digital and litho printing comparison showing identical print quality

What is the difference between Digital and Litho printing?

A practical guide to digital and lithographic printing

What is the difference between digital and litho printing? It is not quite as straightforward as it once was. Digital printing technology has developed enormously, while modern lithographic presses have also become faster, more automated and more efficient.

Both processes are capable of producing extremely high-quality commercial print. The right choice depends on what you are printing, how many you need, the substrate, colour requirements, finishing, personalisation, turnaround and, importantly, the economics of the particular job.

In simple terms, digital printing creates the image directly from digital data, while lithographic printing uses printing plates to transfer the image to the paper. But the practical differences go considerably further than that.

Digital printing

Digital printing removes the need for conventional printing plates. The artwork is processed through a digital workflow and sent directly to the digital press, where the image is produced using either toner or inkjet technology.

This makes digital printing particularly flexible. There is little or no conventional press makeready, so jobs can be produced quickly, changed easily and economically printed in relatively small quantities. Digital printing is also particularly useful when every sheet does not need to be identical.

Modern production digital presses are available in a wide range of formats and technologies. Some high-end systems now operate at B2 format and at production volumes that would once have been associated almost exclusively with offset printing.

Digital printing is therefore no longer simply a solution for a few business cards or leaflets. It is used for brochures, books, direct mail, packaging, labels, posters, marketing campaigns and many other commercial applications.

Advantages of digital printing

Little or no conventional plate-making or press makeready
Cost-effective for many short and medium runs
Very fast turnaround
Easy to produce reprints or print on demand
Personalisation and variable-data printing
Each sheet can contain different information
Excellent colour consistency on modern production presses
Increasingly wide choice of substrates
Digital special colours, white, clear and other effects are available on some presses
Some digital presses offer inline or near-line coating and finishing

The exact capabilities vary considerably between digital technologies and individual presses, so it is always worth checking what a particular printer can produce.

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Personalisation and variable-data printing

One of digital printing’s most important advantages is the ability to change the content from one sheet to the next.

Variable-data printing (VDP) allows text, images, graphics, offers, QR codes, addresses or other information to be changed automatically during the print run. This makes it possible to produce highly personalised direct mail, invitations, marketing campaigns, tickets, packaging and other applications without stopping the press to change the artwork.

A single job could, for example, contain a different name, photograph and offer on every printed piece.

This is fundamentally different from conventional lithographic printing, where the printing plates normally contain a fixed image. Personalised lithographic work is possible, but traditionally requires additional processes or separate runs. Digital presses are specifically designed to make variable-data production practical.

Lithographic printing

Lithographic printing, usually called litho or offset printing, is an indirect printing process. The image is transferred from a printing plate to a rubber blanket and then from the blanket onto the paper or other substrate.

For a conventional four-colour process job, separate plates are normally produced for cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Additional plates can be used for spot colours and other specialist applications.

Although litho requires more preparation than digital printing, modern presses are highly automated. Automatic plate changing, colour control and fast makeready have reduced setup times considerably.

Once a lithographic press is running efficiently, large quantities can be produced at a very low cost per printed sheet. This is why offset remains an important process for longer production runs and high-volume commercial printing.

Advantages of lithographic printing

Very high and consistent print quality
Economical production of medium and long runs
Excellent reproduction of large areas of colour
Wide choice of papers and substrates
Excellent control of inks and colour
Pantone and other spot-colour options
Specialist inks and coatings
A wide range of press formats
Highly automated modern press technology
Efficient production when large quantities are required

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Digital vs litho: which is cheaper?

There is no single quantity at which digital suddenly becomes more expensive than litho. The crossover point depends on the particular presses, paper, finishing, format, colour requirements, setup time and the printer’s production costs.

Digital printing generally has lower setup costs, making it attractive for short runs. As the quantity increases, the economics can increasingly favour lithographic printing because the initial setup and plate costs are spread over many more copies. However, modern high-volume digital presses have pushed this crossover point considerably further than it was in the early days of digital printing. For this reason, a printer should calculate the cost of the actual job rather than relying on a fixed rule such as “under 500 is digital and over 500 is litho.”

Paper and substrates

The choice of paper is another factor, although the difference between the two technologies is much less clear-cut than it once was. Modern digital presses can handle a wide range of coated and uncoated papers and specialist substrates. Some production digital systems are specifically designed to accommodate media traditionally associated with offset printing.

Lithographic presses still offer considerable flexibility, particularly where specialist papers, textured stocks, unusual substrates, specialist inks or extensive ink coverage are required. The important point is that the capability of the individual press matters more than simply whether it is digital or litho.

Colour and print quality

Both digital and lithographic printing can produce excellent results. Traditional offset has long been recognised for its consistent reproduction, particularly on long runs, and it provides extensive options for process and spot colours.

However, it is no longer accurate to say that digital printing is automatically lower quality. Modern production digital presses can produce extremely high-quality commercial work, with some systems specifically designed to deliver offset-matching quality and colour consistency. The final result depends on the press, RIP and colour management, substrate, inks or toner, image quality and the skill of the printer.

Speed and turnaround

Digital printing has a major advantage when a job needs to be produced quickly because there is little conventional press preparation and no plate production. A digital job can move from an approved PDF through the workflow and onto the press with very little delay.

Lithographic printing requires additional preparation, including plate production and press makeready. Modern automation has reduced these times substantially, but there is still more physical preparation involved than with most digital processes. For urgent work, short runs or print-on-demand production, digital can therefore be particularly attractive.

Finishing

Finishing should also be considered when choosing a process. Both digital and lithographic work can be folded, creased, trimmed, stitched, perfect bound, laminated and die-cut, although the exact options depend on the equipment and substrate.

Some digital presses can also incorporate additional colours, white, clear, metallic effects and inline or near-line coating and finishing. For specialist finishes, however, it is important to discuss the complete production process with the printer rather than choosing the printing method in isolation.

So which should you choose?

There isn’t a universally better process.

Digital printing may be suitable when:

You need a relatively short or variable quantity
You need the job quickly
You require personalisation
You want to print on demand
You expect to update the artwork regularly
You need several versions of the same job
You want to avoid holding large quantities of printed stock

Lithographic printing may be suitable when:

You require a larger production run
The lowest unit cost is important at higher volumes
You need specific spot colours
You require specialist inks or coatings
The substrate or application particularly suits offset
You need consistent production over a large quantity

Modern digital presses can handle much larger production volumes than they could in the past, while modern offset presses can make-ready extremely quickly. The best process is therefore determined by the specific job, not simply by the number of copies.

Digital or litho? Let the job decide

Digital and lithographic printing are not really opposing technologies. They are two different production methods that increasingly work alongside each other.

For some jobs, digital will provide the most efficient combination of speed, flexibility and cost. For others, litho will provide the most economical or technically appropriate solution. Some printers will even use both technologies within the same workflow, selecting the appropriate process for each part of a job.

The important questions are therefore not simply “How many copies do I need?” but:

What am I printing? How many do I need? What paper or substrate am I using? Do I need personalisation? What colour or finishing requirements do I have? How quickly do I need it? And what is the most economical way of producing the finished job?

At PrePress, we can help you determine which process is appropriate for the job before you commit to print.

	Digital	Litho
Setip	Minimal	Plates & makeready
Short runs	Often economical	Poor value
Long runs	Can be economical	Very economical
Personalisation	Excellent	Limited
Variable data	Excellent	Additional processes required
Spot colour	Dependent on press	Extensive options
Substrates	Broad	Extensive
Colour consistency	Good to Excellent	Excellent
Finishing	Press dependent	Press dependent