| Offset Printing | Digital Printing |
|---|
| Plate | Metal or plastic plate etched with image | Electrostatic or inkjet plate |
|---|
| Ink | Oil-based ink | Toner powder |
|---|
| Press | Large printing press transfers image from plate to paper | Smaller, desktop printer transfers image directly to paper |
|---|
| Quality | Higher resolution, sharper images | Lower resolution, less sharp images |
|---|
| Cost | Higher fixed costs for plate and press setup, but lower variable costs for large runs | Lower fixed costs, but higher variable costs for large runs |
|---|
| Speed | Slower setup time, but faster printing speeds for large runs | Faster setup time, but slower printing speeds |
|---|
| Paper Types | Can print on a wider variety of paper stocks, including coated and uncoated papers | Limited to specific types of paper stocks, typically coated papers |
|---|
