You want business cards, flyers or menus printed, but where do you actually go in Australia? I work as a designer in Adelaide, and here I compare the printing companies I really use on speed, quality and price, and share what each one does best.
When I first arrived in Australia, I wanted to make business cards and flyers but had no idea where to go or how to order. I felt pretty lost.
These days I work with partner printers, and choose between companies depending on the item, the paper and the finish I need. Australia also has lots of local printers in each area who will talk things through and make things with you. In this article, I have picked out the ones anyone can order from online, even if you are not a designer.
An online print shop where everything up to sending your files is done online, which makes it really convenient. There is also an AI chat for asking questions in real time.
Turnaround is fairly quick, and unusually for an Australian online printer, you can choose Express, so rush jobs arrive sooner. Colour results are consistent too. It is a printer with a good balance of price and quality.
Fast and cheap, so it is simply convenient. Matt lamination is hard to find elsewhere, which makes Officeworks really handy when you want to laminate a menu for your shop.
That said, it is digital printing, so colour can be uneven from store to store and printer to printer, and depending on who is on, the cutting can be a bit rough. I once sent a file with a solid background and it came back with a white border. If you mention it beforehand, they will usually trim it off, but even then a little white was left, which bothered me.
This is my personal favourite. It takes a fair while for orders to arrive, but there is a huge range of papers and finishes, so it is perfect when you want the design to really stand out. They even offer foil stamping in colours other than gold and silver, which opens up more design options. With so many card stocks in different thicknesses, types and colours, it is a printer that makes planning how to bring a design to life genuinely fun.
The chat is not just AI: real staff step in when needed, so you get flexible answers to detailed questions. However, more detailed discussions, file submission and payment are all handled by email with the staff, so it does take a bit more effort.
A printing chain with stores all around Australia, including Adelaide. The staff know more about printing than at Officeworks, and many of them really go out of their way for you: they will talk through colour with you, or help out if you tell them it is urgent after you have sent your files. They are also reliable when there is something you want to check in person.
For anything detailed you need to enquire by email, so things go more smoothly if you have a clear idea of what you want to make and some knowledge of print-ready files. Prices are reasonable too.
Printers rooted in their local area often go the extra mile once you have been in a few times and they get to know you. That said, their strengths, and how well you click, vary from place to place, so the best thing is to actually drop in.
This article has focused on printers you can order from online, but I also have partner printers I work with, and there are many more local printers you can talk things through with as you go. Depending on what you want to make, I can help you work out where to get it printed in the first place.
Officeworks or Snap. You can pick up in store and talk it through as you go.
Vistaprint. All done online, with an Express option.
Fast Printing. Lots of paper types and foil colours. Allow extra time.
Officeworks. Matt lamination available.
On top of that, some papers are only available from printers in Japan. Sometimes I find that even with shipping, printing in Japan and sending it over is cheaper and gives a better result, so I decide case by case.
I think plenty of people are unsure where to get things printed, or how to prepare print files. At Tenth Of October, I ask what you want to make, your budget and your deadline, then work out the paper, finishes and printer with you, right through to preparing the print-ready files.
If you are feeling a bit lost, like I was when I first came to Australia, I hope this helps.
I share other problems design can solve in this article.
If you need a small amount in a hurry, Officeworks. For a good balance of price and quality, Vistaprint. If you care about paper and special finishes, Fast Printing. Choose based on what you want to make, when you need it by, and how many you need.
At Officeworks you can work it out in store with the staff. Online printers need a file that follows their rules for bleed, CMYK, resolution and so on. If you are unsure, it is safest to ask a designer to prepare the file for you. I have explained what terms like bleed and CMYK mean in my article What is a print-ready file?
Yes. Some papers and finishes are only available in Japan, and even with shipping, printing in Japan and sending it over can sometimes be cheaper and better quality. I compare turnaround times and shipping costs and decide case by case.
Yes. I will ask what you want to make, then work out the paper, finishes and printer with you. I can prepare the print-ready files too.
Tell us about your business, in English or Japanese. A link or a few photos is a fine place to start. No pressure.
Get in touch →9 problems design can solve
You want business cards, flyers or menus printed, but where do you actually go in Australia? I work as a designer in Adelaide, and here I compare the printing companies I really use on speed, quality and price, and share what each one does best.
