Good printing services start with a clear brief: what you are printing, how many, the size, the paper and the date you need it. Whether it is 200 business cards for a new plumbing business, 5,000 flyers for a spaza promotion, a company profile for a tender or a funeral programme by Friday, a print shop near you can usually turn it around in days. Tell us the job once and we pass it to independent printers who work in your area. They quote you directly. The request is free, with no obligation to accept any quote.
What printing services cover
A typical print shop or printing company handles most paper jobs a home, business, school or department needs:
- Business cards, letterheads, compliment slips and appointment cards
- Flyers, leaflets and menus, and brochures and booklets
- Posters, stickers and labels, certificates and tickets
- Books, manuals, reports, yearbooks and wedding invitations
Bigger jobs such as banners and signs go to large format printers, which you can also ask through us.
Digital printing or offset printing
Digital printing runs straight from your file on a toner or inkjet press. There are no plates, so it suits short runs, quick jobs and variable data such as names, numbers or tickets. Small items are printed several to an SRA3 sheet (320 x 450 mm) and cut.
Offset (litho) printing needs plates and make-ready, so short runs cost more, but the price per copy drops on long runs and it matches exact spot colours. The break-even depends on the job, so on a few thousand copies ask the printer for both prices. Paper is in gsm: about 80 gsm for office pages, 115 to 170 gsm for flyers and posters, 250 to 400 gsm board for cards and covers.
Files, proofs and common mistakes
Most printers want a print-ready PDF in CMYK, images at about 300 dpi at print size, 3 mm bleed on every edge and fonts embedded. Keep important text a few millimetres inside the trim. Screens show RGB, so bright screen colours can print duller; ask for a proof, check spelling and phone numbers on it, then sign it off. The most common mistakes are low resolution logos copied from a website, no bleed, and text too close to the edge.
What affects the price and what to ask
Price depends on the quantity, size, colours, one or two sides, the stock and the finish (lamination, spot UV, folding, binding). Setup and design are often charged once. Ask each printer:
- Does the price include VAT, design changes and delivery?
- Digital or litho, and what paper exactly?
- When will I see a proof, and when is the job ready after I approve it?
What to include in your request
- What it is, the size and how many
- Paper weight and finish if you know them
- One or two sides, full colour or black
- Whether your file is print-ready
- Your deadline and collection or delivery
Printing Services for different clients
- Families and individuals: funeral programmes, party invitations, a CV, school projects and family photo prints
- Small businesses and start-ups: cards, flyers and price lists to get a new business noticed in the neighbourhood
- Companies and offices: letterheads, company profiles, reports and training manuals printed to a set standard
- Shops, restaurants and salons: menus, price tags, promotional flyers and window posters changed with every special
- Events, conferences and clubs: programmes, tickets, name badges and posters for conferences, races and expos
- Schools, churches and NGOs: newsletters, exam papers, certificates and yearbooks for schools and churches
- Government and municipalities: forms, awareness campaign leaflets and tender documents in large print runs
- Designers, agencies and resellers: short digital runs and finishing for designers and agencies under their own name
Frequently asked questions
How much do printing services cost?
How long does printing take?
Do you print the job yourselves?
What file should I send a print shop?
Printing Services by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg