Comparison between a laser printer and an inkjet printer
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Laser or inkjet printer: which to buy in 2026

Actualizado 18 julio 2026

Summary: Choose inkjet if you print little, want quality photos and colour and are after a low purchase price. Choose laser if you print a lot of text, need speed and a low cost per page, or print irregularly (toner doesn't dry out). This guide compares the two technologies without marketing: real cost, speed, quality, maintenance and which suits your use.

It's the first decision when buying a printer and the one that most shapes what you'll spend over the next few years. There's no "better" option: there's a better option for you, and it depends above all on how much and what you print. The catch is that the price of the machine barely counts; what really empties your wallet is the consumable, year after year.

Key points

  • A laser prints text below 5 cents per page; inkjet runs around 10-13 cents according to the OCU (OCU, 2026).
  • A toner yields between 2,000 and 4,000 pages; a standard ink cartridge, about 200-400.
  • For text and volume, laser wins. For photos and occasional colour, inkjet wins.
  • Print only now and then? Mono laser: the toner doesn't dry out.
  • Refillable tank systems (EcoTank, MegaTank, Smart Tank) cut inkjet costs by up to 90%.

What is an inkjet printer and what is a laser?

They are two different ways of putting ink (or powder) onto paper, and that physical difference explains almost everything else. An inkjet printer is one that sprays liquid ink onto the paper through a head with hundreds of micro-nozzles; it uses ink cartridges. A laser printer draws the image with a laser onto an electrically charged drum, which attracts toner —an extremely fine powder— and fixes it to the paper with heat via a fuser; it uses toner cartridges.

That distinction isn't a technicality: ink is liquid and can dry out; toner is a dry powder and survives months without being used. Almost all the advantages and disadvantages of each one come from there.

How do the two technologies compare?

In short: inkjet wins on purchase price, colour and photos; laser wins on cost per page, speed and text sharpness. Neither is superior at everything. This table condenses the direct comparison before we get into the factor that really decides it: money.

Factor Inkjet Laser
Purchase price Lower Higher
Cost per page Higher (~10-13 cents B/W) Lower (<5 cents B/W)
Speed Moderate (5-10 ppm) High (up to ~30 ppm)
Photo and colour quality Excellent Fine, weaker on photos
Text quality Good Excellent, crisp and no smudging
Irregular use Ink can dry out Toner doesn't dry out
Size and weight Compact and light Larger and heavier

Which is really cheaper?

It depends on volume, but for text the laser almost always wins in the long run. The printer's price is deceptive: an inkjet might cost €60 and a laser €150, but that difference is recouped —or not— through the consumable. On black-and-white text, laser toner drops below 5 cents per page, while inkjet runs around 10-13 cents, according to the OCU (OCU, 2026).

The key is the consumable's yield. A toner cartridge costs more —about €65 on average versus €15 for an ink cartridge, according to the OCU— but yields far more pages. That yield is measured with a standardised method, the ISO/IEC 19752 standard, which prints a standard test page until the cartridge runs out and averages a minimum of nine units (ISO, 2017); that's why the manufacturer's "pages per cartridge" figures are comparable across brands.

In figures: a standard ink cartridge yields about 200-400 pages; a laser toner, between 2,000 and 4,000, and high-yield ones can multiply the output of an ordinary ink cartridge tenfold (Consumer Reports, 2026). That's why the laser, despite costing more up front, works out cheaper per page at volume.

The practical rule: if you print little, the inkjet's low purchase price wins. If you print a lot, the laser's low cost per page more than makes up for its initial price —the break-even point usually arrives between 4 and 12 months of moderate use. To put numbers to your case, read the real cost of printing and, if you're torn between tank and cartridges, our tank or cartridges calculation 2026.

We print and test our own compatible consumables before selling them, and what we see page by page matches the theory: a certified compatible toner gives us thousands of crisp text pages for a fraction of the cost of the original, whereas with ink the spend rockets far sooner. When someone asks us "which one works out cheaper?", the first thing we ask them is how much they print a month. Without that figure, any answer is marketing.

Which suits you, according to your use?

Choose by your real printing pattern, not by the label price. These are the most common scenarios and the honest recommendation for each:

  • Home, occasional use (the odd document, the odd photo). Inkjet. Low purchase price and good photo quality. That said, print something each week so the head doesn't dry out.
  • Home with irregular printing (months without touching it). Mono laser. The toner doesn't dry out: you'll switch it on after two months and it'll work first time.
  • Photography and colour. Inkjet, no argument: ink reproduces gradients and colour better.
  • Office, freelancer, lots of text. Laser. Speed, text sharpness and a low cost per page. If you need colour, a colour laser.
  • High, steady volume. Laser, or an inkjet with a refillable ink tank system.

