Best ID Card Printers - Our Top Picks
Finding the best ID card printer is really a case of understanding what you're using the printer for, the quantity and type of cards you're printing, and what criteria is most important: the upfront price, print quality, or ongoing running costs?
We list our recommended models based on real-world use and what they're good at.
Best ID Card Printers at a Glance
A quick comparison of our recommended ID card printers based on budget, print volume, print quality and customer feedback.
| Best For | Recommended Printer | Why We Like It | Typical Usage | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Budget Printer | IDP Smart 21 | Affordable, compact and ideal for low-volume card printing without a large upfront investent. | Up to 500 cards per year | £495 + VAT |
| Best Small Business Printer | Evolis Zenius 2 Classic | Reliable everyday option with automatic card feeding and low running costs. | Up to 5,000 cards per year | £685 + VAT |
| Best Network-Ready Starter Printer | Magicard Pronto 100 | Good starter choice with Ethernet connectivity for shared office use. | Up to 1,000 cards per year | £699 + VAT |
| Best For Regular Printing | Magicard 300 | Strong everyday printer with double-sided printing and useful security features. UK Made. | Up to 10,000 cards per year | £999 + VAT |
| Best Performance Printer | Evolis Primacy 2 | Fast, efficient and well suited to organisations printing cards regularly. | Up to 10,000 cards per year | £1,032 + VAT |
| Best Direct-to-Card Print Quality | Magicard 600 | Excellent print quality at 600 dpi and strong security features without the premium retransfer printer price tag. | 10,000+ cards per year | £1,315 + VAT |
| Best Premium Retransfer Printer | Evolis Agilia | Premium edge-to-edge print quality for smart cards, RFID and access control cards. | High-quality smart card and access control printing | £2,800 + VAT |
Prices shown exclude VAT.
Best Starter ID Card Printers
These printers are ideal for organisations printing up to around 1,000 cards per year. They’re affordable, easy to use and perfect for staff ID cards, membership cards, visitor badges and occasional card printing.
IDP Smart 21 · From £499 + VAT
The IDP Smart 21 is our recommended budget starter printer for organisations printing small numbers of cards. It’s compact, simple to install and best suited to occasional staff cards, visitor badges and membership card printing.
- Up to 500 cards per year
- Single-sided printing
- Hand-fed operation
- USB connection
- Simple installation
- 2-year warranty
👍Things we like: Lowest-cost option, small footprint and easy to set up.
👎Not so much: Manual card feeding means it can get tiresome if you're printing more than a handful at a time.
Evolis Zenius 2 Classic · From £685 + VAT
The Evolis Zenius 2 Classic is a strong all-round starter printer for small businesses. It offers automatic card feeding, reliable everyday performance and lower running costs than many entry-level alternatives.
- Up to 5,000 cards per year
- Automatic card feed
- Single-sided printing
- USB connection
- Simple installation
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Reliable, easy to use and a great step up from hand-fed models.
👎Not so much: USB only on the Classic model; Ethernet is available on other versions.
Magicard Pronto 100 · From £699 + VAT
The Magicard Pronto 100 is a good choice if you want a starter printer with automatic card feeding and Ethernet connectivity. It’s well suited to offices, schools and teams where more than one person may need access to the printer.
- Up to 1,000 cards per year
- Automatic card feed
- Single-sided printing
- USB & Ethernet
- Digital shredding
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Auto-feed operation, network connectivity and useful security features.
👎Not so much: Not designed for high-volume printing.
Best ID Card Printers for Regular Use
These ID card printers are better suited to organisations printing staff ID cards, ID badges, membership cards or PVC cards more regularly. They offer faster speeds, stronger security features and better long-term value than basic starter models.
Magicard 300 · From £999 + VAT
The Magicard 300 is one of our favourite everyday ID card printers for businesses, schools and organisations that need reliable double-sided card printing with built-in security features.
- Up to 10,000 cards per year
- Currently available as a free upgrade to Double-sided printer model
- Up to 160 colour cards per hour
- USB & Ethernet connectivity
- Digital shredding for enhanced data security
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Currently available as a free upgrade to double sided. Reliable, secure and ideal for everyday double-sided ID badge printing.
