Comparison
Why Printags
Compare alternatives and understand why card printing as a service is a game changer.
In a nutshell
What changes with Printags
Zero investment
No printer to buy, no consumables, no stock. Subscription from €19/month.
100% automated
REST API, webhooks, sandbox. Integration in less than a day.
White label
Your customer never sees Printags. Packaging, card, branding — everything carries your brand.
Local production
Printer network across Europe and North America. Short lead times, reduced carbon footprint.
vs. Buying a card printer
The upfront investment is high and the TCO (total cost of ownership) is often underestimated.
In-house printer
- Upfront investment: €2,000 — €15,000
- Consumables: ribbons, films, blank cards (~€0.50/card)
- Regular maintenance and calibration required
- Dedicated operator for each print run
- No white label or integrated logistics
- Scalability limited by machine capacity
Printags
- Zero upfront investment
- Subscription from €19/month, all-inclusive
- No maintenance, no consumables to manage
- 100% automated via REST API
- White label + integrated direct shipping
- Unlimited scalability via global network
vs. A traditional print shop
Traditional printers are not designed for unit printing or automation.
Traditional print shop
- Minimum order: often 100+ identical cards
- No API or automation available
- Production lead times: 1 to 3 weeks
- No individual variable data
- No white label option
- No NFC encoding
Printags
- Print from 1 unit, no minimum
- Full REST API + real-time webhooks
- Production within 48 business hours
- Each card is unique (variable data)
- Full white label on packaging
- NFC encoding integrated into the production flow
vs. Doing everything in-house
Building an in-house printing infrastructure is costly and difficult to scale.
In-house solution
- Equipment, personnel, training to fund
- Raw materials supplier management
- Shipping logistics to organise
- Single production site = single point of failure
- Difficult to scale internationally
Printags
- Turnkey infrastructure, operational immediately
- Raw materials managed by our partners
- End-to-end automated logistics
- Multi-site network (Europe + North America)
- Global scalability built into the service
Frequently asked questions
Still have doubts?
Is Printags suitable for small volumes?
Yes. Our basic plan at €19/month is suitable for businesses producing a few dozen cards per month. No minimum order — you can order a single card.
Can I try before committing?
Yes. You can create a free sandbox account to test the API with no commitment. You only pay when you go into production.
How does the unit cost compare?
The Printags unit cost includes printing, NFC encoding (if applicable) and quality control. Shipping is billed on top, at the rate of the carrier you choose, with no margin on our side. Compared to the TCO of an in-house printer (machine + consumables + maintenance + operator), Printags is more cost-effective from the first months.
Is the quality on par with industrial production?
Yes. Our partners use 300 DPI industrial printers with thermal lamination. The quality is equal to or better than desktop printers.
What happens if I need to scale quickly?
The Printags network automatically absorbs volume spikes. You don’t need to configure anything — if your volume doubles, the network adapts. Simply change your subscription plan if needed.
Convinced?
Create your account and send your first order in minutes. No commitment.