For absolute convenience, ease, control, and creative flow wireless printing on iPad, using AirPrint is the best.
So in this guide, I share my recommendations for the best printers for use with iPads, Macs, and iPhones, which support AirPrint. Let’s have a look!
Top 4 Best Printers for iPad Compared
Here is a quick summary of my favorite printers using AirPrint. There are more picks in the overview below!
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All-in-one Pick
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Budget All-in-on
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Budget EcoTank
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Artist EcoTank
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Description: 4-color dye-based ink system :: 1200×600 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Supports vinyl stickers :: Mid 2018 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: 4-color hybrid pigment- and dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: 4-color dye-based ink bottles system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
Description: Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper 6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint |
4-color dye-based ink system :: 1200×600 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Supports vinyl stickers :: Mid 2018 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
4-color hybrid pigment- and dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
4-color dye-based ink bottles system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Table of Contents
- Overview: Best Printers for iPad, iPhone, and Mac in 2023 supporting AirPrint
- What is AirPrint?
- Which Printers are Compatible with AirPrint?
- What Should You Look for in the Best AirPrint Printers?
- FAQs – Printers Compatible with iPad
Overview: Best Printers for iPad, iPhone, and Mac supporting AirPrint in 2023
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All-in-one Pick: Brother MFC-J497DW
Budget Pick for Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
4-color dye-based ink system :: 1200×600 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Supports vinyl stickers :: Mid 2018 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
The Brother MFC-J497DW is an almost unbelievable value among the all-in-one printers.
Based just on the capabilities of this super-affordable printer – with two-sided color printing (automatic duplex printing), an automatic document feeder, built-in high-resolution scanning and copying, reasonable printing speed, the ability to work with heavier paper stock (including card stock), well-priced ink cartridges and more.
But it hits you when you see the quality of the printing.
Many other printers could qualify for this best-budget AirPrint category, and many have the same basic features and specifications, but none I’ve ever used make such beautiful color prints.
Add to this full AirPrint capability a full range of other printing and connection options, the extremely high level of fit and finish, build quality, and reliability.
The Brother MFC-J497DW is an easy choice for the best low-priced AirPrint printer today.
Budget All-in-one: Canon Pixma TR4720
4-color hybrid pigment- and dye-based ink system :: 4800×1200 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
The Canon Pixma TR4520 all-in-one photo printer is cheap – under 100 dollars – but you would never in a million years guess it was so inexpensive going by the photo printing it makes.
And when you factor in its amazing capabilities and versatility – automatic two-sided printing, built-in scanner and copier, auto-feed paper tray, lots of connectivity (including AirPrint), and more – it becomes one of the great bargains in today’s printer market.
No, this little guy won’t be printing photos of the quality you can get with one of the more premium photo printers, and it isn’t going to last for years and years (well, actually, it might…), but this is not a high end, or high priced, printer. It is, again, absurdly inexpensive and the best bottom-tier printer I’ve ever used.
If you are using your iPad or iPhone as a camera and want a cheap printer that is capable of doing justice to the beautiful pictures those devices can capture, or if you are working with Photoshop or other photo editing software on any Apple device, this is a super choice for very (very, very) little money.
Easy to use, nicely designed, with great material quality and a surprisingly high level of fit and finish, and offering startlingly sharp, crisp, and beautifully saturated photo prints (not to mention prints of artwork, illustrations, text, and anything else), the Canon Pixma TR4520 all-in-one printer will make you forget, again and again, how little you paid for it.
It is a great buy and an easy choice for the best AirPrint photo printer for Apple computers and mobile devices – or anybody else’s, for that matter.
Budget EcoTank: Epson EcoTank ET-2760
4-color dye-based ink bottles system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Prints up to 8.5″×14″ (A4) :: Auto duplex (2-sided) printing :: Mid 2019 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
I’ve been recommending supertank or ink tank printers lately.
The best eco tank printers combine extremely high print quality with extremely low printing costs – allowing us to create, produce and experiment as much as our little hearts desire.
You can check out my recent article on the Best Super Tank Printers.
But here, I would like to mention a wonderfully affordable supertank that works perfectly with AirPrint – the Epson EcoTank ET-2760.
Producing bold, sharp prints with accurate, vivid, and deeply saturated colors and tons of depth and detail, the ET-2760 should satisfy even more picky crafters and serious artists and is a perfect choice for art students or anybody on a budget.
The Epson ET-2760 EcoTank is a perfect Apple printer, not just because it is fully compatible with AirPrint.
It produces images any artist or crafter would love, doing full justice to our creations, and it is well made, well designed, and super easy to use.
Add in the incredibly low running costs, thanks to Epson’s excellent EcoTank system, and this is an easy choice for the best budget supertank printer for AirPrint.
