Best ID Card Printers 2024

Choosing the right ID card printer system for your organization takes some consideration. We have created this comprehensive and regularly updated guide to compare the best ID badge printers in categories that matter most to our customers, including:

Our categories are not exhaustive, as every organization is different; however, we are confident that this transparent guide will help you better understand the basic ID printer features and options and how they apply to your organization.

Easy Badges has incorporated user feedback into our results so you know what features matter to other similar organizations. As always, we love to hear from those new to the ID card printer world — so if you need help, Easy Badges is here to assist you.

And please keep in mind that all ID printer systems purchased through Easy Badges include:

  • Free Easy Badges Beginner ID Card Software.
  • Free phone & email support for the lifetime of your printer system. This includes free remote setup.
  • 30-Day No Questions-Asked Return Policy (certain terms and conditions apply).

Best Overall ID Card Printer 2024

Evolis Primacy 2

A new era of Evolis Primacy ID card printers has arrived with six new features. We voted the Evolis Primacy 2 the Best ID Card Printer in 2024 because it balances your need for performance, security, durability and adaptability with the Evolis commitment to the environment and quality.

Our customers want an ID Card Printer and design software that is easy to use, reliable and produces high quality ID badges.

The Primacy 2 does all this and more with exciting capabilities, such as:

  • Print remotely on compatible devices (smartphones and tablets).
  • Access consumables (ink) without unlocking the printer.
  • Adding a larger card feeder — a 200-card hopper — is now optional.
  • Mask data automatically after printing with Kineclipse® technology.

For organizations just starting with in-house ID badge printing or those whose current needs have evolved, the Evolis Primacy 2 can provide faster, more convenient and secure ID badge printing.

Find out why this model was also voted:

  • Best Overall and Best Dual Sided Printer 2024
  • Best ID Card Printer System for Schools
  • Easy, Efficient, Secure – 2024
star
star
star
star
star

Ranked the best overall printer by the pros at Easy Badges, this versatile machine has turbo printing speed at a lower cost per card. The Primacy 2 is also the most user friendly MAC ID printers, making it a favorite among educational environments.

The Evolis Primacy 2 offers upgrades like lamination for durability, magnetic stripe encoding, a 200-input hopper for efficiency and more. Print remotely and securely thanks to its Kineclipse® masking system and digital erasing.

  • Best Overall and Best Dual Sided Printer
  • Best ID Card Printer System for Schools
  • Easy, Efficient, Secure
Icon

Starts at $1,833.50 - $5,250.75.

Icon

Dual and Single-sided Printing Capability

Icon

Volume: < 30,000 cards annually

Icon

$0.38 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

18 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB + Ethernet + WiFi optional

Icon

Direct-to-card printing technology

Icon

3-year warranty

Icon

100-card input + 100-card output hopper

Icon

Lamination option

Pros:

  • Single-sided or dual-sided printing.
  • Easily adaptable and upgradeable.
  • Eco-friendly.
  • Fast! Print Speed: 18 seconds per side.
  • Print from Smartphone or Tablet.
  • Lamination option.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $1,883.50. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Best Entry-Level Systems

Voted Best Entry-Level ID Card Printer System – 2024

Evolis Zenius Classic ID Badge Printer

We recommend the Evolis Zenius to organizations that plan to print roughly 500 or fewer single-sided ID cards in a year. The Zenius produces an ID card in 30 seconds using direct-to-card printing technology. The Zenius conserves energy when not in use. Evolis is committed to reducing waste during the production and transport of each machine for lower CO2 emissions.

This model is intuitive to use. To print one or a few ID cards, use the manual feed, just like a desktop printer. The hopper will take in 50 cards and hold the same amount for set-it-and-forget-it single-sided card printing jobs. Our Easy Badges software enables you to print professional, high quality ID cards, gift cards, memberships cards and more — without hiring expensive graphic designers.

We recommend this printer to anyone looking for cost-effective and energy-efficient printing without a high pricetag (or learning curve).

Find out why Zenius was also voted:

  • Best Compact ID Card Printer – 2024
  • Second Best ID Card Printer System for Schools – 2024
star
star
star
star
star

The Evolis Zenius Classic is a great option for organizations that desire cost-efficient and eco-friendly performance. It sleeps during unproductive times and is manufactured with recycled materials when possible.

  • Best Compact ID Card Printer
  • Best Entry-Level ID Card Printer System
  • Second Best ID Card Printer System for Schools
Icon

Starts at $1,000-$1,295.

Icon

Single-sided printing only

Icon

Volume: < 500 cards annually

Icon

$0.37 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

30 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB

Icon

Direct-to-card printing

Icon

2-year warranty

Icon

50-card input + output hopper

Pros:

  • Entry-level pricing.
  • Compact (8.07″W x 7.68″H x 12.4″D) and lightweight.
  • Eco-Friendly production and delivery.
  • 50 card input hopper/50 card output hopper.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $1,000. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Second Best for Entry-Level Printer Needs – 2024

Magicard Pronto

Your organization may need ID cards in bulk once or twice a year. The cost of a print shop might be better spent on your operations or marketing than on those annual meeting parking passes or the twice-annual batch of loyalty cards.

