How much should I budget for premium printing paper?

Paper upgrades are usually a modest add to total cost, and they are one of the easiest ways to raise perceived quality. As a rough guide, upgrading stock adds somewhere in the range of 10-30% to the print cost, depending on how far you jump and what finishes you add on top.

• Specialty finishes are priced per unit, so they scale with quantity, plan them into larger runs deliberately.
• Premium pieces tend to stay in circulation longer, stretching the value of each impression.
• If budget is tight, upgrade the one piece people handle most rather than the whole campaign.