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The short answerThe best cheap photo printer depends on what ‘cheap’ means. Cheapest to buy: the HP Sprocket 2x3 or the Liene M100. Cheapest to run: a photo tank such as the Canon PIXMA G620. Best balance for 4x6: the Canon SELPHY CP1500.
By Marius. Listing data pulled Oct 30, 2026. Page built Nov 1, 2026. How I rank printers.
Lowest-priced pocket printer
The lowest entry price in the data, with a 20,000-rating track record. 2 x 3 only.
4.4 out of 5 from 20,695 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best sticker printer for journals
A close second on price, and the most-reviewed photo printer in the data.
4.5 out of 5 from 25,637 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best value snapshot printer
Lowest-priced 4 x 6 printer in the data, within a few dollars of the Kodak.
4.5 out of 5 from 2,242 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best dock for everyday phone prints
Almost the same entry price as the Liene, with a dock.
4.2 out of 5 from 20,100 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best 4x6 dye-sub printer
A step up in price and the steady performer.
4.4 out of 5 from 2,755 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best budget photo tank
The cheapest photo tank; the ink savings pay back with volume.
3.9 out of 5 from 1,200 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Best compact photo all-in-one
Cheap to buy, costly to run, but fine for occasional prints.
3.8 out of 5 from 241 Amazon ratings (Oct 30, 2026)
Entry price and running cost don’t line up. A pocket printer and its film are the cheapest to start and the priciest per print. A tank is the reverse. The calculator shows both over three years.
| Printer | Type | Max print | Ink | Scan | Owner rating | Per 4x6 | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KODAK Step | Zink | 2 x 3 in | Zink zero-ink paper | No | 4.4 (20,695) | n/a | Amazon |
| HP Sprocket 2x3 | Zink | 2 x 3 in | Zink zero-ink paper | No | 4.5 (25,637) | n/a | Amazon |
| Liene M100 4x6 | Dye-sub 4x6 | 4 x 6 in | Thermal dye-sublimation | No | 4.5 (2,242) | 46c | Amazon |
| KODAK Dock Plus 4x6 | Dye-sub 4x6 | 4 x 6 in | 4PASS dye-sublimation | No | 4.2 (20,100) | 49c | Amazon |
| Canon SELPHY CP1500 | Dye-sub 4x6 | 4 x 6 in | Dye-sublimation | No | 4.4 (2,755) | 42c | Amazon |
| Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank | Ink tank | 8.5 x 14 in | 6-color dye with red and gray | Yes | 3.9 (1,200) | 17c | Amazon |
| Epson Expression Photo XP-8700 | Cartridge | 8.5 x 14 in | 6-color Claria Photo HD | Yes | 3.8 (241) | 54c | Amazon |
| Printer | Per print | Three-year total |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA G620 MegaTank | 17c | $479 |
| Canon SELPHY CP1500 | 42c | $614 |
| Liene M100 4x6 | 46c | $622 |
| KODAK Dock Plus 4x6 | 49c | $659 |
| Epson Expression Photo XP-8700 | 54c | $863 |
The sub-$150 dye-sub printers here are well rated. Look at the paper kits, which cost more than the printer after a few hundred prints.