How Much Does It Cost to Start a Print-on-Demand Business? My Budget Breakdown
"Starting a dropshipping business isn’t free, so here’s a transparent breakdown of what I’ve spent so far to launch Subculture Golf."
One of the biggest draws of dropshipping and print-on-demand is their reputation for low startup costs. While that’s true compared to traditional retail, it’s not exactly free—there are still upfront expenses to consider. That’s why having a budget is key.
After some research and planning, I launched Subculture Golf with an initial investment of $3,000. Here’s where that money has gone so far:
Startup Costs Breakdown
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| GoDaddy Domains | $13.34 |
| Shopify (Yearly Subscription) | $340 |
| Buffer (Marketing Automation – 4 Channels) | $240 |
| Branding (Fiverr) | $274 |
| Google Workspace (Business Email & Voice Line) | $17/month ($204/year) |
| LLC Registration (Colorado – varies by state) | $164 |
| AI Tools (OpenArt) | $84 |
| Total Spent in First 2 Months | $1,319 |
To keep things organized, I set up a business bank account with Mercury, which helps separate personal and business expenses.
These are the barebones costs, but there are optional expenses to consider:
- Print-on-Demand Provider Fees – Depending on the platform, premium tiers cost $20–$40/month. These plans offer perks like product discounts and additional features. If you're making regular sales, the upgrade is usually worth it.
- Shopify App Ecosystem – There are tons of premium apps that help with everything from analytics to automated fulfillment. They’re great for scaling but not necessary when starting out.
- Advertising Budget – To build a community and drive traffic, you’ll need to invest in ads on platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), and TikTok. A recent Dropshipping.com article suggests budgeting anywhere from $200 to $1,000 for marketing.
I started the business in mid-February 2025. My original goal was to launch (i.e., start advertising) after a couple of months—in mid-April.
Turns out, there was a lot more to do than I initially anticipated: procuring designs, creating graphics, customizing the Shopify theme, and so on. That led to additional costs on Fiverr. I also had to get a PO Box, since using my personal address wasn’t an option. All of that added up.
By the end of April, when I was finally ready to start advertising, I had less than $1,000 left. So, I contributed another $1,000.
I began running Meta (Facebook/Instagram) ads and got my first sale about two weeks later on a $10/day budget. Since then, I’ve made six more sales! But challenges remain—advertising isn’t cheap. Between Meta and Google, I could easily spend around $700/month.
Figuring out how to scale sales economically is the next challenge.
