Choose digital printing for short runs (up to about 1,000 copies), personalised jobs and quick turnaround. Choose offset printing for large runs, books and exact brand colours, where the cost per copy falls as the quantity rises.

• Digital: the file goes straight to the printer, like a very fast, high-quality office printer. There are no plates. We use Ricoh production printers.

• Offset: the artwork is made into metal plates, and ink is transferred from plate to a rubber blanket to the paper. Making plates and setting up the press costs time and money, but each extra copy is very cheap.

Digital has little setup cost, but the cost per copy stays almost the same.
Offset has a higher setup cost, but the cost per copy keeps dropping as you print more.
The break-even is the quantity where offset becomes cheaper in total. It depends on size, pages and colours. It’s typically somewhere between a few hundred and a couple of thousand copies. Our rule of thumb is about 1,000 - 2,000.

Four questions to decide

1. How many copies do you need?

2. Does each copy differ (names, numbers)?

3. How soon do you need it?

4. Does the colour need to match a brand exactly?

Not sure which to choose? Tell us what you’re printing and how many, and we’ll suggest the right one.