The Cost Difference Between Cheap and Professional Digitizing Explained

If you have ever placed an embroidery order, you've likely witnessed the considerable variation in price for embroidery digitizing services. Some rates are so low that they seem very appealing, while others have much higher prices, and you begin to question if the digitizing service is worth it. Let's examine exactly what is driving the price to be so different, what you are paying for, and what makes the most sense for your finished embroidery project.

Why Should I Pay This Price?

At first look, digitizing sounds like just turning an image into a stitch file. However, there are important details behind the idea of embroidery digitizing services. The cost of embroidery digitizing services is related to the complexity of the design, the stitch count, what fabric is being used, and the amount of testing the embroidery digitizer will do. All of these factors either take more time or expertise, and that's what will drive the price difference.

If someone offers you super low digitizing, they are probably skipping some of these important steps. It might look nice initially; however, when the embroidery is actually stitched, you might see a problem pop up. The thread breaks, the fabric puckers, and fine details disappear. About 10 minutes into your work, the service you thought was cheap now has hidden costs because of all of the problems that have shown up on your fabric.

What Inexpensive Digitizing Typically Provides

When you pay for low-cost embroidery digitizing, this is what you will generally receive:

• A basic file format conversion, without any customization for stitch type, fabric, or thread.

• The design has likely not gone through a test stitch, meaning improper stitch settings or “loose” stitches will not be identified until your production starts.

• Many use an auto-digitizer program, as opposed to manually digitizing.
  

What Professional Digitizing Actually Delivers

When you invest in a professional level of embroidery digitizing, you are paying for experience and attention to detail. Skilled digitizing professionals will pay attention to how the design stitches behave and react differently depending on the type of thread, fabric, and type of stitch. Professional digitizers are also able to preplan the density of the threads and the overall thread path of the stitches to ensure a smooth running design on the machine.

Typically, professional digitizers will test-stitch the designs to check for flaws and any desired adjustments before receiving the final file. There is also often a level of accountability involved with a professional presentation; you generally receive the final (formatted) stitched design in various file formats and corresponding notes as to settings needed for the machines represented in all the formatted types. Each small detail throughout a professional level of digitizing will deliver a cleaner stitch, a consistent result, and less machine downtime throughout production.

The Real Cost of Cutting Corners

Opting for inexpensive digitizing may result in:

• Stitching that is uneven or shapes that appear distorted.

• Threads that break due to low-density or omitted underlay.

• The task that does not reproduce the original artwork.

• Additional expense to redo your task or fix an error.

How to Choose What You Need

The decision of cheap or professional embroidery digitizing services depends on your undertaking. Ask yourself:

1. Is the design simple, or is it complicated? Supporting small text or complicated art requires skill.
   

2. What fabric will be my base? The stretch and texture need to be taken into account with any special settings.
   

3. What does quality mean to me? Quality is an essential consideration with uniforms, branded shirts, and gifts.
   

4. What is the size of my order? A bulk run can benefit from the quality of professional digitizing, where there are reduced issues with mis-threads, misalignment, or skipped stitches lowering productivity.
   

If it is for personal use or a simple logo, you may consider going cheaper. But, if you are creating merchandise for sale or brand identity.

Conclusion

The pricing discrepancy in embroidery digitizing shows some indication of the experience, testing for quality, and accuracy that are involved in producing a design that stitches effortlessly. On one hand, cheap digitizing provides you with a file, and on the other hand, you pay a little more for a file that should be accurate, time­-saving, and give the project a professional look.

So the next time you're comparing costs and are tempted to go with the cheaper quote, remember the value that comes standard with the price. In many cases, you may pay less in the future since you save money on mistakes, wasted materials, and time/energy spent stressing over the realization that the first quote you received was worth its weight to your sanity and pocketbook. The right digitizer doesn’t just create a stitch file; they ensure your design will turn out as you envisioned.