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Printer vs print shop for college: which is cheaper?

Printer vs print shop for college: how often you print decides it. A simple rule, a worked AED example and when a small home printer is worth the space.

Lucas Bernard4 min read

A small desktop printer on a desk next to a stack of paper
Image by JessBaileyDesign from Pixabay

Verdict: A print shop or your campus printer is cheaper for most students. A home printer is worth it only if you print most weeks, because the real cost is ink, paper and the space it takes in a small room. Ask what your school offers before you buy anything.

Which wins on

FactorHome printerPrint shop or campus
Upfront costYes, you buy the machineNone
Cost per pageDepends on ink and paperSmall and clear
Convenience at 11 pmBestClosed
Space in a dormNeeds a spot and a power pointNone
MaintenanceInk, jams, updatesNone
Good for rare printingNoYes

Printer prices and ink costs vary a lot. Use the maker's page yield figure as a guide, and treat it as a rough number, not a promise.

Pick the print shop if

  • You print a few pages a week or less.
  • Your dorm room is small.
  • Your school has free or low-cost printing in the library or lab.

Ask the library about printing credit. Many colleges include some in your fees.

Pick a home printer if

  • You print dozens of pages most weeks, such as for a course heavy in readings.
  • You often need a print at night, before a deadline.
  • Your housing allows it and you have a spare desk corner.

Ink is the hidden cost. Many printers are cheap to buy and costly to feed. Look at the cost of replacement ink before you pick a model.

A stack of printed pages next to a laptop on a desk
Check how many pages you really printImage by AbsolutVision from Pixabay

A worked example in AED

Use round example numbers only. Say a print shop charges AED 0.50 a page, and you print 10 pages a week for 30 weeks. That is 300 pages, or AED 150.

A small home printer at an example AED 350 plus ink and paper for the same 300 pages could be AED 450 or more. At that level, the print shop wins easily.

Change it to 100 pages a week, which is 3,000 pages. The shop would cost an example AED 1,500. A home printer, with ink and paper, may come out lower. The more you print, the better the printer looks.

The rule that matters most

Count your pages first. For two weeks, write down how many pages you would have printed. If it is under 20 a week, skip the printer. If it is over 50, a printer may pay off.

Caution

Ask whether you need to print at all. Many teachers accept files online. Reading on a screen, or on a tablet, can cut printing a lot. See laptop vs tablet for college notes if that is your plan. And a home printer is one of the first things to cut if the term budget is tight, as the back-to-school budget plan shows.

Cheaper ways to cut printing

Print two pages on one sheet where it is allowed. Print only the pages you need. Read on screen and take notes by hand. Ask your teacher if they accept files online. Each of these cuts the number of pages, which cuts the cost either way.

Quick questions

Is it cheaper to print at home or at a print shop?

For light printing, the shop. For heavy printing, a home printer can win once ink and paper are counted.

Do I need a printer in a dorm?

Most students do not. Check library printing and what your courses require.

What about ink subscriptions?

They can suit heavy printers. Read the terms and cancel rules before you sign up.

Can I share a printer with a roommate?

Yes, and splitting the cost helps. Agree who buys the ink and who keeps the printer at the end of term.

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