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Printing explained
What is digital printing? How it works, and what it is best for.
Digital printing prints straight from a file, with no plates to make first. That makes it the quickest and most economical way to print short and medium runs, and the only way to make every copy different.
- 4 minute read
- Updated October 2026
- Written by Printlogik
In short
- What it is: printing directly from a digital file onto paper, card or other materials, using toner or ink.
- What it is good at: short and medium runs, fast turnarounds and personalised print.
- What it is not good at: very long runs, where the cost per copy does not fall the way it does with offset printing.
- Where you see it: business cards, flyers, booklets, posters, banners and most everyday business print.
Ready to order? See our business cards, flyers, sticker sheets and booklets.
How digital printing works
A digital press takes your file and prints it, in the same way an office printer does, only far faster and to a much higher standard. There are two main kinds.
- Toner presses use an electrical charge to place fine powder or liquid toner on the sheet, then fix it with heat. They are used for cards, flyers, booklets and stationery.
- Inkjet presses fire tiny droplets of ink onto the material. Large inkjet printers are what print posters, banners, signs and display graphics.
Neither needs a printing plate. That one difference is what sets digital apart from offset printing, where a plate has to be made for every colour before the first copy.
Why it suits short runs
With no plates and very little set-up, a digital press can start printing almost at once. The first copy costs about the same as the thousandth, so you can order the number you need and no more.
- Print what you need. Fifty business cards or a hundred flyers are sensible digital jobs.
- Print it quickly. With no set-up to wait for, turnarounds are short.
- Change it next time. A new price, a new date or a new offer costs nothing extra to print.
Printing every copy differently
Because each sheet is printed from data, each one can be different. A name, an address, a code or a picture can change from copy to copy in a single run. Printers call this variable data printing, and offset printing cannot do it.
It is how personalised letters, numbered tickets and named invitations are made.
Digital printing for business
Much of the everyday print a small business orders suits digital printing: business cards, flyers, leaflets, booklets, stickers and posters. The runs are usually short, the artwork changes often, and you can reorder a few hundred at a time instead of storing thousands.
Digital printing also lets you print different versions in one order, such as a business card for each member of the team, or a flyer with a different offer for each area you deliver to.
At Printlogik, a real person checks every file before it prints. Order business cards, flyers, booklets or sticker sheets online, or ask for a quote for something bigger.
Digital or offset: how they compare
| Digital printing | Offset printing | |
|---|---|---|
| Set-up | None: it prints straight from the file | Plates and press set-up before the first copy |
| Cost per copy | Stays about the same at any quantity | Falls sharply as the run gets longer |
| Best for | Short and medium runs | Long runs |
| Speed to start | Fast, often the same or next day | Slower, because of the set-up |
| Changing copies | Each copy can be different | Every copy is identical |
| Colour | Builds colours from four or more process inks | Can use exact spot colours, such as Pantone inks |
Is the quality as good?
For almost all business print, yes. Modern digital presses print sharp text and smooth colour that most people cannot tell from offset.
The differences show at the edges: a brand colour that must match a Pantone ink exactly, or a very long run where offset is both cheaper and more consistent. When a job is better printed litho, we print it litho through our production partners.
Not sure which suits your job?
Tell us what you are printing and how many. A real person will tell you whether digital or litho suits it, and what it will cost.
Getting your file ready
Digital printing reproduces exactly what is in the file, so the file matters.
- Send a PDF where you can. It keeps your fonts and layout as you made them.
- Use images at 300 dots per inch at the size they will print, so they stay sharp.
- Add bleed. Run backgrounds 3mm past the edge of the page, so there is no white line when it is trimmed.
- Work in CMYK if your software allows it, because that is how the press builds colour.
A real person checks every file before we print it, and tells you if something needs fixing.
Ready to print
Print you can order today
Questions
Digital printing, answered
What is digital printing in simple terms?
Printing straight from a computer file onto paper or other material, with no printing plates. A digital press works like a very fast, very accurate office printer.
What is the difference between digital and offset printing?
Offset printing uses plates and is cheapest on long runs. Digital printing needs no plates, so it is quicker and cheaper for short runs and can make every copy different.
Is digital printing good quality?
Yes. For business cards, flyers, booklets and posters, a modern digital press gives sharp text and smooth colour.
Is digital printing cheaper?
For short and medium runs, yes, because there is no set-up to pay for. For very long runs offset is usually cheaper per copy.
What is variable data printing?
Changing part of the design from one copy to the next, such as a name, an address or a number. Only digital printing can do it.
What file should I send for digital printing?
A PDF with 3mm bleed and images at 300 dots per inch. We check every file before printing and tell you if something needs fixing.
The number you need.When you need it.
Ready to print? Shop print.