Per-stitch vs flat embroidery pricing worksheet
Compare two quote formats without treating either one as a substitute for measured job cost.
Direct answer
Per-stitch quote = setup + quantity × (stitch count ÷ pricing unit × rate) + explicit extras. Flat quote = setup + quantity × flat unit price + explicit extras. Before choosing either, verify that the result covers garment, thread, backing, labor, machine time, overhead, reject allowance, fees and target margin.
Reviewed: August 21, 2026. This page publishes no universal rate, price, stitch count, runtime, customer outcome or revenue claim.
Use one evidence sheet for both methods
| Input | Evidence |
| Design | Final approved file, actual stitch count, colors, stops and dimensions. |
| Production | Exact garment/support materials and sampled setup, run, handling and finishing time. |
| Risk | Recorded test result, reject/rework allowance and replacement responsibility. |
| Commercial | Quantity, setup treatment, minimum, rush, shipping, tax, payment and revision terms. |
| Economics | Documented variable cost, allocated overhead and target contribution or margin. |
Decision gate
- Calculate job cost with the embroidery cost calculator.
- Calculate both quote formats from the same inputs.
- Make setup, extras and quantity breaks visible; do not hide them in an unexplained rate.
- Reject a format that under-recovers measured cost or creates ambiguous scope.
- Record the chosen method and assumptions in the quote template.
When the methods diverge
Per-stitch pricing can expose design-density changes, but it can miss fixed handling and risk unless those are added. Flat pricing is easier to communicate for a controlled product/design band, but it must be revalidated when the design, placement, garment, quantity or service level changes. A hybrid quote can keep setup separate and use validated product bands.
Methodology references
- Embroidery Cost Lab pricing methodology — cost layers and margin math used by this worksheet.
- Embroidery quote template — scope and commercial fields to expose before acceptance.
FAQ
Is a per-1,000-stitch rate a complete price?
No. It must still cover setup, materials, handling, rejects, overhead, fees and margin.
Can one flat price cover every design?
Not safely. Define the design, garment, placement, quantity and service band, then reprice changes.
Does this worksheet prove market demand?
No. It is a planning method, not evidence of clicks, customers, sales or revenue.
Evidence boundary
Use actual production and commercial evidence. This independent worksheet does not claim hands-on testing, a market-average rate, profitability or customer results.