Last updated: August 2026. By Ben B., founder of Embroidery Inc, Woodland CA.
Lids runs custom embroidery in a lot of its mall stores, and the cost of getting a hat embroidered there is one of the most-asked questions in custom headwear. Here's a straight answer, plus the questions people usually mean when they ask it.
What does Lids charge to embroider a hat?
Lids doesn't publish a national embroidery price online, and it varies by store, by design, and by how many stitches your logo or text needs. Pricing is usually per item, and simple text costs less than a detailed logo. The only way to get an exact quote is to ask your local Lids counter. As a rule, in-store embroidery is priced for one-off, walk-in jobs, not for ordering a matching batch for a team or business.
Will Lids embroider a hat you bring in?
Often, yes. Many Lids locations will embroider a hat you bring in, though it's up to the store and depends on the cap (structured fronts work best, and some materials don't take embroidery). Call ahead before you make the trip. Stores typically handle text and simpler designs in-store.
When Lids makes sense, and when it doesn't
Lids is handy if you want one hat done today and there's a store nearby; that is the genuine same-day case we cover in what same-day embroidery is actually possible. Where it gets tricky is anything bigger: matching hats for a crew, a clean version of a real logo, or a specific blank in your brand colors. That's a different job, and it's usually better handled by a custom embroidery shop that stocks the blanks and digitizes your logo properly.
A no-minimum online alternative with published prices
That's what we do at Embroidery Inc. You pick the cap (genuine Richardson, Yupoong, and Flexfit blanks, not mystery caps), upload your logo, and we send you a photo of it stitched on a real hat within 24 to 48 hours before we make your order. There are no minimums, so it works for one hat or a thousand, and the pricing is public: hats run $18 to $28.75 with the embroidery included (the Richardson 112 is $20), plus a one-time $30 digitizing fee for your logo, waived at 12 pieces and on reorders. The full model-by-model list is in what custom hats cost, or estimate your order with the cost calculator. Most orders ship in 3 to 5 business days after approval.
New to this? Here's what to look for in a hat embroidery service and a rundown of hat styles.
Ben B., founder of Embroidery Inc, Woodland CA