Budget Pick for Artists: Epson Expression XP-15000
Budget Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
6-color dye-based ink system :: 5760×1450 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 23mil (0.6mm) manually :: Late 2017 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
At just over 400 dollars, the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-1500 inkjet printer is on the low end of the “mid-priced” range.
But it is easily equal to printers costing a lot more, and its ease of use makes it one of Apple’s most attractive AirPrint compatible printers.
A wide format printer that will work as well with heavy paper stocks and other materials as it does with normal paper, the XP-15000 is a photo printer with superb resolution and colors – in terms of accuracy, richness, and saturation.
It uses the superb Claria ink system, and the six colors allow for not just beautiful colors but incredible subtlety and gradation of those colors and printing that lasts under a variety of conditions, including exposure to the sun.
Easy to use, with stunning print quality, built to nearly commercial standards, quite fast and quiet for the price, and with great versatility in paper sizes and weights, this Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 is the perfect mid-range printer for discerning artists, crafters, and photographers.
And for the price, it can be considered an equally fine choice for anybody else, no matter their needs.
It’s my choice for the best mid-priced AirPrint printer for Apple, which is highly recommended!
My Pick: Canon Pixma PRO-200
My Pick for Art Prints, Canvas, Cardstock, Stickers, Vinyl and Transfer paper
8-color dye-based ink system :: 4800×2400 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 11.8mil (0.3mm); manual feed 23.6mil (0.6mm) :: Late 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Undoubtedly, one of the best Apple AirPrint photo printers is – or, indeed, the best photo printer for any computer, device, or platform – the superb Canon Pixma Pro-200 professional color photo printer.
If you want a great mid-priced photo printer for Apple, you can’t do much better than the Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 I mentioned above, but the Canon is better.
With a full 8-color ink system, this Canon printer offers unparalleled color accuracy, range, and beauty at this price level. The superior material quality and engineering, along with professional-level print heads, means that the resolution is also unmatched.
Indeed, in terms of color, detail, registration accuracy, depth and energy, light, shadow, and gradations of all values, this Pixma Pro-200 is equal to many full commercial printers that are sometimes times more expensive.
The Pro-200 will print borderless up to 13 by 19 inches and also works great with thicker stock, including card stock and other materials that many printers have difficulty feeding and keeping straight.
If you are a commercial artist, fine artist, or serious art student who needs the very finest prints of your artwork – for sale or your portfolio -or, of course, if you are a photographer working on the Apple platform and want to make your own prints at the highest quality for a relatively low price, the Canon Pro-200 is by far the finest printer of its type at around a thousand dollars.
It will serve you at this high level for many years to come.
I strongly recommend Canon Pixma Pro-200 as the best AirPrint photo printer for Apple users.
Artist EcoTank: Epson EcoTank ET-8550
Eco All-in-one Pick for Art Prints, Cardstock, Canvas, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
6-color hybrid dye-based & pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 13″×19″ (A3+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 50mil (1.3mm) manually :: Early 2021 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
This Epson ET-8550 is amazing in almost every way and can be considered a great value.
Yeah, it’s a bit pricey and may be out of the running for many people on a budget, but if you can afford it, you should seriously consider the ET-8550.
This is a great printer to print photos or artwork, with truly stunning print quality – deep and thrilling colors that are accurate and consistent, incredible life and energy, low distortion and perfect registration, and astounding amounts of detail.
And again, it’s not just a perfect premium choice for Apple because of full AirPrint compatibility, but because it is a nearly perfect premium printer period and especially attractive for people who create.
The great results you get every single time with the Epson ET-8550 – with photos, of course, but also with any kind of artwork or other images – will let you see what you are capable of and encourage you to continue and do more and more.
And, since it is a cheap-to-run supertank printer, you can afford to do more and more.
A great printer, a great choice for artists and crafters, from beginners to the highest levels, and my choice as the best premium supertank printer for AirPrint today.
Art Studio Pick: Epson SureColor P700
Art Studio Pick for Art Prints, Canvas, Cardstock, Stickers, Vinyl, and Transfer paper
10-color pigment-based ink system :: 5760×1440 DPI :: Borderless prints up to 17″×22″ (A2+) :: Max paper thickness: rear feed 11.8mil (0.3mm); manual feed 60mil (1.5mm) :: Late 2020 model :: Wireless & AirPrint
Smaller version: SureColor P700 13″ Inkjet Color Printer
It may seem like a shock to jump to almost 2,000 dollars in going from the best mid-priced to the best premium printer for Apple and AirPrint, but there are a couple of reasons:
- The Epson Expression XP-1500 inkjet printer is that good, and it’s hard to find anything significantly better for even a few hundred dollars more
- The Epson SureColor P900 inkjet printer is so much better than even the Expression, and at the admittedly high price, is a rather astounding value
A versatile unit, the SureColor P900 can print on paper up to 17 inches wide and can handle heavier paper, card stock, and even canvas.
