Comparison · silkscreen halftone RIP alternative, free to start
Silkscreen HalftoneRIP alternative free to try in your browser
A RIP does two jobs: it screens the art into dots, and it drives your film printer. This browser tool does the first job well and the second not at all. Here is exactly where the line is.
Row by row
Desktop RIP vs this tool
Desktop RIP software commonly costs $199–$495. The free studio and the $4.99 pass split the screening work like this.
| Capability | Desktop RIP | This tool, free | This tool, Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mesh-linked LPI and wash-out check | Usually manual LPI entry | Yes: Mesh ÷ 4.5, 1.5 × thread preflight | Same |
| Knock-out + choke for dark shirts | Done in the design app or a plug-in | Preview with threshold and 1–3 px choke | Choked underbase films |
| CMYK plates at 15/75/0/45° | Yes, with ICC color management | Preview of all four plates | Four films, simple GCR |
| 1:1 registration PDF | Prints straight to the film printer | No | Yes: crosshairs, header, 10-step strip |
| 600 DPI 1-bit PNG | Rasterizes internally, no file needed | No (proof PNG only) | Yes: 0 grey pixels per plate |
| Vector SVG | No, RIPs output raster | No | Yes: plate-grouped dots |
| Printer ink-channel control (ink density) | Yes: drives the printer heads and ink density | No | No |
| Price | $199–$495 one-time, typical | Free, no sign-up | $4.99 for 7 days, $7.99/month or $19.99 lifetime |
What a RIP is for
What a desktop RIP actually does
RIP stands for raster image processor. In a print shop it sits between the artwork and the film printer.
It converts the art into halftone dots at the right LPI and angle, then sends them to the printer while controlling each ink channel. That second part — ink density, drop size, linearization — is what makes inkjet film truly opaque. It is also something no browser can do, because a web page has no access to your printer's ink channels.
So if your films come out grey or translucent with the regular printer driver, a RIP or a dedicated film printer setup is still the fix. This tool will not change your printer's ink density.
What you get
Where the browser tool is enough
Many shops only need clean, correct dots on film and know their printer's black is dense enough.
- Free
- Unlimited uploads, the mesh loupe, the garment proof, the full wash-out preflight, a 1000 px proof PNG and the settings TXT.
- Pro pass
- The 1:1 registration PDF with crosshairs and an exposure strip, the 600 DPI 1-bit PNG films with 0 grey pixels, and the plate-grouped vector SVG.
- Not included
- Printer driving, ICC color management for process inks, simulated-process separations and gang sheets.
Several browser halftone tools, such as MakeHalftone, Makerfern, Scaylr and Texloom, give free high-resolution PNG or SVG exports, and Tshirt Factory offers a free separations ZIP. What the pass here adds is the registration PDF, the strict 1-bit multi-plate pack with the choked underbase, and the plate-grouped SVG.
Honest limits
When you still need a full RIP
Four situations where a desktop RIP earns its price.
- Thin or grey film black
- If a solid printed with your normal driver lets light through, only ink-channel control or a dedicated film printer fixes it. Better dots will not.
- Simulated process
- Index and simulated-process separations for dark shirts need color separation tools this studio does not include.
- Color-managed CMYK
- Matching a brand color across runs needs an ICC profile for your inks. Mode 3 uses a simple, predictable gray component replacement.
- High volume
- A shop outputting dozens of films a day benefits from queues, nesting and printer presets that a browser page does not offer.
Workflow
Browser to film in five moves
How a small shop uses the studio without a RIP.
- Pick the mesh you will coat, and let the studio set the LPI from Mesh ÷ 4.5.
- Separate in Mode 1, 2 or 3 and clear every red risk zone in the preflight.
- Approve the free mockup proof PNG with the customer before any film is printed.
- Export the 1:1 PDF, print it at 100% on waterproof film, and measure the ruler.
- Expose a test screen with the 10-step strip once per mesh and emulsion, then run production.
The settings TXT goes on the job ticket, so the next reprint uses the same mesh, LPI, angle, dot shape and clips without guessing.
If step four shows translucent blacks, stop there: that is the printer, not the file. Try the densest black setting and the right film side first, and consider a RIP or a dedicated film printer only if solids still let light through on a window test.
Pricing context
What other options cost
Prices as published by each product at the time of writing.
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Desktop RIP software | $199–$495 |
| PrintFilmReady | €99 per year or €59 for 6 months |
| Makerfern Pro Lifetime | US$89 |
| VectoSolve | $7.99 per month |
| Halftone Maker | $6 per month |
| This tool | Free studio; Pro from $4.99 for 7 days |
Try a job end to end in the screen printing halftone generator before deciding. If your films still need help after that, check the film positive guide for printer settings, and the mesh calculator for the LPI side.