Comparison
Instnt Print vs PrintNode
PrintNode is the best-known service in this corner and it is a solid product. It works with any printer your operating system knows, which is genuinely broader than what we do. The catch is what has to be running: a client on a machine at every site, and a document you generate yourself.
| Instnt Print | PrintNode | |
|---|---|---|
| What runs on site | A bridge the size of a plug, on Wi-Fi or Ethernet | A client on a Windows, macOS or Linux machine that has to stay on |
| Who builds the document | The server, from a template — you send values | You do: a PDF, or raw ZPL/EPL/ESC-POS |
| Printer support | DYMO LabelWriters and ESC/POS receipt printers over USB | Anything the host OS has a driver for — broader than us |
| Latency | An open connection; roughly 7 ms to draw a receipt | An open connection too — comparable |
| When the internet drops | The bridge serves its printers on the local network as well | Jobs wait until the connection returns |
| Sub-accounts and white label | In development — talk to us about what you need | Integrator accounts, from $60/month for 20 sub-accounts |
| Run it yourself | The whole server, as a Docker image | A standalone server on request, priced on enquiry |
| Entry price | Free for 200 prints; €12/month for 10,000 | Free for 50 prints; $9/month for 5,000 |
Rows marked with a dot are ones where they are ahead. Figures come from their own published pricing and product pages; check them before you decide.
Pick us when
Choose us if the PC is the problem: no machine at the site, no driver rollout, and a layout you can change without shipping a release.
Pick them when
Choose them if you print to laser printers, A4 documents or brands we do not speak, or if you need integrator sub-accounts today rather than soon.