When I first arrived in Australia, I wanted to make business cards and flyers but had no idea where to go or how to order. I felt pretty lost.
These days I work with partner printers, and choose between companies depending on the item, the paper and the finish I need. Australia also has lots of local printers in each area who will talk things through and make things with you. In this article, I have picked out the ones anyone can order from online, even if you are not a designer.
The ratings are my own personal impressions from actually using these services (as of October 2026). Services, prices and turnaround times can change, so check each company's website for the latest details. This is not sponsored, and I do not receive any referral fees.An online print shop where everything up to sending your files is done online, which makes it really convenient. There is also an AI chat for asking questions in real time.
Turnaround is fairly quick, and unusually for an Australian online printer, you can choose Express, so rush jobs arrive sooner. Colour results are consistent too. It is a printer with a good balance of price and quality.
Fast and cheap, so it is simply convenient. Matt lamination is hard to find elsewhere, which makes Officeworks really handy when you want to laminate a menu for your shop.
That said, it is digital printing, so colour can be uneven from store to store and printer to printer, and depending on who is on, the cutting can be a bit rough. I once sent a file with a solid background and it came back with a white border. If you mention it beforehand, they will usually trim it off, but even then a little white was left, which bothered me.
This is my personal favourite. It takes a fair while for orders to arrive, but there is a huge range of papers and finishes, so it is perfect when you want the design to really stand out. They even offer foil stamping in colours other than gold and silver, which opens up more design options. With so many card stocks in different thicknesses, types and colours, it is a printer that makes planning how to bring a design to life genuinely fun.
The chat is not just AI: real staff step in when needed, so you get flexible answers to detailed questions. However, more detailed discussions, file submission and payment are all handled by email with the staff, so it does take a bit more effort.
A printing chain with stores all around Australia, including Adelaide. The staff know more about printing than at Officeworks, and many of them really go out of their way for you: they will talk through colour with you, or help out if you tell them it is urgent after you have sent your files. They are also reliable when there is something you want to check in person.
For anything detailed you need to enquire by email, so things go more smoothly if you have a clear idea of what you want to make and some knowledge of print-ready files. Prices are reasonable too.
Printers rooted in their local area often go the extra mile once you have been in a few times and they get to know you. That said, their strengths, and how well you click, vary from place to place, so the best thing is to actually drop in.
This article has focused on printers you can order from online, but I also have partner printers I work with, and there are many more local printers you can talk things through with as you go. Depending on what you want to make, I can help you work out where to get it printed in the first place.
Officeworks or Snap. You can pick up in store and talk it through as you go.
Vistaprint. All done online, with an Express option.
Fast Printing. Lots of paper types and foil colours. Allow extra time.
Officeworks. Matt lamination available.
On top of that, some papers are only available from printers in Japan. Sometimes I find that even with shipping, printing in Japan and sending it over is cheaper and gives a better result, so I decide case by case.
I think plenty of people are unsure where to get things printed, or how to prepare print files. At Tenth Of October, I ask what you want to make, your budget and your deadline, then work out the paper, finishes and printer with you, right through to preparing the print-ready files.
If you are feeling a bit lost, like I was when I first came to Australia, I hope this helps.
I share other problems design can solve in this article.
If you need a small amount in a hurry, Officeworks. For a good balance of price and quality, Vistaprint. If you care about paper and special finishes, Fast Printing. Choose based on what you want to make, when you need it by, and how many you need.
At Officeworks you can work it out in store with the staff. Online printers need a file that follows their rules for bleed, CMYK, resolution and so on. If you are unsure, it is safest to ask a designer to prepare the file for you. I have explained what terms like bleed and CMYK mean in my article What is a print-ready file?
Yes. Some papers and finishes are only available in Japan, and even with shipping, printing in Japan and sending it over can sometimes be cheaper and better quality. I compare turnaround times and shipping costs and decide case by case.
Yes. I will ask what you want to make, then work out the paper, finishes and printer with you. I can prepare the print-ready files too.
Tell us about your business, in English or Japanese. A link or a few photos is a fine place to start. No pressure.
Get in touch →9 problems design can solve
