Offset Printing Vs Digital Printing

Offset is usually at the higher quality choice, although, digital printing has hugely improved to where the difference is pretty small now. Offset printing prints PMS colors easier and reproduces solid screen tints better. Offset prints higher quantities at much less cost than digital printing. The cutoff is usually anywhere from 500 to 1500 sheets.

Quantity and timeframe are usually the deciding concern in whether to use offset printing or digital printing. Offset printing gives you better alternative of printing larger sheets as long as you are doing more than a few of any item.

Digital printing is used primarily when you need something very quickly or in very small quantities. It also gives you the way to print variable text or images where each sheet off the press is unique in some modified way.

Once a sheet is off a digital press it can be cut, folded or finished very quickly where offset printing must dry or be coated before handling.

When used right the two processes should be complimentary and not necessarily in competition with each other. If they do compete it is in a very narrow range of small quantities.