Staples vs Avery Compared, and the Alternative That Beats Both
Staples wins on walk-in convenience and same-day pickup, and Avery wins on DIY label templates and blank sheets you can print at home. Neither is built for professional custom labels at volume. 4OVER4.COM is, with any-shape die cutting, 60+ stocks and materials, and a 110% price match on any verified quote.
Head to head
Staples and Avery, feature by feature
| Feature |  Staples |  Avery |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Retail pricing on print services and supplies | Affordable blank sheets, printed label services cost more |
| Product range | A general print counter plus office supplies | Label-first, with sheets, stickers, tags, and organizing products |
| Materials and finishes | A short menu of standard stocks | Many blank materials for home printers, fewer professional finishes |
| Minimums | Very low, small jobs welcome | Small packs of blank sheets, low minimums on printed orders |
| Shipping | Same-day pickup at local stores | Standard shipping, or instant if you print at home |
| Design tools | Basic templates in store and online | Free label templates built around its own sheet layouts |
| Support | In-person help at the counter, quality varies by store | Template and sizing help focused on labels |
This matchup is really two different tools. Staples is a general print counter you can drive to, useful for a bit of everything. Avery is the label specialist of the DIY world, built around blank sheets, standard layouts, and templates that make home printing painless. The table above sticks to what each company is known for, so you can pick based on the label job in front of you.
Where each one wins
A fair read on both options
Where Staples wins
Staples wins on immediacy and breadth. If you need a handful of labels today alongside copies, a poster, and a box of pens, one trip covers all of it, and same-day pickup means the job is done by the afternoon. For general office printing where labels are a side item rather than the main event, the counter is the path of least resistance.
Where Avery wins
Avery wins the DIY label game. Its blank sheets come in a huge range of layouts and materials, every sheet has a free matching template, and you can print a batch on your own printer tonight without waiting on anyone. For address labels, jar labels, and small-batch organizing projects, that flexibility is exactly what the product was designed for, and it shows.
The third option
4OVER4.COM against both, side by side
| Feature | Staples | Avery |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product catalog | Print counter basics plus office supplies | Labels, tags, and blank sheet products | 1,000+ printing products |
| Label materials and finishes | A short standard menu | Many home-printable blank materials | 60+ stocks and materials, waterproof included |
| Custom die-cut shapes | No | Standard shapes and sizes | Yes, any shape on rolls or sheets |
| Price match | No | No | Yes, 110% price match |
| Loyalty rewards | Store rewards on supplies | No | Coins earned on every order |
| Free proof | Not standard | Not standard | Free proof on every order |
| Non-profit discount | No | No | 25% OFF for life |
Both Staples and Avery stop where professional label printing starts. 4OVER4.COM has printed for 150,000+ businesses since 1999, and its label line covers rolls and sheets in any die-cut shape, on 60+ stocks and materials including durable waterproof options, at bulk pricing backed by a 110% price match on any verified quote. Every order gets a free proof before it goes to press, every dollar earns loyalty Coins, and non-profits get 25% off for life. When your labels carry your brand instead of your pantry, that difference shows on the shelf.
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Legal Disclaimer
Gold Standard guarantees apply to all standard orders placed through 4over4.com. Price match requires verifiable proof of a competitor's published price for an equivalent product with matching specifications and turnaround time. Satisfaction guarantee covers manufacturing defects and print quality issues. Contact support with order number and documentation. On-time delivery rate based on tracked orders 1999 to 2026. Individual results may vary based on shipping carrier performance.
Straight answers
Common Questions
Labels, materials, shapes and pricing, answered straight. Browse every printing question on our FAQs hub.
Is Avery better than Staples for labels?
For labels specifically, usually yes. Avery is a label-first company, with blank sheets in dozens of layouts, free templates matched to every sheet, and printed label services on top. Staples is a general print counter, so labels are one job among many. If the project is bigger than a home printer can handle well, a professional label printer beats both.
Are Avery labels good quality?
For DIY jobs, yes. Blank Avery sheets through a home printer are a fine way to label folders, jars, and mailings in small batches. The limits show up at volume and on branding work, where inkjet color, standard shapes, and hand-fed sheets cannot match professionally printed labels with full-bleed color and clean die-cut edges.
Is there a better alternative to Staples and Avery for custom labels?
Yes. 4OVER4.COM prints custom labels on rolls or sheets in any die-cut shape, on 60+ stocks and materials, with a free proof on every order and a 110% price match on any verified quote. Compare the Staples alternative and the Avery alternative breakdowns for the details.
Can I get waterproof labels from Staples or Avery?
Avery sells some durable blank materials for home printing, and a retail counter carries a limited menu. For labels that live on bottles, coolers, or outdoor products, professionally printed labels on durable, waterproof stocks at bulk pricing hold up better, because the material and the ink are matched on a commercial press.
Who prints die-cut labels in custom shapes?
4OVER4.COM cuts die-cut labels to any shape you upload, with precise cutting on rolls or sheets. Avery works around its standard sheet layouts and a retail counter does not offer custom die cutting at all, so a truly custom shape needs a printer with its own cutting equipment.
Do I have to design my labels myself?
No. Avery expects you to work inside its templates, and that suits DIY jobs. At 4OVER4.COM you can upload finished artwork, start from free templates, or use the free online designer, and die-cut stickers and labels come with no hidden design fees. A free proof on every order means you approve the result before it prints.
