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Open the embroidery file in StitchPilot.ai's viewer — stitch count is shown directly. For images not yet digitized, run them through the converter to get an estimate.
StitchPilot.aiBusiness guide · Per-stitch pricing
Embroidery Pricing Per Stitch — How It Works
Commercial embroidery shops typically price by stitch count rather than flat rates. This guide explains the per-stitch model, what rates are common in 2026, how to count stitches before quoting, and when per-stitch pricing wins vs flat-rate for home and small-shop businesses.
Per-stitch pricing in practice
Multiply by your per-stitch rate
Common range: $0.0015 to $0.003 per stitch. Smaller shops at the lower end, premium shops higher. Multiply: 10,000 stitches × $0.002 = $20 per piece.
Add setup and minimums
Per-stitch pricing usually has a minimum charge ($15-25) and a setup/digitizing fee ($25-75) added on the first order of a new design.
Quote bundle vs single rates
For bulk orders (50+ pieces of the same design), drop the per-stitch rate 20-40%. Customer gets a deal, you get production efficiency.
Common per-stitch rates (2026)
Reference pricing
Per-stitch rates by shop type and market:
- Budget commercial shops: $0.0015 / stitch
- Mid-tier commercial: $0.002 / stitch
- Premium commercial: $0.0025-$0.003 / stitch
- Bulk discount (50+ identical pieces): 20-40% off rate above
- Rush jobs: +50-100% surcharge
- Cap embroidery: usually adds $3-5 flat over per-stitch rate
When per-stitch wins
Per-stitch vs flat-rate
Per-stitch pricing makes more sense when:
- Customers send variable design sizes (left-chest vs large back)
- You produce for commercial wholesale (shops expect per-stitch quotes)
- You want pricing that scales naturally with design complexity
- You don't want to manually update flat-rate menus for every design
Embroidery pricing per stitch — common questions
What is a good per-stitch rate for embroidery in 2026?
$0.002 per stitch is the mid-tier US average for commercial embroidery. Budget shops drop to $0.0015; premium shops up to $0.003. Adjust for your local market and quality positioning.
How do I count stitches in an embroidery design?
Open the file in StitchPilot.ai's in-browser viewer — stitch count is displayed directly. For images not yet digitized, convert them in StitchPilot.ai first to get an accurate count.
Is per-stitch better than flat-rate pricing?
Per-stitch is better for commercial wholesale with variable design sizes. Flat-rate is better for home businesses with standardized offerings (e.g., "monograms $12, logos $15"). Many businesses use flat-rate for retail and per-stitch for wholesale.
What's the minimum order for per-stitch embroidery?
Most per-stitch shops have a $15-25 minimum to avoid unprofitable tiny orders. The minimum essentially functions as a setup fee.
Should I add a digitizing fee on top of per-stitch?
Yes, for new designs that need digitizing. $25-75 one-time fee per design is standard. Per-stitch pricing covers the stitching, digitizing covers the design prep.
Per-stitch quoting
Stitch count in seconds
Drop the file in the viewer, see exact stitch count, multiply by your rate — done. No more guesswork.
Count stitches in a file →