Managed Print Intelligence
What is Cost Per Click (CPC) Printing?
Cost per click (CPC) is a pricing model where you pay based on the number of pages you print rather than paying for toner or ink upfront. Essentially, you "rent" the printer and pay a fee each time you print a page—typically used for business machines and including all support and consumables except paper.
How CPC Printing Works
Infrastructure
- Tracking: Provider installs a printer in your office that tracks page counts.
- Consumables: Provider handles supplies and maintenance on the printer.
- Billing: You receive regular invoices based on your actual page counts.
Support & Maintenance
- Included: Engineer call-outs, parts, toner, and repairs are normally covered.
- Monitoring: Software may be installed to monitor meters, faults and consumable levels.
- Responsibility: You should only need to worry about supplying the paper.
What Counts as a “Click” (This Matters)
CPC sounds simple, but contracts often define a “click” in specific ways. Make sure you know what is chargeable.
- Print vs copy: Some agreements price these the same, others separate them.
- A4 vs A3: A3 is commonly billed as two clicks, but confirm the exact rule in writing.
- Duplex (2-sided): Confirm whether duplex counts as 1 click per sheet or 1 click per side.
- Blank pages & cover sheets: Ask if separator pages, job cover pages, and duplex blanks are counted.
Benefits of the Model
- More predictable budgeting: Better forecasting when volumes are consistent and terms are clear.
- No upfront consumables: No need to stock up on expensive toner.
- Less admin: Fewer purchase orders and emergency consumable requests.
- Worry-free upkeep: Provider covers supplies, repairs, and preventative maintenance.
- Scalability: Pay for usage, with guardrails depending on minimums/overage terms.
- Uptime focused: The supplier is incentivised to keep the device running efficiently.
Estimated Printing Costs in the UK
Usual costs for A4/A3 black and white (mono) and colour printing on a standard CPC contract:
| Format | Mono (B&W) Rate | Colour Rate |
|---|---|---|
| A4 Page | ~ £0.003 / page | ~ £0.03 / page |
| A3 Page | ~ £0.006 / page | ~ £0.06 / page |
Contract Checklist & Hidden Costs
Key Considerations
- Cost per page: Confirm mono vs colour, and A4 vs A3 differences.
- Minimum billing: Check if you pay a minimum number of clicks per month regardless of use.
- Overage pricing: Pages above any allowance may cost more per page than your base rate.
- Contract length: Often 3–5 years. Check break clauses and renewal terms.
- Lease alignment: Ensure the service agreement aligns with your hardware lease dates.
- Models: Contract should list exact printer(s) and any replacement/refresh policy.
- Support scope: Confirm parts included, consumables included, and what’s excluded.
The “Fine Print” Surcharges
- Scanning fees: Some suppliers add charges for scanning features or software.
- IT/Network support: Clarify what’s included for setup, drivers, and network changes.
- Delivery/collection & returns: Ask about delivery, collection, packaging and “device condition” fees.
- Admin charges: Watch for monthly/quarterly “management” or consumables handling fees.
- Out-of-contract billing: Confirm what happens if the contract ends but the device remains on-site.
Included vs Common Exclusions (Confirm in Writing)
Usually Included
- Toner/Ink: Standard consumables for typical usage.
- Parts & labour: Service parts and engineer call-outs.
- Breakdown support: Fault diagnosis, repairs and maintenance scheduling.
- Remote monitoring: Meter reads, alerts and consumables notifications (where used).
Often Excluded / Chargeable
- Paper: Paper is almost always supplied by you.
- Staples & finisher items: Staples and some finishing consumables.
- Misuse/media issues: Damage caused by unsuitable paper, labels, card, incorrect settings.
- Non-standard coverage: Heavy colour/graphics may trigger special terms depending on the contract.
Colour & Coverage Rules (Avoid Surprises)
- What counts as “colour”: Many devices bill a page as colour if any colour toner/ink is used (even a small logo).
- Auto-colour settings: Confirm whether devices default to mono and require users to select colour.
- Coverage assumptions: Quotes often assume a standard coverage (commonly around 5%), but confirm your supplier’s written terms.
- High-coverage departments: Marketing-style print, photos and full-bleed documents can behave very differently on CPC.
Service Levels (SLA) & Uptime Expectations
- Response vs fix time: Response time means “acknowledge/attend”, not always “repair completed”.
