What ZINK paper costs per print
About sixty cents a print, and the paper is the only consumable — there is no ink at all. Here is the verified figure and where it sits against everything else.
ZINK 2 x 3 paper costs about 60 cents a print — $11.99 for 20 sheets, checked 13 October 2026. There is no ink or cartridge, because the dye is in the paper. Dye-sublimation media is cheaper at about 42 cents, and instant film more expensive at 85 cents and up.
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| Format | Print size | Pack | Pack price | Cost per shot | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 | 2.1 x 3.4 in | 60 | $24.99 | $0.42 | Kodak Photo Printer store |
| ZINK 2 x 3 | 2 x 3 in | 20 | $11.99 | $0.60 | ProCam |
| Canon SELPHY Square (XS-20L) | 2.7 x 2.7 in | 20 | $16.00 | $0.80 | ProCam |
| Polaroid Hi-Print 2 x 3 | 2 x 3 in | 20 | $16.99 | $0.85 | Polaroid |
| instax mini | 2.4 x 1.8 in (62 x 46 mm) | 20 | $16.99 | $0.85 | Pro Photo Supply |
What ZINK actually is
ZINK stands for zero ink, and it is literal. The paper contains three layers of dye crystals, each of which turns a different color when heated to a specific temperature for a specific duration. Before printing they are colorless, so the paper looks like ordinary blank glossy stock.
The printer has a thermal head and nothing else — no ink, no ribbon, no cartridge. It applies controlled heat pulses and the image forms inside the paper. The print emerges dry and finished, usually with a peel-off adhesive backing.
That is why ZINK printers are the cheapest and smallest hardware in this category: there is no ribbon mechanism to fit inside them.
Why it is not the cheapest to run
This is the part that surprises people, because the hardware is cheap and the technology sounds frugal. The answer is pack size.
| Media | Unit | Price | Per print |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZINK 2 x 3 | 20 sheets | $11.99 | $0.60 |
| Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 | 60 prints | $24.99 | $0.42 |
| Kodak 4PASS 4 x 6 | 80 prints | $31.99 | $0.40 |
| Canon SELPHY 4 x 6 | 108 prints | $41.99 | $0.39 |
| instax mini | 20 exposures | $16.99 | $0.85 |
Buying media 60 or 108 at a time rather than 20 is most of the saving. ZINK's convenience — any quantity, no cartridge to match — costs about 18 cents a print against Kodak.
A cross-check on the figure
Because this is a calculated number rather than a published one, it is worth confirming independently. Digital Camera World, which reviews these printers hands-on, reports in its Canon IVY 2 Mini review that 2 x 3 paper works out "at around 60c" per print, and circular sticker paper at around 45 cents.
That matches our calculation from Canon's $11.99 for 20 sheets, which is the kind of agreement worth having on a central figure.
What you get for the money
- Peel-and-stick. The real reason to choose ZINK. Nothing else in this category sticks to things.
- No cartridge to manage. Nothing to match up, nothing to dry out, nothing to run out of but paper.
- Any quantity. A single 20-sheet pack is a reasonable purchase, where a 108-print Canon set is a commitment.
- Instant and dry. The print is finished the moment it emerges.
What you give up
- Color accuracy. ZINK has the narrowest color range of the three technologies here. It shows most on skin tones.
- Fade resistance. No laminate layer, so ZINK prints should not live anywhere sunny. Dye-sublimation prints are considerably tougher.
- Cost. 18 cents a print more than Kodak 4PASS, which over 240 prints is about $44.
- Print size. 2 x 3 inches is the smallest useful format, and the Sprocket Select and 3x4 variants take different paper.
Who should choose ZINK anyway
Someone who wants stickers. That is the whole answer, and it is a good one — for a teenager putting photographs on a laptop lid or a locker door, peel-and-stick is the feature and color accuracy is nearly irrelevant.
For photographs going into an album or a frame, dye-sublimation is cheaper, tougher and better-looking. Choose ZINK on purpose, not by default.
Questions people ask
How much does ZINK paper cost per print?
About 60 cents. Canon's 2 x 3 ZINK paper was $11.99 for 20 sheets when we checked on 13 October 2026, and Digital Camera World's hands-on review independently reports around 60 cents a print for photo paper and around 45 cents for circular stickers.
Does ZINK need ink?
No — that is what the name means. The dye crystals are embedded in the paper and are colorless until the printer heats them. There is no ink, no ribbon and no cartridge, so the only consumable is paper.
Is ZINK cheaper than instant film?
Yes. ZINK is about 60 cents a print against 85 cents for instax mini and about $2.37 for Polaroid i-Type. But it is more expensive than dye-sublimation media, which runs 39 to 42 cents for larger, more durable prints.
Do ZINK prints fade?
More readily than dye-sublimation prints, which get a protective laminate pass. Keep ZINK prints out of direct sunlight. If prints are going on a bright wall, choose a dye-sublimation printer instead.
Can I use any brand of ZINK paper in any ZINK printer?
Often, because ZINK is a shared media technology rather than a single company's cartridge — Canon's 2 x 3 paper describes itself as for ZINK-compatible equipment. Check the print size matches the printer, because 2 x 3, 2.3 x 3.4 and 3.5 x 4.25 all exist and are not interchangeable.
Read these next
ZINK vs instax
The two technologies compared properly on cost and feel.
How pocket photo printers work
All three technologies, explained.
Canon IVY 2 Mini review
The ZINK printer we would pick.
Every format compared on cost
Where ZINK sits against everything else.
Kodak Mini 2 Retro review
The dye-sub printer that undercuts ZINK.
Sources
- ProCam — Canon 2x3 ZINK paper, 20 sheets — $11.99 on 13 October 2026
- Digital Camera World — Canon IVY 2 Mini review — Independently reports ZINK running cost of around 60c per print
- Kodak — 4PASS cartridges — $24.99 for 60 prints (2.1x3.4 and 3x3), $31.99 for 80 (4x6), $35.99 for 120 (4x4), 13 October 2026
- Pro Photo Supply — Canon SELPHY KP-108IN set — $41.99 for 108 prints at 4 x 6 in, 13 October 2026
- ProCam — Canon SELPHY XS-20L ink and label set — $16.00 for 20 prints at 2.7 x 2.7 in, 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Hi-Print 2x3 range — 20-sheet paper cartridge $16.99, 13 October 2026
- Pro Photo Supply — instax mini film, 20 exposures — $16.99 on 13 October 2026
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