{"id":1490,"date":"2026-06-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.printingcenterusa.com\/blog\/?p=1490"},"modified":"2026-06-10T10:55:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:55:58","slug":"better-booklet-printing-prices-fedex-staples-office-max","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.printingcenterusa.com\/blog\/better-booklet-printing-prices-fedex-staples-office-max\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Get Better Booklet Printing Prices Than Staples\u00ae, FedEx\u00ae, and Office Depot\u00ae"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you need something printed, your mind probably goes to the first place you can think of, that just so happens to also be down the street: FedEx\u00ae, Office Depot\u00ae or Staples\u00ae. They\u2019re pretty much everywhere and feel like the obvious choice. But if you\u2019ve ever actually gone in or looked up their booklet<\/a> printing prices online, you\u2019ll realize that something doesn\u2019t add up\u2026 So, we saved you a trip and checked so you don\u2019t have to!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We tested their online pricing tools using the same common booklet specs across all three. Here\u2019s everything we found, plus what actually drives the booklet printing prices, and how to make sure you\u2019re not overpaying on your next order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Much Does Booklet Printing Cost at The Major Chains vs an Online Printer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the short answer: for 100 copies of an 8.5\u201d x 11\u201d, 16-page, 80 lb text, full-color saddle-stitch booklet, FedEx\u00ae came in at $1,315. Staples\u00ae came in at $1417.70. Office Depot\u00ae quoted $1,293.00. PrintingCenterUSA comes in at $296.14 This is the same specs across the board.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 100 copies, all three chains came in at more than 4x our price. The experience of getting these quotes was\u2026. well, its own story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FedEx\u00ae<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

FedEx\u00ae doesn\u2019t have a dedicated booklet printing page. The closest options are Presentations and Manual & Handbook printing. The page allows you to choose what you want beforehand, but there isn\u2019t any explanation on any of the choices, so you\u2019re unsure what you\u2019re getting or how it compares to anything else. The biggest source of confusion and annoyance was no page count selector, so you’d think it’s limited to basic single-sheet documents.To move forward you have to upload your file first. Pricing shows $2.65 which looks like a GREAT deal, until you realize that\u2019s essentially a per-page price before you\u2019ve uploaded anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once we uploaded the 16-page PDF, the pricing jumped to $20.99. Here\u2019s what 100 copies actually cost:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantity <\/strong><\/td>Price <\/strong><\/td>Per Unit <\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1<\/td>$20.99<\/td>$20.99<\/td><\/tr>
10 <\/td>$209.90<\/td>$20.99<\/td><\/tr>
25<\/td>$524.75<\/td>$20.99<\/td><\/tr>
50<\/td>$737.50<\/td>$14.75<\/td><\/tr>
100<\/td>$1,315.00<\/td>$13.15<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bulk discounting does not kick in until about 50 copies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staples\u00ae<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Staples\u00ae, has a dedicated booklet page. Clicking through, takes you to their general document printing page. From there, you have to upload your file before you can see real specs or pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here’s what we get for the same 16-page specs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantity <\/strong><\/td>Price <\/strong><\/td>Per Unit <\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1 <\/td>$17.75<\/td>$17.75<\/td><\/tr>
10 <\/td>$177.50<\/td>$17.75<\/td><\/tr>
25 <\/td>$431.50<\/td>$17.26<\/td><\/tr>
50 <\/td>$809.10<\/td>$16.18<\/td><\/tr>
100 <\/td>$1417.70<\/td>$14.18<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The cost per unit barely moved until you get to larger quantities, and even at 100 copies, you’re paying over $10 per booklet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Office Depot\u00ae<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Office Depot\u00ae does have a dedicated booklet page, and its the most put together option out of the three. That said, it follows the same flow where you upload your file first, then pick your specs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here’s what a 16-page booklet came to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantity <\/strong><\/td>Price <\/strong><\/td>Per Unit <\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1 <\/td>$13.17<\/td>$13.17<\/td><\/tr>
10 <\/td>$131.70<\/td>$13.17<\/td><\/tr>
