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October 31, 2017

Offset vs. Digital Printing: What's the Difference?

Business printing services, it's important to understand the difference between offset and digital printing. The best choice for your project will depend on factors such as deadline, quantity, budget, and how you desire the finished piece to look.

Method

Offset printing involves aluminum plates that transfer an image onto a sheet of rubber, which then transfers the image to the paper stock. Digital printing does not require plates or extensive setup, and comes out dry, ready to cut and deliver.

Uses

Offset printing is most cost-effective when you need to print in large quantities (more than 1000 press sheets) or have extremely demanding quality requirements. The pieces produced by this method display clean, crisp printing with accurate color reproduction. Digital printing is more appropriate for shorter run, fast turn jobs. Also, digital printing services allow each piece to be customized (such as with a thank-you letter to donors), which is not an option for offset printing.

Advantages

Both offset and digital printing services have unique advantages. Digital printing is ideal for small quantities on demand and is inexpensive, especially when pieces are reproduced only in black and white. The ability to add variable data is also a boon for many business owners. With advances in digital printing, a clean, professional look is available even on a tight budget.

Offset printing is an affordable solution when a large print run is required. In fact, the higher the print quantity, the lower the price per piece. With offset printing, you can also choose special paper finishes and custom inks such as metallics for a unique appearance, all rendered in incredible detail.

Make sure your printer offers both offset and digital so they can advise you on what is best for your project. Colorprint offers both digital and offset printing services with a reputation built on 25 years of outstanding customer satisfaction. In addition to our exceptional work, we are proud to support our Bay area community by donating 25 percent of our proceeds to local charities. Clients can get started by requesting a quote.

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