Is your book ready to see the world? The good news is that affordable book printing services in South Africa do exist, so you can get your creation published without those crippling loans. Whether it’s a collection of poems, a children’s story, or a photo album, it’s highly unlikely that it will cost you an arm and a leg if you know where to look.
Today’s printing houses are faster and way more efficient than ever before. What used to take months and tons of investments to print can now be completed in the twinkling of an eye. Even small print runs are acceptable. Plus, book printing can be tailored to your personal or business needs.
High-quality book printing services in South Africa will have you covered with various price ranges, depending on what you’re publishing and how you want it to be bound and presented. To optimize your budget, carefully plan each stage of the publishing process and select options that best suit your project.
Printing type: Digital or offset?
Have you seen a movie scene where magazines pass through huge rollers? This is offset printing, the most popular method of printing larger quantities of written material. You’ll find it financially reasonable if you’re looking for custom book printing in bulk. The more you print, the lower the cost per copy:
However, offset printing requires preparation. Your printer is supposed to invest time and money in developing printing forms, special templates that govern the entire process.
Digital printing is a quick method that eliminates the need for time-consuming print preparations. Touted for its efficiency for small runs, it may work for your print needs too.
If you need to print numerous copies, digital printing becomes more expensive. The cost per unit remains relatively unchanged, even with a large print run.
The correlation between paper types and costs
Let’s suppose you want to print books for internal use or distribution in small quantities. Then, standard office paper is the simplest and most cost-effective option. It may not impress with its texture, but it will do its job and keep you from shelling out.
If you plan to publish limited editions, presentation books, or portfolios, consider using coated paper. The best book printers for authors in South Africa offer a range of options:
- Matte-coated: The classic choice for books brimming with text and illustrations (suitable for business books, photo novels, and catalogs).
- Glossy-chalk: Ideal for photo albums, children’s books, and cookbooks, where rich and bright colors are needed.
Any coating type will cost more than ordinary office paper. It is those tactile and aesthetic features that are to blame. If they are necessary for your publication, brace yourself for paying more.
What about the cover?
There’s no denying that the right cover affects your book’s aesthetic appearance, durability, and usability. It should be eye-catching and match the book’s format.
Before settling on something, look for top-rated book printing companies near you that can do both:
- Lightweight and cost-efficient softcover
- More expensive and solid-looking hardcover
Of course, hardcover books are more expensive to bring out. Also, a solid hardcover can be covered with fabric, leather, or other materials. This requires additional costs.
Where to print books in Johannesburg?
Print It ZA opens its doors to companies and independent authors. As one of the major book printers with nationwide delivery in SA, we can make it easier for you to:
- Calculate all the costs of getting your book live
- Proceed from an estimate to a printed creation in no time
- Save money with modern digital printing technologies
Print It ZA can handle all your commercial, business, or personal printing needs while using any paper type, page size, and cover option you select. Contact us for a cost estimate today.
