Every level, side by side
| Level | One-off licence | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Lettering | £599 + VAT | Not offered |
| Editing | £999 + VAT | Not offered |
| Decorating | £2,199 + VAT | £69 a month + VAT |
| Designing (full digitizing) | £3,499 + VAT | £99 a month + VAT |
Source: Wilcom Software UK, checked 23 Oct 2026.
What it works out to per logo
Designing on the monthly plan is £99 + VAT. If you make five new logo files a month, that is about £20 a logo. At twenty logos it falls to about £5, and at a hundred to about £1. For a busy production shop the licence is cheap. The real cost is the hours someone spends digitizing each logo, and the weeks it takes to learn.
Embify charges £5 per file, or £29 a month for 20 files, £79 for 60 and £249 for 200. A new size or format of a logo you paid for in the last 30 days is free.
Costs people forget
- VAT: every Wilcom price above is before VAT.
- A Windows computer: on a Mac you also need Parallels Desktop and a Windows 11 licence.
- Upgrades: Wilcom ended support for EmbroideryStudio e4.5 on 31 December 2025, so older licences need an upgrade to stay supported.
- Training time: weeks before the files are as good as an experienced digitizer's.
Cheaper ways to get a file
| Option | Price (checked 23 Oct 2026) | You do the digitizing? |
|---|---|---|
| Hatch Embroidery 4 (also by Wilcom) | US$699 Composer, US$1,199 Digitizer | Yes |
| Embrilliance StitchArtist | US$179 to US$699 (regular prices) | Yes |
| Ink/Stitch | Free | Yes |
| An outside digitizing service | About £15 to £40 a logo | No, and you wait a day or more |
| Embify | Free preview, £5 per file | No, most logos take under a minute |
Common questions
What is the cheapest version of Wilcom?
EmbroideryStudio Lettering, at £599 + VAT in the UK. It is for adding names and text, not for digitizing logos.
Can I pay for Wilcom monthly?
Yes, for two levels: Decorating at £69 a month + VAT and Designing at £99 a month + VAT (UK prices).
Do I own Wilcom if I buy the licence?
Yes, a one-off licence is yours to keep. Newer versions are a paid upgrade.
Why is Wilcom so expensive?
It is built for people who digitize for a living, with hand control over every stitch and decades of features for production work. If you only need a few files, you are paying for tools you will not use.
Is there a cheaper Wilcom for home use?
Yes. Hatch Embroidery is Wilcom's home range: Composer is US$699 and Digitizer US$1,199. It also runs on Windows only.
Sources
- Wilcom EmbroideryStudio 2026 UK prices (Wilcom Software UK)
- Wilcom: EmbroideryStudio e4.5 end of support
- Hatch Embroidery 4 prices and system needs
- Embrilliance software prices
- Ink/Stitch, free open-source embroidery software
Every outside fact on this page was checked on 23 Oct 2026.