Use a chain copy center such as Staples or FedEx Office, or an online printer, for small, standard jobs: a few copies, a set of business cards from a template, a flyer you need near home tonight. Use a full print shop when the job needs a particular paper, an exact brand color, a long run, finishing such as folding or numbering, a person to check the file, delivery, or mailing.
Both are reasonable choices. The question in any print shop vs Staples decision is which one fits the job in front of you, and that usually comes down to quantity, paper, color and how much is riding on the result.
What does a print shop do?
A commercial print shop prints, finishes and often mails jobs to a specification, using digital presses for short runs and offset presses for volume. Beyond printing, a full shop typically handles folding, scoring, perforating, numbering, drilling and padding, plus large format, variable data and direct mail. Someone reads your file before it prints, rather than after.
| Job | Sensible choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 20 copies of a document | Chain counter or library | Walk-in, per-page pricing, no setup |
| 250 business cards from a template | Online printer or chain | Standard sizes and stocks; time to wait for shipping |
| A flyer you need within the hour | The nearest open counter | Speed and distance matter more than paper |
| 5,000 brochures in a brand color | Print shop with offset | Setup spreads over the run; spot ink matches the swatch |
| Invitations on cotton stock with foil | Print shop | Specialty stock, dies and finishing |
| Postcards to every door in a neighborhood | Print shop with mailing | EDDM paperwork, bundling and the postal drop |
| Numbered tickets or carbonless forms | Print shop | Numbering, perforating and padding |
| A file you are unsure about | Print shop | A person checks it and sends a proof |
When is Staples or FedEx Office a sensible choice?
A chain counter is a sensible choice when the job is small, standard and urgent, and you are confident in the file. Both chains list business cards, flyers, postcards, brochures and invitations on their print service pages, and their stores handle walk-in copies and self-serve printing. Online printers such as Vistaprint or UPrinting suit standard products where you can wait several business days for shipping and you are happy choosing from their fixed menu of sizes and stocks.
- A few pages of black and white or color, printed now.
- Standard products from a template, in standard sizes and stocks.
- A store near you when you need the job in your hand, not delivered.
- Nationwide orders that need to ship to several cities at once.
When does a print shop serve you better?
A print shop serves you better when the job has a specification that a fixed menu does not cover, or when getting it wrong would be expensive.
- Paper range: specific weights, finishes, colored, textured and recycled stocks, rather than two or three options per product.
- Long runs: offset plates make the cost per piece fall steadily with quantity, while digital stays roughly flat. See digital vs offset printing.
- Color matching: an offset press can run a mixed Pantone spot ink for a brand color that four-color printing only approximates. Our guide to why printed colors differ from the screen explains why.
- File check: someone looks for low-resolution images, missing bleed and RGB color before printing, and sends a proof.
- Finishing: bi-fold, tri-fold, Z-fold and gate fold brochures, scoring so heavy stock does not crack, perforation, sequential numbering, drilling and padding.
- Delivery: we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan, with a same-day courier available.
- Mail: EDDM, bulk mail and print-and-mail jobs handled with the printing as one job. See how EDDM works in Manhattan.
- Variable data: names, addresses, numbers or codes that change on every piece.
How does the price per piece change with quantity?
The unit price drops sharply as quantity rises, because the setup is paid once. The examples below are published online printer prices for standard products.
| Order | Typical price | Per piece |
|---|---|---|
| Business cards, 2-sided, 100 | about $20 | about 20 cents |
| Business cards, 2-sided, 250 | about $33 | about 13 cents |
| Business cards, 2-sided, 500 | about $37 | about 7 cents |
| Business cards, 2-sided, 1,000 | about $52 | about 5 cents |
| 4 x 6 in postcards, 100 | about $24 | about 24 cents |
| 4 x 6 in postcards, 500 | about $52 | about 10 cents |
| 4 x 6 in postcards, 1,000 | about $90 | about 9 cents |
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 figures are based on published prices at online printers such as UPrinting and 4over4, checked October 2026, for 14pt gloss card with standard turnaround and shipping extra. Copy counter pricing works differently: a page is priced per page, so 100 copies cost roughly 100 times one copy. When you compare any two quotes, line up the spec first: card thickness, one side or two, coating, turnaround and whether shipping or delivery is included.
What questions should I ask a printing company?
- Who is my contact if something goes wrong?
- Is the quote complete, including file fixes, proofs, delivery and tax?
- Exactly which paper is it, by weight and finish?
- Will I see a proof before it prints, and is it a PDF or a printed sample?
- What is the turnaround from proof approval, and what does rush cost?
- Can you match this color, and how will I know before the run?
- What happens if something arrives wrong?
What is a print broker?
A print broker takes your order and has another company print it, without running presses of its own. Brokering is common across the trade, especially for specialty items such as promotional products, and a good broker manages the job well. What matters more than who owns the press is that someone checks your file, sends a proof and takes responsibility for the result.
Most quote comparisons go wrong on the spec, not the price. One quote is 14pt card printed on one side with shipping extra; the other is 16pt, two sides, coated and delivered. Write your spec down once, with size, stock, sides, finish, quantity, deadline and delivery address, and send the same text to everyone you ask.
Print shop or chain questions
Does Staples print business cards?
Yes. Staples and FedEx Office both list business cards, flyers, postcards and invitations on their print service pages. Stock and finishing options vary by product and store.
Is a local print shop more expensive than Staples?
It depends on the job, the spec and the quantity. Compare quotes for the same stock, sides, finish, turnaround and delivery. A free quote from us is answered within two business hours during shop hours.
How much do 500 business cards cost?
About $37 for 500 two-sided 14pt cards at one online printer's published price checked October 2026, or about 7 cents a card. This is a typical market price, subject to change, and excludes shipping.
Can a print shop print faster than a chain?
Standard turnaround with us is two to three business days, and rush is 24 to 48 hours on most products. Dies, foil and binding take longer anywhere.
What is the difference between digital and offset printing?
Digital has no plates, so short runs and personalized pieces cost less. Offset uses a plate per ink, so its setup costs more but each extra copy costs less on long runs.
For flyers, brochures, postcards, posters and direct mail, see our marketing materials printing and send your spec for a free quote. If the job is small and standard, we will say so.
Need this printed? We are at 40 Wall Street, and we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.