Top 10 Best Color ID Card Printers – Reviews & Buying Guide 2020


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If you are wondering which color ID printer is your best choice, you have found the right post. This comprehensive post talks about the best ID printers for full-color ID programs. Aside from recommending the best products from our research, this post also contains tips on how to choose the best color ID printer. You will also find other relevant information about color ID printers and ID printing in general. Read on to learn about the best full-color ID printers on the market today.

What Is The Best Color ID Printer?

The best color ID printer makes high-quality full-color prints with clear texts and photo-grade images. It is innovative and flexible. The best color Id printer can handle various ID applications across diverse industries at an affordable cost.

This specific product is our choice of color ID printer. It is an ultra-fast and high-performance full-color ID printer. It is affordable, reliable, and versatile. What’s more, it can handle ID programs for Schools, government organizations, and various corporations.

Best color ID printer

If you are shopping for a color ID badge printer, you will find several products on the market. All of these products have their pros and cons. So, you have to weigh them against your business needs and preferences. But to make your searching and evaluation easier, we have picked out 10 products that stand out among all others.

We compiled this list after personally evaluating the products, and reading through customer reviews, expert reviews, and manufacturer’s descriptions. As you read on, you will find details about each product. Then, you can decide for yourself which one is the most suitable for you. We also have a guide towards the end of the post where we enumerate the important factors to consider when buying a color ID printer.

The Top 10 Color ID Printers

#1. Magicard Pronto ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

Magicard Pronto is a low-volume color ID card printer that’s suitable for small businesses. It is compact but versatile, capable of producing full-color badges in only 35 seconds. The only major downside is that it’s a single-feed printer, but it has many high-end capabilities. So it can compete favorably with bigger ID printers.

The Magicard pronto can print on various card types, including rewritable cards. So you can make fast, effective, and reusable badges for visitors. Some of its high-end features include full-bleed printing and magnetic encoding. It can also add HoloKote secure watermarks for visual authentication.

#2. Badgy200 Color Plastic ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

This color ID printer is a versatile ID printing solution for simple, low-volume ID programs. You can use it to produce on-demand, full-color ID badges in just 38 seconds. This means you can produce 95 full-color cards per hour. Conversely, it can produce a monochrome card in just 11 seconds (that is, 325 monochrome cards per hour).

Badgy200 prints both full-color and monochrome cards with a resolution of 300 dpi. This results in the production of professional cards.

#3. IDP Smart31 Double-Side Color ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

This full-color, dual-sided printer is ideal for small businesses and organizations. It’s an entry-level printer for small-batch ID programs. Its input hopper can take 80 cards while the output hopper can take 25 cards at a time. As such, you can print cards in small batches without frequent stops for card loading. This would help streamline your printing process.

IDP Smart31 is among the top-notch products made by IDP. It’s designed for stress-free ID customization so that your cards can meet the exact needs of your organization. You can use the IDP Smart31 for both single-sided and dual-sided ID printing. You can also use it for lamination and magnetic stripe encoding, among other things.

#4. Evolis Primacy ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

Evolis Primacy features fast output, photo-grade color punch, and top-notch card coverage. This RFID printer is the ideal printer for short-range production jobs. What’s more, this mid-volume ID printer can print over 2,000 cards in a year.

For single-sided printing, Evolis Primacy can print 220 full-color cards or 850 monochrome cards per hour. For dual-sided printing, the Evolis Primacy ID printer will make 140 cards per hour, with full-color prints on the front surface and black print on the back surface.

Some of the amazing features of this printer include contactless encoding and smartcard coding capability. Besides, it comes with a special Software program that allows you to customize your plastic cards and badges to your satisfaction. You can create corporate IDs, visitor cards, student cards, and loyalty cards within minutes.

#5. IDZ-31S  Badge Express ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

The IDZ-31S badge express ID printer is ideal for entry-level users looking for a cost-effective ID badge printing solution. It features photo-grade color, 300 dpi resolution, and full-bleed printing, among other amazing features. You can count on it for small to medium-scale ID programs. It can print 156 cards (single-sided, full-color) per hour and 720 cards (single-sided, monochrome) per hour.

#6. NiSCA PR-C101 ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

NiSCA PR-C101 printer offers a simple solution for entry-level ID programs. It is a suitable full-color printer for small businesses and organizations. Government agencies, libraries, clubs, schools, and casinos can use this printer for low-cost, easy-to-maintain high-quality ID printing. It is light, compact, and very flexible.

This printer can produce 144 custom cards (single-sided, full-color) per hour. It also makes full-bleed high-quality images with 300 dpi resolution and 24-bit color. What’s more, you can outfit it with encoding tools for the production of MiFARE, magnetic stripe, and contactless encoded cards.

#7. Pointman Nuvia N30 ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

Pointman Nuvia N30 is a direct-to-card ID badge printer that offers full-bleed printing with exceptional quality. You can preload as many as 200 cards in its in-built dual hopper for batch printing in high-demand ID programs. And if you like, you can choose the single card feeder.

