When you buy ink or toner, the packaging specifies the number of pages it can print (page yield). In theory, the cost-per-page should be calculated by dividing the price of the toner or ink cartridge by the page yield.
However, determining the cost of printing per page for your small business is not so simple. If you look closely at the packaging of your toner or ink cartridge, you’ll notice a page coverage percentage next to the page yield. It’s most likely 5%, which means you’ll only reach the listed page yield if you average 5% coverage per page.
For example, suppose your toner can print 2,000 pages at 5% page coverage. However, the majority of your copies have only 10% coverage. That means your toner will only last 1,000 pages.
While this may appear to be quite complicated, we’re here to help you figure out the page coverage and cost-per-page—actually it’s quite simple.
How to Calculate the Print-Per-Page Cost
The key to calculating your print-per-page cost is determining your average page coverage.
First, learn how to use a coverage calculator. Then, figure out how to calculate the cost per page.
Finally, go over some cost-cutting options so you can save money while still meeting the needs of your business.
Use a Coverage Calculator
While you can guess how much toner or ink you’ve used by eyeballing your printed pages, it’s much easier to use a coverage calculator. The coverage is calculated using the APFill Ink and Toner Coverage Calculator.
Because you can calculate the page coverage before printing, it’s commonly used as a cost-cutting tool. You can, however, use it to determine your company’s average page coverage.
Use the tool to check the page coverage of several PDF files after downloading it. Then, compute the average coverage for the files you examined. This will give you an idea of the average page coverage for your company.
Calculate the Cost
Once you know the page coverage, you can take the next step and calculate the cost. Calculate the print-per-page cost with the following formula:
Cost of the Cartridge or Toner/ [Page Yield] x (Actual Coverage)] = Cost-Per-Page
Let’s look at how you’ll get each of these numbers:
First and foremost, you can determine the cost of the cartridge by reviewing your previous order. If you order in bulk, you’ll need to do some math to figure out the cost of a single cartridge. The information may also be found on your order receipt. Receipts may break this down so you can see the cost savings of purchasing in bulk.
The page yield can then be determined by inspecting the toner or cartridge packaging. When you use toner instead of ink cartridges, you will get a much higher page yield.
Finally, the APFill Ink and Toner Coverage Calculator will be used to determine the actual coverage. The calculator will give you a percentage, such as 20%. When entering it into the formula, you must write it in decimal form. As an example, if your page coverage is 20%, you would enter 0.2 into the formula.
Once you’ve finished the formula, you’ll have your cost-per-page. This is how much you spend on printing documents on average. It will not be exact because page coverage will most likely vary slightly from document to document.
Other Factors to Consider
Other factors must be considered when calculating the cost per page. First, consider how much money you spend on paper. You must account for this in order to obtain a more accurate estimate of your print-per-page cost.
Consider the cost-per-page difference between black-and-white and colour printing. Color printing is frequently three times more expensive than black and white printing.
How to Reduce Costs
If you’re dissatisfied with the cost-per-page, you’ll probably want to look for a better deal. You really can only save money if you have a small desktop printer from a big box store. Fortunately, lowering printing costs is much easier if you have a small business with a high printing volume.
In this case, a nearby authorised copier/printer dealer can assist you in lowering your print-per-page cost when printing in both black and white and colour. You can save a lot of money by assisting you in selecting the right machine.
You can also save money by using the provider’s managed print services. The provider of managed print services (MPS) can redirect printing jobs to reduce costs. To reduce costs even further, your provider can create rules for using the printer and printing in colour. Employees will be less likely to misuse the printer and drive up costs by printing in colour when it isn’t necessary.
Your local copier dealer can also manage your printers and supplies. You’ll never have to worry about running out of ink or toner, or about performing routine maintenance. You can instead concentrate on your small business.