The Magicard Pronto is a no-fuss ID card printer that is simple to use and will save you time and money. The manual feed drastically reduces manufacturing costs and those savings are passed on to you.

Here are the top reasons why Magicard Pronto was voted runner-up entry-level printer :

  • 35-second single-sided full-color card printing.
  • Ideal for printing less than 100 cards a year.
  • Printer driver option to add the HoloKote® watermark.
  • Compatible with PC and MAC operating systems and comes with a USB 2.0 port.

Easy Badges offers customers our signature Easy Care email and phone support at no extra cost for the life of your Magicard Pronto.

star
star
star
star
star

Ranked second-best for entry-level printer needs for its compact design and cost-efficiency, the Magicard Pronto is excellent to start in-house printing ID badges, visitor passes and more. The optional HoloKote® technology adds a layer of security to every card.

The Magicard Pronto is popular with organizations with simple ID card designs and low print volume.

Icon

Starts at $935.00-$1,188.00.

Icon

Single-sided printing only

Icon

Volume: < 100 cards annually

Icon

$0.49 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

35 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB

Icon

Direct-to-card printing

Icon

2-year warranty

Icon

Manual feed

Pros:

  • Entry-level pricing.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $895. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Best Dual-Sided System

Voted Best Overall and Best Dual-Sided Printer 2024

Evolis Primacy 2

The Evolis Primacy 2 received our vote for Best Overall and Best Dual-Sided Printer 2024 for several reasons:

  • Convenience:
    • Double overlay varnish offers 3x the protection of the standard YMCKO ribbon.
  • Durability:
    • Evolis Premium Suite® software ensures compatibility with PC and Mac operating systems.
    • Remote printing using a compatible smartphone or tablet is now possible.
  • Security:
    • Optional Lamination Module 2 protects ID from counterfeiting using varnish, patch orgeneric/custom holograms.
    • Option to add contact and contactless chips and magnetic stripe encoding for the lifetime ofthe printer.
    • UV effect for enhanced protection on cards.
    • Optional KineclipseⓇ technology removes sensitive data from printer ribbon.

Find out why this model was also voted:

  • Best ID Card Printer Overall 2024
  • Best ID Card Printer System for Schools – Easy, Efficient, Secure – 2024
star
star
star
star
star

Ranked the best overall printer by the pros at Easy Badges as well, this versatile ID printer has turbo printing speed at a lower cost per card.

The Evolis Primacy 2 offers upgrades like lamination for durability, magnetic stripe encoding, a 200-input hopper for efficiency and more. Print remotely and securely thanks to its Kineclipse® masking system and digital erasing.

Icon

Starts at $1,833.50 - $5,250.75.

Icon

Dual and Single-sided Printing Capability

Icon

Volume: < 30,000 cards annually

Icon

$0.36 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

18 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB + Ethernet + WiFi optional

Icon

Direct-to-card printing technology

Icon

3-year warranty

Icon

100-card input + 100-card output hopper

Icon

Lamination option

Pros:

  • Single-sided or dual-sided printing.
  • Easily adaptable and upgradeable.
  • Eco-friendly to reduce CO2 emissions.
  • Fast! Print Speed: 18 seconds per side.
  • Print from Smartphone or Tablet.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $1,544.00. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Second Best ID Dual-Sided ID Card Printer System – 2024

Magicard 300

We recommend the Magicard 300 for organizations that want the option of dual-sided printing at a lower annual volume (10,000 cards). It’s a powerhouse that can print 160 full-color cards an hour and hold 100 cards in the hopper. We also like its shredding capability and added security measures.

The Magicard 300 comes with four default HoloKote® hologram-like watermarks for enhanced security. Purchase a custom HoloKote® with your design for a one-time fee of $695.00.

Image Image Image Image

The Magicard 300 ID card printer can produce many types of standard-sized plastic cards like loyalty cards, gift cards, access badges, transit passes and more. Employees don’t need to be graphic designers. With the Easy Badges software, you can print like a pro in no time. Easy Care assistance and training are available to our customers at no additional cost for the lifetime of your printer.

star
star
star
star
star

Ranked second best dual-sided ID card printer for its versatility and volume, this machine is great for small to midsize organizations. The Magicard 300 gives you magnetic strip and smart card encoding options. It also comes loaded with 4 watermark designs using its HoloKote® technology.

It can be easily upgraded to dual-sided printing capability onsite, which is a great feature for growing organizations.

Icon

Starts at $1,435.00 - $2,045.90

Icon

Dual and Single-sided Printing Capability

Icon

Volume: < 10,000 cards annually

Icon

$0.35 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

23 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB + Ethernet

Icon

Direct-to-card printing technology

Icon

3-year warranty

Icon

100-card input + output hopper

Pros:

  • Single-sided or dual-sided printing.
  • Remote upgrade to dual-sided printing available.
  • HoloKote® security technology option.

Cons:

  • Mid-level pricing.