Nuvia N30 ID printer is lightweight, compact, and delivers sharp, vibrant, and vivid colors for top-grade professional cards and badges. It also features an in-built hopper lock and authentication key for top-notch security. It can produce 800 monochrome cards (single-sided) per hour or 200 full-color cards at a 300 dpi resolution.

#8. ID Maker Primacy Professional ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

This ID badge printer provides high print quality and ensures the durability of pictures. Besides, the pictures and texts are clean, crisp, and sharp. You can count on ID Maker Primacy for superior quality prints and professional-grade security. You wouldn’t have to grapple with blurry or low-grade prints.

You can print either single-sided or dual-sided cards with this printer. It’s ultra-fast and can produce a single-sided full-color card in 19 seconds.

#9. Zebra P520i Color ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

The rugged P520i ID printer made by Zebra Technologies is the leading printer for industrial full-color ID programs. This laminating printer is suitable for high-demand environments. It offers double-sided (duplex) printing and simplex (single-side) lamination. It is your go-to ID printer for high-performance, reliability, and affordability. You can count on it for durable and secure ID cards.

Zebra P520i prints full-color IDs with a resolution of 300 dpi and features a magnetic stripe encoder. You can also apply holographic lamination, which would prevent unauthorized duplication or forgery. What’s more, lamination also extends the durability of cards.

This high-quality printer has enhanced functionality, called the iSeries system, which allows for intelligent printing. As such, it prints high-quality images with excellent color optimization and better ribbon formulation. Among other things, it also features a ribbon counter which gives notification when your ribbon is running low.

#10. Datacard SD260 Single-Sided ID Card Printer

Best color ID printer

The SD260 Datacard printer is a low-budget printer for professional ID badges and cards. It can handle both single-sided and dual-sided ID printing. This printer is environmental-friendly. It has earned a reputation for consuming very low electrical power while still delivering top-quality results. This earned it the Energy Star Qualification.

Why Are ID Card Printers So Expensive?

ID card printers are quite more expensive than regular printers because they print on PVC substrates, rather than paper media. The technique for printing on PVCs is poles apart from, and more expensive than the required technique for printing on papers. PVC printing also requires more durability and longevity, and these come at a higher cost. Thankfully, ID card printers have become increasingly cheaper in the past few years.

What Are ID Cards Printed On?

Standard IDs are printed on PVC plastic cards, which are both durable and flexible. These plastic cards are suitable for most ID applications, and they come in various colors and sizes.

A cheaper alternative to PVC plastics is Teslin, a flexible synthetic paper media. Teslin is highly printable, tear-resistant, and waterproof. Its flexible surface can receive dye-based inkjet printing, as well as other laser and offset printing options.

How Can I Print My ID Card At Home?

If you don’t have an ID badge printer, you can make temporary ID cards at home if you have a regular printer and a laminator. To start with, design your badge or ID Card using an online platform or computer software. Then print the ID on waterproof synthetic paper with your standard laser or inkjet printer. After printing, laminate the ID to make it more durable.

What Are The Different Types Of Identification Cards?

There are four common types of ID cards, namely proximity cards, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) cards, smart cards, and magnetic stripe cards. Proximity cards (or prox cards, for short) are about the size of a credit card. They feature an electronic chip and antenna inlay between two layers of thin plastics. PVC cards, on the other hand, are plain plastic cards with no internal technology, like chips or antennas.

Smart cards are technology cards like proximity cards that have embedded chips. The chips in smart cards, however, contain a microprocessor and accessible memory. So they can execute automated programs. Magnetic stripe cards are used mostly for entry or access systems in organizations that require employees to swipe cards as they clock in and out.

Can Inkjet Printer Print On Plastic?

Inkjet printers can’t print on regular plastic cards, but they can print on special inkjet printable plastic cards. PVC plastics cannot absorb water-based inkjet inks. So, if you try printing on them with an inkjet printer, the ink will smudge. Inkjet printable cards will accept inkjet printing because they have a special coating that absorbs ink.

Magicard Printer

Magicard is one of the best brands of ID printers on the market. Their printers are high-quality, flexible, and durable. They are suitable for producing high-quality cards, including visual IDs, financial cards, and access control cards. Magicard printers can handle high-volume ID programs and they are very fast too. What’s more, Magicard printers offer customizable security watermarks for IDs.

✅ Video – Magicard Pronto ID Card Printer Review

ID Card Printer Machine

ID card printing machine simply refers to an ID card printer. These printers work in concert with other components of the ID printing system to produce ID badges. The printers are designed to transform blank PVC plastics into top-grade ID badges.

Regular inkjet and laser printers cannot handle ID applications. Their ink types are designed mainly for paper substrates. To print on PVC and other plastic card substrates, ID card printers use either direct-to-card printing or dye-sublimation technology.

Dual-Sided ID Card Printer

Dual-sided ID card printers can print on both surfaces of a card in a single run. The printer will first print one surface, then flip the card over and print on the other surface too. These printers help you save more time and reduce stress because you don’t need to flip cards manually or run them through the printer a second time.

