How Much Does Custom Cap Printing Cost in the UAE?
A custom cap has two prices, not one: the cap itself, and the decoration. Both change with quantity, and at small quantities the decoration costs more than the caps. Figures below come from PrintOnline's caps page; the live configurator is always the definitive total.
The starting price, and what it actually covers
AED 9.00 is one 1 Color Brush Cotton cap, undecorated. It is the cap on its own: your logo is charged separately, so do not budget from this figure alone.
The three cap types run on two price ladders:
| Cap type | 1 cap | 500 caps | Per cap at 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Color Brush Cotton | AED 9 | AED 2,010 | AED 4.02 |
| 2 Colors Brush Cotton | AED 13 | AED 3,000 | AED 6.00 |
| PVC Net and Sponge | AED 13 | AED 3,000 | AED 6.00 |
The two-colour cotton cap and the PVC net cap share the same ladder, so the choice between those two is about the cap itself rather than the cost.
What changes the final price
- Cap style: the one-colour brush cotton cap is the cheapest; two-colour cotton and PVC net both sit on the higher ladder.
- Quantity: this is the big one. Per-cap cost falls roughly twelvefold between one cap and five hundred.
- Decoration spots: charged per order, not per cap, and the charge rises with quantity. One spot (front only) starts at AED 84; two spots (front plus back, or front plus one side) start at AED 131. A "1 Spot 3D + 1 Spot Normal" combination is also offered.
- Print method: thermal print, embroidery or 3D raised embroidery. See printing vs embroidery.
- Production speed: standard is 6 working days; urgent is 3 working days for a surcharge starting at AED 20 and rising with the order size.
One piece vs bulk orders
The minimum is one piece, so a single cap for a sample or a gift is a normal order. The quantity selector runs in fine steps from 1 up to 500, so you can order close to the number you actually need rather than rounding to a tier.
Minimum quantities for screen print and 3D embroidery
Worth knowing that screen printing is not offered on the main caps page at all. Its print methods are thermal print, embroidery and 3D raised embroidery. If you specifically want screen print, that is the separate sports cap product, which offers 1 to 4 colour screen print and whose lowest quantity option is 10.
The main caps page has a 1-piece minimum. No explicit minimum is stated on the 3D embroidery cap page, so confirm that one before planning a small run.
Artwork setup and design help
No separate setup charge is stated on the cap pages; the spot charge appears to carry it. A free design consultation and a Canva self-design option are offered, and a AED 20 booking fee can reserve an order while your artwork is still being finalised. Ask whether any charge applies to artwork changes after approval.
Delivery charges
Choose a delivery location (Dubai/Sharjah/Ajman city limits, or other Emirates, which covers Abu Dhabi), then the mode: courier, 1 to 2 days after production and included in the price, or a special driver within 6 working hours (AED 50) or 10 working hours (AED 150) of production finishing. Check the calculated delivery date before you pay.
What it really costs, caps plus decoration
This is the figure that matters: a 1 Color Brush Cotton cap with one decorated spot on the front.
| Caps | Cap cost | 1 spot (front) | Total | Per cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AED 9 | AED 84 | AED 93 | AED 93.00 |
| 10 | AED 78 | AED 161 | AED 239 | AED 23.90 |
| 25 | AED 176 | AED 270 | AED 446 | AED 17.84 |
| 50 | AED 302 | AED 345 | AED 647 | AED 12.94 |
| 100 | AED 550 | AED 515 | AED 1,065 | AED 10.65 |
| 200 | AED 965 | AED 927 | AED 1,892 | AED 9.46 |
| 500 | AED 2,010 | AED 1,822 | AED 3,832 | AED 7.66 |
Two things stand out. Up to around fifty caps the decoration costs as much as the caps do, which is why a single branded cap is AED 93 rather than AED 9. And the curve is unusually steep: AED 93.00 per cap at one, AED 7.66 at five hundred.
The practical consequence is that small cap orders are poor value and there is little reason to order ten when twenty-five costs AED 207 more and halves the unit price. If you are hesitating anywhere below a hundred, price the next tier up before you commit. Figures are for one cap type and one spot; your configurator total governs.
See live cap pricing on PrintOnline.
Related: printing vs embroidery and cap delivery.