- Remote-first support: Many suppliers diagnose remotely before sending an engineer.
- Parts availability: Ask what happens if a part is backordered and how long you may be without the device.
- Swap-out / loan machine: Confirm whether a temporary replacement is available for critical downtime.
Meter Reads, Estimated Billing & Disputes
- How reads are captured: Confirm whether meter reads are automatic, remote, or submitted by you.
- Estimated invoices: If reads are missed, some suppliers estimate usage—ask how they reconcile this later.
- Dispute window: Check how many days you have to query an invoice after it’s issued.
- Evidence: Keep screenshots/photos of device meters or portal reports as a habit.
- End-of-term reads: Final readings should be recorded and agreed to avoid post-contract surprises.
End of Contract, Roll-Over & Renewal Terms
- Notice periods: Many contracts require notice to stop or change services—confirm in writing.
- Auto-renewal: Check if the agreement renews automatically if notice is not given.
- Lease vs CPC mismatch: Avoid situations where the lease ends but CPC continues (or vice versa).
- Collection & return: Confirm packaging requirements, collection costs, and “condition” clauses.
- Out-of-contract click rates: Some suppliers apply higher rates when the contract term has ended.
Monitoring, Data & IT Considerations
- What is monitored: Typically meters, faults, consumables levels and device health (confirm what’s collected).
- Network requirements: Ask what access the monitoring tool needs and who manages credentials.
- Data retention: Confirm how long reports/meter data is stored and who can access it.
- Transparency: The provider should explain monitoring clearly and provide documentation on request.
Critical Industry Warnings
- Coverage clauses: If prints have heavy ink coverage, some contracts can make you responsible for extra toner costs beyond standard assumptions.
- “Multiple click” configurations: Some setups can count more than once per copy depending on device rules and configuration (confirm how it’s counted).
- Lease best practice: The best rule of thumb is do not put clicks into the lease. Keep usage and finance separate.
- Variable bill spikes: If you print significantly more in one month, expect a higher bill—plan for this in budgeting.
- Minimum billing: Minimum commitments can make low-volume environments unexpectedly expensive.
Is CPC Right for Your Business?
Best Fit
- Variable volumes: You don’t want to overbuy consumables “just in case”.
- Uptime matters: You need dependable support and predictable servicing.
- Higher volumes: CPC is often economical at scale when structured correctly.
- Multiple users: Offices needing managed printing rather than ad-hoc buying.
Be Cautious If
- Very low volume: Minimum billing can inflate effective cost per page.
- Heavy colour coverage: Photo-heavy printing can trigger special terms.
- Unclear overage rules: Excess pages can become expensive if poorly defined.
- Lease/CPC misaligned: Different end dates can cause paying after you thought you finished.
CPC can suit businesses with variable or unpredictable printing needs and helps avoid wasteful consumable stock. For large print volumes, it can be a strong value option, but always assess Total Cost of Ownership—running costs can exceed the machine cost over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is included in the service?
CPC usually includes toner/ink, parts, labour, and engineer call outs. Monitoring tools are common for meter reads and fault alerts.
Always confirm exclusions like staples/finisher items, misuse damage, special media, and any admin fees.
How do I know if duplex printing is billed correctly?
Ask for a written “click definition” that confirms whether duplex is billed per sheet or per side. Check a sample job against meter changes if you have access to reporting.
Why does a small logo sometimes count as colour?
Many devices bill a page as colour if any colour toner/ink is used. Consider defaulting users to mono and requiring deliberate selection for colour printing if cost control is important.
Why should I avoid putting prints into the lease?
Bundling clicks into the lease reduces transparency and makes adjustment difficult when your volume changes. Keeping finance and usage separate makes costs easier to control.
What happens if meter reads are missed?
Some suppliers bill estimated usage then reconcile later. Ask how they estimate, how they correct it, and what evidence they accept if you dispute an estimate.
What happens at the end of the contract?
Confirm notice periods, whether services auto-renew, how the final meter read is handled, and whether out-of-contract click rates apply. Confirm collection/return conditions and packaging requirements.
What happens with A3 printing?
A3 is commonly billed at around twice A4, but confirm the exact click rule for your device and contract. Some agreements separate A3 mono vs A3 colour and have special media pricing.