“Should this be digital or litho?” is one of the most useful questions a print buyer can ask, because the wrong choice costs money. Here is how to think about it.

Digital printing

Digital presses print straight from the file — no plates, no make-ready. That makes them ideal for:

• Short to medium runs (a handful up to a couple of thousand)
• Fast turnaround and reprints
• Variable data — personalised names, numbers or addresses

Offset (litho) printing

Litho transfers ink from plates to a blanket to the sheet. There is a setup cost to make plates, but once running, each sheet is very cheap. It wins for:

• Long runs (many thousands), where the low per-sheet cost overtakes the setup
• Large sheets and specialty stocks
• Exacting, consistent colour across a big quantity

The crossover point

Every job has a quantity where litho becomes cheaper than digital. Below it, digital wins; above it, litho. The exact point depends on size, stock and finishing — so the honest answer is “let’s compare both for your job”. Use our cost estimator to model the run, then ask us and we will confirm the cheaper route. We run both in-house, so our advice is about your budget, not our kit.