Comparing The Most Popular Cheap Custom T-Shirt Options

A top priority for anyone who’s deciding where to order their custom t-shirts from is the price — where are you going to get the best bang for your buck. But along with where you get your t-shirts from, which t-shirt you get is definitely the most significant factor that determines your order cost.

So that you’re not disappointed when you get your order, you really should know a few more details about the t-shirt you're getting, especially when you’re looking for cheap custom t-shirts. We want to make sure that you know the value you’re getting and that the t-shirt option you picked out is going to suit your needs.

For that reason, we’ve put together this guide to our most popular cheap custom t-shirt options that are specifically made to get the absolute most value out of your order.

We’ll be comparing 3 product lines from our custom apparel catalog that are focused on exactly that and we’ll be examining some of the details to help you pick the right match for your order.

The Cotton Tee by Gildan and its accompanying styles.

The Softstyle T-Shirt by Gildan and its accompanying styles.

The Jersey T-Shirt by Bella+Canvas and its accompanying styles.

We’ll be comparing these options across the dimensions of price, fabric and feel, fit, and color variety.

Review Clips

Before you dive too deep into the details, take a look at our review clips for each of these styles to get a quick overview.

The Cotton Tee by Gildan

The Softstyle T-Shirt by Gildan

The Jersey T-Shirt by Bella Canvas

Price

Let’s start with price. This is our guide to cheap custom t-shirt options so it’s safe to assume that’s at the top of your priorities. Because these are all custom printed, the exact cost will also be determined by a few other factors, like the number of colors in your design and print locations, but you can check out the quote calculator located on all of the product pages linked above. And if you’re looking for more ways to cut costs, check out our 4 ways to save money on your order.

The Cotton Tee is the cheapest of the cheap. Pretty much no other option in our catalog can compete with it solely on price and that’s the main reason why it’s our #1 selling t-shirt. However, with extra low cost comes a few other tradeoffs that we’ll explore in the following sections.

The Softstyle T-Shirt is just a small step up in price compared to the Ultra Cotton Tee and balances it with a few advantages in other areas like fit and feel.

The Jersey T-Shirt is at the top of our cheap category in terms of price and is just about as high as we think you can go and still be part of our cheap custom t-shirts category. There are pretty good reasons for this and that’s where we’ll go next.

Fabric and feel

The material the t-shirt is made out of is usually the main reason why a t-shirt costs what it costs. Typically, if two different t-shirts look the same on their face but have two completely different prices, it’s the kind of fabric and the materials needed to make it that are the distinguishing factor. And the 3 options we’re comparing here are a perfect example of that.

The Cotton Tee is made of 100% cotton, but it’s what’s called carded open-end cotton which means it has a rougher, more coarse feel. In our other article, you can learn all about these t-shirt fabrics and materials, but what’s important to know is that it’s a more heavy-weight material than the other options on our list, and its ultra-cheap cotton — while super cost-effective — feels like you got it for free at a 5k run.

The Softstyle T-Shirt is also 100% cotton, but instead is made of ring-spun cotton that’s noticeably softer and smoother than carded open-end. Ring-spun cotton is more tightly twisted and woven which makes the material overall more light-weight, soft, and smooth. One possible downside of light-weight material like this is that white and other very light colors can start to look a little see-through. If this is a concern, opt for just about any other color and you’ll be fine.

The Jersey T-Shirt, again, is made of 100% cotton (with some exceptions depending on color) but this time is Bella+Canvas’ Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. Combed and ring-spun cotton is pretty much the highest quality cotton you can get, and Bella+Canvas’ Airlume cotton takes it a step further with an even more refined manufacturing process and environmentally friendly production. Side-by-side, there’s definitely an increase in softness when compared to the Softstyle T-Shirt — and really no comparison with the Ultra Cotton Tee. But again, this is at the top of our cheap category so you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it for you.

Fit

Aside from the feel of the fabric, the way each t-shirt fits is definitely the other most important distinguishing factor. And like their fabrics, they are all different with each one having a more modern, tailored fit than the last.

The Cotton Tee has the most generous and generic fit of the 3 options on our list. It uses what’s called tubular construction which means that the main body of the t-shirt is made with a single tube of fabric. This can give it a fit that’s sometimes described as “boxy” but at the same time is also more accommodating of different body types.

The Softstyle T-Shirt is more fitted than the Ultra Cotton Tee. The shoulders are narrower and the sleeves are a bit shorter which gives the whole shirt a more flattering shape, generally speaking. It, too, is made with tubular construction, but the fitted shoulders and sleeves really improve the way it fits.

The Jersey T-Shirt fits similar to the Softstyle T-Shirt. It’s fitted throughout the shoulders and sleeves, but in this case, is made with side-seam construction. This means that the torso of the t-shirt is made of two separate front and back panels that are sewn together at the sides. This gives the body of the t-shirt a more natural shape that will lay more fluidly on your body.

Color variety

The short answer here is that all three have tons of color options. They all have colors that are available with no minimum, and especially if you’re ordering more than 12, there’s a ton to choose from. They don’t necessarily have the same color selection, so if you’re looking for something very specific to match your design it might be worth checking out all three to see which has the color for you. But none of them are limited in this regard.

The pros and cons of these 3 cheap custom t-shirt styles

To quickly sum up the comparison of these options, we put together a simplified list of pros and cons for each with an outline of the accompanying styles that go with them and share much of the same features.

The Cotton Tee

This is the typical go-to t-shirt for things like large events, giveaways, 5k runs — anytime getting the absolute cheapest option is what you’re looking for.

Pros:

Extremely cost-effective, get the most out of your budget.
Heavy-weight material that’s not see-through.
A standard, generous fit to accommodate most people.
Many available colors, even with no minimum.

Cons:

Not-so-soft fabric and feel.
Boxy-er fit.

Accompanying styles:

The Softstyle T-Shirt

This is one of the cheapest options available that still has a couple of higher quality features like ring-spun cotton.

Pros:

Still one of the cheapest options around.
Softer, light-weight cotton material.
More fitted, flattering shape.

Cons:

Slightly sheer in white and other really light colors.
The fitted cut might not be as accommodating.

Accompanying styles:

The Jersey T-Shirt

This is the highest quality in the cheap custom t-shirt category with its premium combed and ring-spun cotton and fashion-fit shape.

Pros:

Premium, soft, and smooth cotton fabric at a reasonable price.
Light-weight material that moves more freely.
A modern, fitted, fashion-style cut.
Many available colors, even with no minimum.

Cons:

Material is slightly sheer in white and other really light colors.
The fitted cut might not be as accommodating.

Accompanying styles: