Thermal vs inkjet for shipping labels: the real cost per label
"Is a thermal printer worth it?" comes up constantly in reseller groups. The honest answer depends on how many parcels you send. This guide breaks down what each label really costs with each type of printer, and the calculator below works out when a thermal printer pays for itself with your own prices.
What goes into the cost of one label
- Thermal printer: just the label. There's no ink, toner or ribbon. A 4×6 direct thermal label is the whole cost.
- Inkjet: a sheet of paper, the ink for that page, and the tape to stick it on. Shipping labels are mostly black text and a dense barcode, so they use more black ink than a typical text page.
- Inkjet or laser on half-sheet label paper (two peel-and-stick labels per sheet, like Avery 5126/8126): the label sheet, which costs much more than plain paper, plus ink or toner. No tape needed.
- Laser: paper and toner. Toner is cheaper per page than inkjet ink, so laser printers sit between inkjet and thermal.
On top of that comes your time: printing, cutting, taping and smoothing out a paper label takes a minute or two per parcel. With a thermal printer you peel and stick.
Typical costs per label
Prices vary by country, brand and how much you buy at once, so the table shows typical ranges rather than exact prices. Check your own supplies and put them into the calculator below.
| Method | What you pay for | Typical cost per label |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal, 4×6 fanfold labels | Labels only (bought in 500s or 1,000s) | 2–4p / 2–4¢ |
| Laser, plain paper + tape | Paper, toner, tape | 3–6p / 4–8¢ |
| Inkjet, plain paper + tape | Paper, ink, tape | 5–15p / 6–20¢ |
| Inkjet or laser, half-sheet labels | Label sheets, ink or toner | 10–25p / 12–30¢ |
Ranges are estimates for UK and US retail prices, checked October 2026. Ink costs depend heavily on the printer and whether you use original or compatible cartridges.
Tip: if you stay with an inkjet, printing two labels per page halves your paper use, and on half-sheet label paper it also removes the need for tape.
Break-even calculator
Prices are in your own currency. The calculator runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.
Worked example
Say you send 40 parcels a month and currently print on plain paper with an inkjet at about 12p a label including tape. A £100 thermal printer with labels at £15 per 500 (3p each) saves 9p per label, or £3.60 a month. On cost alone that's over two years to pay back.
But at a minute saved per parcel, that's 40 minutes a month of not cutting and taping. At 150 parcels a month the same printer pays for itself in well under a year, and saves two and a half hours a month. For most people, the time and the neater parcels are the real reason to switch, more than the money.
So which should you choose?
- A few parcels a month: keep your current printer and print two labels per page.
- A few parcels a week: a budget thermal printer starts to make sense, mainly for the time saved.
- Daily shipping: a thermal printer is close to essential. Buy labels in bulk to get the cost per label down.
If you switch, our thermal printer setup guide covers getting the first label to print properly, including labels from platforms like Vinted that only give you full-page PDFs.