Custom Ink alternative · Cedar Park production
A Local Custom Ink Alternative in the Austin Metro
Custom Ink is a big national brand and a lot of people in Austin know the name. They've got a slick design tool and a showroom up at Domain Northside. For a one-off t-shirt order they work fine.
But here's the part most folks don't know: in March 2024 Custom Ink shut down their last in-house production facility — the Flower Mound plant near Dallas — and moved to a network of partner printers around the country. So when you place an order with Custom Ink in Austin, your shirts aren't printed in Austin. They're printed wherever the partner-of-the-day happens to be.
We're Austin Print Co. We print everything in-house at our shop in Cedar Park — DTF, embroidery, UV, laser, drinkware, the whole list. Low minimums on most stuff (5 pieces on DTF and embroidery), no setup fees, and if you bring in print-ready files before 11am we can usually get same-day on rush jobs. Average response on a quote is about an hour during business hours.
If you want to walk in, touch the garments, and talk to the person actually pressing your order — that's us. If you'd rather upload a logo and never speak to a human, Custom Ink's still there.
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Custom Ink vs. Austin Print Co: Comparison
| Attribute | Custom Ink | Austin Print Co |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | National online retailer; production outsourced to a partner-printer network since Q1 2024 | Family-owned, locally owned in-house decorator |
| Headquarters | Fairfax, Virginia | Cedar Park, TX (Austin metro) |
| Local Austin presence | Showroom at Domain Northside (sales only); no local production | Cedar Park showroom + pickup; all production on-site |
| Minimum order quantity | No minimum on digital print; screen print, embroidery, laser carry product-specific minimums | 5 pieces DTF, 5 pieces embroidery; low minimums on most other services |
| Setup / art fees | All-inclusive pricing, no setup charges | No setup fees |
| Production model | Outsourced to a national partner-printer network after closing its plants between 2023–2024 | 100% in-house except screen printing |
| Standard turnaround | Guaranteed 2-week standard delivery | 9–12 business days |
| Rush options | 1-Week Rush (+15%) and 3-Day Super Rush (+30%); Super Rush not available on embroidery, 6-piece minimum, phone order only | Same-day on orders placed before 11am with print-ready files |
| Pricing model | All-inclusive per-unit pricing with bulk tiers; free standard shipping | Custom quote, no setup fees, no hidden charges |
| Product range | Apparel, hats, bags, drinkware, large promo catalog | DTF, embroidery, UV print, laser engraving, screen printing, drinkware, trophies/awards, swag fulfillment |
| Design services | Online Design Lab + free human art review | Adobe-certified in-house design team |
| Kitting / dropship / corporate | Separate "Swag Space" platform for managed programs | Kitting and dropshipping in-house |
| Customer service | Phone, email, chat; in-person at showrooms | Direct contact with the shop; ~1-hour quote response |
Custom Ink is fine for what they do. But if you want your order printed in Austin, by the people you talked to on the phone, and you don't want to pay a 30% premium just to get it in three days — drop us a note. We'll send a quote back within an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a local Custom Ink alternative in Austin?
Yes. Austin Print Co is based in Cedar Park (Austin metro) and prints everything in-house. Custom Ink closed its last in-house production plant (Flower Mound, TX) in March 2024 and now uses a network of partner printers nationwide; every APC order is printed by us, in our shop.
Custom Ink vs Austin Print Co — what's the real difference?
Custom Ink is a national e-commerce brand with a showroom at Domain Northside but outsourced production. Austin Print Co is a locally owned shop in Cedar Park that handles DTF, embroidery, UV, laser, drinkware and trophies under one roof, with low minimums on most services and no setup fees.
Does Custom Ink charge setup fees?
Custom Ink advertises all-inclusive pricing, meaning no separate setup or art-prep fees on top of the per-unit price. Austin Print Co also doesn't charge setup fees, and we usually return a quote within an hour.
Can Austin Print Co beat Custom Ink's rush turnaround?
On the right job, yes. Custom Ink's Super Rush is 3 business days for a 30% upcharge. APC offers same-day on orders placed before 11am with print-ready files — handled locally, without a fixed percentage upcharge.