👎Not so much: Higher upfront cost than single-sided starter printers.
Evolis Primacy 2 · From £1,032 + VAT
The Evolis Primacy 2 is the model we’d recommend for organisations that need faster output and lower running costs. It’s a strong choice for regular PVC card printing, staff ID cards and higher-volume ID badge production.
- Up to 10,000 cards per year
- Available in single or dual-sided models
- Up to 280 colour cards per hour
- USB & Ethernet connectivity
- 100 card input / 100 card output hopper
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Very fast, efficient and excellent for regular card printing.
👎Not so much: It may be over-spec’d for very low-volume users.
Best Double-Sided ID Card Printers
These printers are best suited to organisations that need to print information on both sides of their ID cards, such as staff details, emergency information, QR codes, barcodes, terms, branding or access control information.
Entrust Sigma DSE · From £795 + VAT
The best value double-sided printer on the market, the Entrust Sigma DSE is a secure, cloud-ready ID card printer that works well for organisations needing reliable card printing with strong connectivity and security features.
- Up to 5,000 cards per year
- Double-sided printing
- Up to 150 colour cards per hour
- Built-in Ethernet & USB connectivity
- Cloud-based issuance
- Advanced security features
- Free basic software
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Cloud-ready and competitively priced for a double-sided printer.
👎Not so much: Not the most attractive piece of hardware to sit on a reception desk.
Magicard 300 · From £999 + VAT
The Magicard 300 is a reliable and secure double-sided ID card printer for everyday card issuance, making it a strong choice for businesses, schools and organisations that print cards regularly.
- Up to 10,000 cards per year
- Double-sided printing - current offer available is double-sided for the price of single-sided
- Up to 160 colour cards per hour
- Built-in Ethernet & USB connectivity
- Digital shredding for enhanced data security
- 100 card input / 70 card output hopper
- 3-year warranty
👍Things we like: Reliable, tried and tested model that won't let you down. Made in the UK.
👎Not so much: Slightly higher upfront cost but really, no other downsides.
Best for Print Quality
These ID card printers are best suited to organisations that need sharper print results, stronger visual quality and a more professional finish for staff ID cards, membership cards, access control cards or customer-facing card programmes.
Magicard 600 · From £1,315 + VAT
The Magicard 600 is a strong direct-to-card printer for organisations that want sharper photo ID cards, enhanced security features and professional print quality without moving into full retransfer printing.
- Direct-to-card printing
- 600dpi print quality
- Ideal for professional photo ID cards
- Up to 190 colour cards per hour
- Ethernet & USB connectivity
- Digital shredding for data security
👍Things we like: Best print quality of a direct-to-card printer at 600 dpi. Strong security features. UK made.
👎Not so much: It won't give the same over-the-edge finish as a retransfer printer, but if you can live without that, it's considerably cheaper.
Evolis Agilia Retransfer Printer · From £2,800 + VAT
The Evolis Agilia is our premium print quality recommendation for organisations that need exceptional results, edge-to-edge coverage and compatibility with smart cards, RFID cards and access control cards.
- Retransfer printing technology
- Over-the-edge card finish
- Premium print quality
- Ideal for smart cards, RFID and access control cards
- Professional, durable results
- Single and double-sided models available
👍Things we like: Exceptional print quality, premium finish and excellent results on smart and access control cards.
👎Not so much: The initial outlay. The price point means it's best for organisations that really need the print finish quality.
Why Trust Our Recommendations?
We don’t just sell ID card printers. We help organisations choose the right printer based on print volume, card type, security requirements and long-term running costs.
Learn more
ID Card Printers Features Explained
This plain-English guide from The Card Network explains what those printer specs actually mean, when you need them, and which ones you can safely ignore
Factors to Consider when buying an ID Printer
Considering what you need the printer to do and how many cards you’ll be printing is a good place to start.
Direct-to-Card ID Card Printer, or Retransfer?
We look at the two different categories of card printer, the associated costs and which is best suited to you.
Best ID Card Printer FAQs
Quick answers to help you choose the best ID card printer based on print volume, card type, print quality, software, running costs and long-term use.
