Key Points:
- The global market for label printing will reach $49.90 billion in 2024
- Label printers are printers with multifunctional abilities to print shipping labels with a name, address, weight, tracking barcode, and other information you want on your shipment
- You want to look out for a few factors depending on what you want for your eCommerce small business to find the best shipping label printer
Shipping label printers are excellent for small businesses to speed up their packing and shipping process. Label printers have multifunctional abilities to print shipping labels with a name, address, weight, tracking barcode, and other information you want on your shipment.
So as a merchant running a high-volume online store or a small business owner trying to keep track of your goods, using the best shipping label printer can make your job easier while you organize your workload. Plus, label printers help you save time and cost to focus on scaling your business.
This blog post will cover essential factors you should consider before choosing the best shipping label printer for your online business.
Table of Contents
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Shipping Label Printer
Before choosing a label printer for your business, you want to look for a few factors depending on what you want for your eCommerce small business. Generally speaking, you want to pay attention to the following factors:
Compatibility
When choosing the best shipping label printer, you have to consider how compatible it is with your device and the shipping platform you use. Printers that are highly compatible work efficiently with different printing accessories without any difficulty with installations. Also, you have to choose the printer that connects and works with your business setup.
You should remember that each shipping label printer works with different online services and shipping platforms like USPS, UPS, Amazon, Shopify, and Etsy. Picking the best shipping label printer, as a result, depend on the shipping service your platform prefers, as well as the printer that will give you the discounted shipping prices your business likely needs.
Speed
You will need a high-speed printer if you print labels for a high production line and have a target to maintain. While some printers can produce close to a hundred labels per minute, others cannot. Therefore, you have to be very sure of the performance and speed of the printer you are buying. This way, you can find the best shipping label printer.
Connection
If your business requires you to be mobile at all times, you might consider choosing a printer that comes with a Wi-Fi connection. But if you are a small business with moderate shipments, then a printer with a USB connection is just fine for you.
Printers now come with various options. While some come with Ethernet as standard, others come with a built-in Bluetooth. However, all printers come with a USB connection.
The bottom line here is the ability of your printer to be able to print from anywhere on your network. So, look out for the one with good software, and this is because it will make it easier to print labels and to find the best shipping label printer.
Print color
Shipping labels are generally printed in black and white, but you may want to consider a color printer for your business. Apart from printing shipping labels, your business might require printing items like logo stickers, banners, or custom tags, which may require you to choose a color printer versus a standard black and white.
When choosing the shipping label printer, you also have to consider the resolution and sharpness of the prints. This factor is usually measured in DPI (Dots Per Inch). So, for the best resolution and experience, you need a printer with a high dpi for color printers.
Label size
The label size is an essential factor to consider when choosing the best shipping label printer. Consider buying a printer that allows you to print various labels of various sizes and templates. Also, pay attention to the width of the labels, as you want to opt for a printer that you can print both wide and narrow labels.
Related post: How to Unlock Cheap Shipping Labels
Best Label Printer for Small Businesses
We have selected the best shipping label printers for you using the criteria above as a yardstick. This way, you can choose the best printer for your business.
1. Brother QL-800 High-Speed Professional Label Printer
This printer is highly versatile, and you can print labels directly from your devices. It is also compatible with Android devices, Mac, or your PC. With this model, you can print multiple sizes of labels. If you are particular about the speed of a printer, the Brother QL-800 high-speed printer, as its name implies, can print up to 93 labels per minute, which is good for you if you print in hundreds.
Regarding the print quality and color, this printer prints in two colors - red and black, and the resolution is relatively high. Overall, this printer is popular amongst many and is considered to be one of the best shipping label printers.
2. ROLLO Label Printer
The Rollo label printer is a monochrome printer that works well with any Thermal Direct Label. One prominent feature is its compatibility with all major shipping platforms and printed at the required quality for major courier companies.
This label printer is compatible with Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, and eBay and compatible with both PCs and Macs. As for the label size, it can print as narrow as 1.57 inches and as wide as 4.1 inches with no limit on the length of the label.
3. BESTEASY Shipping Label Printer
If you're looking out for a convenient and time-saving printer, this printer works for many other uses and is compatible with all PC and Mac systems. Plus, this printer comes with 100 4 x 6-inch folding labels as a thermal printer, making it easy to use and one of the best shipping label printers.
BESTEASY Shipping Label Printer is also known for its high speed and stability. With a higher print quality, BESTEASY can make your packages look professional. It creates labels like a warehouse, mailing, ID, and barcode labels at a size of 1.57 to 4.1 inches in width and no restriction on length.
BESTEASY Shipping Label Printer The label printer goes for $110 on Amazon.
4. Arkscan 2054A Ethernet/LAN Shipping Label Printer
This model offers you an array of features, one of which is choosing your preferred label designs. In addition, the connectivity of this printer is quite versatile. The Arkscan 2054A Ethernet/LAN Shipping Label Printer works with Ethernet, wireless, and USB, which means you can print it out from your PCs, Macs, and Android phones.
This label printer goes for $189 on Amazon, which is not too expensive considering that the cost of running it is relatively low. Also, you can use it for functions apart from printing shipping labels, such as folding labels and content tags.
