Digital vs litho printing: which suits your run

Both methods produce excellent work. The choice is mostly economic: litho carries a setup cost that digital does not, and digital carries a higher per-sheet cost that litho does not.

How each process works

Litho transfers ink from plates via a blanket to the sheet, so there is a make-ready cost before the first good copy. Digital images the sheet directly with toner or inkjet, so sheet one costs the same as sheet one thousand.

Where the crossover sits

For short runs, digital almost always wins. As quantities climb into the thousands, litho's setup is spread thin and its per-sheet economics take over. We quote both where a job sits near the crossover so you can see the difference rather than take our word for it.

  • Short runs and versioned work - digital
  • Large single-version runs - litho
  • Very urgent turnaround - usually digital
  • Colour-critical brand work at volume - litho

Quality differences you can actually see

Modern digital output is excellent, but litho still has the edge on large solid areas, subtle gradients and exact spot colour matching. On a text-led A5 leaflet, most people cannot tell the two apart.

Turnaround and flexibility

Digital has no plate stage, so it is faster to start and allows variable data such as different names or codes on each copy. Litho needs plates but runs very fast once started, which is why big volumes still finish sooner on litho.

Frequently asked

Which do you use for leaflets?

Both, chosen by quantity. Smaller runs go digital; volume runs go litho, which is where the per-unit savings on 5,000 and 10,000 orders come from.

Will colour match between the two?

Very closely, but not identically. If you are reprinting part of an existing run, tell us which process produced the original.

Can I mix both on one project?

Yes - litho for the bulk leaflet and digital for a small versioned insert is a common and cost-effective combination.

Not sure which process fits your job?

Give us the quantity and spec and we will quote the method that costs you least.