Shipping label printers are a necessity for completing deliveries no matter your business size. To manage your time and efforts efficiently, a quality label printer can save you trouble with preparing orders. Poorly packaged items can result in plenty of delivery problems, which is why high-quality labels should always be used.
You’ll need to rely on a good printer to use quality labels for your shipments. But with each printer offering slightly different features, how can you pick the one most suitable to your needs?
What is a Shipping Label Printer?
A shipping label printer is simply a printer you use to print out the labels that will organize your deliveries. When it comes to delivery, labels are a must-have in order to keep track of everything coming in and out. With every change in location, parcels are scanned to keep track of their movement. Hence, without scannable labels, you and your customers would lose sight of your items.
Most label printers print in black and white ink, which is all you need for barcodes and delivery information. Specialized label printers can be adjusted to print the sizes, colours, and other aspects your labels require. Either way, the bare minimum for a shipping label printer is the ability to print a legible barcode and shipping details.
What to Consider Before Buying
Every printer is made a little bit differently. Some thrive in areas that others don’t, and many have unique features that might help you (or might not). Either way, buying a shipping label printer is just like buying anything else. You have to shop around to find the right solution.
Before you purchase a label printer, you’ll need to decide what matches your specific needs. Such a simple office appliance can make a big difference, and the wrong decision could cause you lots of time and hassle. The right label printer will match your exact time, price, and quality needs.
Here is what you should consider before purchasing a label printer.
Label Size
The size that works best for you will be directly related to your shipping provider. Although there are some standard dimensions, it’s not unheard of for different couriers to ask for varying dimensions. The typical label size is 4×6 inches, so keep this in mind when searching for one.
While some label printers allow you to print various sizes and adjust based on your needs, others will only print one specific size. If you have multiple delivery partners and sometimes switch the sizing of labels, you might need to consider a printer that can vary its sizes and templates. You might also want to consider purchasing a more versatile option to prepare for the future. Unless you’re sure your shipping providers will never change, a printer with various options is most suitable for all.
When you research different label printers, you’ll find they all specify different couriers they work for. Your couriers might all require various label sizes, which is something to be aware of.
Compatibility
Since certain label printers only connect to specific device brands, you’ll need to consider compatibility. For example, some printers connect exclusively to Microsoft products, which won’t be of benefit to you if your business relies on Apple computers.
Hence, before buying, be sure to check your label printer will easily connect to all the devices you’ll be printing from. To avoid having to print from only a few of your team’s computers, a well-versed printer is best for a mixed-technological environment.
Speed
The printing speed and output might affect how well a printer fits your needs. Depending on how many labels you need to print every day, spending more on an expensive label printer might be reasonable. Printing time takes away from how long you have to prepare items for shipping. If you’re shipping hundreds of packages a day, spending so much time prepping labels might be too much to waste.
Some printers can produce up to 90 labels a minute, which saves plenty of time if you have many orders to prepare. Others, typically on the more cost-effective side, print at slower rates, sometimes 40-50 labels per minute. It’s up to you to decide how much speed matters to your business.
Colour
Colour might not seem necessary to consider since most shipping labels are printed in black and white. But, if you plan to use your printer for other items as well, like logos or stickers, including colour as an option might make it a more versatile purchase.
Most shipping label printers don’t offer colour printing. However, a colour printer allows you to print bright logos to have your label stand out, which might be helpful if your company includes this.
Connection
Depending on the size of your warehouse or sorting centre, the connection of your printing label might be a factor to consider. While some printers are wireless and can be connected to your devices via Bluetooth, most of them will require a wired connection.
If you’re working out of a small space, a plug-in printer might work for your current needs. But in a larger area, a wi-fi-connected printer can save you plenty of time so you can walk down aisles as you print or move the printer to different spots. It all depends on where you’ll be using the labels and how much you feel you’ll need a wireless solution.
Our Recommended Shipping Label Printers
As a same-day delivery solution, we’ve helped merchants of all sizes find the best printers for their specific needs.
Here are our top suggestions to help you find the shipping label printer that fits your operations.
