Content by Jennifer Atchison, AI-enhanced (ChatGPT).
Should your copier lease include a set number of copies or prints? Not necessarily. Your equipment payment can be predictable while your print charges are based on the black-and-white and color pages you actually produce.
When comparing copier or multifunction printer (MFP) proposals, look carefully at how print volume is billed. Some agreements include minimum print volumes, bundled page allowances, or base charges tied to a predetermined number of pages. That creates two potential financial risks: paying for pages you never print and continuing to pay for estimated usage even when your organization’s printing needs decline.
At Delmarva Document Solutions, we believe you should know exactly what you’re paying for – and shouldn’t have to purchase print volume simply because someone predicted you might need it.
Copier Lease vs. Cost-Per-Print Agreement: What’s the Difference?
One of the most important things to understand when comparing copier proposals is the difference between paying for the equipment and paying for the printing you do on it.
Your copier lease or equipment payment covers the physical copier or MFP and any financed accessories. It is typically a predictable monthly payment for the term of the agreement.
Your service or cost-per-print agreement is separate. It generally covers service, maintenance and supplies according to the terms of the agreement, with usage measured by the number of pages produced. These per-page charges are often called copier click charges, with different rates for black-and-white and color pages.
Those costs don’t have to be bundled together.
You can have a predictable equipment payment while paying separately for the pages you actually print.
Why Bundled Print Volume Can Cost You Money
Suppose an agreement includes:
- 5,000 black-and-white pages per month
- 1,000 color pages per month
But this month, you print only 3,000 black-and-white pages and 500 color pages.
If the agreement requires payment for the full minimum, you’re still paying for 5,000 mono and 1,000 color pages. Unless the contract specifically allows unused pages to roll over, you’ve paid for printing that never occurred.
That’s the “use it or lose it” problem with some copier contract minimum-volume structures.
There’s another risk: your printing needs may change.
A volume estimate that makes sense when you sign a five-year agreement may not make sense two or three years later. If your actual usage drops but your minimum doesn’t, you’re still paying based on yesterday’s printing habits.
COVID-19 Was an Extreme Example of Why This Matters
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly office printing can change.
Businesses closed offices. Schools sent students home. Employees moved to remote work. Many organizations saw printing decline dramatically, and some offices temporarily produced virtually no pages.
The copier was still in the building, so the equipment lease payment understandably continued.
But what about the printing?
Organizations with agreements requiring minimum print volumes could still be responsible for those volumes even when the machines were barely being used.
With a true pay-for-what-you-print structure, the result is different. If your office normally prints 10,000 pages but produces only 1,000, your usage-related charges reflect those 1,000 pages.
The principle is simple:
If you didn’t print the page, you shouldn’t be paying Delmarva Document Solutions a click charge for it.
Print Volume Still Changes Today
COVID was an extreme example, but fluctuating print volume is normal.
Schools have summer schedules. Accounting firms have busy seasons. Employees take vacations. Businesses add or reduce staff. Hybrid work changes office activity. Companies relocate, temporarily close or experience slower periods.
Technology can reduce printing, too. Electronic forms, digital document workflows, cloud storage, electronic signatures and document management can all reduce the number of pages an organization produces.
If you’re printing less, your usage-related costs should have the opportunity to decrease with it.
A Simple Cost Comparison
Here’s an easy example.
Assume two businesses have identical equipment payments. We’ll compare only their print/service charges.
Their anticipated monthly volume is 5,000 black-and-white pages and 1,000 color pages.
For illustration:
Black-and-white: $0.01 per page
Color: $0.08 per page
At the anticipated volume:
5,000 mono × $0.01 = $50
1,000 color × $0.08 = $80
Total anticipated usage cost: $130
Now suppose the business actually prints only 3,000 mono and 500 color pages.
Agreement A: Fixed Minimum
The customer still pays $130 if the agreement requires payment for the full predetermined volume.
Agreement B: Actual Usage
3,000 mono × $0.01 = $30
500 color × $0.08 = $40
Actual usage cost: $70
That’s a $60 difference in one month for the same number of pages actually produced.
The rates are hypothetical, and actual contract terms vary. But the example demonstrates why the structure of a copier agreement matters – not just the monthly number printed at the bottom of the proposal.
But Aren’t Bundled Pages Better for Budgeting?
Predictable expenses have value. But predictability isn’t necessarily savings.
Imagine agreeing to pay your electric company for a predetermined amount of electricity every month, whether you use it or not. Your bill would certainly be predictable – but that doesn’t mean you’d be saving money.
The same principle applies to copier printing.
Your equipment payment can be predictable. Your agreed-upon black-and-white and color cost-per-print rates can also be predictable.
What changes is your actual usage.
So when someone presents bundled print volume as a budgeting advantage, ask:
What am I paying for to make that bill predictable?
Questions to Ask Before Signing a Copier Agreement
Before comparing monthly payments, understand how each proposal handles print volume:
- Does my payment include a minimum number of black-and-white or color pages?
- What happens if I don’t use all of those pages?
- Do unused pages roll over?
- Am I charged for the minimum if our office closes temporarily or our volume declines?
- Are equipment and print/service charges clearly separated?
- What happens to my cost if our print volume decreases?
- Can I see exactly what I’m paying per black-and-white and color page?
Don’t settle for a total monthly number. Ask how it was calculated.
The Delmarva Document Solutions Approach
For 28 years, Delmarva Document Solutions has helped businesses and organizations across the Delmarva Peninsula understand and manage their office technology costs.
Our philosophy is straightforward: you should understand exactly what you’re paying for.
Your equipment payment and usage should be clearly identifiable. You can have a predictable payment for your copier or MFP while your print charges reflect the pages you actually produce.
As a Xerox Diamond Agency, we combine Xerox technology and certified service standards with a local Delmarva team that knows our customers and picks up the phone when they call.
Most importantly, we don’t believe you should be forced to purchase print volume simply because someone estimated you might need it.
When comparing copier proposals, ask this one question:
Am I paying for what I actually print – or am I paying for what someone estimated I would print?
Want a Second Look at Your Copier Agreement?
If you’re reviewing an existing copier agreement or comparing proposals, Delmarva Document Solutions can help you break down the numbers.
We’ll help you identify the equipment cost, service charges, mono and color click rates, minimum volumes and other terms so you can make an informed comparison.
No pressure. Bring us the agreement or proposals, and we’ll help you understand what you’re actually paying for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a copier lease include copies or prints?
The equipment lease and print/service charges can be separate. The key question is whether you’re required to pay for a minimum number of pages even when you don’t print them.
What is a copier minimum print volume?
It’s a predetermined number of pages you’re required to pay for during a billing period. For example, an agreement might establish a 5,000-page monthly minimum even if you actually print only 3,000 pages.
What are copier click charges?
A click charge is an industry term for a per-page printing charge. Agreements typically have separate rates for black-and-white and color pages. What the charge includes depends on the service agreement.
What happens if I don’t use all my included pages?
It depends on the contract. Some agreements may allow unused pages to roll over; others may not. Always ask what happens to unused volume before signing.
Are bundled pages always a bad deal?
No. Copier contract structures vary. What’s important is understanding the minimum volume, what happens to unused pages, and how the cost compares with paying for actual usage.
Can I have a predictable copier payment and still pay only for what I print?
Yes. Your equipment payment can remain fixed while usage charges are calculated separately based on the actual black-and-white and color pages produced.
What should I compare between two copier proposals?
Compare the equipment cost, service terms, mono and color cost per print, minimum volumes, rollover provisions and rate increases – not simply the advertised monthly payment.
