What is the best ID card printer for printing ID cards?

What is the best ID card printer for printing ID cards?

Our experts have picked the best ID printers for all your needs to print ID Cards. We have been helping thousands across the globe for over 20 years, and rated "Excellent" on TrustPilot.

Which printer is used to print ID card?

PVC ID Card printers, or badge printers, are used to print ID Cards. These are dissimilar to your conventional ink printers. These printers are designed for ID Cards, include ID Card security features, and require “ribbons” instead of ink. A frequently asked question is: Can you print ID cards with a regular printer? The answer to this is simply, no. A regular printer prints on paper and uses ink. ID card printers are optimised for plastic id cards, typically cr80 size. They come with specialised features designed for id cards. The alternative, if your only option is  using a standard paper printer, you can print paper cards as a standard picture, however, these will not be waterproof and will not be programable or durable.

What is the best ID Maker machine?

The best ID Maker machine is heavily dependant on your priorities. Choosing an ID Card printer depends on your priorities and requirements. Consider the amount of cards you will print annually, how many sides you will print on, the type of card (chip card, access control, regular plastic), the budget, print quality and security technologies. You should choose one or two that will take priority as all the printers have different strengths. For the best printers overall, check our 9 best ID printers for 2023.

For the best budget id card printer:

The Smart 21s. This ID printer is the low price of £525. If you’re looking for a simple single sided printer that does what it needs to, and you don’t require large quantities of printing, and you’re printing on regular plastic cards then this printer is the ideal budget friendly option.

For the best id printer for small businesses:

For small businesses, the Evolis Primacy 2 Dual Sided printer is the cheapest option for high quality ID Card printing (for an even better bargain, a bundle is also available). 

Alternatively if you only want to print single sided and don’t require top-notch print quality, the Smart 21s is a budget friendly option that gets the job done. Perfect if you’re just starting out and printing in house for your company.

For the best retransfer printer:

The best retransfer ID printer is the Fargo HDP5000 for its amazing print quality, reliability and durability. This printer can print on encoded cards, access control cards, and chip cards. Security features such as over laminates and holographic film makes the cards extremely difficult to duplicate and gives more credibility and security to your id cards. Additionally, you can print on two sides of the card.

For the most reliable ID printer:

The most reliable ID card printer for 2024 is the Magicard 600. The Magicard 600 is known for being robust and durable, offering consistent performance and minimising downtime and maintenance costs, making it the most reliable printer. This is also a very user friendly, versatile and scalable option that includes advanced security features such as UV printing, custom holographic overlays, and watermarking, providing enhanced protection against counterfeiting and unauthorised duplication while keeping the prints extremely high quality.

Conclusion

No matter your requirements, there is a printer for your printing needs. The best ID card printer for printing ID cards is different for everyone. We're here to help you figure it out! We hope this guide gives you some insight, If you're still unsure, call us on 0333 7000 123, or send the team an email at [email protected] - no commitment needed!

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