The Tribute Journal
How Much Does a Funeral Program Cost? (Real 2026 Prices)
A funeral program costs anywhere from about $15 for a bare template you finish yourself to $300 or more through a funeral home. Most families in 2026 land in the middle: a professionally designed, print-ready program for $49–129, plus printing at roughly 50¢–$2 per copy. Here is the honest breakdown of every option, so you can decide where your money — and your energy — should go this week.
The four price tiers
DIY template: $15–25 (plus 3–8 hours of your time)
Marketplace templates for Word or Canva cost $15–25. The template is the cheap part — the real cost is an evening of fitting text into boxes, resizing photos, and fixing line breaks, usually the night before the service. If a family member genuinely enjoys design work, this can be a labor of love; our step-by-step guide helps. If not, it becomes one more burden in a week full of them.
Done-for-you design service: $49–129
An online service designs the program around your photos and wording and delivers a print-ready PDF. At Tribute Programs, the three packages are $49 for a classic 2-page program, $79 for a 4-page Signature program, and $129 for an 8-page Legacy booklet with an AI-assisted obituary — each delivered within hours, with revisions included. You print anywhere you like, as many copies as you need.
Funeral home add-on: $100–300+
Many funeral homes offer programs as part of their stationery package. Quality varies from beautiful to boilerplate, and the price — often folded into the total bill — typically runs well above an independent designer for a comparable program. There is nothing wrong with this route; just ask to see a sample first and check whether the design is personalized or a fill-in-the-blank house template.
Print shop design service: $50–150 + printing
Some local print shops offer basic layout help. Design skill varies widely by location, and turnaround is usually a business day or two rather than hours — ask before you commit if the service is soon.
Printing costs, per copy
- Home printer on cardstock: roughly 30–60¢ per folded program (paper + ink)
- FedEx Office / Staples / local shop, black and white: about 50¢–$1 per copy
- Full color on quality cardstock: about $1–2 per copy
- Typical order for 100 guests: $50–150 in printing, often same-day
Where not to spend
Skip rush fees (a genuine same-day service doesn't charge them — see same-day options), skip per-revision charges (revisions should be included), and don't over-order: 10–15% more copies than expected guests is plenty, since couples and families often share.
How much does a funeral program cost to make?
DIY: $15–25 for a template plus several hours of work. Professionally designed: $49–129 for a print-ready PDF. Through a funeral home: commonly $100–300+ as part of the stationery package.
How much does it cost to print 100 funeral programs?
About $50–100 in black and white, or $100–200 in full color on cardstock at shops like FedEx Office or Staples. Home printing on cardstock runs cheaper but takes time to fold.
Are funeral programs included in funeral home packages?
Often, as a stationery line item — but 'included' still means you're paying for it within the package. Ask for the itemized price and a sample; you're free to bring your own program instead.
What does a Tribute Programs design include?
A designer lays out your photos, obituary, order of service, and readings into a print-ready PDF, delivered within 3 hours ($49 and $79 packages) with unlimited revisions included, and a full refund any time before design begins.
