Laser vs Inkjet: Which Is Best for Your Business?

Choosing between laser and inkjet depends on print volume, document types, and budget.

How They Work

Laser uses heated fuser to bond powdered toner. Inkjet sprays liquid ink through nozzles. This affects speed, cost, and quality.

Cost Per Page

• Laser mono: $0.01-$0.03/page
• Laser color: $0.05-$0.10/page
• Inkjet: $0.05-$0.20/page

Print Speed

• Entry laser: 20-30 ppm
• Business laser: 40-70+ ppm
• Inkjet: 10-20 ppm

Print Quality

Text Documents

Laser produces sharper, crisper text — superior for contracts and reports.

Photos

Inkjet holds an edge for photo-quality output. For charts and logos, color laser is excellent.

Maintenance

• No dried nozzles: Toner never dries out
• Fewer jams: More robust paper paths
• Longer consumables: Thousands vs hundreds of pages
• No cleaning cycles: No wasted ink

Total Cost of Ownership

• Inkjet upfront: $100-$400
• Laser upfront: $200-$800
• 3-year savings at 2,000 pages/month: Laser saves $2,000-$5,000+

Choose Laser If You:

• Print 500+ pages/month
• Primarily print text
• Need fast shared printing
• Want low maintenance

Choose Inkjet If You:

• Print under 200 pages/month
• Frequently print photos
• Need specialty media
• Have very limited budget

For most businesses, laser is the clear winner.