What Is Cost Per Page? (Simple Guide for Business Printing)

This article is part of the OzToner Printing Knowledge Base – designed to help businesses understand printing and reduce costs.

When choosing a printer or toner cartridge, many people focus only on the purchase price. However, the real cost of printing is determined by something called Cost Per Page (CPP).

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What Does Cost Per Page Mean?

Cost Per Page (CPP) is the cost of printing a single page based on toner or ink usage.

Formula:
Cost Per Page = Cartridge Price ÷ Page Yield

Example:

• Toner: $120
• Yield: 3,000 pages

CPP = $0.04 per page

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Why Cost Per Page Matters

Many users choose a cheaper printer without considering long-term costs.

A printer with expensive cartridges can cost significantly more over time.

• 1,000 pages per month
• $0.02 difference per page

👉 That’s $240 saved per year

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Simple Comparison

Type	Cost	Yield	CPP
Cheap Inkjet	$30	300	$0.10
Laser Printer	$120	3000	$0.04

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Common Mistakes

• Choosing printer based on price only
• Ignoring page yield
• Using low-yield cartridges
• Using inkjet for high-volume printing

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How to Reduce Printing Cost

• Use high-yield toner
• Choose laser printers for volume printing
• Consider ink tank printers for colour
• Track monthly print volume

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📚 More from Printing Knowledge Base

• #01 What Is Cost Per Page
• #02 What Is Toner Cartridge (Coming Next)
• #03 Inkjet vs Laser Printer (Coming Soon)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good cost per page?

For black and white printing, a cost per page under $0.05 is generally considered efficient for business use.

Is inkjet or laser cheaper per page?

Laser printers are usually cheaper per page for black printing, while ink tank printers are cheaper for colour printing.

Why is page yield based on 5% coverage?

Manufacturers use 5% coverage as a standard benchmark to measure toner or ink performance across different models.