Printer Labels Price Comparison
Compare 1,672 printer labels from Brady, Zebra, Avery & DYMO. Find the best price across top UK retailers — from everyday address labels to industrial-grade thermal rolls.
Printer Labels price comparison UK
Printer labels are one of those consumables where the price gap between brands is genuinely staggering. Brady dominates the catalogue with 435 products at an average of nearly three times the price of Avery or HERMA — and for good reason: their industrial-grade polyester and chemical-resistant substrates serve a completely different market than a pack of A4 address sheets. Understanding that gap is the first step to not overspending.
The market splits fairly cleanly into two worlds. On one side, you have office and home use: Avery, HERMA, Epson and DYMO labels designed for laser printers, inkjet machines and LabelWriter devices, typically priced from 9 £ up to around 14 £. On the other, Brady and Zebra supply warehouses, manufacturing floors and logistics operations with thermal transfer rolls and synthetic label materials that justify their premium. Capture sits in the middle, offering a broad range of thermal direct and thermal transfer labels for mid-market applications.
What our data shows clearly is that DYMO commands the most retailer attention — the top 10 most-compared products are almost entirely DYMO, with prices available from multiple UK merchants including Amazon.co.uk, Currys and specialist office suppliers. That competition keeps prices honest. Brother, meanwhile, offers strong value on its DK-series die-cut rolls, particularly for QL-series label printers that are popular in small businesses and home offices across the UK.
If you're buying for a label-making tape system rather than a dedicated label printer, the product range is quite different — continuous rolls with specific core diameters rather than die-cut sheets. Similarly, those needing barcode labels should pay close attention to print resolution and GS1 compatibility, as not every label surface reproduces barcodes with sufficient contrast for reliable scanning.
One practical note: bulk multipacks reduce the cost per label by 20–40% versus single rolls, but only make sense if you're confident about printer compatibility. A multipack of the wrong size is an expensive mistake. With prices ranging from 9 £ to 126 £ across 1,672 products, comparing across merchants before buying is well worth the two minutes it takes — especially ahead of Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, when label consumables regularly see significant discounts.
For those working with thermal paper rolls in point-of-sale or receipt applications, note that thermal direct labels and thermal paper serve overlapping but distinct use cases — the label adhesive backing is the key differentiator.
How to Choose the Right Printer Labels
With 1,672 products spanning everything from a £3 sheet of address labels to £2,000+ industrial Brady rolls, picking the wrong label is easy — and costly. The single most important thing to establish before anything else is your printer model. Everything else flows from there.
Printer Compatibility First
This is non-negotiable. DYMO LabelWriter labels will not feed correctly in a Brother QL printer, and vice versa. Always cross-reference the label's product code against your printer's compatibility list. DYMO's S07-series labels are designed exclusively for LabelWriter machines; Brother DK-series rolls are engineered for QL-series printers. Epson's label rolls are similarly proprietary. If you're buying in bulk — say, a multipack configuration — a compatibility mistake becomes very expensive very quickly. When in doubt, check the manufacturer's compatibility tool before comparing prices.
Label Dimensions and Application Format
Dimensions determine whether a label physically fits your printer's feed mechanism and whether it suits your intended use. A 19 × 51 mm label is fine for small product tags; a 102 × 59 mm shipping label needs a wider print path. Die-cut labels (pre-separated on backing) are ideal for manual application; continuous roll labels require a cutter mechanism. For A4 sheet labels used in laser or inkjet printers, Avery's L-series and HERMA's sheet formats are the standard — and they're among the most affordable options in the catalogue, typically sitting well below 23 £.
Print Technology: Thermal Direct vs Thermal Transfer vs Inkjet/Laser
Thermal direct labels use heat-sensitive material — no ink, no ribbon. They're cost-effective and fast, which is why DYMO and Brother use this approach for their desktop label printers. The trade-off: they fade over time, especially in sunlight or heat. Thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to bond ink onto the label substrate, producing far more durable results — essential for outdoor asset tags, chemical drums or anything that needs to last years. Inkjet and laser-compatible labels (Avery, HERMA) need specific surface coatings to hold ink without bleeding. Using the wrong label type in a thermal printer risks damaging the print head.
