The short answerMost people should buy a single-needle embroidery machine with a 5 x 7 in hoop, which runs about $450 to $900. A 4 x 4 in machine at $350 to $500 is fine for monograms and patches. Get a combo only if you also need a sewing machine.
What to buy
Monograms and small designs
Embroidery-only machine, single needle, 4 x 4 in hoop
Handles names, patches and baby gifts. Many people outgrow the 4 x 4 in area quickly, and you can't make it bigger later.
$350 to $500
See options on Amazon →Most people
Embroidery-only machine, single needle, 5 x 7 in hoop
Fits most designs sold online, including shirt fronts and towel borders. You still stop and rethread for every color change.
$450 to $900
See options on Amazon →You also need a sewing machine
Sewing and embroidery combo, 5 x 7 in hoop
One machine, one spot on the table, and the embroidery unit slides on and off. You can't sew while it stitches a design, which gets old on big projects.
$600 to $1,500
See options on Amazon →Bigger designs
Single-needle machine, 6 x 10 in hoop or larger
Room for bigger chest designs, quilt blocks and small jacket backs in one hooping. Prices climb fast at this size.
$1,300 to $3,500
See options on Amazon →Selling hats and shirts
Multi-needle machine, 6 to 10 needles
Loads every color at once and has a free arm for caps, bags and sleeves. It's big, heavy and a real business purchase.
$4,000 to $12,000
See options on Amazon →Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
For one batch of team shirts or a few caps, a local embroidery shop will stitch them for a per-item price. That costs far less than a machine.
What the numbers mean
- Hoop size (embroidery area)
- The largest design the machine can stitch in one go. 4 x 4 in is about 100 x 100 mm, and 5 x 7 in is about 130 x 180 mm. Buying a bigger hoop later won't stretch the area the machine can reach.
- Embroidery-only vs combo
- An embroidery-only machine stitches designs and nothing else. A combo also sews seams like a regular sewing machine. Pick a combo if you own neither.
- Single needle vs multi-needle
- A single-needle machine stops at each color so you can rethread. A multi-needle machine holds several colors at once and switches between them without you.
- Design file format
- Each machine family reads its own type of stitch file. Most designs are sold in several formats, so check which file type your machine needs before you buy designs.
- Built-in designs and fonts
- Handy on day 1, and then you'll mostly load designs by USB stick or Wi-Fi. A higher built-in count isn't worth much extra money.
What not to pay for
- Pricey digitizing software on day 1
Software that turns your own artwork into stitches can cost hundreds of dollars. Start with ready-made designs and free tools for basic lettering.
- Caps on a flatbed machine
Structured caps don't sit flat in a regular hoop. If hats are the plan, that's the job multi-needle machines with cap frames are built for.
- Skipping the stabilizer
Stabilizer (the backing under the fabric) stops puckering. Use cut-away on stretchy knits and tear-away on stable woven fabric.
Keep fingers out of the hoop area while it stitches. The needle moves fast and the hoop moves on its own.
Questions
Can a regular sewing machine do embroidery?
You can do free-motion embroidery by guiding the fabric by hand, which is a skill of its own. Stitching a digital design automatically takes an embroidery machine or a combo.
Can I make my own designs?
Yes, with digitizing software, which maps artwork into stitches. One-click conversion gives rough results on anything detailed. Many people pay a digitizer a small fee per logo instead.
What else do I need to buy?
Stabilizer, 40-weight polyester embroidery thread, embroidery needles in size 75/11, bobbin thread and small curved scissors. Budget $50 to $100 to get started.
Written by the DIY Project team. We recommend by type and spec, cheapest option that does the job first. How we check
Updated October 3, 2026. Prices are estimates.