Tool
Riso cost calculator
Duplicator or copier? Enter what you print and the prices you pay, and see which costs less each month, and from how many copies of a page the duplicator wins.
Calculator
Your result
The duplicator saves about R 1 320 a month.
12 000 pages a month (200 originals × 60 copies).
At these prices the duplicator is cheaper from 29 copies of the same page.
How the calculation works
A digital duplicator makes a master (a stencil) for each original, then prints copies with ink. So each original costs the master, plus a very small ink cost per copy. A copier costs the same per page, however many copies you make. Paper costs the same on both, so it is left out.
The longer your runs, the more the duplicator saves. As a rule of thumb, it is the cheaper option once you make more than about 25 copies of a page.
Who uses duplicators?
- Schools printing worksheets, tests and newsletters.
- Churches and community organisations printing bulletins and programmes.
- Training centres and in-house print rooms printing course material and forms.
Questions people ask
What is a digital duplicator?
A printer for high volumes of the same page. It scans the original, makes a master (stencil), then prints copies with ink at high speed. It is often called a "Riso" after the best-known brand.
When is a duplicator cheaper than a copier?
When you make many copies of each original, usually from about 25 copies upwards. The calculator shows the exact break-even point for your prices.
Are these real prices?
No. The figures in the calculator are examples. Replace them with the prices on your own quote or invoice, or ask us for a quote.
Can a duplicator print in colour?
Duplicators print one or two colours per pass. For full colour at high speed, look at Riso ComColor inkjet printers.
Tell us what you print. We will suggest the right setup.
Ask for a quote to buy or rent, or log a service call if a machine needs attention. We answer during office hours, Monday to Friday.