Last Updated on December 1, 2025 by Ewen Finser
Whether you’re printing team uniforms or your next limited edition Etsy drop, you can’t afford to waste your time or money trial-running half a dozen vendors. To support my fellow founders, I’ve put together a list of four popular screen printing companies to see how their policies, costs, and customer reviews measure up.
But before we pit these worthy competitors against one another, I want to share a few tips I wish someone had given me before I made my first t-shirt order.
1. Be Familiar With the Products
Not all blanks are created equally – do some research on different brands and weights. Do you want a heavier tee or something more lightweight? Most print shops will carry big-name brands like Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, and Bella+Canvas. Some will offer a wider range. Many will provide samples when you’re placing a larger order. Take advantage of this.
2. Ask for Examples of Their Work, but Also Look at Reviews
Seeing examples of a printer’s work will give you an idea of their output on their best days. Reading their reviews will give you the full spectrum. That being said, having a few negative reviews isn’t the end of the world. When I’m browsing reviews, what I’m really interested in is learning how a company rectifies its mistakes. No one is perfect all the time, and when mistakes happen, I want to know that they’ll do right by me. This ties into tip #3, which is…
3. Understand Their Refund and Replacement Policies
This isn’t a big deal when you’re ordering a single shirt. But when you’re ordering 100+ shirts? It’s a whole other ballgame. Take the time to find and read these policies on their website, so that you understand them before you need to.
4. Get Completely Clear on the Costs
As you’ll see in the list below, screen printing companies can vary wildly in their policies and pricing. Some companies include setup fees in their quotes, some won’t. Some offer flat-fee shipping, some don’t. No matter who you choose, be clear on the total costs upfront, so you’re not surprised later.
5. Double-Check on Timelines
If you’re on a tight deadline, make sure they can guarantee timely delivery. Talk to a human being about it, not an AI chatbot. If you’re paying good money for the service, you deserve to get your gear on time. Be wary of outsourcing bottlenecks that can lead to unexpected delays.
Now that you know what to look out for, let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of four popular bulk t-shirt printing companies:
We’ll be looking at four key differentiators (value, quality control, customer service, and timeline) to determine which is worth considering for your next t-shirt order.
1. RushOrderTees
Value
While they offer decent rolling discounts on higher-volume orders, RushOrderTees outsources their production, which adds to the total cost that their customers (read: you) wind up paying.
Quality Control
When production is outsourced to multiple vendors, you may be rolling the dice when it comes to quality control between (and sometimes even within) orders. With that caveat, RushOrderTees seems to be doing pretty well in terms of positive customer reviews, with an average of 4.8 stars on TrustPilot.
While most reviews praise the quality of their prints, some warn about bait-and-switch tactics when it comes to shirt quality, with one customer complaining that his shirts were swapped out for lower-quality brands on three separate occasions. Buyer beware.
Customer Service
They don’t have an explicit refund/replacement policy on their website, but they do offer a satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with your order, they request that you fill out their customer care form within a whopping 45 days of delivery, which is more than fair. You can chat with their customer service team via phone or live chat, and search for answers to FAQs in their website’s Help Center.
Timeline
RushOrderTees provides free standard shipping within the contiguous US, with delivery expected between 9-12 business days of your order. They also offer guaranteed 2-day rush shipping.
2. Custom Ink
Value
Like RushOrderTees, Custom Ink outsources all production and passes these extra costs along to their customers, making them weaker on pricing than companies like BlueCotton and UberPrints, which handle all printing, packing, and shipping in their own facilities.
Quality Control
Custom Ink’s outsourced production and use of multiple third-party vendors means that if you aren’t producing limited collections, you may wind up with reorders that differ slightly from previous batches due to variations in the machines, techniques, and inks used.
As each vendor is responsible for their own quality control, results can vary – sometimes wildly. While they have many positive reviews, some customers mention issues with poor resolution, while others complain about color accuracy, design errors, or shirt quality.
Customer Service
Custom Ink offers a full refund for products that “differ materially from what you created at CustomInk.com” or arrive later than promised. But unlike other companies on this list, they require that you return the goods. You have 15 days to get in touch with them to arrange your return. They offer telephone support seven days a week, with extended hours Monday through Friday, and their website includes a live chat and a robust Help Center packed with FAQs.
You can order blank samples to test fit and feel, and printed samples are automatically included for all orders over 5,000 pieces. Only ordering 300 shirts? You can get a printed sample for a non-refundable fee of just $100 – yikes!
