Offset vs digital printing: which one fits your run?
Run length, turnaround and colour accuracy all pull in different directions. Here is how we decide between the two presses.
Offset and digital presses can both produce excellent print. The better choice depends on quantity, deadline, paper and how exactly colours must match.
When digital printing wins
Digital printing needs no plates, so short runs are quick and affordable. It suits business cards, event flyers, personalised mailings and anything you want to test before ordering in volume. Changes between versions cost almost nothing.
When offset printing wins
Offset has a setup cost, but the price per copy drops quickly as quantities grow. For brochures, catalogues and stationery in the thousands, offset is usually cheaper and gives very consistent colour across the whole run, including Pantone spot colours.
Paper and finishing
Both processes work with coated and uncoated stocks. Very heavy or textured papers, metallic inks and some special finishes are better suited to offset, while digital handles variable data easily.
A simple rule of thumb
- Under a few hundred copies or tight deadlines: digital
- Large quantities or brand-critical spot colours: offset
- Unsure: ask for a price on both
Tell us the quantity, size and paper you have in mind and we will quote the process that makes the most sense.