Printing one poster costs about $10 to $25 at 11 x 17 in, $15 to $25 at 18 x 24 in, $24 to $51 at 24 x 36 in and $42 to $102 at 36 x 48 in, at typical market prices checked October 2026. From 18 x 24 in up, glossy photo paper costs more than matte or standard paper. Mounted on 3/16 in foam board, an 18 x 24 in poster runs about $28 to $30 and a 24 x 36 in poster about $41 to $53.
Size does most of the work: going from 24 x 36 to 36 x 48 in roughly doubles the price. Paper, mounting, lamination and turnaround decide the rest, so it pays to know which of them you actually need before you compare quotes.
How much does it cost to print a poster?
A single poster costs anywhere from about $10 for a small glossy print to about $100 for a 36 x 48 in print on photo paper. These are prices for one poster with no mounting or lamination.
| Size | Matte or standard | Glossy or photo |
|---|---|---|
| 11 x 17 in | about $12 to $25 | about $10 to $15 |
| 18 x 24 in | about $15 to $17 | about $15 to $25 |
| 24 x 36 in | about $24 to $40 | about $24 to $51 |
| 36 x 48 in | about $42 to $69 | about $68 to $102 |
Prices shown are typical market prices for standard options, based on published prices from national print retailers and online printers, checked October 2026. They are a guide, not a quote. Prices are subject to change and do change with quantity, paper, finishing and turnaround, so contact us for an updated quote.
These ranges are based on published prices at national retailers and online printers such as FedEx Office, Vistaprint, Signs.com, Mpix and 4over4, including FedEx Office's poster page and Signs.com's standard posters. They are for one poster at standard turnaround, before shipping and tax. FedEx Office describes its online prices as an approximation and says store prices may vary.
Why does photo paper cost more than matte?
Photo paper is a heavier, coated sheet that holds deeper color, and it is priced higher at every size. At FedEx Office, glossy photo paper was about half as much again as matte paper at each size checked in October 2026: an 18 x 24 in poster was about $17 on matte and $25 on glossy photo paper.
Choose by where the poster will hang. Matte has no glare and is easiest to read under downlights, which suits text-heavy posters, menus and directions. Gloss gives the richest color for photography but reflects room lighting. Satin photo paper sits between the two. Our poster size and stock guide covers each paper and when to use it, and our art print guide covers photo-grade posters made for framing or sale.
How much does it cost to put a poster on foam board?
A poster printed and mounted on 3/16 in foam board costs about $28 to $30 at 18 x 24 in and about $41 to $53 at 24 x 36 in, at typical market prices. At photo labs that mount their own prints, mounting adds roughly $17 to $33 on top of the print.
| Size | Printed and mounted | Same size, unmounted |
|---|---|---|
| 18 x 24 in | about $28 to $30 | about $15 to $25 |
| 24 x 36 in | about $41 to $53 | about $24 to $51 |
These figures come from sign printers' foam board listings, such as Signs.com's foam board signs, and photo lab mounting add-ons. Foam board is light and easy to stand on an easel, which makes it the usual choice for events, open houses and presentations. It dents and bends if it is carried from event to event. Gatorboard is stiffer and survives repeated transport, and Dibond or acrylic suit permanent lobby and gallery display. Our guide to mounting boards compares them.
How much does it cost to print a conference poster?
A research poster printed at 36 x 48 in costs about $42 to $69 on standard paper and $68 to $102 on photo paper, at typical market prices checked October 2026, and a 24 x 36 in poster costs about $24 to $51. Each conference sets its own board size and orientation, so take the dimensions from the call for posters before you open PowerPoint or InDesign.
- Set the slide or page to the final printed size first, such as 48 x 36 in, rather than scaling a standard slide up later.
- Keep body text large enough to read from a few feet away; a poster is read standing up, not held in the hand.
- Export a PDF, with fonts embedded, and open it once to check that nothing moved.
- If you are flying to the conference, carry the poster in a tube, or choose fabric, which rolls without creasing.
What DPI do you need to print a poster?
Build a large poster at 100 to 150 DPI at its final printed size. Nobody reads a 24 x 36 in poster from six inches away, so the 300 DPI used for small print is not needed. Logos and text matter more than photos: keep them as vector artwork, because a logo copied from a website looks fine on a postcard and soft on a poster.
To check how big a photo can go, divide its pixel dimensions by 150. A 4,500 x 6,000 pixel image prints well at 30 x 40 in, and at 100 DPI it stretches to 45 x 60 in. Our free file check flags images that will not hold at the size you ordered.
What else changes the price of a poster?
- Size: the biggest factor. Price roughly doubles from 24 x 36 to 36 x 48 in.
- Paper: photo and gloss papers cost more than matte or standard poster paper.
- Quantity: setup is paid once, so the price per poster falls as the order grows.
- Mounting and lamination: foam board, gatorboard and laminate are each added cost; none of the poster prices above include them.
- Turnaround: rush work costs more than standard turnaround.
- Delivery: online prices exclude shipping. We deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.
A common poster file problem is a PowerPoint slide built at the default widescreen size and then stretched to 48 x 36 in. A 16:9 slide does not have the same shape as a 4:3 poster, so it either distorts or prints with white bands top and bottom. Set the slide size to the exact poster dimensions before you add anything, and the problem never comes up.
Poster printing cost questions
How much does it cost to print a 24 x 36 poster?
About $24 to $40 on matte or standard paper and up to about $51 on glossy photo paper, for one poster, at typical market prices checked October 2026. Prices are subject to change; ask us for a current quote.
How much is foam board printing?
About $28 to $30 for an 18 x 24 in poster mounted on 3/16 in foam board and about $41 to $53 at 24 x 36 in, at typical market prices checked October 2026 and subject to change.
What is a good DPI for printing posters?
100 to 150 DPI at the final printed size. Keep logos and text as vector artwork so they stay sharp at any size.
How big can I print an image before it looks bad?
Divide the pixel width and height by 150 for a sharp print, or by 100 for a poster viewed from a distance. A 3,000 x 4,000 pixel photo prints well at 20 x 26 in.
How fast can a poster be printed?
Standard turnaround for most print is two to three business days, and rush is 24 to 48 hours on most products. Call with your deadline and we will tell you plainly whether it can be met.
See our large format printing, including photo enlargements, trade show graphics and Dibond mounting, then send the size, paper and quantity for a free quote. Quotes are answered within two business hours during shop hours, files up to 200MB upload on the contact page, and delivery anywhere in Manhattan is free.
Need this printed? We are at 40 Wall Street, and we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.