Label Material: Paper vs Synthetic
Paper labels are fine for indoor, short-term use — office filing, address labels, name badges. Synthetic label materials (polyester, polypropylene, nylon) are a different proposition entirely: they resist moisture, oils, chemicals and temperature extremes from roughly -20°C to +60°C. Brady and Zebra dominate this segment, which explains their significantly higher average prices. If you're labelling products that will sit in a refrigerated warehouse, get wet during shipping, or be exposed to solvents, synthetic is the only sensible choice. Paying a premium for Brady's certified materials in a standard office environment, however, is simply unnecessary.
Quantity per Pack and Cost per Label
The headline price of a label pack is almost meaningless without calculating cost per label. A single DYMO roll at 14 £ might contain 220 labels; a multipack at 29 £ might contain 1,320 — a dramatically lower unit cost. For high-volume applications (shipping, retail, logistics), bulk purchasing is the obvious move. For occasional home use, a smaller pack avoids the risk of labels drying out or the adhesive degrading before you've used them all. Our data shows the sweet spot for most small-business buyers sits between 14 £ and 23 £, where you get genuine bulk value without committing to industrial quantities.
Adhesive Type for Your Surface
Permanent adhesive is the default for most applications — strong initial tack, designed not to be removed. Removable or repositionable adhesive is essential when labelling surfaces you don't want damaged: painted walls, polished furniture, product packaging that needs relabelling. High-tack adhesive is needed for rough, textured or low-energy surfaces like corrugated cardboard or certain plastics. Getting this wrong means labels that peel off prematurely or, worse, leave residue that damages the surface. DYMO and Avery both offer removable variants in their ranges — worth checking the product spec carefully rather than assuming all labels in a range share the same adhesive formulation.
- Everyday office use (From 9 £ to 14 £) : Avery A4 sheet labels, HERMA address labels, single DYMO rolls and individual Brother DK packs. Perfectly adequate for home offices, small businesses and occasional use. Avery's L-series is the benchmark here — widely available from Currys, Amazon and Staples, with solid inkjet and laser compatibility.
- The sweet spot for regular users (From 14 £ to 23 £) : Multi-roll DYMO packs, Brother DK multipacks and mid-range Capture thermal rolls. This is where most small-to-medium businesses should be shopping. You get genuine bulk value, better cost per label, and enough variety to cover most standard applications. DYMO's LW Value Packs are a strong example of what's available here.
- Professional and high-volume (From 23 £ to 29 £) : Zebra thermal transfer rolls, larger Capture industrial packs and DYMO high-capacity shipping label bundles. Suited to businesses running label printers daily — logistics, retail, manufacturing. Print quality and durability step up noticeably. Worth comparing across merchants carefully, as price variation at this level can be substantial.
- Industrial and specialist (Over 29 £) : Brady's certified industrial labels, Zebra synthetic rolls and specialist chemical/temperature-resistant substrates. Brady's average price of over three times the market median reflects genuine engineering — these labels are used in aerospace, pharmaceuticals and harsh manufacturing environments. If you're here, you likely already know why. If you're not sure you need this tier, you almost certainly don't.
Top products
- DYMO Multi-Purpose Labels - 19 x 51 mm - S0722550 (DYMO) : The most widely compared label in the catalogue — and for good reason. Compact dimensions suit a huge range of LabelWriter applications, from file tabs to product tags. A reliable default buy, though check you actually need 19mm width before committing.
- Brother Labelling Tape (12mm) (Brother) : Excellent value for Brother P-touch users needing a narrow tape for cable labelling or small product identification. At this price point it's hard to fault, but it's a tape format — not a die-cut label roll — so confirm your printer accepts this format.
- Brother DK-11240 printer label White (Brother) : A large-format die-cut label (102 × 51 mm) well suited to shipping and parcel labelling on Brother QL printers. Good print quality on thermal direct, though the larger size means the roll runs out faster than you'd expect — factor that into your cost calculation.
- DYMO Large Address Labels - 36 x 89 mm - S0722400 (DYMO) : The go-to address label for DYMO LabelWriter users — the 36 × 89 mm format is the closest equivalent to a standard address label and works cleanly with DYMO's own software. Competitively priced with multiple merchant offers to compare.
