If you need to some serious labeling for your company find out what are the best label printers for small business.
As you start to scale up your small business, you’ll probably want to start finding ways to save time and cut costs.
One of the first and easiest things you can do is purchase a label printer, so packing orders doesn’t take as long, and your products look more professional. We’ve rounded up some of our top picks on the best label printers for small businesses.
The Best Label Printers for Small Business:
1. K Comer CX418 Shipping Label Printer
3. Brother VC-500W Color and Photo Printer
4. The Logia Thermal Label Printer
Contents
The K Comer CX418: Best Shipping Label Printer for Small Business
The K Comer CX418 Shipping Label Printer is made for creating 4”x6” shipping labels but can also support label widths from 1.57” to 4.3” and lengths of 1” to 11.8”. Hence why we’ve dubbed it the best shipping label printer for small business. Besides shipping labels, you can also use it to print warehouse labels, barcode labels, product labels, address labels, ID labels.
It’s compatible with many shipping and e-commerce platforms, including FedEx, USPS, DHL, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Shopify, and more. It works with both Mac and PC, but not on Chrome OS or mobile devices. You’ll need to download the software with this printer, which you can find on the K Comer website.
This label printer can print 203 DPI resolution and up to 83 labels per minute (150MM/S), making it a really efficient printer. It’s a powerhouse — you can use it for up to 12 hours non-stop, and the print head life lasts about 500,000 feet. It has overheating protection to offset long use times.
It comes with a free USB stick and a complimentary label holder that can hold stackable labels or rolls, which is a nice touch from K Comer.
Summary:
Pros
- Fast
- Powerful
- Comes with free label holder and USB
- Compatible with major shipping and e-commerce
- Compatible with any thermal label
Cons
- Not compatible with Chrome OS or mobile
Based on the speed, power, and compatibility of the K Comer CX418, we’ve given it the title of the Best Shipping Label Printer for Small Business.
The Rollo Label Printer
The Rollo Label Printer is another superb thermal label printer that prints very fast at 150 MM/S. It also works with any thermal label, so you don’t have to buy any special ones.
Similar to the K Comer, the Rollo can print 1.57″ to 4.1″ wide, but unlike the K Comer, it has no length restriction. It can be used for any type of label within the size restraints.
It’s compatible with major shipping platforms including FedEx, UPS, USPS, Rollo Ship Manager, ShipStation, ShippingEasy, Shippo, ShipWorks, and e-commerce platforms including Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Amazon. It’s also compatible with Windows and Mac.
The resolution of labels printed by the Rollo is 203 DPI, the same as the K Comer, but it boasts a shorter printing life of 327,360 feet.
Like the K Comer, it works with both rolls and flats, but you’ll need to buy a label holder separately. It does come with a starter pack of 4”x6” labels, though.
The Rollo printer comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Summary:
Pros
- Fast
- Unlimited print length
- Compatible with major shipping and e-commerce
- Compatible with any thermal label
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a label holder
- Pricier
You can get the Rollo Label Printer from Amazon for $189.99.
The Brother VC-500W: Best Color Label Printer for Small Business
The Brother VC-500W is a thermal printer that uses ZINK technology to print in color, that’s why we believe it would be the best color label printer for your small business. This means that regular thermal labels won’t work with this printer, and you’ll need to buy special Brother CZ or CK ZINK labels which are more expensive than standard thermal labels. But being able to print in color also makes it more flexible for printing product labels, packaging, and even product photos.
It prints labels and photos up to 2” wide and 17” long. This printer can print resolutions up to 313 DPI, making beautiful and clear labels for your products or packaging.
It can connect wirelessly to your phone or tablet and is compatible with Windows and Mac. The smartphone app has many ready-made designs, fonts, and backgrounds you can use to design your product labels.
It also has a one-year warranty.
Summary:
Pros
- Compact
- Prints in color
- Prints photos
- Works wirelessly
- Free app with ready-made designs
- High resolution
Cons
- Incompatible with regular thermal label
- Smaller width
- Can get expensive over time
Based on the bright color printing capabilities of the Brother VC-500W, we’ve given it the title of Best Color Label Printer for Small Business.
The Logia Thermal: Best Product Label Printer for Small Business
The Logia Thermal is a 300 DPI commercial-grade label printer that’s reliable and high quality. The high resolution makes small text easier to read, so it’s a solid printer for product labels, especially if you list ingredients or other information on your products.
Its software works with both Mac and PC and is compatible with most of the major shipping and e-commerce platforms that are listed on some of the other printers listed above. It has a driver with some label templates if you need help with the design.
It can print between 1.57” to 4’1” wide, with no length restriction. It prints at 127 MM/S and has a printing life of about 164,042 feet.
It comes with a label holder that can be used for stacks or rolls and a 100 pack of 4”x6” labels. The label holder is pretty large, making it useful for batch printing when you need dozens or even hundreds of labels.
Summary:
Pros
- Fast
- Powerful
- Great resolution
- Comes with a label holder
- Compatible with major shipping and e-commerce
- Compatible with any thermal label
Cons
- Instructions can be confusing
Based on the high resolution and thermal label compatibility of the Logia Thermal Label Printer, we’ve given it the title of Best Product Label Printer for Small Business.
The Dymo LabelWriter 450
The Dymo LabelWriter 450 is the most budget-friendly of the bunch, clocking in at under $80. If you’re just starting out and don’t want to dish out big bucks, it makes a good starter printer.
It can print up to 51 labels per minute and works with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Google Contacts on Mac and PC operating systems. It’s not directly compatible with shipping or e-commerce companies.
It also only works with Dymo labels, but the device can hold the roll directly in it, making it relatively compact (weighing only 2.2 pounds). Despite its small size, it prints in 300 DPI resolution, making the labels it prints out more precise than even some more expensive models.
The Dymo software has a quick print widget that allows you to print a one-off label whenever you get the odd order here and there.
Summary:
Pros
- Compact
- Inexpensive
- Good resolution
Cons
- Incompatible with regular thermal label
- Incompatible with major shipping and e-commerce sites
Ultimately, the best label printer for your small business depends on what you’re looking to do with it. Consider whether your priorities are to save time, money or to create better quality labels, and go from there. While it might seem intimidating, these label makers are pretty easy to set up, and all of them have instructions and customer service contact information, so don’t feel discouraged if you run into a problem.
Check out our other article where we pick the best sublimation printer for small businesses.
Label Printer Jargon
Here are some label printer terms, to familiarize yourself with during your hunt for the best label printer for your small business:
MM/S: this is the notation for the print speed measured in millimeters per second. The higher this number is, the faster the printer works. However, sometimes increased speed can mean poorer print quality, which is why many printers have adjustable settings.
Thermal printing: thermal printing is cheaper than traditional ink printing because you don’t have to keep buying ink cartridges or toner, which can get expensive (and even messy). Instead of transferring ink, heating elements from the printer darken the chemically treated thermal paper. Thermal printed labels are usually more durable but have fewer color options.
DPI: this is the notation for resolution on the printed label, which stands for dots per inch. The higher the DPI, the clearer a picture or text is.
Another thing to keep in mind when shopping for a label printer for your small business is what you’ll primarily be using it for. Do you sell a product that needs ingredient labels? Or do you need to print shipping labels, so you can quickly drop your packages off at the post office? Maybe your budget is at the top of your priority list. These are all things as you go through the list.
We hope our best label printers for small business list gave you some ideas, and we wish you all the best with your small business. Happy printing!
