Ink Cartridge Cost Per Page Calculator
Calculate the true cost per printed page from cartridge price and page yield.
Compare OEM vs third-party ink and toner for inkjet and laser printers.
Cost per page is the true measure of printing expense and the best way to compare ink or toner cartridges. A cheaper cartridge is not always a better deal if it prints fewer pages.
Formulas:
Cost Per Page = Cartridge Price / Page Yield
Monthly Printing Cost = Pages Per Month × Cost Per Page
Annual Cost = Monthly Cost × 12
Cartridges Per Year = (Pages Per Month × 12) / Page Yield
What each variable means:
- Cartridge Price — the purchase price of one ink or toner cartridge.
- Page Yield — how many pages the cartridge can print before running out. This is usually listed on the packaging based on 5% page coverage (a standard testing measure).
- Pages Per Month — your average monthly printing volume. Track this for a month if unsure.
Typical page yields by cartridge type:
| Cartridge Type | Typical Yield |
|---|---|
| Standard inkjet | 200–300 pages |
| High-yield inkjet | 400–800 pages |
| Standard laser toner | 1,500–2,500 pages |
| High-yield laser toner | 3,000–10,000 pages |
Practical example: A cartridge costs $35 and yields 300 pages. Cost per page = $35 / 300 = $0.1167 per page. If you print 100 pages per month, your monthly cost is $11.67, annual cost is $140, and you will go through 4 cartridges per year.
When to use this calculator: Use it when shopping for printer cartridges to compare standard vs high-yield, or brand-name vs third-party options. Also use it to budget your annual printing costs.
Tips: Third-party cartridges are often 50–70% cheaper and work well in most printers. High-yield (XL) cartridges almost always have a lower cost per page. Laser printers cost more upfront but are significantly cheaper per page than inkjet printers. Color printing costs 3–5 times more than black and white, so print in grayscale when color is not needed.