Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM
Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
How much does upgrading to premium paper add to a print job?
Answer
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.
| Upgrade | Typical cost impact |
|---|---|
| 14pt to 32pt cardstock | Roughly doubles paper cost per piece |
| Soft touch lamination | About $0.02-$0.10 per unit |
| Spot UV / gloss accents | About $0.02-$0.10 per unit |
- 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.
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