Offset or digital printing: which should you choose?
Independent guide, updated on . Practices vary from one workshop to another: have your printer confirm the values.
Most paper print jobs (cards, flyers, booklets, books) are produced by digital printing or offset printing. Both give good results today; what sets them apart is mainly quantity, turnaround time and certain finish requirements. Many Paris printers offer both and will steer you towards the more suitable one themselves.
How it works
Digital printing
The image is sent straight from the file to the machine, like a highly sophisticated office printer (toner or inkjet). There is no physical preparation: each sheet can differ from the previous one.
Offset printing
The image is first imaged onto plates (one per colour: cyan, magenta, yellow, black, plus any spot colours). The ink transfers from the plate to a rubber blanket, then onto the paper. Before the run starts, the press has to be made ready: adjusting the inking and colour registration, which takes time and uses up waste sheets.
Cost: a question of quantity
- With offset, preparation (plates, make-ready) is a significant fixed cost, whatever the quantity. After that, each additional copy costs little. The longer the run, the more that fixed cost is spread out.
- With digital, there is almost no fixed cost, but the cost per copy stays roughly constant.
So there is a break-even point beyond which offset becomes cheaper. It is not fixed: it depends on the format, the number of pages, the paper, the number of colours and each workshop's equipment. As a rough guide only, professional and specialist sources put it between a few hundred and a few thousand copies; in book publishing, a feature in Livres Hebdo (2017) quotes a production manager who considered digital “competitive with offset up to 2,500 copies”, with offset becoming competitive again above roughly 3,000 copies. These figures concern books, are a few years old (digital is progressing fast) and do not transfer as they are to a flyer or a card.
The right reflex: for a run of a few hundred to a few thousand copies, ask for a quote in both techniques, for the same quantity, and possibly for two quantities (for example 500 and 1,000): you will see where the break-even point lies for your project.
Turnaround times
- Digital: printing can start as soon as the file is approved, and the ink (or toner) is dry immediately. This is the technique for urgent jobs, often doable within a few hours or the same day for small quantities.
- Offset: the plates have to be made, the press made ready, the job printed and then left to dry before cutting, folding or binding. Generally allow several working days; the exact time depends on the workshop's schedule.
Quality and finish
| Criterion | Digital | Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Rendering of photos and colours | very good on most recent machines | very good, the printing industry benchmark |
| Spot colours (Pantone), metallic or fluorescent inks | limited, depending on the machine | yes |
| Large solid areas of colour | good, sometimes slightly less even | very even |
| Consistency over a very long run | good | excellent |
| Choice of papers | wide, but some textured or very thick papers do not run well | very wide |
| Personalisation (name, number, address) | yes, on every copy | no |
| Accurate proof before the run | the proof comes off the same machine | proof on a different system (contract proof) |
When to choose which
Digital is usually better for:
- small and medium quantities (from 1 to a few hundred copies);
- short turnaround;
- personalisation (named invitations, numbering, mail merge);
- tests, prototypes, mock-ups, print on demand;
- dissertations, theses, reports, short-run books.
Offset is usually better for:
- long runs (several thousand copies);
- a brand colour that must be matched exactly (spot colour);
- special papers, metallic or fluorescent inks;
- strict consistency required across the whole run (catalogues, magazines).
What about other techniques?
- Large format (wide-format inkjet): large posters, tarpaulin banners, roll-up banners, vinyl stickers, panels.
- Screen printing: textiles, objects, art posters; one colour per screen, cost-effective for series.
- Letterpress: relief printing, popular for high-end business cards and announcement cards.
Sources
- Hervé Hugueny, Livres Hebdo, Dossier Industries graphiques : plus court, plus vite (1 December 2017): https://www.livreshebdo.fr/article/dossier-industries-graphiques-plus-court-plus-vite
- Office québécois de la langue française, Grand dictionnaire terminologique, entry “plaque offset”: https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/26520497/plaque-offset
Frequently asked questions
From how many copies is offset cheaper?
There is no fixed threshold: depending on the sources and products, it lies somewhere between a few hundred and a few thousand copies. Only a comparative quote will settle it.
Is digital printing lower quality?
Not really any more, for most jobs. Offset keeps the edge for spot colours, certain papers and consistency on very long runs.
Which technique is faster?
Digital: no plates or make-ready, so printing can start as soon as the file is approved. Offset also needs drying time.
Can each copy be personalised?
Yes, with digital printing (variable data: name, number, address). With offset, every copy is identical.
Does my file change depending on the technique?
Hardly: a CMYK PDF, bleed and embedded fonts in both cases. Spot colours (Pantone) are only worthwhile in offset or screen printing.
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