Whatever you print on, the 10-color ink system ensures superb color fidelity, range, and energy, and the over-built precision mechanics allow for a new level of accuracy and resolution.
Essentially a commercial quality printer, the Epson SureColor P900 is designed for home use.
In addition to AirPrint compatibility, it offers a wonderfully intuitive interface and is easy to set up and use.
There are too many features, benefits, and qualities to list here – including archival printing, superb black and white printing, fast print speeds, extremely high material quality, long-term reliability, and a wide range of connectivity options.
Even if you only take advantage of a small number of them, this is still the printer to get – and, for other manufacturers, the printer to beat.
The Epson SureColor P900 is, despite the relatively high price, an amazing value and an amazing choice for any commercial artist, fine artist, photographer, crafter, serious art student, or anybody else who wants the best of the best.
A strong choice, then, for the best premium printer for use with AirPrint and any Apple devices, and also my own choice for my favorite printer to use with all my Apple devices!
What is AirPrint?
I’m still a little in awe of certain technologies and their convenience and capability.
A good example is when I finish my latest artwork on my iPad and can simply print it wirelessly using Apple AirPrint – no wires, no special settings or configuration, no bother, and no thought.
I’ve done it a thousand times or more, and still, I find it amazing.
So what is this magical AirPrint?
AirPrint is Apple’s wireless and mobile printing system and has been available on various Apple products for over a decade.
It is the standard printing interface on all Apple Macintosh computers, including iMacs and MacBooks, as well as all their iPads and iPhones.
Apple AirPrint is an incredibly easy and intuitive system requiring no setup, installation, messing around with or downloading drivers, and of course, no wires.
It requires only three things for it to work:
- An Apple Computer (MacBook, iMac) and mobile devices such as iPad, or iPhone with AirPrint
- An AirPrint Compatible Printer
- A Wifi or Wireless Connection
Which Printers are Compatible with AirPrint?
The most important thing to look for when shopping for the best AirPrint printer is that the printer be AirPrint compatible.
The Apple website has a support page that lists AirPrint compatible printers.
There are thousands and thousands of printers (I believe the exact number is 7,571!!!) listed there, from the Astro-Med Toughwriter 5 to the Zink hAppy+ – so yeah, not narrowing down the choices.
That’s the thing – most new printers will work beautifully with any newer Apple product using AirPrint wireless printing.
But it is not about which printers will work with an Apple computer, tablet, or phone, but which are the best printers and the best choices for artists, crafters, or any Apple users.
What Should You Look for in the Best AirPrint Printers?
I do tend to think that Apple users are particularly creative and aesthetic-minded.
So while lots and lots of printers will work with Apple products and AirPrint, we might want to focus on a few basic qualities which will serve or satisfy your needs especially well:
- Beautiful high-quality printing
- Very high resolution and lots of detail
- Rich, saturated and accurate colors
- The ability to work with lots of different sizes, types, and weights of paper and other materials
- Good design and ease of use
- Material quality and reliability
- Low Printing Costs (that’s why I am not including any wireless laser printer)
Of course, these are things almost anybody – especially an artist, crafter, photographer, or another creative person – might look for in their next printer, whether for Apple or any other system, but to have all of this in a new printer that will work flawlessly with AirPrint is a real blessing.
FAQs – Printers Compatible with iPad
The best printer for iPad is the one supporting Apple AirPrint technology. If you are an artist, designer, or photographer, my pick is Canon Pixma PRO-200. For common uses, my pick is the cost-effective Epson EcoTank ET-2760.
Besides a printer supporting Apple AirPrint technology, you don’t need a special printer for an iPad. If you are an artist, remember that iPads have fabulous screens but reproducing the colors is very hard. There is no reliable and consistent color management. For any serious printing jobs, I’d always use a computer with a calibrated screen.
Yes, if the printer supports Apple AirPrint technology. I recommend Canon Pixma PRO-200 if you are an artist or designer and Epson EcoTank ET-2760 if you need a printer for common uses.
I hope my guide helped you to get a new printer for your iPad, iPhone, and Mac!
Visit my website – Art Side of Life – for more buyer’s guides, articles, tutorials, artist interviews, and tons of other resources for commercial artists, fine artists, art students and beginners, crafters, and anybody else exploring their own creative side!
Other articles in the Printers and Scanners series:
- Best Printer for Art Prints
- Best Canvas Printer
- Best Printer for Stickers
- Best Cardstock Printer
- Best Sticker Maker Machine
- Best Printer for Cricut Print and Cut
- Best Screen Printing Printer
- Best Inkjet Printer for Heat Transfer
- Best Sublimation Printer for Heat Transfer
- Best Super Tank Printers
- Best Ink Tank Printer
- Best Art Scanner for Artworks
- Best Camera for Artwork Photography
