Litho Printing or Digital Printing? What’s Better For Your Business

Running a business comes with many questions and decisions you have to make, and a lot of these questions arise from the daily operations of your firm. When it comes to printing, you have two options, litho printing and digital printing, and both have different advantages and disadvantages. But how do you determine which one is the right fit for your company?

Litho Printing vs Digital Printing

Lithographic printing uses plates, usually made of aluminium, to transfer the image via an ink blanket and then a rubber blanket onto the printing substrate. It is perfect for high-volume printing and boasts the ultimate colour accuracy and consistency.

Unlike litho printing, digital printing uses digital files printed from the computer directly onto the material. It is ideal for short runs and also makes it so much more customisable and can be done quickly and on a dime. Digital printing has changed the print industry altogether. Previously, the customisation of flyers, menus, and other print products was challenging and costly, but nowadays, it is very much affordable.

Print Quality

The quality of litho prints is usually considered better than digital presses. Traditionally, litho printers need plates to add ink to the printed product. At the end of the process, prints are high resolution, with sharp details and vivid colours. If your business needs items with high-quality images, such as brochures, leaflets, posters, or marketing material, litho is the recommended method.

Digital output has vastly improved its print quality in recent years. Prints produced by modern digital printers can often be as crisp and vivid as the very best litho, especially in shorter press runs. Although colour consistency won’t be as good, digital print is perfect for everyday business and household needs.

Speed

With all good things, Litho printing takes longer as it requires set-up time, as well as creating and aligning plates before printing can start. This makes it not the best option for urgent work, however, for large print runs, once set up, it can cope with the volume more quickly.

The great thing about digital printing is that it usually takes very little time: if you don’t have to wait for the plates to be made, or for anything else to be set up before you start printing, then you can get the job done very quickly. That’s why digital printing is the best option when you need printing in a hurry. You might, for example, be planning a digital marketing services campaign and need a load of printed material printed on the spot without any delay.

Cost

Litho printing is more expensive at low volumes as there is a higher upfront cost for creating the plates. However, each unit becomes very cost-effective when printing more copies due to the reduced cost over larger runs. With digital printing, the initial cost is lower because there is no need for plates, therefore is a more economical solution for small to medium print runs. However, the cost per unit is relatively stable for relatively big numbers, and therefore it will be more expensive than litho printing for very big runs. That is the reason why, for companies with frequent relatively small print requests, digital printing is more economical.

Personalisation

Litho printing is not the most flexible when it comes to personalisation as plates must be reworked to make any modifications. This means litho printing should be avoided when creating material for things like personalised marketing. This is where digital marketing will shine as every print can be customised. Digital printing has a particular advantage for variable data printing. This makes digital printing perfect for material that targets a specific customer segment with tailored messages.

FAQ

Q: What about print durability and longevity?
A: Litho printing uses durable and long-lasting inks, making it a preferred technique if you want your prints on a poster board to withstand wear and tear on the streets. Digital has also seen its ink improve over the years, many being UV-resistant and long-lasting too.

Q: Can I use both methods for a single project?
A: Yes, many businesses use a combination of both printing methods. For example, if a company wants to print thousands of brochures, they might use litho as it’s the best way to supply the brochures cost-effectively and with quality. However, digital printing may be used for personalised covers or inserts.

Q: Can both methods produce special effects like embossing or metallic finishes?
A: Litho printing offers easy special effects like embossing, debossing and metallic finishes and is therefore commonly used by companies associated with high-end marketing collateral and product packaging. Digital printing can offer some special effects, but overall it may not be as good as litho printing.

Depending on your business needs, every business will need different printing methods. If you are still wondering which one will best fit your business model, contact us today and speak with one of our professionals.