5. Brother VC-500W Color Label & Photo Printer
If you print logos, banners, and custom tags that require you to use a colored printer, then this compact color printer is a good option for you. It uses the ZINK Zero Ink Technology. The ZINK Zero Ink full-color printing system does not require ink cartridges or toners. It prints in full color and a single pass with an adhesive-backed paper with hue.
Brother VC-500W Color Label & Photo Printer is also multifunctional, so you can use it to print photos, stickers, and other items. This label printer also works well with PC and Macs, allowing you to print from over 10,000 apps and connects easily to Wi-Fi.
6. DYMO 1755120 LabelWriter 4XL
The DYMO printer allows users to print black and gray labels with a width of 4 inches. With 60 different templates to choose from and the ability to import text and graphics, this printer is highly customizable. It also lets you print up to 53 standard four-line address labels or 129 high-capacity four-line address labels per minute. For connectivity, this printer connects via USB.
This compact printer is compatible with online selling platforms and popular shipping carriers and is perfect for large shipping and warehouse labels.
7. Micmi Shipping Label Printer
The Micmi label printer serves to print multiple labels such as shipping, mass mailing, barcode, product, and many others. It also prints various label sizes. Unfortunately, this printer does not support the iOS and Android systems, and it is only compatible with PCs and Macs.
However, this label printer has a speed of printing 2.5 inches per second and supports many printing materials like the thermal and folder thermal roll.
8. Phomemo M110 Bluetooth Label Maker
The Phomemo Label Maker is a mini printer with Bluetooth connectivity that connects directly from the app to the printer. It is also a wireless and monochrome thermal mobile printer that connects easily to your mobile phone. This label printer affords you to print labels for your online sales directly from your phone, wherever you are.
The Phomemo Label Maker supports Excel batch-printing and allows users to edit and typeset labels. It has a speedy connection, and its printing range is up to 33 feet.
9. Brady BMP41 Printer
Brady BMP41 is a heavy-duty labeling printer that has been designed to create multi-line labels for the clear identification of wires, panels, circuit boards, and other industrial items.
It has an excellent print quality, and it is paired with a backlit LCD graphic display which allows for perfect and efficient labeling.
10. Nemonic Label & Sticky Notes Printer
Sold for $120 at Amazon and popular among small business owners, the Nemonic Label printer is a monochrome thermal label printer.
It connects easily with Bluetooth and USB and is compatible with smartphones, Android devices, and desktop computers. This printer is also known to work with white and clear water-resistant labels - making it one of the best shipping label printers.
How the Best Shipping Label Printers Compare
Having gone through the most popular label printers you can consider for your business, it is essential to look at how they compare. This way, you can determine the right one based on your needs and the function you want.
Below, we compare the best shipping label printers:
| Label Printer | Platform | Print Speed | Print Resolution | Labels | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DYMO | Windows 7 or later & Mac OS X v10.8 or above | 51 labels per minute | 300 dpi | Requires DYMO labels | $201 |
| ROLLO | Windows XP or later & Mac 10.9 or above | One shipping label per second | 203 dpi | Any Thermal Direct Labels | $190 |
| Arkscan | Windows & Mac | 5 inches per second | 203 dpi | Arkscan’s labels, Zebra compatible labels, etc. | $189 |
| Brother | Windows, Android, & Mac | 93 standard address labels per minute | 300 dpi | Brother labels | $201 |
| MUNBYN | Windows & Mac | 150mm/s | 203 dpi | Most Thermal Direct Label | $174.99 |
It is pretty easy to decipher the one your business needs most from the table, especially when you consider the functions it offers. For example, if your business requires you to print many labels regularly, you may feel a printer with good speed like the Brother label printer.
If you are particular about details and need to print colored items, then a printer with a good resolution like DYMO should work for your eCommerce business. However, Brother is a good option for a label printer if you want speed and color.
Best Shipping Label Printer Shipping with Easyship
Label printers are beneficial for small businesses, and it has been designed to make your work easier. There are a lot of popular label printers, and it is essential to choose the one based on your business needs.
It would help if you also considered certain factors like the compatibility, speed, and resolution of the printer you want to buy. These factors will help you determine the best shipping label printer for your business.
Additionally, Easyship's automated label printing has been designed to help make printing stress-free regardless of the label printer you use. Easyship offers the following features:
- Automated Label Generation: Easyship automatically generates all shipping documents, shipping labels, packing slips, and customs declarations for you. All you need to do is print, and you're ready to ship
- Easyship Branding Suite: Easyship provides a delivery experience consistent with your brand. Add your logo and advertising materials to your packing slips, landing pages, and tracking emails.
- Global Fulfillment Network: Easyship ships over 220+ countries so merchants can reach their customers worldwide. Plus, with warehouse partners on four continents, merchants can be closer to their customers.
Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts for domestic and international shipping
Best Shipping Label Printers FAQ
Is a shipping label printer necessary?
No, you don't have to purchase a particular label printer for your business. However, buying one can significantly speed up your packing and shipping process.
What label printer is compatible with USPS?
Most label printers are compatible with USPS.
Does USPS sell label printers?
No, USPS doesn't sell label printers.
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