Calculating arrival date
Standard vs. high-yield
ink & toner
Which cartridge is the better buy? Compare what you pay, how many pages you get, and how often you print.
About 2.9× the rated pages with HP 26X.
The better buy depends on the price.
The short answer
High-yield cartridges print more pages and can cost less per page. Standard cartridges often cost less upfront. The best choice fits your printer, gives you good value, and holds an amount of ink or toner you will actually use.
Ink & toner cost-per-page calculator
Choose an example, enter your monthly pages, and update the prices. See the cost of each page and how much you would spend on cartridges.
For a quick comparison, divide each cartridge’s price by its rated page yield. A $120 cartridge with a 3,000-page yield costs 4¢ per page.
How these estimates are calculated
Cost per page = cartridge price ÷ estimated pages from that cartridge. The estimate uses rated yield × your selected yield percentage. Multiply dollars per page by 100 to see cents per page.
Supply used = cost per page × pages printed. This spreads a cartridge’s price over its estimated life. Cash for whole cartridges = cartridges needed, rounded up, × price. That is why these two totals can differ.
Time between changes = estimated cartridge yield ÷ monthly pages. Changes = whole cartridges needed minus the first installation, with a minimum of zero. No extra change is counted exactly at the end of the period.
The model starts with no supply on hand, uses a steady printing rate, and assumes you can use all estimated pages. Savings compare with the standard cartridge, using unrounded costs. Paper, tax, delivery, drums, maintenance kits, energy and labor are excluded. Add applicable costs consistently to your cartridge prices if needed.
One printed side counts as one page. For black cartridges in a color printer, this estimates the black supply contribution—not the total cost of a color page. See the color-printing explanation.
What is the difference between standard and high-yield cartridges?
A cartridge’s price tells you what you pay today. Its page yield helps you understand how much printing you get for that money.
Page yield simply means the number of pages a cartridge is rated to print in a standard test. It is a useful comparison number, not a promise that every home or office will get exactly that many pages.
The regular-capacity option. Often a smaller upfront purchase, and worth considering if you print only occasionally.
More rated pages in one cartridge. It can cost more to buy, but less for each page you print.
An even larger-capacity option for supported printers. Some brands call it “super high yield.” It is useful when the price and your printing volume make sense.
The label describes capacity. It does not promise better print quality or guarantee better value. And not every printer has all three options. For example, the HP 26A/26X and 414A/414X comparisons here each have two.
How to calculate ink or toner cost per page
The lowest cartridge price is not always the lowest printing cost. Divide the price by its page yield to compare the cost of one printed page.
Now compare that with a $200 cartridge rated for 8,000 pages. Its cost is 2.5¢ per page. The second cartridge costs $80 more at checkout, but uses $15 less in supplies for every 1,000 pages at those yields.
A real example: HP 26A vs. HP 26X
HP rates the 26A at 3,100 pages and the 26X at 9,000 pages. Using example prices of $109 for the 26A and $149 for the 26X, here is the comparison:
At these example prices, the 26X costs about 52.9% less per page. That percentage describes supply cost per page—not a discount off your entire printing bill.
These are illustrative starting prices, not a quote for matching box conditions. Your selected options may cost more. Check both product pages and update the calculator before you buy.
How long will a high-yield cartridge last?
A larger yield can also mean fewer interruptions. At 1,000 pages a month, a 3,100-page cartridge lasts about 3.1 months. A 9,000-page cartridge lasts about 9 months, using the full rated yields.
Over 12 months, that is 12,000 pages. Starting with no cartridges on hand, you would need four HP 26A cartridges or two HP 26X cartridges. After the first installation, that means three changes versus one.
Savings and spending are different. In this example, buying whole cartridges costs $436 for 26A or $298 for 26X—a $138 cash difference. The estimated value of toner used is about $421.94 versus $198.67—a $223.27 difference. The remaining toner explains the gap.
This is why the calculator shows both totals. A cartridge that lasts into next year still has value, but you pay for it when you buy it. Fewer changes can save staff time too; we leave that time out of the dollar savings because every workplace is different.
Compare HP, Brother, and Xerox cartridge yields
These examples compare capacity options within the same family. The links take you to GenuineInk product pages to check today’s available options.
| Family / color | Standard yield | High yield | Extra / super high |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 26 · black |
26A · CF226A3,100 pages | 26X · CF226X9,000 pages | — |
| HP 414 · black |
414A · W2020A2,400 pages | 414X · W2020X7,500 pages | — |
| HP 414 · colors | 414A color options2,100 pages* | 414X color options6,000 pages* | — |
| Brother · black |
TN8203,000 pages | TN8508,000 pages | TN880 · super high12,000 pages |
| Xerox B410 / B415 |
006R047256,000 pages | 006R0472614,000 pages | 006R0472725,000 pages |
| HP 962 · black ink |
962 · 3HZ99AN1,000 pages | 962XL · 3JA03AN2,000 pages | — |
*HP publishes an average composite cyan/magenta/yellow yield. It is not a combined total of three separate page counts. “—” means no third tier is included in this comparison.
