When you're briefing a print job, one of the first decisions your printer will consider — even if they don't always explain it to you — is whether to run it on a lithographic press or a digital press. Both produce excellent results, but they suit different kinds of work. Knowing the basics helps you brief more effectively, manage costs, and avoid the frustration of a reprint.
How each process works
Lithographic printing — litho for short — transfers ink from a plate onto a rubber blanket, which then rolls the image onto paper. Plates are made for each colour, which means there's a set-up stage before a single sheet is printed. Once the press is running, though, it can produce thousands of sheets quickly and at consistent quality.
Digital printing skips the plates entirely. The file goes straight from your computer to the press, which applies toner or inkjet ink directly to the substrate. There's almost no make-ready time, which means you can print one copy as economically as fifty.
Where litho still leads
For longer print runs, litho remains the more cost-effective choice. Once the plates are made and the press is set, the cost per sheet falls steadily as quantity rises. If you're printing thousands of leaflets, brochures, or catalogues, litho almost always wins on unit price.
Litho also tends to deliver slightly richer, more consistent colour across a high-volume run. Pantone spot colours — important for brand-critical work like corporate stationery or packaging — are a particular strength. The inks sit differently on the page, giving a depth that many designers and brand managers still prefer.
- Longer runs — typically above 500–1,000 copies, depending on the format
- Spot colour work — exact Pantone matching for brand consistency
- Premium finishes — UV varnish, metallic inks, and embossing work well alongside litho
- Large-format sheets — litho presses handle big formats efficiently
Where digital wins
Short runs are where digital printing earns its place. If you need 50 personalised invitations, a short-run test of a new leaflet, or a run of 100 event programmes, digital is far more economical. There are no plate costs to absorb, so the price doesn't punish you for ordering fewer copies.
Digital also makes variable data printing straightforward. Each copy can carry a different name, address, code, or image — pulled automatically from a spreadsheet or database. Direct mail campaigns, personalised vouchers, and numbered certificates are all obvious candidates.
Turnaround times tend to be faster on digital too, since there's no plate-making stage. If a deadline is tight, digital often gives you more flexibility.
- Short runs — cost-effective from single copies upward
- Variable data — personalised print at scale
- Fast turnarounds — less make-ready time means quicker dispatch
- Proofing and testing — try a small quantity before committing to a full run
The honest answer: it depends on the job
There's no universal winner. A busy hotel printing weekly menus in small quantities will almost always be better served by digital. A manufacturer producing a 10,000-copy product catalogue will almost certainly benefit from litho. Many jobs sit in the middle, and a good printer will weigh up your quantity, your deadline, your budget, and the quality you need before recommending a route.
What matters most is that you're not paying for a process that doesn't suit your job — and that you're not sacrificing quality to save a few pounds in the wrong place.
Talk to someone who knows both
Ratcliff & Roper has been running both litho and digital presses for decades, from our sites in Barnsley and Sevenoaks. If you're not sure which process suits your next job, we're happy to talk it through plainly and point you in the right direction. Have a look at what we do at ratcliffandroperprinters.com.