25 <\/td>$327.25<\/td>$13.09<\/td><\/tr>
50 <\/td>$654.50<\/td>$13.09<\/td><\/tr>
100<\/td>$1,293.00<\/td>$12.93<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The price per booklet only changes by few a cents when upping the quantity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PrintingCenterUSA <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our pricing tool is straightforward with an easy process. You pick your specs, you see your price, then upload a file and checkout. No mystery involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here’s what printing a 16 page booklet with PrintingCenterUSA costs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantity <\/strong><\/td>Price <\/strong><\/td>Per Unit <\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1 <\/td>$8.75<\/td>$8.75<\/td><\/tr>
10 <\/td>$55.74<\/td>$5.57<\/td><\/tr>
25 <\/td>$120.52<\/td>$4.82<\/td><\/tr>
50<\/td>$203.33<\/td>$4.07<\/td><\/tr>
100 <\/td>$296.14<\/td>$2.96<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The price per booklet drops as the quantity goes up, and you can see what you’re paying before getting too far in the process and committing to anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PrintingCenterUSA Has the Best Booklet Prices<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At a side-by-side printing price comparison, PrintingCenterUSA leads the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At small quantities, FedEx\u00ae is the most expensive. Staples starts out cheaper than FedEx\u00ae but scales worse. Office Depot\u00ae is the most consistent out of three, but consistently expensive with the unit costs staying almost exactly the same no matter how many you order. The biggest winner is PrintingCenterUSA, where the booklet pricing is affordable and rewards you meaningfully for ordering more.<\/strong> The best printing prices are built around volume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quantity<\/strong><\/td>PrintingCenterUSA<\/strong><\/td>FedEx<\/strong><\/td>Staples<\/strong><\/td>Office Depot<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1<\/td>$8.75<\/td>$20.99<\/td>$17.75<\/td>$13.17<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>$55.74<\/td>$209.90<\/td>$177.50<\/td>$131.70<\/td><\/tr>
25<\/td>$120.52<\/td>$524.75<\/td>$431.50<\/td>$327.25<\/td><\/tr>
50<\/td>$203.33<\/td>$737.50<\/td>$809.10<\/td>$654.50<\/td><\/tr>
100<\/td>$296.14<\/td>$1,315.00<\/td>$1417.70<\/td>$1,293.00<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Have a project in mind? Get an instant quote<\/a> now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is Printing So Expensive at FedEx, Staples, and Office Depot?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the big chains, print services exist in their store as an add on. Printing just isn’t their thing, their expertise revolves around other focuses. FedEx\u00ae is ultimately a shipping company. Staples\u00ae and Office Depot\u00ae are office supply retailers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When you go to them, you’re working with a staff who handles dozens of different services and products all day. They aren’t print specialists. They haven’t invested in the presses, the processes, or expertise to do it efficiently, and they don’t have to, because its not what pays their bills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The printing presses, prepress workflows, and automation needed to run large quantities skillfully costs millions of dollars to bring in and maintain. There isn’t a true incentive to make the investment when they’re already profitable selling office supplies, ink cartridges, and shipping services. Getting serious about printing is not something they need. For you, that means limited options, pricing and tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At PrintingCenterUSA, we’ve specialized printing only for over 50 years. We specialize in booklets, books, calendars, and brochures at both short run digital and large run offset quantities. This focus is what makes the price difference possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, when working with FedEx\u00ae, Staples\u00ae, and Office Depot\u00aet= you’re paying a lot more for the name and convenience without<\/em> the expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Drives the Cost of Booklet Printing? How Can you get the Best Price?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you just learned, booklet printing prices are going to vary printer to printer. It’s important to always get multiple quotes and shop around before moving forward with the first option you find. But, nothing will be faster and more cost-effective than online printing. You’ll find better pricing and options. There will never be a one-size fits all, but what you choose like page count, size, paper stock, binding type, and quantity will drive the cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n