How much do labels cost?

The first thought to pop into anyone who's looking to buy labels head is often "how much do labels cost?". The easiest and quickest way to find out how much your label or sticker will cost is to use our blank label and custom label configurator to get an instant quote. 

We get a lot of questions regarding label prices, cost-saving tips and whether it is more cost-effective to print labels yourself or get them printed by a print service, so we thought it would be helpful to address the following in this article:

• How much do blank labels cost and why?
• How much do custom-printed labels cost and why?
• How does material choice affect the price of a label?
• Blank labels or custom-printed labels: what is more cost-effective?
• How can I get cheaper labels?

Avery blank label prices start as low as £0.08 per A4 sheet with a minimum order value starting from only £1. Select your options (shape, size, material and quantity) in our blank label price calculator to get an instant quote.

We also have special packs of labels pre-organised into 10, 25, 40, 100 or 250 sheets with special features and sustainable certificates. Have a look at our premium labels with UltraGrip™ technology, our security labels and our FSC labels.

Blank label prices depend on 5 main factors:

• the material: the more special features you need, the more expensive it gets. This is purely down to how much more it costs to produce a technically advanced label material. For instance, A4 sheets of matt white paper cost a lot less than glossy clear plastic. 
   
• the number of labels per A4 sheet: the bigger the label, the more expensive it gets, because your need more material. For instance, you can fit twenty-four small 40mm round labels on an A4 sheet but only six 80 mm round labels. So for the same price, you can get 2,400 small 40mm round labels but only 600 larger 80 mm round labels.
   
• the number of sheets: fixed costs such as labour, production set-up and packaging are the same regardless of the quantity. So the more your order, the cheaper it gets. We like to pass this cost-saving down to our customers, many of whom are small business owners. You'll find all of our pricing has savings added as quantity increases. And good news: if your order is higher than £40, you are eligible for free delivery!
   
• the product and service quality: our blank label materials need to pass several tests from our technical experts (durability, compatibility with most popular printers, water resistance. As label leaders, we like to invest in innovation to drive the labelling world forward as can be seen in our UltraGrip and QuickPeel technology. We also provide free services available to all who buy Avery labels,  such as unlimited access to our Avery Design & Print Online software which has free templates, barcode generator, easy mail merge and more.

If you thought professional printing was reserved for medium-size businesses, think again! Avery custom-printed label prices start as low as £12 for 2 sheets of labels: affordable even for small businesses! Configure your labels in our simple labels and stickers configurator to get your price.

Custom-printed label prices depend on 7 main factors:

• sheets vs rolls: sheets are the best option for small quantities (usually below 1,500 labels) but rolls become more cost-effective for large quantities (usually over 1,500 labels). At Avery, we are pleased to offer both options to our customers. For even more options our friends at label.co.uk offer an enhanced range of labels on rolls.
   
• the printing method: at Avery, we use CMYK digital printing which allows small production runs at affordable prices whereas print services using offset printing require huge quantities to be competitive. We also offer white ink on clear and coloured materials at no extra cost.
   
• the material: the more features you want (recycled, removable adhesive, metallic effects, waterproof, etc) the more expensive the raw materials to create the labels are. This cost gets passed down to the consumer.
   
• the finish: adding a varnish to your labels will cost slightly more (+2% for a matt finish, +4% for a gloss finish and +10% for an antimicrobial protection), but it will protect them from exposure to moisture, abrasion, light, scuffs and smudges.
   
• the size of labels: the more labels you can fit on a sheet, the cheaper it is per label and the more the more expensive it is. At Avery, we also offer custom sizes at no extra cost.

• the number of labels: fixed costs such as labour, print file generation, machine set-up, quality control and packaging are the same regardless of the quantity, so the more your order, the cheaper it gets. At Avery we pass this saving down to the consumer so our pricing model is designed to give you a bigger discount the higher the quantity of labels you need. 
   
• the product and service quality: all our materials need to pass several technical tests before being offered as products. We invest in the best professional machines to guarantee the best possible results and we provide a free design software with great features such as background removal, pre-designed templates, free QR code generator and more. We also have a dedicated customer service team and a satisfaction guarantee.

The type of material you choose has a direct impact on the price of your labels. The more features you need, the more expensive your labels will be.

Here are the top 6 types of features that are increasing label prices:

• sustainable options: the demand for eco-friendly materials is growing however the default still remains as paper and plastic giving them much larger economies of scale and therefore cheaper to procure. Additionally, recycled paper labels and compostable plastic labels are more complex to produce, and FSC labels require a dedicated traceability process, all of which increases the price. 
   
• removable adhesive: it provides a secure bond to the surface material yet allows the label to be removed without leaving residue.  The complexity of the adhesive means it's more expensive than any standard adhesive.
   
• colours and textures: these materials require additional treatment vs standard white paper. Metallic colours such as gold and silver are the most expensive.
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• plastic vs paper: plastic labels are usually more expensive than paper materials, as they are more durable, waterproof, tearproof and oil resistant.
   
• resistance to water: the higher the resistance, the more expensive it gets. It ranges from splashproof to fully waterproof materials. Avery's most resistant materials are tested to resist up to 3 months in seawater and are certified for marine shipment.
   
• innovations: specific technologies are usually more expensive such as Avery UltraGrip™ technology for perfect print alignment and JamFREE™ printing, or Avery non-iron clothing labels that go in washing machines and dryers.

Printing blank labels yourself is usually less expensive for small quantities and for simple label designs such as warnings, ingredient lists, barcodes, QR codes, addresses and more. Don’t forget to factor in the price of the ink and your printer maintenance though.

Getting your labels printed by a professional print service is more expensive but it becomes cost-effective for larger quantities and complex designs. The print quality is higher which is important for small business branding stickers and product labelling. There are also get additional features such as white ink, varnishes and custom sizing.

There are several aspects to consider when choosing your printing method, we hope this clears some things up.

At Avery, we guarantee the best possible product and service quality at a competitive market price:

• We constantly innovate and put lots of effort into producing more sustainable labels in eco-friendly packaging
• All materials need to pass several quality tests before we can sell them
• Avery Design & Print Online, our powerful easy-to-use design software, is completely free
• We offer hundreds of free designs that you can customize to your liking
• We have a friendly customer service team available Monday to Friday
• We provide lots of tips and tutorials

We have very competitive prices for our online offering, compare us using our blank label price calculator or looking to buy printed, personalised labels and stickers.

Here are a few cost-saving ideas for labels:

• Optimize the size of your label so that you can fit as many as possible on a sheet
• Order more labels at the same time to lower the price per label. At Avery, if you order £40, you get free delivery.
• Buy blank labels to print yourself from home if you need small quantities and not very often.
• Choose a print service with digital printing like Avery's print service, it will be less expensive than a print service using offset printing which requires huge quantities
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