In figures: for most home offices in 2025-2026, the recommendation from the press and independent tests is the laser, with a typical saving of €500-800 over three years versus a cartridge inkjet (HP Tech Takes, 2025). If you print mostly text, a mono is more than enough.

What about refillable tank systems?

They're the third way and, for colour at volume, the best: they keep the inkjet's quality with a very low cost per page. Inkjet printers with refillable ink tanks —Epson EcoTank, Canon MegaTank, HP Smart Tank— hold the ink in refillable tanks instead of cartridges. The purchase price is higher, but the cost per page plummets.

Epson claims its EcoTanks save up to 90-95% on ink versus cartridge models, with bottles that yield years of printing (Epson, 2026). HP makes a similar calculation with Smart Tank: around 0.4 cents per page in black versus the ~15 cents of a traditional cartridge (HP Tech Takes, 2025). If you print colour at volume, they're a serious alternative to laser; we compare them in depth in EcoTank vs MegaTank vs Smart Tank.

Can I save with compatibles on both technologies?

Yes, and it's where the bill really gets cut. Whether you choose ink or toner, the certified compatible consumable yields the same as the original at a fraction of the price, with 3 years' legal guarantee. A compatible cartridge is a consumable made by a third party that meets your printer's specifications without carrying the equipment manufacturer's brand; it's not the same as a counterfeit, and that difference matters —we explain it in ink cartridge or toner.

In the catalogue you'll find compatible laser toner for HP, Brother, Canon, Epson and more, and compatible ink cartridges for inkjet. If you still don't know how many pages it'll last you, see how many pages a cartridge prints.

Frequently asked questions

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Which is better, a laser or inkjet printer?

It depends on use. Inkjet suits you if you print little, want quality photos and colour and are after a low purchase price. Laser suits you if you print a lot of text, need speed and a low cost per page (below 5 cents in B/W, according to the OCU), or print irregularly, because toner doesn't dry out.

Which works out cheaper in the long run?

Laser has a lower cost per page on text —below 5 cents versus 10-13 for inkjet according to the OCU— so in the long run it works out cheaper if you print at volume; the typical saving is around €500-800 over three years. Inkjet wins when you print little, because its low purchase price outweighs the consumable.

Does a laser printer print photos?

Yes, but with lower quality than an inkjet. Laser is excellent for text and graphics; ink reproduces the gradients and colours of a photograph better. For photos, choose inkjet, or a refillable tank system if you also print colour at volume.

I print only now and then, what suits me?

A laser printer, preferably mono. Toner is a powder that doesn't dry out, so you'll be able to print after months of inactivity without problems. In an inkjet, the ink can dry out and clog the head if it isn't used regularly, forcing you into cleaning cycles that waste ink.

What is a refillable tank printer?

It's an inkjet printer with refillable tanks instead of cartridges (Epson EcoTank, Canon MegaTank, HP Smart Tank). It keeps the inkjet's colour quality with a very low cost per page —Epson talks of up to 90-95% savings on ink— in exchange for a higher purchase price.

Can I use compatible cartridges in both types of printer?

Yes. There are compatible ink cartridges for inkjet and compatible toner cartridges for laser. In both cases, a certified compatible yields the same as the original and is covered by 3 years' legal guarantee in Spain.

Keep reading at Star Toner

Sources

  • OCU — Which printer to buy: how to choose — https://www.ocu.org/tecnologia/impresora/como-elegir
  • ISO — ISO/IEC 19752:2017 Method for determining toner cartridge yield — https://www.iso.org/standard/68555.html
  • Consumer Reports — Best Printers of the Year — https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/best-printers-of-the-year-a9151182809/
  • HP Tech Takes — Laser Printer vs Inkjet: Which is Best for You? — https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/laser-printer-vs-inkjet
  • HP Tech Takes — HP Smart Tank vs Ink Cartridge: Real Cost Per Page — https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/printer-cost-per-page-smart-tank-vs-cartridge
  • Epson — EcoTank Refillable Ink Tank Printers — https://epson.com/ecotank-ink-tank-printers

Last updated: July 2026. Star Toner, Almacén Central, Calle Océano Atlántico 38, 11379 Los Barrios, Cádiz. CHICTRATEC S.L. (NIF B72834534), part of the Grupo Recycop founded in 1998.

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