Quantity. Offset printing has a front-end cost load. Short runs may have a high unit cost but as quantities increase the unit cost goes down with offset printing. Very short runs can be much more cost effective with digital printing; while larger quantities are likely to have a lower unit cost with offset printing.

Printing medium. Do you need or want a special paper, finish or unusual printing surface, or unique size? The options are increasing continually for digital, but offset printing still offers the most flexibility.

Colour. Digital presses use four-colour process printing. If you need only black ink or one or two ink colours, offset printing may offer a more cost-effective solution. If you need four-colour printing, digital may offer advantages in lower up-front costs.

More on colour. If you’re planning to print using the Pantone® Matching System, offset printing will give you the best match, since it uses actual Pantone® ink. Digital printing simulates the colour using a four-colour matching process, so some digital printers may offer less accurate colour matching on projects.