ID card printing: in-house or outsourced?
If your organisation needs staff ID cards, membership cards or visitor badges, you have two main choices: buy an ID card printer and produce them yourself, or use an ID card printing service.
What's right for you depends on more than the total number of cards. How often you need them, whether each card contains different information, how quickly replacements are required and how much staff time you can spare all form part of the decision making process too.
Quick guide
Buy an ID card printer if you regularly need individual cards, replacements or small batches on demand. It gives you control over when each card is produced and what appears on it.
Use a custom card printing service if you need a planned order of at least 100 cards and would rather not buy, operate and maintain printing equipment. At The Card Network, unique names, photographs, numbers or other variable information are available as an additional, chargeable service based on your requirements.
Consider managed card fulfilment if you're dealing with high card volumes and you want a supplier to handle printing, personalisation, matching, packing and mailing.
Three practical ways to produce ID cards
Although the decision is often described as “buy or outsource”, there are actually three options open to you. The third is particularly helpful for organisations with an established, ongoing card programme.
Buy an ID card printer
- Produce individual cards on demand, whenever you need them
- Replace lost or damaged cards quickly
- Be in charge of names, photographs, roles and expiry dates internally
- Ideal when you're printing single cards or if you have small batches arising throughout the year
Order custom-printed cards
- Effective when you need at least 100 cards
- No printer, ribbons or maintenance to manage
- Ideal for consistent branding across a planned order
- Variable names, photographs or numbers can all be included
Use managed fulfilment
- Designed for regular, ongoing card requirements
- Usually for higher volumes
- Can include printing, personalisation and matching
- Cards can be packed or mailed as part of an agreed process
- Quoted around the workflow your organisation actually needs
ID card printer or printing service: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Buy an ID card printer | Use an ID card printing service |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Individual cards, replacements and small batches needed throughout the year | Planned orders of 100 or more cards, or an agreed ongoing fulfilment programme |
| Initial cost | Printer, cards and ribbon, plus any software upgrade | Artwork, setup and production costs for the order, but no need to buy printing equipment |
| Ongoing costs | Replacement ribbons, blank cards, cleaning supplies and staff time | Each new order, plus any variable personalisation, fulfilment and delivery required |
| Minimum quantity | No minimum once your printer is set up; print one card or a batch | Most minimum custom-print orders are 100 cards |
| Names, photographs and numbers | Changed and printed internally using suitable ID card software | Variable information will need to be supplied at the point of order and is usually subject to additional costs |
| Replacements | Can usually be produced as soon as the cardholder data is ready | Requires an agreed reorder, call-off or managed fulfilment process |
| Staff involvement | Your team designs, prints and checks each card and maintains the printer | Your team supplies and approves the artwork or data; the supplier handles production |
| Timing and control | You decide when cards are printed, which is useful for new starters and urgent replacements | Production follows an agreed proofing, printing and delivery schedule |
When should you buy an ID card printer?
Buying a plastic card printer makes sense when you need to print cards on demand, or when you want to have control of the whole printing process. A new starter may join unexpectedly, a visitor badge may be required that morning or a lost staff card may need replacing without waiting for another production order.
Having your own in-house printer is likely to be the better fit when:
- You issue individual cards or small batches at different points throughout the year.
- Names, photographs, job titles, departments or expiry dates regularly change, and you need to update cards accordingly.
- You need to produce replacement cards quickly.
- You want control over the design and printing schedule.
You will need a specialist ID card printer, compatible blank cards, the correct printer ribbon and card-design software. Many printers include starter software, but it is important to check whether it supports your computer and any database or batch-printing features you require.
When should you use an ID card printing service?
An outsourced printing service is more practical when you have a planned quantity of cards and don't want the time and hassle of printing them yourself in-house. There's no need to purchase an ID Card printer, keep the correct consumables in stock or set aside staff time for production.
Custom printing is likely to suit you when:
- You need at least 100 cards as one planned order.
- The cards use the same branded design or base artwork.
- You would rather someone else produces the cards for you.
- You don't need to print cards on demand, or urgently.
- You want professional advice about card materials or print finishes.
- Print quality is a key factor.
What if every card is different?
