If you’re pricing embroidery based on “what everyone else charges,” we need to talk.
I did that in the beginning too.
And guess what?
I was under~pricing myself.
Not a little.
A lot.
Today I want to break down how to calculate your true cost per embroidery job so you can price with confidence instead of fear.
Step 1: Stop Looking at Stitch Count Alone
Stitch count tells you machine time.
It does NOT tell you:
Thread cost
Stabilizer cost
Labor time
Electricity
Machine wear
Your actual profit
If you only price by stitch count, you’re missing half the picture.
Step 2: Break Down Your Real Costs
Here’s a simple way to calculate your base cost:
🧵 Thread
How much did the cone cost?
How many stitches do you realistically get out of it?
Divide it down.
Even if it’s small, it matters.
📄 Stabilizer
Are you using:
Cutaway
Tearaway
Water-soluble
Each sheet costs money.
Factor in full sheet usage — not “I only used half.”
⏱ Labor (Yes, Pay Yourself)
This is where most people mess up.
Ask yourself:
How long did this job REALLY take?
Include:
Hooping
Thread trimming
Pressing
Bagging
Customer communication
Your time is not free.
⚡ Electricity + Machine Wear
You don’t have to be perfect here.
Even a small flat estimate per job is better than pretending it doesn’t exist.
Your machine is not immortal.
Step 3: Add Profit — Not Just Break Even
Here’s the formula:
Cost + Labor + Profit = Price
If your total cost is $25 and you charge $28…
You are surviving.
Not growing.
Add margin.
You deserve it.
Step 4: Check Your Hourly Profit
After pricing, ask:
How much did I make per hour?
If you made $12/hour after expenses…
You just created a job.
Not a business.
Why This Matters
So many embroiderers are talented.
But they are tired.
Because they are working hard and not earning correctly.
You don’t need to be expensive.
You need to be accurate.
Final Thought
When I started, I learned quietly.
From YouTube.
From blogs.
From trial and error.
If this helps even one embroiderer stop underpricing their work, then this post did its job.
You are not “charging too much.”
You are building something real.
Price like it.