Best ID Card Printer For Small Business

The best ID badge printer for small business owners is compact, works quietly, and doesn’t cost much. Small businesses often work with a small space, so you need a small-sized printer that can fit into your tight space. What’s more, small businesses need a printer that’s durable, efficient, dependable, and cost-effective.

PVC Card Printer Software

ID printers often work with special software with which you can create ID badges. Good printing software allows great flexibility in designing card layout, encoding the cards, and printing them. PVC card printer software also helps manage cardholder details.

These software programs are innovative solutions for schools, clubs, companies, and various agencies. There are, however, different software programs for identity management, customer cards, event management, visitor management, access control, and inventory. You should consider your needs to decide the appropriate software for you.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Color ID Printer

Best Color ID Printer

ID badge printers should be long-term investments. So you should evaluate thoroughly before you make a choice. You should pay close attention to the following factors when choosing a full-color printer for ID badges and cards:

Footprint

The size of space you have available should determine the type of printer you will buy. If you have a small space, you should get a compact printer. But if you work in a large space, you can get a large-sized ID printer. But in most cases, compact ID printers may not be able to do as much as large-sized printers can do.

Print Capacity

Before buying an ID printer, you should think about how many badges you will be making. ID printers have different print capacities, so you should pick one that can produce the number of cards and badges you need. A budget ID printer can handle small-scale ID production, but you might need an industrial ID printer for large-scale ID printing.

Print Speed

Printing machines also differ by how fast they can produce color ID cards. Some printers can make color IDs in about 10 seconds while others can take 35 seconds, or even longer. Choose an ID printer with the appropriate speed that can meet your printing needs. Meanwhile, color ID printers make monochrome cards faster than they make full-color cards.

Single-Sided vs. Double-Sided

Another factor you should consider when choosing a color ID printer is whether you need single-sided or double-sided cards. Generally, most dual-sided ID printers are capable of printing full-color badges. But if you don’t need double-sided cards you can get a single-sided ID printer that can print full-color cards.

Single-sided cards usually contain basic information, such as name, ID number, designation, and an ID photo. Dual-sided cards can accommodate other information, such as a disclaimer, contact details, and blood group, among other things. While the basic information is on the front side of the card, you can other necessary information on the back. A double-sided printer will print the two sides in a single pass.

Print Technology

An ID printer will use either of two print technologies – the direct thermal technology or the reverse transfer technology. Direct thermal ID printers, also called Direct-to-card (DTC) printers use the dye-sublimation process to make imprints directly on blank cards. This is a faster technology, but it is usually not full-bleed, as it leaves a border around the edges of the card. What’s more, in DTC printing, you can control the color and temperature settings.

Conversely, reverse transfer printers use two steps in their printing process. In the first step, the image of text is printed on a film in the reverse direction. Then in the second step, the printer transfers the image from the film to the card. Reverse transfer printing may not be as fast as DTC, but the images are clearer, sharper, and more durable. They are often full-bleed and are resistant to moisture.

FAQs

Why Is My ID Printer Not Printing?

If your ID printer is not printing, you should try some basic troubleshooting steps. First, check if there are any pending cards on your to-print list. If there are, delete them. Also, go to “Control Panel” and click “Devices and Printers”. If your printer is grayed, you would need to unplug and replug the printer’s USB cable. If the problem persists after these troubleshooting options, you may need to re-install the printer’s drivers and reinstall it. If that does not fix the problem, you may need to call an expert to check it out.

Are Safety Features Applicable On Cards?

You can add safety features on cards to make them unforgeable. Thankfully, some card printers offer these safety features. These printers can add safety features, such as holograms, during printing. Other examples of safety features include watermarks, micro text, UV text, and guilloche patterns, among others. When you add any of these safety features to your ID cards and badges, it would impede unauthorized replication or forgery.

What Is Edge-To-Edge Printing?

Edge-to-edge (or full-bleed) printing refers to printing on the entire card surface, without leaving out the edges. In other words, there will be no white border around the ID cards. Reverse retransfer printers are suitable for full-bleed ID printing. Direct printing, on the other hand, usually leaves the edges out while printing.

Can A Ribbon Tear?

A ribbon can tear during printing. If this happens, it could be because your printer needs cleaning. Anyway, the good thing is that you can still use the ribbon if you tape its ends together again. Before taping the ends, ensure that the ribbon has not folded around the cartridge.

Why Is A White Line On My Printed Card?

A white line on your printed card is called “blown pixel”. Blown pixels on plastic cards can occur due to certain factors. It could be because you haven’t cleaned your printer for some time. Be sure of how many cards you can print in one cleaning cycle and make sure to clean your printer as at when due. Other reasons for a blown pixel include a faulty printhead or foreign bodies on the printhead.

End

ID card printers are great investments for any business, especially those that require printing several ID badges each year. We hope that this review and buying guide for the best color ID printers has been of help to you. We also hope that you have been able to learn a thing or two about color ID printers, how they work, and how to choose one. And with this information, you should be armed with enough knowledge to buy a decent and high-performing color ID printer that’s suitable for your needs.

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