The best photo printers for iPhone
They all work with an iPhone. What differs is how they connect, how good the app is, and what each print costs — which is the part reviews skip.
Every pocket photo printer works with an iPhone over Bluetooth through the manufacturer's app. The Kodak Mini 2 Retro is the best pick at about 42 cents a print and also offers a wired Lightning connection; the Canon SELPHY CP1500 uses Wi-Fi and prints 4 x 6 for about 39 cents.
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| # | Product | Best for | Cost per shot | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Kodak Mini 2 RetroCheapest prints, and the only one here with a wired Lightning option as well as Bluetooth. | Best for iPhone overall | $0.42 | Check price |
| 2 | Fujifilm instax mini Link 3Bluetooth 5.1 and the widest file-format support, onto real instax film. | Best iPhone app experience | $0.85 | Check price |
| 3 |  Canon SELPHY CP1500A real 4 x 6 photograph for about 39 cents — the cheapest proper print on this site. | Best print quality from an iPhone | $0.39 | Check price |
| 4 | Canon IVY 2 MiniThe smallest option, making peel-and-stick 2 x 3 prints in about 50 seconds. | Best iPhone sticker printer | $0.60 | Check price |
1. Best for iPhone overall
Kodak Mini 2 Retro
Cheapest prints, and the only one here with a wired Lightning option as well as Bluetooth.
- Buy it for
- Any iPhone owner, and particularly anyone who finds Bluetooth pairing irritating.
- Skip it if
- Someone who wants a large print.
- Connects over Bluetooth **or** USB-C with an included Lightning adapter — a wired fallback no other printer here has.
- About **42 cents a print**, the cheapest we verified in a pocket printer.
- Dry, laminated, smudge-proof prints at 291 x 300 dpi.
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 scores8.8/10 overall
- Cost per print10
- Connection options10
- 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.
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2. Best iPhone app experience
Fujifilm instax mini Link 3
Bluetooth 5.1 and the widest file-format support, onto real instax film.
- Buy it for
- An iPhone owner who wants instant film rather than dye-sub prints.
- Skip it if
- Cost-conscious buyers — 85 cents a shot.
- **Bluetooth 5.1**, the newest here, which makes pairing and transfer more reliable.
- Accepts JPEG, PNG, **HEIF** and DNG — and HEIF is what an iPhone shoots by default, so there is no conversion step.
- 15 seconds a print, about 100 prints per charge, 210 g.
Running cost: instax mini works out at $0.85 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $201.94 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores8.2/10 overall
- Cost per print6
- Connection options9
- Print size5
- Portability10
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.
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3. Best print quality from an iPhone
Canon SELPHY CP1500
A real 4 x 6 photograph for about 39 cents — the cheapest proper print on this site.
- Buy it for
- Anyone printing at home who wants photographs rather than tokens.
- Skip it if
- Carrying anywhere. It is a desktop unit.
- A full **4 x 6 inch** print for about **39 cents** — a 108-print KP-108IN set is $41.99.
- Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth, which is more reliable for larger files from an iPhone.
- Dye-sublimation prints that are instantly dry and water resistant; Canon claims up to 100 years of 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
- Connection options8
- 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.
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4. Best iPhone sticker printer
Canon IVY 2 Mini
The smallest option, making peel-and-stick 2 x 3 prints in about 50 seconds.
- Buy it for
- Teenagers and anyone decorating things.
- Skip it if
- Color-critical work.
- Bluetooth to the Canon Mini Print app, which is straightforward on iOS.
- About 60 cents a print on 2 x 3 ZINK paper, peel-and-stick.
- 20 prints per charge and a 45-minute recharge.
Running cost: ZINK 2 x 3 works out at $0.60 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $189.94 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores7.8/10 overall
- Cost per print8
- Connection options7
- Print size4
- Portability10
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.
Digital Camera World, which publishes hands-on reviews, calls it “working out at around 60c per print”.