IDPRT SP410
Best for easy setup
The IDPRT shipping label printer is ideal for a business with many needs. Compatible with many sellers and couriers like FlashBox, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, and others, this small but mighty printer can quickly adapt to print different sizes and types of labels. If you’re looking for a versatile option that’s easy to get started with, this is a great choice.
As a quick and easy-to-set-up printer, it takes only one click to set up and only a few steps to start printing. We recommend this printer for businesses with versatile needs who need to print different size labels efficiently without spending too much. IDPRT SP410 is a great starter option for growing businesses.
MFLABEL Label Printer
Best for Windows compatibility
The MFLABEL label printer is an excellent option for smaller businesses working with a compact team and those who prefer to use direct thermal printing aside from ink. This thermal printer relies only on heat to prep your shipping labels, removing the need for ink altogether. The removed cost of ink can save money as your printing demand increases, which makes it a great long-term investment.
However, the MFLABEL shipping label printer is only compatible with Microsoft products, removing it as an option for businesses relying on other technology brands. If you use Microsoft products and want to save money on ink over time, the MFLABEL label printer might be your best fit.
BEEPRT Label Printer
Best for wireless printing
The BEEPRT label printer is a highly effective Bluetooth option that might suit larger businesses working in big warehouses. This label printer can save plenty of time for printing on the go as you label products. The wireless capability makes it easy to print parcels in various parts of a warehouse without walking back and forth to the printer. You can wirelessly connect to the BEEPRT printer and print out labels from your phone, tablet, or laptop through the app.
The BEEPRT printer is also compatible with most major shipping platforms like FlashBox, USPS, and FedEx. It can print labels up to 4.3 inches in width, which covers the standard size of most shipping labels. This option is well suited to most everyday needs and even goes above and beyond with the wireless option.
POLONO Thermal Label Printer
Best for efficiency
The POLONO thermal label printer is fast and efficient with a wide range of abilities. Printing up to 72 labels per minute, this shipping label printer can easily handle high volumes of orders on a daily basis. Printing at this speed makes it easy to process and prepare orders for delivery in the least amount of time possible. It’s also compatible with Windows and Apple software, so printing from any computer is a seamless experience.
POLONO doesn’t compromise quality for its fast speed. This label printer prints high-quality labels which are visible, making them easy to scan. If you’re looking to scale deliveries and avoid issues coming from low-quality prints, the POLONO printer is for you.
Zebra GX420d
Best all-around
Our all-around best suggestion for shipping label printers is the Zebra GX420d direct thermal printer. All Zebra printers are great options for shipping labels because they easily print different types of barcodes and various size labels. They also last a long time and can withstand heavy daily use. The durability makes this a great fit for most small to medium-sized businesses to use as daily deliveries begin to increase in number quickly.
The Zebra GX420d label printer is small and compact enough to leave on a desk without crowding a space. It’s also straightforward to integrate and set up, allowing you to get started with printing without wasting time.
Summary
When it comes to selecting a shipping label printer, there are a lot of factors that might weigh in on your decision. The price point, capabilities, and durability all set printers apart, and based on your needs, they might separate a good choice from a bad one.
Depending on your printing habits, some printers might stand out. Above, we have some of the best shipping label printers in terms of speed, connectivity, and more. They can massively help to cut down time associated with preparing orders and can help to free up time for more critical tasks.
FlashBox recommends these label printers because they are affordable and, ultimately, get the job done well. While they all thrive in different places, each one offers a unique benefit. Whether you’re looking for speed to fulfill many orders, quality to purchase and use the printer for years to come, or a wireless option to carry with you, one of these printers can help. The best part is they all print quality, readable and scannable labels. This is one nonnegotiable factor of a shipping label printer that you must have. Otherwise, you’ll face plenty of issues when it comes to sending out shipments.
If none of these printers seem to answer your problem, delivering can still be made simple. Any printer that prints 4×6 inch labels will usually work to get your parcels out onto the road. The most important part is that they follow our guidelines for being legible.
With the right label printer, delivering with FlashBox is easy. We send you the custom labels for all your parcels; all you need to do is print them in 4×6 inch format and place them on top. To help you save time and money, FlashBox takes care of the last mile so you can focus on selling. The only thing left for you to do is find the right printer.
Looking for a delivery solution this simple? Let’s talk!
