Toner vs. Ink: What's the Difference and Which Is Cheaper

Toner (Laser Printing)

A powder that is "fused" onto paper. Fast, fade-resistant, and cheap at volume. Ideal for documents.

Ink (Inkjet Printing)

Better at reproducing color and gradients — suited for photos and graphics. But it costs more per page and is sensitive to idle periods.

Which Is Cheaper

For high document volumes — laser. For occasional color/photo printing — an inkjet with a CISS.