Print-on-demand startup cost calculator

Updated 10 November 2026Reviewed by TomasHow we calculate

Print on demand sounds free to start because you never hold stock. It is cheaper than buying inventory, but it is not free. You still pay for samples, a store platform, a domain, design tools and, for most people, advertising. This calculator adds those costs up, works out what each order earns after the print provider and platform take their share, and tells you how many orders a month you need before the store covers its own running costs.

With these numbers, a print-on-demand store costs about $219 to start and $229 a month to keep running. Each order earns $10.82. You need about 22 orders a month to cover them.

One-time start-up cost: $219
Profit per order: $10.82
Orders a month to break even: 22

Where the selling price goes

Print provider$13.50
Shipping you pay$4.50
Platform and card fees$1.17
Profit$10.82

One-time costs

Sample orders: $54.00
Branding, mockups and tools: $150
Domain, first year: $15.00
Total one-time cost: $219

Every month

Shopify Basic plan: $29.00
Advertising: $200
Fixed monthly costs: $229
Profit from orders: $649
Monthly result after fixed costs: $420
Months to earn back one-time cost: 1 month

Each order

Selling price: $29.99
Provider cost: $13.50
Shipping you pay: $4.50
Platform and card fees: $1.17
Profit per order: $10.82

How this calculator works

The calculator covers the cash you spend before your first sale and the numbers that decide whether the store can ever pay you back. One-time costs are sample orders, branding and design tools, a domain and, on Etsy, listing fees. Monthly costs are the platform plan and advertising. Per-order figures are the selling price, the print provider’s product and shipping charges, and the platform’s card or marketplace fees. It does not include tax, your own time, or the cost of returns beyond what you build into the price.

The steps

Work out the per-order cost: the provider’s product price plus the shipping you pay, with an optional currency conversion cost if the provider bills in another currency.
Subtract platform fees. For Shopify that is the card rate for the chosen plan plus $0.30 per order. For Etsy it is the transaction fee, payment processing and the listing fee.
The remainder is profit per order. Multiply by your monthly orders, then subtract the plan and advertising to get the monthly result.
Break-even orders are the fixed monthly costs divided by profit per order, rounded up. The payback time divides your one-time costs by the monthly result.

Assumptions

All sales are domestic card payments in US dollars, at the rates on our methodology page.
Shipping is a cost to you. If you charge the buyer separately, enter only what you pay beyond that.
Sample orders are bought at the same price and shipping as a normal order.
Etsy Offsite Ads fees and taxes are not included.

Two worked examples

A small Etsy side project

Ten designs, no advertising and thirty orders a month. Each order earns $7.17 once Etsy and the print provider are paid, so the store makes $215 a month and the $82.00 you spend up front comes back quickly. The catch is that without advertising, those thirty orders depend on Etsy search sending you buyers.

One-time costs

Sample orders: $30.00
Branding, mockups and tools: $50.00
Etsy listing fees: $2.00
Total one-time cost: $82.00

Every month

Advertising: $0.00
Fixed monthly costs: $0.00
Profit from orders: $215
Monthly result after fixed costs: $215
Months to earn back one-time cost: 0 months

Each order

Selling price: $24.99
Provider cost: $11.00
Shipping you pay: $4.00
Platform and card fees: $2.82
Profit per order: $7.17

A Shopify store that runs ads

A store on the monthly Basic plan with a $600 ad budget and a provider that bills in another currency. The fixed costs reach $639 a month, so you need 49 orders just to stand still. At 120 orders the result is $930 a month. Change the order count to see how sensitive the result is.

One-time costs

Sample orders: $61.80
Branding, mockups and tools: $150
Domain, first year: $15.00
Total one-time cost: $227

Every month

Shopify Basic plan: $39.00
Advertising: $600
Fixed monthly costs: $639
Profit from orders: $1,569
Monthly result after fixed costs: $930
Months to earn back one-time cost: 0 months

Each order

Selling price: $34.99
Provider cost: $15.45
Shipping you pay: $5.15
Platform and card fees: $1.31
Profit per order: $13.08

Costs people forget

Returns and reprints. When a print comes out wrong, you usually pay for the replacement. Even a small share of reprints lowers profit per order, so build a margin of safety into the price.
Apps and tools. Mockup generators, design software and review or email apps add up. A few small subscriptions can cost more than the domain.
Sales tax and VAT. Depending on where you and your buyers are, you may have to collect and pay tax. It is not part of your profit, so ask an accountant how it applies to you.
Chargebacks. A disputed card payment can cost you the sale, the product cost and a dispute fee. Our dropshipping calculator has an input for it.
Currency conversion. If your provider bills in another currency, your bank or card may add a conversion cost to every bill. The calculator has a field for it.
Your own time. Designing, listing, answering customers and fixing problems takes hours. If you pay yourself nothing, say so in the plan, so the number does not surprise you later.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to start a print-on-demand store?

It depends on the platform, how many samples you order and whether you run ads. Use the calculator for your own numbers, and read our print-on-demand cost guide for the full list of costs.

Do I need to pay for ads?

No, but without ads you rely on search traffic, social posts or an audience you already have. The calculator lets you set the ad budget to zero to see that case.

Why does the platform choice matter?

Etsy has no monthly plan but charges a listing fee, a transaction fee and payment processing on each sale. Shopify charges a monthly plan and card fees. Which is cheaper depends on your volume, which our Shopify vs Etsy calculator compares.

What is break-even in this calculator?

It is the number of orders a month at which profit from orders equals your fixed monthly costs, meaning the plan and advertising. It does not include the one-time costs.

How many sample orders should I buy?

Enough to check the products you plan to sell. Many sellers order one sample per product type rather than per design. The calculator lets you enter any number.

Are the fee rates up to date?

The fee data was last reviewed on 10 November 2026. Platforms change fees, so confirm the current rates on the provider’s own pricing page.

Related calculators

StartupCostLab provides estimates for planning only. Results depend on the numbers you enter and on fees that platforms change. This is not financial, tax or legal advice. Fee data last reviewed 10 November 2026; confirm current prices on each provider’s own site before you spend money.