Copy Paper Or Printer Paper, Which One Should I Use?

When it comes to office paper, you may be wondering, what is the difference between copy paper and printer paper? Which office paper should I be using? These are all questions we have asked ourselves when we've needed to print something. And paper can be expensive, so it's a wise question to ask. So we've broken it down for you, so you'll never need to wonder again! 

 

What Is Copy Paper?

Copy paper is a thin grade of paper and is usually quite cheap. It is ideal for simple text documents and rough copies that do not need to be high quality. Printing images is not suitable on copy paper, as the images will look saturated. However, copy paper is an affordable option for those on a budget. 

 

What Is Printer Paper? 

Printer paper is a high-quality grade of thicker paper that is usually on the more expensive side. Printer paper can be used for text, and this is advisable if you want the cleanest lines and the best result. But where printer paper particularly excels is with images, it really is the only paper for printing images. Images on thinner paper will be more saturated and won't reproduce properly, as this is affected by the amount of light that passes through the paper. The thickness of printer paper assures high image quality every time. But because it is a more high-quality and expensive product, it is not advisable for everyday use, and should only be used when high-quality printing is necessary.

 

What Is The Difference Between Copy Paper And Printer Paper? 

The main difference is the thickness and sometimes the quality of materials, and also the price. Copy paper is thinner and cheaper and is, therefore, better for text documents and rough drafts. Printer paper is thicker and more expensive and is more suited to image-heavy documents and prints that require the highest quality. It is advisable you have both in stock, as most people will need to print both text and images, and even if images aren't something you print often, you may want some printer paper on hand for your CV or cover letter for a job interview for example, as a good print will look better than a cheap copy paper print. But if you are on a budget, copy paper will suffice for most prints, if you don't mind image quality suffering a bit. 

 

Is there Another Type Of Paper I Should Consider? 

Yes, there is linen paper. Linen paper has a crotch hatch pattern and texture that is reminiscent of linen, particularly a luxurious linen table cloth. It is suited to notepads, fancy letterheads, and menus for upscale restaurants: a paper to consider if you want something special. Linen paper is available at stockists like Thunderbolt Paper who supply the linen cardstock variety in various volumes and colors, including natural off-white, bright white, black, dark burgundy, dark blue, and dark navy. They also stock high-grade copy paper and printer paper as mentioned in this article.