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The best photo printers for Android phones

All of these support Android. The useful differences are the connection, the print cost and whether there is a wired option when Bluetooth misbehaves.

By Selena H.Last checked How we pick

The best photo printer for an Android phone is the Kodak Mini 2 Retro: about 42 cents a print, and it connects over Bluetooth or by USB-C cable — a direct wired link that suits Android better than any other printer here. For larger prints, the Canon SELPHY CP1500 does 4 x 6 for about 39 cents.

A phone connected to a small photo printer with prints on the table

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#ProductBest forCost per shotPrice
1
A pocket photo printer feeding out a small print next to a phoneKodak Mini 2 RetroUSB-C to USB-C means a direct cable connection, which no other printer here offers.
Best for Android$0.42Check price
2
A phone connected to a small photo printer, with finished prints fanned out beside itFujifilm instax mini Link 3Bluetooth 5.1 onto genuine instax mini film, in 15 seconds.
Best for real instant film$0.85Check price
3
A compact desktop photo printer producing a postcard-size printCanon SELPHY CP1500A 4 x 6 photograph for about 39 cents, over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth.
Best print quality$0.39Check price
4
A phone connected to a small photo printer, with finished prints fanned out beside itHP SprocketThe sticker printer you can buy almost anywhere, with the most confusing lineup.
Most widely available$0.60Check price
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. The price column goes straight to Amazon.
A pocket photo printer feeding out a small print next to a phone

1. Best for Android

Kodak Mini 2 Retro

USB-C to USB-C means a direct cable connection, which no other printer here offers.

Buy it for
Any Android or Samsung Galaxy owner, especially anyone who dislikes Bluetooth pairing.
Skip it if
Someone who wants a large print.
  • Connects over Bluetooth **or USB-C** — and since Android phones are USB-C, that is a plain cable with nothing to pair.
  • About **42 cents a print** on 4PASS media.
  • Laminated, dry, smudge-proof prints at 291 x 300 dpi.
  • Up to 20 prints per charge, 255 g.

Running cost: Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 works out at $0.42 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $139.97 including the camera. See every format’s cost.

How it scores8.9/10 overall

  • Cost per print10
  • Android connection10
  • Print size6
  • Portability9

Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.

Check price on Amazon

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Read the full review
A compact desktop photo printer producing a postcard-size print

3. Best print quality

Canon SELPHY CP1500

A 4 x 6 photograph for about 39 cents, over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth.

Buy it for
Anyone printing at home and wanting real photographs.
Skip it if
Portability — this stays on a desk.
  • About **39 cents** for a 4 x 6 print; a 108-print set is $41.99.
  • Wi-Fi, which handles large files from a modern Android camera better than Bluetooth.
  • Instantly dry and water resistant, with a claimed 100-year fade resistance.

Running cost: Canon SELPHY 4 x 6 (KP-108IN) works out at $0.39 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $221.98 including the camera. See every format’s cost.

How it scores8.6/10 overall

  • Cost per print10
  • Android connection8
  • Print size10
  • Portability2

Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you

Read the full review
A phone connected to a small photo printer, with finished prints fanned out beside it

4. Most widely available

HP Sprocket

The sticker printer you can buy almost anywhere, with the most confusing lineup.

Buy it for
Someone who wants ZINK stickers and wants to buy locally today.
Skip it if
Anyone who needs to know exactly what they are buying — there are 2x3, Select 2.3 x 3.4 and 3x4 models at very different prices.
  • Bluetooth to the HP Sprocket app, supported on Android 5 and above.
  • 2 x 3 ZINK sticky-backed paper, up to 313 x 400 dpi.
  • ZINK needs no cartridge, so there is nothing to run out of but paper.

Running cost: ZINK 2 x 3 works out at $0.60 a shot. See every format’s cost.

How it scores7.2/10 overall

  • Cost per print7
  • Android connection7
  • Print size4
  • Availability10

Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · we earn a commission at no extra cost to you

Read the full review

Connection and cost, side by side

What differs for an Android owner
PrinterConnectionCost per printPrint size
Kodak Mini 2 RetroBluetooth or USB-C cable$0.422.1 x 3.4 in
instax mini Link 3Bluetooth 5.1$0.852.4 x 1.8 in
instax Link WIDE 2Bluetooth 5.1$1.103.9 x 2.4 in
Canon IVY 2 MiniBluetooth$0.602 x 3 in
Canon SELPHY QX20Canon app$0.802.7 x 2.7 in
Canon SELPHY CP1500Wi-Fi$0.394 x 6 in
HP SprocketBluetoothNot verified2 x 3 in
Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3Bluetooth$0.852 x 3 in
What differs for an Android owner

Which to buy

  • Samsung Galaxy or any modern Android, and you want it simple: Kodak Mini 2 Retro, connected by cable.
  • You want real instant film: instax mini Link 3.
  • You print at home and want photographs: Canon SELPHY CP1500.
  • You want stickers and want to buy it this afternoon: HP Sprocket.

A note on app support

Android fragmentation means app support is a slightly bigger risk here than on iOS. Fujifilm, Canon and Kodak all maintain their apps actively and have large installed bases; smaller brands are where abandoned apps happen. That is a reason to prefer a major manufacturer in this category even when a cheaper printer looks tempting.

Questions people ask

What is the best photo printer for a Samsung phone?

The Kodak Mini 2 Retro, because it accepts a direct USB-C cable connection as well as Bluetooth — and a Galaxy is USB-C, so that is a plain cable with nothing to pair. It is also the cheapest to run at about 42 cents a print.

Do pocket photo printers work with Android?

Yes, all of them. Each manufacturer publishes an Android app, and the HP Sprocket supports Android 5 and above. The practical differences are connection reliability and whether a wired fallback exists, which only the Kodak printers offer.

Can I print from Android without an app?

Mostly no — the app is how the photograph reaches the printer. The exception is the Wi-Fi Canon SELPHY CP1500, which works over a normal network connection, and the Kodak printers' USB-C mode, which is closer to a direct transfer.

Which Android photo printer has the best quality?

The Canon SELPHY CP1500, which prints a 4 x 6 dye-sublimation photograph with a protective overcoat for about 39 cents. Among pocket printers, Kodak 4PASS at 291 x 300 dpi with a laminate pass is the most durable and color-accurate.

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Sources

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