What Is the Cost Per Page for Ink Tank Printers?
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the cost per page helps evaluate a printer’s long-term value.
- The cost per page for ink tank printers includes the price of ink and paper and quantifies how much it costs to print one page.
- Color printing costs more per page than black-only printing.
The cost per page for ink tank printers typically ranges from less than one cent for black-only printing to a few cents for color, depending on the price of the ink bottles and their print yield. To calculate the cost per page, you’ll want to divide the cost of an ink bottle by the number of pages it yields, then add the per-sheet cost of paper. Ink tank printers generally offer a lower cost per page than both cartridge and laser printers, making them one of the more cost-efficient options for high-volume printing.
In this guide from HP, let’s talk about calculating the cost per page for tank printers, including why this metric matters and how costs differ between text-only documents and photos or mixed-media prints.
Why Does Cost Per Page Matter?
A printer’s cost per page contributes to its total cost of ownership, a valuable metric for comparing costs across multiple printer models to find the most efficient option.
Think for a moment about the most recent document you printed. The final cost for that specific page includes the printer, paper, and ink required to turn your digital file into a physical document.
Printers that offer the greatest value balance cost-effective printing with quality. Efficiency means little if a printer can’t reliably produce crisp text and detailed photos.
What Is the Cost Per Page for Tank Printers?
The cost per page for ink tank printers quantifies how much it costs to print a single page.
Costs per page vary among tank printers depending on the prices of consumables such as refillable ink bottles and printer paper. Printing in black ink typically costs less per page than color printing because the printer uses a single ink cartridge instead of several.
How To Calculate the Cost Per Page for Tank Printers
Calculate the cost per page for your tank printer by combining the cost of a single sheet of paper (cost of paper per page) with the cost of the ink used (cost of ink per page).
You’ll need to use the following formulas to determine each:
Cost of refillable ink bottle / Print yield = Cost of ink per page
Cost of ream of paper / Number of sheets = Cost of paper per page
Cost per page: Black and color ink
To calculate the cost of ink used per page, divide the cost of a refillable ink bottle (black or color) by the number of pages you can print with that bottle (also known as the print yield).
For example, if you were to purchase a refillable black ink bottle for $30 that yields 6,000 pages, the cost per page would be $0.005, or less than a penny:
$30 (cost of refillable ink bottle) / 6,000 (print yield) = $0.005 (cost per page)
The cost per page for colored inks must also include black ink, so it’s generally higher.
Cost per page: Paper
The cost per page for paper depends on the type and size of paper you use. Divide the cost of a ream of paper by the number of sheets within it to determine the paper cost per page.
For example, if you paid $10 for a ream of 100 sheets, the per-sheet cost would be $0.10. Combine that with the cost per page for black ink only from above ($0.005), and you’d pay just over a dime ($0.105) for every document you printed from your printer.
Wrapping Up
Cost per page is one of the most practical ways to compare printers because it tells you what you'll actually end up spending over time. For most users, that number is what determines whether a printer will ultimately pay for itself or just become a costly habit.
Because refillable bottles carry far more ink than standard cartridges, the cost per page stays low for ink tank printers, even as the print volumes increase.
HP Smart Tank printers are built to work with high-capacity ink bottles that yield up to 6,000 black pages and up to 8,000 color pages, depending on the model. Plus, the included ink covers up to three years of typical printing right out of the box, and that means a lower cost per page from day one, all without sacrificing print quality.
Explore the full Smart Tank lineup to find the printer that makes the most sense for you.
FAQs
How does the cost per page differ between ink tank printers and cartridge printers?
Between ink tank and cartridge printers, tank printers typically have a lower cost per page by design: their high-capacity, refillable ink tanks seal better than a traditional cartridge that’s susceptible to drying out sooner.
Do laser printers have a higher cost per page than ink tank printers?
Laser printers do generally have a higher cost per page than ink tank printers, and this is especially true when it comes to color printing. Plus, laser printer toner cartridges can be expensive to replace.
What factors affect an ink tank printer’s cost per page?
Factors that affect an ink tank printer’s cost per page include the price of refillable ink bottles, the type of printing (black vs. color), and the cost of the paper type used.
What factors besides cost per page should you consider when choosing a tank printer?
When choosing a tank printer, consider factors such as print quality, speed, connectivity, paper-handling capacity, reliability, and maintenance requirements beyond just cost per page.
Can the cost per page change over time?
Yes, the cost per page for any printer can fluctuate over time, along with ink and paper price fluctuations.
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