For Brother, the HL-L6200DW is one printer that accepts all three listed cartridges. Do not assume TN880 fits every TN820 printer. For Xerox, these examples are for the B410 and VersaLink B415. For HP ink, the OfficeJet Pro 9015 is one compatible example. Always check the full printer model and region before ordering.
How to compare costs for color printing
Color pages may use black, cyan, magenta, and yellow together. The cost of one black cartridge divided by its yield only tells you the black part of the cost.
To estimate a full-color page, calculate each cartridge’s cost per page, then add those costs:
Do not add the four cartridge yields together. A 414X set with black rated at 7,500 pages and colors at 6,000 does not give you 25,500 full-color pages. The cartridges work together, and they may run out at different times. You also cannot reliably divide the full set price by one color’s yield when the yields differ.
The same price-per-page rule works for ink
For example, HP 962 black is rated at about 1,000 pages; HP 962XL black is rated at about 2,000. Compare the actual prices with those yields. XL means more rated pages in this family—not a universal doubling rule for every cartridge brand.
Inkjet maintenance can use ink, and some printers use color ink during certain black printing or maintenance tasks. Photos and large graphics can also use much more supply than everyday text. Use the calculator as a planning tool, then refine the yield with your own printing history.
Choose the size that fits your printing
Print a little?
A standard cartridge may keep today’s purchase smaller. If a large cartridge would last years, think about how long you will keep the printer and whether you will use all the supply.
Print regularly?
High or extra high yield can be a good fit when its cost per page is lower. You may spend more today, with longer stretches between replacements.
Before you buy, check these four things
- Will it fit? Match the cartridge to your exact printer model and region.
- Is the comparison fair? Use the same color, original-cartridge category, quantity, and comparable box condition.
- What will you actually pay? Enter your selected price. Include tax or delivery consistently if you want those in your estimate.
- Will you use it? Check the estimated months of printing, not just the biggest savings percentage.
For a realistic estimate, use a typical month from your printer’s page counter. If your workload changes, run a quiet-month and a busy-month scenario. Keep an eye on both cost per page and the cash needed for the next purchase.
Frequently asked questions about high-yield ink and toner
Is high-yield toner always cheaper?
No. It is cheaper per page only when the extra pages outweigh the extra price. A promotion on standard cartridges can change the result. The calculator shows the price where each larger cartridge matches the standard option’s cost per page.
Will a high-yield cartridge fit my printer?
Only if the manufacturer lists that cartridge for your exact printer model and region. A similar name or a cartridge that looks the same is not enough. Check compatibility before ordering; some printers accept standard and high yield but not the largest capacity.
Does high yield mean better print quality?
No. “High yield” describes rated capacity. Choose the correct cartridge for your printer and the quality you need, then compare the capacity options on price and page yield.
Why do I get fewer pages than the number on the box?
The rating comes from controlled testing. Your content, print settings, job sizes, maintenance, and printing habits may differ. A page full of photos is very different from a short letter. The yield adjustment lets you explore a lower-yield assumption without pretending to predict your exact result.
Does printing on both sides cut toner use in half?
It can reduce paper use, but two printed sides still count as two printed pages for this estimate. A 10-page document printed on five sheets still has 10 pages of content.
Can I compare a multipack with a single cartridge?
Yes, if the pack contains identical cartridges: divide its total price by the cartridge count, then enter the yield for one cartridge. A mixed-color pack needs separate color calculations. Never treat a drum or maintenance kit as an extra toner cartridge.
Are the calculator prices live?
No. Prices in the calculator are editable examples. Follow the GenuineInk product links to check the option you want, then enter its price. Your actual savings depend on the price you pay and the number of pages you get.
Can I use the calculator for a different brand?
Yes. Choose “My own ink or toner,” enter the price and rated yield for two or three compatible cartridges of the same color, and set your printing volume. Leave extra high yield off if your printer does not offer it.
Where the numbers come from
Page yields are manufacturer test ratings, not a guarantee for every document. Product yields were reviewed on October 23, 2026. Use these sources to check the ratings, and the GenuineInk product links above to check the options available to buy.
- HP: 26A and 26X toner yields; 414A and 414X toner yields; 962 and 962XL replacement ink specifications.
- Brother: TN820, TN850, and TN880 black toner ratings.
- Xerox B410 / B415: 6,000-page standard, 14,000-page high capacity, and 25,000-page extra-high capacity toner ratings.
The calculator estimates the cost of cartridge supplies only. It excludes paper, separate drums, maintenance kits, electricity, service, and staff time. Prices are examples rather than a live feed. Use comparable tax and delivery assumptions for every option.
Find the right cartridge for your printer
Search GenuineInk by printer model or cartridge number. Check compatibility, compare current prices, and choose the capacity that fits your printing.