Printing costs are everything you spend to print over a printer's life, not just the price of the printer. The two most useful measures are cost per page, which is the supply cost of printing one page, and total cost of ownership, which adds the printer, ink or toner, paper, and upkeep over time. For most people who print regularly, supplies end up costing more than the printer itself.
Printing Costs Essentials at a Glance
Cost per page divides a cartridge's price by its page yield
Total cost of ownership adds the printer price to supplies, paper, and upkeep over time
A cheaper printer can cost more over time if its supplies cost more per page
How much and what you print matter more than the printer's sticker price
Ink tanks, XL cartridges, and subscriptions can lower costs for frequent printing
What Is Cost per Page?
Cost per page (CPP) is how much ink or toner costs for each page you print. It's the fairest way to compare running costs between printers, because it accounts for both cartridge price and how many pages each cartridge prints.
How to calculate cost per page
Divide the cartridge price by its page yield:
Cost per page = cartridge price ÷ page yield
For example, a hypothetical black cartridge that costs $20 and yields 400 pages works out to $0.05, or 5 cents, per page. You'll find the page yield on the cartridge packaging, the product page, or HP's page yield site. Learn more about how page yield is measured in our guide to ink and toner.
Black-and-white vs. color cost per page
A color page uses black ink plus cyan, magenta, and yellow, so its cost per page is the sum of the cost per page of each cartridge it uses. That's why color pages usually cost more than black-and-white pages with cartridges. Under page-based plans like ink subscriptions, color and black-and-white pages cost the same.
Why your real cost per page can vary
Page yields are measured with standard test pages. Pages with photos or heavy graphics use more ink or toner than the test pages, which raises your real cost per page. Mostly text pages often come in lower.
What Is Total Cost of Ownership for a Printer?
Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the full amount you spend on a printer over the years you use it. It gives a more complete picture than the printer's price or cost per page alone.
Cost | What to include |
Printer | The purchase price, or monthly fees if the printer is part of a subscription |
Ink or toner | Your expected pages per month multiplied by the cost per page, over the printer's life |
Paper | Plain paper, plus any photo paper, labels, or specialty media |
Maintenance parts | Items some laser printers need over time, such as a separate drum or maintenance kit |
Support and repairs | Extended warranty or care plans, and any out-of-warranty repairs |
How to estimate total cost of ownership
Estimate how many pages you print per month, and how many are in color.
Find the cost per page for black and for color.
Multiply your monthly pages by the cost per page, then by 12 for a yearly supply cost.
Multiply the yearly cost by the number of years you expect to keep the printer.
Add the printer's price and any paper, parts, or support costs.
Running this estimate for two or three printers you're considering often reveals that the lowest-priced printer isn't the least expensive to own.
Printing Costs by Printer Type
Each printer type balances up-front price against running costs differently.
Printer type | Up-front cost | Cost per page | Most cost-effective for |
Cartridge inkjet printer | Usually the lowest | Higher, especially for color | Light, occasional printing |
Ink tank printer | Usually higher than a cartridge inkjet | Usually the lowest, including color | Frequent printing, especially in color |
Monochrome laser printer | Usually higher | Low for black-and-white text | High-volume text documents |
Color laser printer | Usually the highest of these | Moderate for color, low for black | Offices printing documents with color graphics |
Costs vary by model, so compare the specific printers you're considering. For side-by-side comparisons, read about ink tank vs. laser printers and laser vs. inkjet printers.
How print volume changes the math
The more you print, the more cost per page matters compared with the printer's price. If you print a few pages a month, a low-cost inkjet often has the lowest total cost. If you print hundreds of pages a month, a higher-priced ink tank or laser printer usually pays off through lower supply costs. To match a printer to your printing habits, see printers by use.
How to Lower Your Printing Costs
Match the printer to your volume: Choose an ink tank or laser printer if you print a lot, and a basic inkjet if you print rarely.
Use XL or high-yield cartridges: Larger cartridges usually lower the cost per page for regular printing.
Consider a subscription: Page-based plans like HP Instant Ink can lower costs for regular color printing.
Print in draft or normal mode: Save best-quality settings for photos and final copies. Learn more about print quality.
Print in black only when color isn't needed: Selecting grayscale or black ink only keeps color cartridges from emptying as quickly on cartridge printers.
Print on both sides: Two-sided printing cuts the amount of paper you use.
Preview before printing: Check print preview to skip blank pages, ads, and unneeded pages on web pages and long documents.
Use the right paper: Plain paper for everyday documents keeps costs down, while photo paper is worth it only for photos. Learn more about paper and media.
Frequently Asked Questions About Printing Costs
What is a good cost per page for a printer?
A good cost per page depends on what and how much you print. Ink tank printers usually offer the lowest cost per page for color, and monochrome laser printers usually offer a low cost per page for black-and-white text. Compare the cost per page of the specific printers you're considering rather than relying on a single benchmark.
Is it cheaper to print at home or at a print shop?
Printing at home is usually cheaper and more convenient for regular, everyday printing. A print shop can make more sense for occasional large jobs, oversized prints, or specialty finishes your printer can't handle.
Why are printer cartridges expensive compared with printers?
A printer's price covers the device once, while ink or toner is bought repeatedly over the printer's life. For people who print regularly, supplies make up most of the total cost of ownership, which is why comparing cost per page matters as much as comparing printer prices.
Does printing in color cost more than black and white?
Printing in color usually costs more than black and white with cartridge-based printers, because each color page uses black plus cyan, magenta, and yellow ink. Under page-based subscription plans, color and black-and-white pages cost the same.
Related Printer Topics
Printers: the main types of printers and how they work
Ink and toner: cartridges, tanks, page yield, and supplies
Ink subscriptions: how ink delivery plans work
Print speed: pages per minute and what affects it
