Is HP’s Instant Ink subscription really worth it?

Anyone who has used a home printer probably knows how complicated it can sometimes be. Keeping track of ink levels and storing paper for future needs gets exhausting, especially if you don’t print a lot. And let’s not forget those last minute runs to the store because your printer is out of ink. It always seems to happen at the worst possible time. That’s where an HP Instant Ink subscription comes in, allowing users to print hassle-free, save money in the long run, and help the environment. At least that’s what the company claims.

HP Instant Ink is a subscription service where you select a plan based on your printing needs, such as 10, 50, or 100 pages per month, and you are then billed for those pages, not the ink itself. It’s worth it from the perspective of not worrying about restocking ink. The printer automatically detects ink levels, and once it gets low, HP sends you more. Now, what happens to these old printer cartridges after they are recycled is another story.

There is no shortage of people who feel that home printers are just plain bad and haven’t kept pace with other modern devices that have generally improved over the past few decades. So if you want to improve printer convenience, HP Instant Ink can be a lifesaver, but it’s not without limitations that are hard to ignore.

The main advantage of HP Instant Ink is convenience. Ink levels are automatically tracked and replacement usually arrives before the current cartridge runs out. As one user shared on Reddit: “For me, it’s been great. I rarely use my color printer and now I pay about $1.69 a month to print the dozen or so pages I print.” When it comes to plans, you can choose between monthly, annual, and pay-as-you-go printing options.

They start at $1.79 per month for up to 10 pages and go up to $31.99 per month for 700 pages. HP also offers an additional paper option that includes replacement sheets. Any unused pages roll over to the next month, although this is limited to three times your monthly print quota. Canon offers a similar subscription service, with its PIXMA printing plan starting at $4.49 per month for 30 pages and offering a $0.20 per page option.

Compared to in-store printing, HP Instant Ink can save you money, keeping in mind that it counts black and white the same as color prints. With the $7.98 ink and paper plan, a color page costs about $0.16 to print with Instant Ink, while a store typically charges $0.20 for the same thing, and you have to go there. If you’re printing in color at home, expect about $0.12 to $0.20 per page, and up to $0.60, depending on the model. So, for consistent printing needs with a good amount of color pages, HP Instant Ink may be worth the cost, especially considering the convenience it offers.

For all the convenience HP Instant Ink offers, there’s another aspect of the subscription that’s hard to ignore. In other words, you pay for the printed pages, not the ink. So, canceling means that you can no longer print even if there is still ink in the cartridge, because HP deactivates them remotely. One user who was unaware shared their frustration on Reddit saying, “Since I was last sent ink cartridges in March 2024, I have paid $308.46. I just received new cartridges, but canceled my subscription because I can buy new cartridges for half that price. But of course they don’t work because I canceled my subscription. So what did I pay?

For the HP Instant Ink subscription to work, the printer requires constant connectivity, so slow internet issues will cause headaches. Without this connection, the subscription cartridge will be deactivated by HP, but you will still be billed. Additionally, if you go over your monthly page allowance, HP charges an additional $1.50 for a set of 10 to 15 additional pages. This can add up, especially if you don’t track your monthly print volume.

Although skim pages are useful, the 3x limit can seem restrictive for people with inconsistent printing habits. Additionally, HP Instant Ink only works with certain printers. Although most newer HP models are eligible, be sure to check first. Ultimately, if you print occasionally, don’t have a qualifying printer, or want complete control over your printing supplies, HP Instant Ink may not be the best choice.