For most DTF shops the best halftone tool is ToneSmith: you see the halftone live on the shirt color, it builds a choked white underbase, and it runs in your browser or inside Photoshop from $7 a month. If you live in Photoshop and want to pay once, ActionSeps DTX ($48) and DTF-TONES ($44) are both solid, and ToneSmith Lite is a $29 one-time plugin.
The short version
- ToneSmith: web app plus Photoshop plugin, 15 to 85 LPI, 13 dot shapes, any angle, white underbase with a 0 to 5 px choke, PNG or CMYK TIFF with a white spot channel. $7/mo, $47/yr or $149 lifetime.
- ActionSeps DTX: a Photoshop action set (an Affinity version exists) with training, $48 one-time.
- DTF-TONES: a layered Photoshop or Affinity template at 25, 35 or 45 LPI, plus a web version. $44.
- All three are built to kill the black box and the white haze.
- Pick by how you work: browser, Photoshop, or pay once.
The short answer
Halftones fix the two classic DTF problems: the dark box around a design and the white haze on soft edges. All three tools here do that. They differ in where they run, how much control you get over the dots, and how you pay.
We make ToneSmith, so weigh our view with that in mind. We have tried to keep the other two columns to what their own pages say, and we say where they are the better fit.
What each tool is
ToneSmith
A halftone app built for DTF and DTG. Drop in art, move the sliders, and the separation redraws while you drag: dot size from 15 to 85 LPI, any angle from 0 to 45 degrees, 13 dot shapes, levels on a real histogram, knockout on any color, and cleanup for stray dots. One switch builds the white underbase, choked 0 to 5 px. Export the color and white as separate PNGs or one CMYK TIFF with a white spot channel. The plan also includes a Photoshop plugin (Photoshop 23 or newer), a Gang Sheet Builder, a Mockup Studio and an Effects Studio.
ActionSeps DTX
A Photoshop action set that separates DTF and DTG art "in just one click" and is sold with training. Their page says it works with any version of Photoshop, from CS6 on PC to the latest CC on Mac, and there is an Affinity version of DTX. There is also a DTX Live web app; we did not find its price on the page we read. If you already know Photoshop and like a one-click result, it is a fair, low-cost buy.
DTF-TONES (The Vector Lab)
A layered Photoshop or Affinity template, 14 x 19 inches at 300 DPI, with round dots at 25, 35 or 45 LPI at 22.5 degrees. No plugins or actions to install. Pick your knockout color, and tones near it turn into open halftone dots. There is also a web version with seven halftone patterns, any angle and 15 to 65 LPI. It carries a 4.9 rating from 135 reviews on its own page.
Price and what you need to run it
| ToneSmith | ActionSeps DTX | DTF-TONES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $7/mo, $47/yr or $149 lifetime | $48 one-time | $44 |
| Plugin-only option | ToneSmith Lite, $29 one-time | It is a Photoshop action set | It is a template |
| Needs Photoshop? | No (web app); plugin needs Photoshop 23+ | Yes, or Affinity for that version | Photoshop CS5+ or Affinity 2+, or the web version |
| Try before you buy | Free live demo, no sign-up; 7-day trial | Satisfaction guarantee | Web trial with watermarked exports |
Prices and terms from each product's own page, checked November 3, 2026. DTF-TONES showed a sold out badge when we checked, so availability may vary.
If price over a few years is all that matters, a one-time tool wins. If you print every week, the time a live preview saves on each file is usually worth more than the difference.
Side by side
| ToneSmith | ActionSeps DTX | DTF-TONES | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Browser and Photoshop plugin | Photoshop or Affinity | Photoshop, Affinity or browser |
| LPI range | 15 to 85 | Not listed | 25, 35, 45 (template); 15 to 65 (web) |
| Dot shapes | 13 | Not listed | Round (template); 7 patterns (web) |
| Angle | 0 to 45 degrees | Not listed | 22.5 (template); any (web) |
| Live preview while you adjust | Yes, on the shirt color | Not listed | Template preview; web is live |
| White underbase with choke | Yes, 0 to 5 px | Not listed | Not listed |
| Exports | PNG, CMYK TIFF with white spot | Photoshop file | Transparent PNG, 300 DPI |
| Gang sheets and mockups | Included | Not listed | Not listed |
'Not listed' means we did not find it on their product page, not that it is missing.
Which one should you pick?
- You do not own Photoshop, or you prep on a laptop at the press: ToneSmith. It runs in the browser and your art stays on your computer.
- You live in Photoshop and want the most control over dots: ToneSmith's plugin, or ToneSmith Lite at $29 once if you only want the plugin.
- You want one click in Photoshop plus a course on DTF: ActionSeps DTX.
- You like a template you can open and see every layer of: DTF-TONES.
- You want halftones, gang sheets and customer mockups in one place: ToneSmith.
See it on your own art first
The ToneSmith demo runs the real engine in your browser with no sign-up. Drop in a customer file, pick the shirt color and watch the dots change.
Once the file is right, the print is the easy part. If you would rather buy transfers than print them, our DTF transfers are ready to press.
Clean DTF prints, set by eye
Live halftones, a choked white underbase and print-ready files. Try the demo free, no sign-up.
Questions makers ask
What is the best halftone app for DTF?
For most DTF shops, ToneSmith: a live halftone preview on the shirt color, a choked white underbase and print-ready PNG or CMYK TIFF, in the browser or as a Photoshop plugin, from $7 a month. If you want to pay once and stay in Photoshop, ActionSeps DTX ($48) and DTF-TONES ($44) are both good, and ToneSmith Lite is a $29 one-time plugin.
Can I make DTF halftones without Photoshop?
Yes. The ToneSmith web app runs in your browser with nothing to install, and DTF-TONES has a web version too. ActionSeps DTX is a Photoshop and Affinity action set, so it needs one of those programs.
What LPI should I use for DTF halftones?
Most shops start between 25 and 45 LPI. DTF-TONES' template ships at 25, 35 and 45 LPI. ToneSmith goes from 15 to 85 LPI and includes an LPI test sheet from 10 to 75 so you can see what your printer and powder hold.
What causes the white haze on DTF prints?
Soft, semi-transparent edge pixels. The printer lays white under them and they print as a milky halo. All three tools fix this by making every pixel fully on or fully off; ToneSmith calls it Hard Edges and adds a halo check before you export.
Is there a one-time payment option?
Yes. ActionSeps DTX is $48 one-time, DTF-TONES is $44, ToneSmith Lite is $29 for the Photoshop plugin only, and full ToneSmith has a $149 lifetime plan.
Can I try ToneSmith first?
Yes. The live demo needs no sign-up and nothing is uploaded. Monthly and annual plans also have a 7-day free trial; cancel before day 8 and you pay nothing.
FoundryPass
ToneSmith is in FoundryPass
Every Forge app at full version in one membership: ToneSmith, VectorForge Pro, PatchForge, TumblerForge, MappSmith and NestSmith Pro.
Keep reading