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How each one connects
| Printer | Connection | File formats | Print time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kodak Mini 2 Retro | Bluetooth or USB-C with Lightning adapter | Via app | Not published |
| instax mini Link 3 | Bluetooth 5.1 | JPEG, PNG, HEIF, DNG | About 15 sec |
| instax Link WIDE 2 | Bluetooth 5.1 | JPEG, PNG, HEIF, DNG | About 14 sec |
| Canon IVY 2 Mini | Bluetooth | Via Canon Mini Print app | About 50 sec |
| Canon SELPHY QX20 | Via Canon app | Via app | About 40 sec |
| Canon SELPHY CP1500 | Wi-Fi | Via app or AirPrint | Not published |
| Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 | Bluetooth via Polaroid app | Via app | Not published |
Two things on that table matter in practice. HEIF support means no conversion step for the format an iPhone shoots by default — the instax printers list it explicitly. And a wired option, which only the Kodak offers, is the thing that saves you when Bluetooth will not pair at a party.
What each print costs
| Format | Print size | Pack | Pack price | Cost per shot | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon SELPHY 4 x 6 (KP-108IN) | 4 x 6 in | 108 | $41.99 | $0.39 | Pro Photo Supply |
| 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 |
| instax WIDE | 3.9 x 2.4 in (99 x 62 mm) | 20 | $21.99 | $1.10 | Pro Photo Supply |
Which to buy
- You want the cheapest prints and a wired fallback: Kodak Mini 2 Retro.
- You want real instax film: instax mini Link 3.
- You want proper photographs at home: Canon SELPHY CP1500, at 39 cents for a 4 x 6.
- You want stickers: Canon IVY 2 Mini.
- You want wide prints for a guest book: instax Link WIDE 2.
One thing to check before buying
Every one of these depends on the manufacturer's app staying supported on current iOS. That is a genuine long-term risk in this category and not one any specification sheet discloses. Printers from Fujifilm, Canon and Kodak are the safest bets simply because those three have the largest installed bases to keep supporting.
Questions people ask
What is the best photo printer for an iPhone?
The Kodak Mini 2 Retro for most people: about 42 cents a print, and it connects either over Bluetooth or by cable using the included Lightning adapter. For bigger prints, the Canon SELPHY CP1500 does a 4 x 6 photograph for about 39 cents over Wi-Fi.
Do photo printers work with HEIC photos from an iPhone?
The instax mini Link 3 and instax Link WIDE 2 both list HEIF support explicitly, which is the format an iPhone shoots by default. Other printers handle it through their own app, which converts as part of the print process — it works, with an extra step in the background.
Can I AirPrint to a pocket photo printer?
Generally no — pocket printers connect over Bluetooth through their own app rather than appearing as AirPrint devices. The Wi-Fi Canon SELPHY CP1500 is the exception among the printers here, as it works over a normal network connection.
Which iPhone photo printer is cheapest to run?
Of the pocket options, the Kodak Mini 2 Retro at about 42 cents a print. Overall, the Canon SELPHY CP1500 at about 39 cents for a much larger 4 x 6 print — a 108-print ink and paper set was $41.99 when we checked.
Read these next
Best pocket photo printers
The overall ranking, by cost per print.
Best photo printers for Android
The same products, with the Android connection detail.
Canon SELPHY CP1500 review
The 39-cent 4 x 6 print, in full.
Kodak Mini 2 Retro review
The cheapest pocket printer to run.
How pocket photo printers work
Why the technology decides both price and print quality.
Sources
- Kodak Mini 2 Retro printer — Specifications and bundle pricing, 13 October 2026
- Kodak — 4PASS cartridges — $24.99 for 60 prints (2.1x3.4 and 3x3), $31.99 for 80 prints (4x6), 13 October 2026
- Fujifilm instax mini Link 3 specifications — Manufacturer specification page, 13 October 2026
- Fujifilm instax Link WIDE 2 specifications — Manufacturer specification page, 13 October 2026. Replaces the gen-1 Link Wide
- Canon USA newsroom — IVY 2 Mini announcement — Specifications and $129.99 estimated retail price at announcement
- ProCam — Canon 2x3 ZINK paper, 20 sheets — $11.99 on 13 October 2026 — the basis of the 60c-per-print figure
- Pro Photo Supply — Canon SELPHY CP1500 — $179.99 listed, 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 QX20 — Specifications and $189.00 listed price, 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Hi-Print 2x3 range — Printer $109.99, 20-sheet paper cartridge $16.99, 13 October 2026
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will correct it with a dated note. Our picks are re-checked quarterly — see our editorial policy.