What a bill printer really costs per month (with a simple formula)

Most owners know what the printer cost on the day they bought it. Fewer know what printing bills costs them every month. The paper is the part that keeps coming back.

This guide gives you a formula you can run with your own numbers in about five minutes. We do not quote prices here, because they vary by supplier and change over time. You will use yours.

The four costs

1. Paper rolls. The biggest recurring cost for most shops.
2. The printer. A one-off purchase you spread over its life.
3. Repairs and spare parts. Print heads, cutters and power adapters wear out.
4. Staff time. Changing rolls, clearing jams and fixing faults.

Step 1: How many rolls do you use?

You need three numbers:

• Bills printed per month = bills per day × days you are open
• Length of each bill (in cm). Measure a few real ones. Many bills are around 15 cm, but yours may be longer or shorter.
• Length of one roll (in metres). Check the label or the supplier’s spec.

Then:

Rolls per month = (bills per month × bill length in cm ÷ 100) ÷ roll length in metres

A worked example (illustrative numbers only)

Suppose a shop prints 200 bills a day and is open 26 days a month. That is 5,200 bills a month. If each bill is 15 cm, that is 780 metres of paper. If a roll is 50 metres, the shop uses about 15.6 rolls a month, so about 16.

Replace these numbers with your own. A longer bill or more customers changes the answer quickly.

Step 2: What does that cost?

Monthly paper cost = rolls per month × price of one roll

Use the price you actually pay, including delivery. If you buy in bulk, use the bulk price per roll.

Step 3: Add the printer, spread over its life

Monthly printer cost = price of the printer ÷ months you expect it to last

If the printer cost you a certain amount and you expect it to last three years, divide by 36.

Step 4: Add repairs and your time

Estimate what you spend each year on spare parts and repairs, divide by 12, and add it. Then think about staff time. If changing a roll or clearing a jam takes a few minutes and happens several times a week, that is real time at the counter, even if it does not show up as a bill.

Putting it together

Monthly cost = paper + printer share + repairs + (optionally) staff time

Now look at the paper number. Multiply it by 12 to see what you spend each year. For many shops, the figure is larger than they expected.

What to do with the answer

• Shorten the bill. Fewer lines, a smaller footer and no extra promotions on every bill cut paper use right away.
• Compare suppliers on price per metre, not price per roll.
• Offer a digital option. Every customer who takes a digital receipt is a bill you do not print. See how digital receipts work for shops.

You can run the numbers above in our receipt cost calculator, which works out rolls, yearly cost and an estimate of the paper used.

Choosing a new printer? Read how to choose a bill printer first, and check 58mm vs 80mm so you buy the right roll size.