Understanding your cost per page (CPP) is one of the simplest ways to get control over your office printing expenses. CPP tells you exactly how much it costs every time you print a single sheet of paper — including toner, paper, and (optionally) maintenance.
This guide walks you through the formula, explains each component, and gives you examples you can use right away.
The CPP Formula
The standard formula used across the printing industry is:
If you want a more complete picture, you can optionally include maintenance parts or service costs.
This is typically the largest component of CPP.
Example:
A $120 toner cartridge rated for 6,000 pages → $120 ÷ 6,000 = $0.02 per page
Tip: Page yield is based on 5% coverage (typical text documents). If your documents include graphics, logos, or solid areas, your actual toner usage will be higher.
A simple way to estimate this is:
Adjusted CPP = Base CPP x (Actual Coverage ÷ 5%)
For example:
A document with ~ 20% coverage (common for graphics-heavy pages) can cost up to 4x more per page than standard text printing.
This is one of the most common reasons real-world printing costs exceed expectations and why two businesses using the same printer can have drastically different costs per copy.
Many businesses prefer a predictable, all‑in approach to printing costs. Bridgeport service contracts bundle the major expenses into one straightforward rate per page — including toner, maintenance consumables, and all service and labour.
In most cases, your agreement includes a predefined cost per page (CPP). Your monthly printing cost is based on your actual usage:
Monthly Cost = CPP × Total Pages Printed
This means you don’t need to track toner, parts, or service individually — everything covered under your contract is already built into your CPP rate. Paper and any non‑covered items remain separate, but your overall printing costs stay simple and predictable.
Note: Paper, staples and some other finishing supplies are generally not included in CPP calculations for service contract rates. However, if you want a complete "true cost per printed page", you can optionally add these costs.
For example, a case of paper at $60 for 5,000 sheets adds $0.012 per page to your total output cost.
Full Example Calculation
Using the examples above:
Total CPP:
If you’re on a service contract, your CPP is simply your monthly rate divided by your monthly print volume — no tracking required.
Use the calculator below to estimate your cost per page and monthly printing costs based on your actual usage.
Bridgeport can help you determine your real‑world CPP based on your actual print volume, toner usage, and device model.