- Avery L7651-100 printer label White (Avery) : Avery's A4 sheet format is the sensible choice for anyone without a dedicated label printer. The L7651 fits 65 labels per sheet and works reliably in most laser and inkjet printers. Not the cheapest per label, but Avery's template compatibility and consistent quality justify the slight premium over own-brand alternatives.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which printer label brands are compatible with DYMO LabelWriter printers?
Only labels specifically designed for DYMO LabelWriter printers are reliably compatible — primarily DYMO's own S07-series and LW-series die-cut rolls. Third-party alternatives exist but can cause misfeeds, print head damage or voided warranties. DYMO's own labels dominate the top of our most-compared products list precisely because the LabelWriter ecosystem is so widely used in UK offices. If you're tempted by cheaper alternatives, check user reviews carefully for feed reliability before committing to a multipack.
What is the difference between thermal direct and thermal transfer labels?
Thermal direct labels use heat-sensitive paper that darkens when the print head applies heat — no ink or ribbon required. They're fast, cheap and ideal for short-term use like shipping labels or receipts. Thermal transfer labels require a separate ink ribbon; the heat melts the ribbon's ink onto the label substrate, producing a much more durable, fade-resistant result. For anything that needs to last more than a few months — asset tags, outdoor labels, product identification — thermal transfer is the correct choice. Using thermal direct labels in a thermal transfer printer (or vice versa) will produce blank output or damage the print head.
Are Avery labels compatible with all laser and inkjet printers?
Avery's A4 sheet labels are designed to work with the vast majority of standard laser and inkjet printers, but compatibility is not universal. Avery provides a free online template tool and compatibility checker — worth using before purchasing, especially for heavier label sheets that can cause paper path jams in some printer models. Their L-series (such as the L7651) is the most widely tested and is a safe default for most office printers. Avoid using standard Avery paper labels in laser printers that run very hot, as the adhesive can melt and contaminate the fuser unit.
Should I buy Brady labels for standard office use?
No — Brady labels are almost certainly overkill for standard office applications, and the price premium is substantial. Brady's catalogue averages well above the market median because their products are engineered for industrial environments: chemical resistance, extreme temperature tolerance, certified compliance for pharmaceutical or aerospace use. For address labels, filing, name badges or shipping, Avery, HERMA or DYMO will do the job at a fraction of the cost. Brady makes sense when you genuinely need certified durability — not simply because the brand sounds professional.
How do I calculate the true cost per label when comparing packs?
Divide the total pack price by the number of labels included. A pack at 14 £ containing 220 labels costs roughly the same per label as a multipack at 23 £ containing 500 — but the larger pack saves you reordering time and often qualifies for free delivery. Always check the label count in the product specification, not just the roll count. Multipacks (like DYMO's LW Value Packs) can reduce your cost per label by 20–40% compared to single rolls, making them the smarter choice for any business printing labels daily.
What label material do I need for outdoor or waterproof applications?
You need a synthetic label material — polyester or polypropylene — with a waterproof coating and a temperature-resistant adhesive. Standard paper labels will degrade rapidly when exposed to moisture, UV light or temperature fluctuations. Zebra and Brady both offer suitable synthetic substrates for outdoor use, rated for temperature ranges from approximately -20°C to +60°C. For anything exposed to chemicals or solvents, check for specific chemical-resistance ratings in the product specification. A waterproof coating alone is not sufficient if the adhesive itself is not rated for the conditions.
What are the most common mistakes to avoid when buying printer labels in bulk?
The most costly mistake is buying a large multipack before confirming printer compatibility — wrong dimensions or an incompatible format means the entire purchase is wasted. Second, don't assume all labels in a brand's range share the same adhesive type; permanent and removable variants are often sold under near-identical product names. Third, avoid stockpiling more than a 6–12 month supply of thermal direct labels: the heat-sensitive coating degrades over time, even in storage, leading to faded or uneven print quality. Finally, always compare prices across merchants before buying in bulk — at the 29 £+ level, price differences between retailers can be significant.