Timeline
Custom Ink offers guaranteed two-week standard delivery. If you need your products quicker, they provide one-week rush delivery for 15% of the cost of your order, and their 3-day Super Rush will set you back a cool 30%.
3. BlueCotton
Value
Since BlueCotton processes all jobs in-house, you aren’t hit with the middleman mark-ups that you see from companies like Custom Ink or RushOrderTees, and their stringent quality control means fewer returns and headaches.
Quality Control
Since they handle their own printing, embroidery, and fulfillment in their Kentucky facility, BlueCotton can and do monitor the quality of their garments, designs, and printing. Their 9-step quality check (which is performed by humans) includes a free design check by a professional artist. If they uncover an error or misprint, their team steps into gear to fix the problem and keep their customers in the loop.
They not only offer blank apparel samples, but they’ll supply free printed samples for orders larger than 250 pieces, allowing you to check the quality of both the garment and the print. Have a smaller order? Your $100 sample cost will be credited back to it, no sweat. Custom Ink could learn from this policy.
Customer Service
BlueCotton’s customer-centered approach is one of the company’s core values, and it shows. They currently boast an average of 4.8 stars on TrustPilot, with many reviews raving about their outstanding customer service team.
Did they make a mistake? You get a free reprint. Did you make a mistake? They’ll give you a generous discount of up to 50% when you reorder. Just reach out through phone, email, and live chat within 15 days of delivery.
Timeline
In terms of pricing, speed, and choice, BlueCotton is a high performer. Their free standard shipping arrives within 10 business days of submitting your order – guaranteed. If you’re under a tight time crunch, they offer numerous upgraded shipping options, including:
- Rush: 5 business days, +15% or $25, whichever is greater
- Super Rush: 3 business days if ordered by noon CST, +25% or $39
- Shirts In A Day: 1 business day if ordered by noon CST, +40% or $69
The garment selections for Super Rush and Shirts In A Day orders are a little limited, but you can still choose from trusted brands like Gildan and Hanes. They guarantee each of their shipping options for the 48 contiguous states. (If you live outside of the US, you’re out of luck in terms of rush shipping, unfortunately.)
4. UberPrints
Value
Like BlueCotton, UberPrints handles production and fulfillment in-house at their facility in Athens, Georgia. This keeps their pricing free of middleman mark-ups. Uber Prints also offers both screen printing and digital printing, giving you more pricing options.
Quality Control
Every UberPrints order comes with a guaranteed delivery date and quality assurance, so you can rest easy knowing that your stuff will arrive on time and just as you pictured it.
Customer Service
UberPrints is serious about customer satisfaction. If you’re not totally satisfied with your order, let them know via phone or email within 30 days of delivery, and their helpful customer service team will arrange a hassle-free reprint or process a full refund.
Budget-conscious start-up? Uber Prints has your back – their Help Center includes a handy list of money-saving tips to help you get the most bang out of your buck. This is definitely a unique and useful perk!
Timeline
Their estimated production time is 1-2 days for digitally printed productions and 7 days for screen printing and embroidery. They provide free standard shipping for orders over $100, with delivery expected in 5 days or fewer. They also offer 2-day and next-day shipping, but these don’t include the production timelines listed above.
Rush delivery orders will set you back 10% of your order’s subtotal, but they’re guaranteed to be delivered 7 days after your order has been submitted.
The Takeaway
- Value: With their in-house advantage, free standard shipping, and commitment to getting it right the first time, BlueCotton gets the trophy for overall value.
- Quality Control: BlueCotton handles all production and QC on-site and provides free printed samples for orders of 250+ pieces, offering you peace of mind before committing to a heavy expense. As a small business, you can’t ask for more!
- Customer Service: UberPrints and BlueCotton are closely matched in this category, with both companies offering outstanding customer support and generous reprint policies. However, Uber Prints gets the edge with their money-saving guide, useful blog topics, and money-back guarantee. They’re a great match for start-ups looking for a partner they can grow with.
- Timeline: BlueCotton is the only company on this list that offers 1-day delivery. RushOrderTees comes in second place, offering delivery in 2 business days, and Custom Ink’s fastest shipping takes 3 business days. BlueCotton’s free standard shipping and guaranteed standard delivery dates also put them head and shoulders above the competition.
The Top Pick
While Uberprints put up a good fight with their in-house production and stellar customer service, BlueCotton is the clear winner when it comes to batch screen printing for small businesses, offering exceptional quality control, customer support, shipping options, and value.