Digital vs offset printing compared
Digital printing prints straight from the file without any plates. It pays off for short runs, personalised print and fast turnaround. Offset printing needs plates, but becomes much cheaper per copy for longer runs and can print spot colours exactly.
Contents of this page
The differences at a glance
| Digital printing | Offset printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Make-ready | no plates, prints straight from the file | one printing plate per colour |
| Economical from | 1 copy | a few hundred to a few thousand copies, depending on the product |
| Cost per copy | almost constant | falls sharply as the run grows |
| Personalisation | every copy can be different | not possible |
| Spot colours (Pantone, HKS) | simulated from CMYK | printed exactly as a separate ink |
| Typical sheet size | SRA3 (320 × 450 mm), sometimes larger | 50 × 70 cm to 72 × 102 cm and more |
| Turnaround | often the same or next day | a few days, as the ink has to dry |
Digital printing
In digital printing, the press transfers the image straight from the data onto paper, with toner like a laser printer or with ink like an inkjet, only at much higher quality and speed. Because no plates are involved, the first copy costs hardly more than the hundredth.
That makes digital printing ideal for business cards, small runs of flyers, invitations, photo books and anything personalised, such as mailings with an individual greeting. Most presses handle sheets up to SRA3 or slightly larger. Posters and banners are printed on dedicated wide-format machines that print from the roll.
Quality today is very close to offset. You are most likely to see a difference on large areas of flat colour and on exact brand colours.
Offset printing
In offset printing, a plate is made for each colour. The ink passes from the plate to a rubber blanket and from there onto the paper, which is where the name comes from: the image is offset from plate to blanket. A four-colour job needs four plates. Setting up takes time and spoils some paper, but after that the press runs very fast and evenly. Modern sheetfed offset presses manage more than 15,000 sheets an hour.
Offset pays off for longer runs, for spot colours and for papers that digital presses struggle with, such as heavily textured stocks. Newspapers and magazines run on web offset, which prints on a continuous reel of paper instead of separate sheets.
Sheet sizes in offset printing
Offset presses are often grouped by their maximum sheet size. The names are not standardised, but they are common in the trade:
| Class | Sheet about | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Small format | 36 × 52 cm | business stationery, short runs |
| Half size (B2) | 50 × 70 cm | flyers, brochures in medium runs |
| Medium format (B1) | 70 × 100 cm | the standard for commercial print and books |
| Large format | from about 100 × 140 cm | packaging, posters, long runs |
A 70 × 100 cm sheet holds 16 A4 pages, eight on each side. Folded and trimmed, it becomes a 16-page section, which can form a booklet or part of a book.
Which method for which job?
- 50 business cards, 100 invitations, 10 photo books: digital.
- 500 flyers: either works, and digital is often still cheaper and faster.
- 5000 flyers, 2000 brochures: usually offset.
- The brand colour has to match exactly: offset with a spot colour.
- Every copy carries its own name: digital.
Many online printers choose the method themselves, depending on run length and product. You can prepare your files the same way in both cases: as a PDF with bleed, as described under print-ready files.
Frequently asked questions
From what run length is offset worth it?
It depends on the product. As a rough guide, from a few hundred to a few thousand copies.
Is digital printing worse than offset?
Not as a rule. Quality is very similar today. Differences show mainly with spot colours and large solid areas.
What sheet size do digital presses use?
Usually SRA3 at 320 × 450 mm. Some presses also take longer or larger sheets.
What is web offset?
Offset printing on a continuous reel of paper rather than separate sheets. It is used for newspapers, magazines and catalogues in high volumes.