Choosing the Right Printer
Helpful answers for choosing between starter, double-sided, retransfer and higher-volume ID card printers.
What is the best ID card printer for a small business?
For many small businesses, the Evolis Zenius 2 Classic is a strong choice because it is compact, reliable and easy to use. If you only print small numbers of cards, the IDP Smart 21 may be a more affordable starter option.
What is the best ID card printer for schools?
The Magicard 300 is a good option for schools because it supports double-sided printing, Ethernet connectivity and useful security features. It works well for student ID cards, staff cards, visitor badges and regular everyday card printing.
What is the best double-sided ID card printer?
The best double-sided ID card printer depends on your print volume and budget. The Entrust Sigma DSE, Magicard 300 and Evolis Primacy 2 are all strong options for printing information on both sides of an ID card.
What is the best retransfer ID card printer?
For premium edge-to-edge print quality, the Evolis Agilia, IDP Smart 81 and HID Fargo HDP5000e are strong retransfer printer options.
What is the easiest ID card printer to use?
The easiest ID card printers are usually compact desktop models with simple software, straightforward ribbon loading and automatic card feeding. The Evolis Zenius 2 Classic is a good everyday option, while the IDP Smart 21 is a simple starter printer for lower-volume use.
Print Quality, Card Types & Features
Questions about retransfer printing, access control cards, printer terminology and specialist card requirements.
What is the difference between direct-to-card and retransfer printing?
Direct-to-card printers print directly onto the card surface and suit most everyday ID card printing needs. Retransfer printers print onto a film first, then apply the image to the card, giving better edge-to-edge results and improved print quality on smart cards, RFID cards and uneven card surfaces. You can read more in our direct-to-card vs retransfer printer guide.
What is the best ID card printer for access control cards?
For access control cards, RFID cards and smart cards, a retransfer printer is often the best choice. Models such as the Evolis Agilia and HID Fargo HDP5000e are well suited to professional card programmes where print quality and card compatibility matter.
Can an ID card printer print on both sides?
Yes. Many ID card printers are available as double-sided models, also called duplex printers. Double-sided printing is useful when you need to add barcodes, QR codes, emergency details, terms, branding or access control information to the reverse of the card.
Can I print smart cards or RFID cards?
Yes, but you need to choose a printer and encoding option that matches your card technology. If you are printing MIFARE, RFID, contactless or access control cards, check compatibility before ordering. Retransfer printers are often preferred for these card types because they produce better results on uneven card surfaces.
What do ID card printer features like duplex, Ethernet and encoding mean?
Printer terminology can be confusing at first. Duplex means double-sided printing, Ethernet allows network printing, and encoding is used when writing data to magnetic stripe, smart or contactless cards. Our ID card printer features explained guide covers the main terms in more detail.
Costs, Supplies & Maintenance
Useful answers about running costs, ribbons, software, cleaning and getting set up properly.
What supplies do I need with an ID card printer?
Most ID card printer setups need blank cards, a compatible printer ribbon, card design software and a cleaning kit. Some bundles include the basic items needed to get started, but it is worth checking exactly what is included before ordering.
Do ID card printers need cleaning?
Yes. Regular cleaning helps prevent print quality issues, card feed problems and unnecessary wear on the printer. Cleaning kits are inexpensive compared with the cost of printer downtime, so it is worth building cleaning into your normal card printing routine.
How do I keep ID card printing costs low?
To keep costs low, choose a printer that matches your expected print volume, use the correct ribbons and cards, and clean the printer regularly. It is also worth comparing ribbon yield and long-term running costs rather than choosing purely by the lowest printer price.
What do ID card printer ribbon letters mean?
Ribbon codes describe what the ribbon can print. For example, YMCKO ribbons print full colour with a protective overlay, while monochrome ribbons print in a single colour. Our ID card printer ribbons guide explains the most common ribbon types.
Do I need ID card software?
Yes, most organisations need ID card software to design cards, add photos, manage layouts and print consistently. Some printers include free basic software, while more advanced software is better for databases, batch printing, barcodes and more complex card designs. Our ID card software guide explains this in more detail.
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