Names, photographs, membership numbers, barcodes and other variable details will need to be sent to the supplier. This is known as 'variable data' and is an extra cost. You'll need a tailored quote.
For a straightforward custom-printed order, browse our plastic card printing range. If you're dealing with high volumes of cards, or are doing a membership card run regularly, also take a look at our card fulfilment and mailing services.
What is managed ID card printing and fulfilment?
Managed fulfilment is not simply placing a new custom-print order each time somebody needs a card. It is an agreed, ongoing process designed around organisations that issue cards regularly.
Depending on the project, this can include receiving cardholder data, printing and personalising cards, matching them with letters or packs, and mailing them to the cardholder. The workflow is quoted according to the frequency, data, personalisation and fulfilment involved.
Holding a customer’s pre-printed base-card stock and personalising cards as requests arrive is not part of a standard custom-print order. It would need to be scoped separately as a larger managed fulfilment project.
If your organisation has a continuing requirement rather than a single batch, contact our team with an outline of how your cards are currently issued. We can then advise whether an in-house printer or managed service is the more sensible route.
Which option costs less?
There is no honest break-even figure that works for every organisation. The cheapest route depends on how frequently cards are issued, how much information changes, the printer and ribbon selected, and how much staff time is involved.
When pricing in-house printing
- Upfront ID card printer cost - varies by printer size & capability
- Printer ribbons and blank cards
- Cleaning supplies and maintenance
- Any software upgrade required
- Staff setup, printing and checking time
- Wasted cards or reprints
When pricing a printing service
- Artwork and production setup
- Number and type of cards
- Variable data or photographs
- Proofing and data preparation
- Packing, fulfilment or mailing
- Future reorders and replacements
Compare the expected cost and workload over a full year rather than looking only at the printer price or the first card order. A printer may cost more initially but make ongoing replacements easier.
A printing service may remove the equipment and staff workload, but each production run still needs planning.
Questions to answer before choosing
- How many cards do you need initially? A planned order of 100 or more opens up custom-printing options.
- How often will new cards be needed? Regular individual cards and replacements usually point to an in-house printer.
- Does every card contain different information? Decide whether your team will manage this or whether you need quoted variable personalisation.
- How quickly must replacements be available? In-house printing offers the most direct control over urgent cards.
- Who will operate and maintain the printer? Include staff time, supplies and data handling in the decision.
- Do cards need to be packed or mailed? Regular card issuing with additional fulfilment may suit a managed service.
Or there is the best of both worlds?
There is another option: get your base cards printed professionally as a one-off order, and personalise them on your own ID card printer when you need to. This gives you consistent professional branding while retaining the flexibility to add names, photographs, numbers or other changing information in-house.
Still unsure which route is right?
Talk to us! We sell ID card printers and provide custom printing and fulfilment services, so we can help you compare the practical options.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to buy an ID card printer or use a printing service?
It depends on how often you issue cards and how much information changes. Buying a printer has a higher initial cost but can be more practical for ongoing small batches and replacements. A printing service avoids the equipment cost but each order may include setup, production, personalisation and delivery charges.
What is the minimum order for custom-printed cards?
The Card Network’s minimum order for custom-printed cards is 100 cards. If you need individual cards or small batches regularly, buying an ID card printer may be more suitable.
Can every card have a different name, photograph or number?
Yes. Variable names, photographs, numbers, barcodes and other details can be added as an additional chargeable service. Contact us with the exact requirements so we can provide an accurate quote.
Can I print one ID card at a time?
Yes. With your own ID card printer, you can print one card at a time, making it useful for new starters and replacement cards.
Can I print plastic ID cards using a regular office printer?
No. Standard office printers are not designed to print directly onto CR80 plastic cards. You need a specialist ID card printer, compatible cards and the correct printer ribbon.
Can The Card Network print and mail cards directly to cardholders?
Yes, our managed card fulfilment services can include printing, personalisation, matching, packing and mailing. The service is quoted around your organisation's exact workflow.
Can I use pre-printed cards and add names or photographs myself?
Yes. This is known as base-card overprinting. You order professionally printed base cards and use a compatible ID card printer to add changing information such as names, photographs, dates, barcodes or numbers when required. Read our guide to base-card overprinting for more information.
