
A long sheet only saves money when it is full. If you have three logos, buy the short sheet and order again later — there is no minimum here.
Forgetting the blank
The transfer is one half of your cost. Add your blank garment price before you quote a customer, or your margin disappears at the press.
If you want the fit worked out before you buy, the gang sheet size guide has estimated counts for every length, and artwork setup covers file requirements so nothing has to be re-sent.
Testing first
Start with one short sheet
If you have never pressed my film before, do not order twenty feet of it. Buy the 23" x 12" sheet at $18.00, nest a couple of small designs and a pocket logo, and dial in your press settings with the pressing instructions. That is the cheapest way to find out whether my sheets work with your gear and your blanks.
Once it presses the way you want, scale up. Print shops running steady volume should look at wholesale pricing, and out-of-state buyers can see how nationwide shipping works before ordering.
Order
Get your transfers printed
Ready to order?
Pick a length, upload your art and approve the free production proof before we print.
Ordering from outside Colorado? See how nationwide DTF shipping works.
Questions
DTF cost questions
+ Does printing more designs on one sheet cost more?
No. A gang sheet is priced by its length only. Whether you nest one design or forty on the same sheet, the sheet costs the same, which is exactly why tight nesting lowers your cost per print.
+ What is not included in the cost per shirt above?
The blank garment and your labor at the heat press. These numbers are the transfer only. Add whatever you pay per blank shirt and you have your true cost per finished piece.
+ Is there a fee to proof my sheet?
Included with every order: a digital production proof showing exactly how your sheet will print. Printing starts only after you approve it, and there is no charge for it.
+ What if I want you to arrange the sheet for me?
Optional add-on: if you would rather send loose files and have our team nest and arrange them for the best yield, add gang sheet layout for $25.00 per order. That is a design service, not a proof fee.
+ How fast can I get transfers?
Standard production is 2-3 business days after you approve your proof, then pickup in Aurora or FedEx shipping. Call (720) 296-2191 before you order if you are working against a hard event date.