Cut-vinyl lettering is priced two ways at once: a setup fee for the design and weeding, plus a rate for every character. Count the characters, and the quote writes itself.
A 24-character window decal at $2.50 a letter, on a $35 setup, quotes at $95.
The example
Three jobs, each with a character count, per-character rate, and setup fee.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sign | Characters | $ / char | Setup | Price |
| 2 | Window decal | 24 | $2.50 | $35 | $95.00 |
| 3 | Truck door | 40 | $2.50 | $35 | $135.00 |
| 4 | Banner text | 60 | $2.00 | $35 | $155.00 |
The formula
One product, one flat fee:
How it works
Fixed work plus per-letter work:
D2is the setup fee — layout, proofing, and weeding the cut vinyl.B2*C2is the lettering: character count times your per-character rate.- Adding them gives the quote; drop the setup only for repeat art you already have.
Count spaces if you charge for them; most shops bill visible characters only and note it on the quote.
Try it: interactive demo
Enter the character count, per-character rate, and setup fee.
Variations
Count characters automatically
Let Excel count the text so you never miscount by hand.
Second color surcharge
Add a flat fee for each additional vinyl color.
Pitfalls & errors
Use LEN on the actual text cell to count characters — hand counts on long copy are where lettering quotes slip.
Decide up front whether spaces bill. LEN counts them; if you do not charge for spaces, strip them with SUBSTITUTE first.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Can Excel count the characters for me?
Do spaces count?
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