Best ID Card Printers under £1,000
Today an ID card printer can cost anything from £650 up to £5,550 (Exc VAT). Plastic ID card printing comes in many shapes and sizes from single sided ID card printers to double sided. As well as direct-to-card and retransfer ID card printers.
So where do you start when you have a limited budget but looking for a cheap ID card printer that is reliable, efficient and value for money?
Sadly due to the print process and technology used within the retransfer ID card printers the starting prices sit above the £1,000 bracket. Therefore the only ID card printers you will find in this category are direct-to-card.
We offer a number of direct-to-card ID card printers and ID card printer bundles under £1,000. Below are our best ID card printers.
Matica MC110 (Starting from £995 Exc VAT)
Many of the ID card printers under £1,000 only offer single side print… not the MC110! While the upgrade might tip you over the budget line it is still possible to upgrade after purchase if you feel that you need more from your ID card printer (MC DTC duplex activation). The MC110 is part of Matica’s MC DTC range and uses the same print engine as their £1,500 printers! Delivering high-quality 300dpi printing, re-write capability as standard and a robust and reliable print engine, as well as contact and contactless encoding options. This entry-level card printer is great value and packs a lot of punch!
Key Features
- Up to 150 colour cards per hour
- Up to 700 monochrome cards per hour
- Single-sided to dual-sided option with field upgradability
- Easy to use plug and print technology
- Rewritable
- Accredited for use with food products
- 2 Year Warranty
Zebra ZC100 (Starting from £650 Exc VAT)
The slim ZC100 is one of the cheapest single-side ID card printers we sell. However, don’t be fooled in thinking you ‘get what you pay for!’ The Zebra ZC100 offers great value and boasts a simple to use plug and play deployment.
The ZC100 is an ideal ID card printer for those unfamiliar with ID card production. The ZC100 is ingenious and not only automatically adjusts to the thickness of each card, it also automatically calibrates the ribbon. Making it quick and easy to get up and running!
Offering the same print speed as the MC110 the Zebra ZC100 is a great, no frills, cheap ID card printer for those looking for an easy to use, quality ID card printer.
Key Features
- Up to 150 colour cards per hour
- Up to 700 monochrome cards per hour
- Auto calibration of ribbon
- Magnetic stripe and contactless encoder field upgrade options
- 2 Year Warranty
Javelin DNA (Starting from £685 Exc VAT)
Similar to the Matica MC110 the Javelin DNA is available as a single or double sided ID card printer. The Javelin DNA is part of the Javelin DNA Series and is their entry level, manual feed, ID card printer. Offering fewer features as standard when compared to the other two printers, the Javelin DNA is an ideal printer for those looking to print simple, standard CR80 plastic ID cards.
However, the Javelin DNA offers a number of optional upgrades such as WIFI capability, dual side upgrade, contact, contactless and magstripe encoding and card re-write.
Boasting a faster print speed than the other two models, the 300dpi direct-to-card printer comes with a 2.5 year warranty and a compact and streamlined design.
Key Features
- Up to 200 colour cards per hour
- Up to 800 monochrome cards per hour
- Fully Field upgradable for all encoding options and WiFi
- Small footprint and very light
- 30 Months Warranty
Need more advice?
Contact us – Each member of our friendly team has a vast amount of knowledge on the topic if ID card software and would be delighted to offer you some no-obligation advice.
The Top 20 ID card printers of 2023 – Struggling to decide on which printer is right for you? A great place to start is our list of the best ID printers of 2023.
What is Edge-To-Edge and Over-The-Edge printing? – This guide breaks down the difference between ETE and OTE printers and why this is a key consideration for buyers.
Where to print ID cards – Another key question for potential ID printer buyers is whether they should invest in the printer in-house or outsource printing to a third party.
cards-x offer a comprehensive selection of printers from the world’s finest manufacturers, as well as a low-price promise across our range. We can also offer a next day delivery service and free delivery on all orders over £250.
Disclaimer: All the printer prices stated above are correct as of 06/09/2023 and are based on standard packages with no additional printer options.