How much to charge for print jobs
Updated 26 September 2026
Most print shops price by quantity, and the price per piece drops at set breaks as the run gets longer. Thicker paper and double-sided printing cost more, and finishes like lamination are charged as extras. A base charge on every job covers set-up, so short runs still pay for the time they take.
Example printing prices
| Job | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 business cards, double sided, rounded corners | $160 | £125 | A$237 | CA$212 |
| 1,000 A5 (half-letter) flyers, double sided | $302 | £233 | A$453 | CA$400 |
| 100 A3 (tabloid) posters, premium paper, next-day rush | $328 | £253 | A$497 | CA$422 |
Priced with the starting rates in our printing template, in each country's currency. They're a starting point, not a survey of local rates, so set your own from what your jobs take and what others charge near you.
How print shops set their prices
Quantity breaks
A price per piece that falls as the quantity goes up, since checking the file and setting up take as long for 100 cards as for 5,000. Customers expect it, and it nudges them towards bigger orders. Show the breaks on your price list so people can see where the next one starts.
Cost plus markup
Add up the paper, ink or toner, press time and finishing, then add your margin. It's accurate for large or unusual work, like odd sizes and special stocks, but slow to do by hand. Keep it for custom quotes and use set prices for everyday orders.
Set prices for best sellers
Fixed prices for the products you sell most, such as 500 double-sided business cards on standard stock. They're easy to sell online and quick to reorder. You still need a way to quote anything outside the list.
Sample printing price list
The prices in our template, as a list you can adapt. Percentages change the price of the job; fixed-price extras are added on top.
| Item | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price, every job | $15 | £12 | A$23 | CA$20 |
| Product: A5 / half-letter flyers | +60% | +60% | +60% | +60% |
| Product: Postcards | +80% | +80% | +80% | +80% |
| Product: A3 / tabloid posters | ×5 | ×5 | ×5 | ×5 |
| Quantity, per piece | from $0.20 | from £0.15 | from A$0.30 | from CA$0.25 |
| Printing: Double sided | +30% | +30% | +30% | +30% |
| Paper: Premium thick | +25% | +25% | +25% | +25% |
| Paper: Recycled | +10% | +10% | +10% | +10% |
| Matte laminate | +$25 | +£20 | +A$40 | +CA$35 |
| Rounded corners | +$30 | +£25 | +A$45 | +CA$40 |
| Spot UV | +$60 | +£50 | +A$90 | +CA$80 |
| Rush (next business day) | +50% | +50% | +50% | +50% |
| Minimum job price | $30 | £25 | A$45 | CA$40 |
Put this price list on your website
Customers answer a few questions about the job, see the price and send you their details. This is our printing quote form with the prices above. Try it as a customer would, then start from these prices and change any of them.
Inkwell Print Co.
Instant print pricing
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Printing customer files as they arrive. A file with no bleed or blurry photos can take longer to fix than to print. Charge for artwork fixes by the time they take, or send the file back with notes.
- Doing next-day jobs at the normal price. A rush order pushes other work back and can mean staying late. Our template adds 50% for rush jobs printed the next business day.
- Letting a bigger order cost less. When the price per piece drops at a break, an order just over the break can come to less in total than one just under it. Check the totals either side of every break.
- Charging short runs by the piece alone. Fifty cards take nearly as long to set up as 500. Our template adds a $15 base price to every job and has a $30 minimum in the US.
Not sure what your time is worth? Work out your hourly rate with the pricing calculator, then check your job prices cover it.
Questions
- How do I set quantity breaks?
- Work out your cost per piece at a few run lengths, set-up included, and put a break wherever that cost falls noticeably. Our template breaks at 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,500 pieces.
- How much more should double-sided printing cost?
- Less than twice the single-sided price, because both sides share the set-up, paper and trimming. Our template adds 30% for printing on both sides.
- Should I charge for design separately?
- Yes. Design can take longer than the printing, and folding it into the per-piece price hides that cost. Quote it as a set fee or by the hour.
- Should I match online printing prices?
- Usually not. Large online printers combine many orders on one sheet to keep costs down. Compete on what they can't offer, like same-day pickup and a proof the customer can hold.
- How do I put print prices on my website?
- Set up a quote form where customers pick the product, quantity, paper and finishes and see the price. They send you the order with their details, and you check the artwork before it goes to print.