Print-on-Demand Profit Calculator
Sale price minus base cost and platform fees gives your real profit and margin per print-on-demand order — the number that tells you if the design is worth selling. Your own costs.
What you keep on each print-on-demand sale
Profit per order = (Sale Price) – (Base Cost) – (Platform Fee). Sale Price is the amount you charge the customer, including any shipping if you set it. Base Cost is the print-on-demand supplier's charge for the product (e.g., t-shirt, mug) plus any per-item production extras like front-and-back printing or special packaging. Platform Fee is the total of all selling platform deductions: listing fee, transaction fee, payment processing fee, and any fixed per-order fee. For example, if you sell a t-shirt for $25.00, the supplier charges $10.00, and the platform takes $3.75 in fees, your profit is $25.00 – $10.00 – $3.75 = $11.25. Profit Margin (%) = (Profit / Sale Price) × 100. This formula isolates your true earnings after all direct costs, ignoring overhead like design time or advertising. It tells you if a design is worth selling: if profit is negative or margin is below your target, you should raise the price, reduce costs, or drop the product.
Apparel Designer Selling on Etsy
You sell a custom hoodie on Etsy for $45.00. The print-on-demand supplier charges $18.50 for the hoodie. Etsy's fees: $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee ($2.93), 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee ($1.60). Total platform fee = $0.20 + $2.93 + $1.60 = $4.73. Profit = $45.00 – $18.50 – $4.73 = $21.77. Profit margin = ($21.77 / $45.00) × 100 = 48.4%. This is a strong margin for a hoodie, indicating the design is worth selling.
Home Decor Seller on Shopify (Using Printful)
You sell a framed art print on Shopify for $35.00. Printful charges $14.95 for the print. Shopify's fee: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction ($1.32). No listing fee. Platform fee = $1.32. Profit = $35.00 – $14.95 – $1.32 = $18.73. Profit margin = ($18.73 / $35.00) × 100 = 53.5%. This healthy margin allows room for advertising costs.
Pet Accessories Seller on Amazon Merch
You sell a custom dog bandana on Amazon for $19.99. Amazon's print-on-demand service charges $8.50 per bandana. Amazon's fee: 15% referral fee ($3.00), plus a $0.99 variable closing fee. Total platform fee = $3.00 + $0.99 = $3.99. Profit = $19.99 – $8.50 – $3.99 = $7.50. Profit margin = ($7.50 / $19.99) × 100 = 37.5%. This is a decent margin for a low-cost item, but check if advertising costs eat into it.
A good profit margin for print-on-demand typically ranges from 20% to 50% after all direct costs. Margins below 15% may leave little room for marketing, returns, or unexpected fees. Margins above 50% are excellent but may be unsustainable if the market is competitive. The key principle: your profit must cover your time, design costs, advertising, and any overhead. A high sale price can yield a good margin even if the base cost is high, but it may reduce sales volume. Conversely, a low margin on high volume can still be profitable if you control other costs. Always compare your profit to your total investment—if you spend $100 on ads to sell 10 items with $5 profit each, your net is -$50. Use this calculator to set a minimum acceptable profit per order, then test pricing accordingly.
Common mistakes include forgetting to include shipping costs in the sale price if you offer free shipping—shipping is a cost that reduces profit. Another mistake is using only the base product cost without adding premium options like extra print areas or special materials. People also overlook platform fees that are percentage-based, which can vary with sale price. Edge cases: when offering discounts or coupons, the sale price used in the formula should be the actual amount received, not the original list price. Also, if you sell in multiple currencies, convert all values to a single currency before calculating. Finally, don't confuse profit margin with markup—margin is based on sale price, not cost. Ignoring returns or refunds can also give a false sense of profit, as those costs eat into actual earnings.
- Base Cost
- The amount you pay the print-on-demand supplier for the product itself, including any per-item production extras.
- Platform Fee
- The total of all fees charged by the selling platform, such as listing, transaction, and payment processing fees.
- Profit Margin
- The percentage of the sale price that remains as profit, calculated as (Profit / Sale Price) × 100.
- Sale Price
- The final amount a customer pays for the product, including any shipping charges you set.
- Per-Order Profit
- The absolute dollar amount left after subtracting base cost and platform fees from the sale price.
What if I offer free shipping?
Include the shipping cost in your base cost or subtract it from the sale price—free shipping means you pay for it, reducing profit.
Should I include design time in this calculation?
No, this calculator covers direct per-order costs only. Design time is overhead and should be evaluated separately.
How do I handle discounts or coupons?
Use the actual amount you receive after the discount, not the original list price, in the formula.
What if I sell on multiple platforms with different fees?
Calculate profit separately for each platform because fee structures differ.
Is a 10% profit margin good?
It is low and may not cover marketing and overhead. Aim for at least 20% to have breathing room.
How do I account for currency conversion?
Convert all values to a single currency using the current exchange rate before calculating.
What if the supplier charges a flat fee plus per-item cost?
Add the flat fee to your base cost per order, then use the formula as usual.
Can I use this for digital products?
No, this calculator is specific to physical print-on-demand products with supplier and platform costs.
Apex wall-art designs ship print-ready with a commercial license, so the only cost between you and profit is the print itself.
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