Our Price:

Starting from $1,435. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Printing technology comparison

Printing technology comparison

The direct-to-card (DTC) printing method produces an ID badge in black-and-white or full-color with a very small white border (less than ⅛ inch-wide) in the 300 DPI range. DTC printers provide a print quality suitable for most organizations at a lower cost per card than reverse transfer ID printers.

2. Reverse transfer (retransfer) printing

The two-step reverse transfer of an image or text on a card delivers photo-finish quality and is ideal for microtext, vivid colors and true edge-to-edge printing. Organizations select a retransfer ID card printer for high-volume, high-quality and definition printing.

Image

Voted Best ID Card Printer System for Schools – Easy, Efficient, Secure – 2024

Evolis Primacy 2

Schools and educational systems need a secure, efficient, out-of-the-box solution for ID badge printing. The latest Evolis Primacy 2 offers exceptional print quality with an intuitive software package and several optional security features that level-up your in-house ID card printing when your school needs it. The Evolis Primacy 2 also is the most MAC user-friendly compared to all MAC compatible ID card printers.

Staff will love how simple it is to navigate the Easy Badges ID Card software and print professional looking ID cards quickly. With a print speed of 18 seconds per side — and with a 100-card input and output hopper, large jobs are no problem for the Primacy 2. Expect to be able to print up to 30,000 ID cards, employee badges, visitor passes, parking passes and more every year without worry.

Connect via USB, Ethernet or optional WiFi to get going immediately. If you need help, Easy Badges customers enjoy free, five-star customer service for the life of your Primacy 2 printer.

It’s not hard to understand why we voted for Primacy 2 for the following categories in 2024:

  • Best ID Card Printer Overall 2024
  • Best Overall and Best Dual Sided Printer 2024
star
star
star
star
star

Ranked the best overall printer by the pros at Easy Badges, this versatile machine has turbo printing speed at a lower cost per card.

The Evolis Primacy 2 offers upgrades like lamination for durability, magnetic stripe encoding, a 200-input hopper for efficiency and more. Print remotely and securely thanks to its Kineclipse® masking system and digital erasing.

  • Best Overall and Best Dual Sided Printer
  • Best ID Card Printer System for Schools • Easy, Efficient, Secure
Icon

Starts at $1,833.50 - $5,250.75.

Icon

Dual and Single-sided Printing Capability

Icon

Volume: < 30,000 cards annually

Icon

$0.36 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

18 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB + Ethernet + WiFi optional

Icon

Direct-to-card printing technology

Icon

3-year warranty

Icon

100-card input + 100-card output hopper

Icon

Lamination option

Pros:

  • Single-sided or dual-sided printing.
  • Easily adaptable and upgradeable.
  • Eco-friendly.
  • Fast! Print Speed: 18 seconds per side.
  • Remote printing from smartphone or tablet.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $1,833.50. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges

Voted Second Best ID Card Printer System for Schools – 2024

Evolis Zenius Classic ID Badge Printer

The Evolis Zenius is ideal for schools printing 500 or fewer ID cards a year. We recommend this printer for quick performance right out of the box — print a single sided card in 30 seconds.

This model is intuitive to use. To print one or a few ID cards, use the manual feed, just like a desktop printer. The hopper will take in 50 cards and hold the same amount for set-it-and-forget-it single-sided card printing jobs. Our Easy Badges software enables you to print professional, high-quality ID cards, gift cards, membership cards and more — without hiring expensive graphic designers.

Schools can feel good about Evolis’ commitment to conserving our planet’s natural resources. This printer is made with recycled materials and designed to be compact for a lower carbon footprint from the manufacturing floor to your school’s campus. Zenius printers idle in sleep mode when not in use. It’s a no-brainer for K-12 schools, small colleges and organizations that want to print ID cards in-house simply and easily.

Find out why Evolis Zenius was also voted:

  • Best Compact ID Card Printer – 2024
  • Best Entry-Level ID Card Printer System – 2024
star
star
star
star
star

The Evolis Zenius Classic is a great option for organizations that desire cost-efficient and eco-friendly performance. It sleeps during unproductive times and is manufactured with recycled materials when possible.

  • Best Compact ID Card Printer
  • Best Entry-Level ID Card Printer System
  • Second Best ID Card Printer System for Schools
Icon

Starts at $1,000-$1,295.

Icon

Single-sided printing only

Icon

Volume: < 500 cards annually

Icon

$0.37 cost per side (full-color)

Icon

30 seconds per side (full-color)

Icon

USB

Icon

Direct-to-card printing

Icon

2-year warranty

Icon

50-card input + output hopper

Pros:

  • Entry-level pricing.
  • Compact (8.07″W x 7.68″H x 12.4″D) and lightweight.
  • Eco-Friendly production and delivery to reduce CO2 emissions.
  • 50 card input hopper/50 card output hopper.

Cons:

Our Price:

Starting from $1,000. Enquire with Easy Badges for the lowest price.

Get Pricing at Easy Badges


Easy Badges makes ID card printing headache free. Contact us to get started with your ideal ID card printer system. Easy Badges ID card printers include a free 30-day return policy, free email and phone support and online training for the lifetime of your printer. Download a demo of Easy Badges ID card printing software to experience how easy ID badge printing can be.