Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Ink yield is the number of pages a particular cartridge or bottle is rated to print under a defined test. Cost per page is usually the ink-only estimate you get by dividing that supply’s price by its rated yield. Both figures are useful for comparing supplies, but neither guarantees what one household will actually print or spend.
What “page yield” means on an ink supply
A page-yield figure is a test-based page count for one specific ink supply used with a qualifying printer configuration. A cartridge rated for 300 pages is not promising that every owner will get exactly 300 usable pages. It is reporting the result of a defined measurement procedure.
The rating belongs to the supply and the test conditions together. Changing the cartridge family, printer configuration, paper, document mix or printing behavior can change the result. That is why a page count should always be read with its test method and compatible printer information, rather than treated as a universal capacity for all printers.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What the number helps you estimate
- How frequently a supply may need replacement compared with another supply tested on a comparable basis.
- How to estimate ink expense for a recurring print job.
- Whether a low purchase price is offset by a lower rated yield.
What the number does not promise
- That every user will reach the rated count.
- That the pages will have the same content or coverage as your documents.
- That the printer will produce a particular level of quality or reliability.
Manufacturers use yield ratings as a comparison starting point. HP explains that its ISO figures are not predictions of each individual user’s results and identifies print content, printing frequency and ink used during setup as factors that affect actual yield. You can read its explanation at HP’s page-yield guidance.
#1 Best Overall
- Automatic
- These cartridges work with: HP OfficeJet Pro 8020, 8020e, 8025, 8028, 8030e, 8035
- Cartridge yield (approx.): 825 pages black, 315 pages per color
- Up to 2x more prints with Original HP Ink vs. non-Original HP Ink
- 82% of HP ink cartridges are manufactured with recycled plastic
How ISO/IEC 24711:2021 measures ink yield
ISO/IEC 24711:2021 specifies a method for measuring ink-cartridge yield for qualifying color inkjet printers and multifunction devices. Its test suite is defined in ISO/IEC 24712. The International Organization for Standardization lists the 2021 edition as reviewed and confirmed in 2026, so it remains the current edition in that listing: ISO/IEC 24711:2021.
| Aspect | What the standard establishes |
|---|---|
| Measured item | Ink-cartridge page yield |
| Test material | The ISO/IEC 24712 test suite |
| Intended devices | Qualifying color inkjet printers and multifunction devices |
| Paper context | Plain-paper printing |
| Outside the scope | Certain large-format and photo-only printer configurations |
| What it does not establish | Print quality or printer reliability |
The standard is therefore a way to make yield claims more comparable, not a guarantee about your home or office. It also has a defined scope. A photo-only system or a large-format configuration may not be covered, so a figure presented for one of those products needs to be interpreted using the manufacturer’s stated method rather than assumed to be an ISO/IEC 24711 result.
The official IEC listing provides the same standard and scope information at IEC’s publication page.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →How to calculate cost per page
For an ink-only estimate, divide the price of the relevant supply by its rated page yield:
Ink cost per page = supply price ÷ rated page yield
Use the price for the exact cartridge or refill bottle that the printer accepts, and use the yield assigned to that same supply. Do not pair the price of one capacity with the yield of another.
Rank #2
- HP Ink Cartridges are engineered to work with HP printers to provide consistent quality, reliability and value
- Works with these HP Printers: DeskJet 1255, 2710e, 2720e, 2721e, 2722, 2722e, 2723e, 2724, 2725, 2732, 2742e, 2752e, 2755, 2755e, 4110e, 4120e, 4121e, 4122e, 4123e, 4130e, 4132e, 4152e, 4155e, 4158e; DeskJet Plus 4122, 4132, 4155
- Works with these HP Printers: ENVY 6010e, 6020e, 6022e, 6030e, 6032e, 6034e, 6050e, 6052e, 6055, 6055e, 6075, 6075e, 6420e, 6422e, 6430e, 6432e, 6450e, 6452e, 6455e, 6458e, 6475e; ENVY Pro 6455, 6458, 6475
- Cartridge yield (approx.): 120 pages
- Trusted HP Printer Ink Cartridges for every printing need: Perfect for everyday home, office, and small business printing needs — choose HP 67 Ink Cartridges for reliable printing
Worked example
A hypothetical cartridge priced at $30 and rated for 300 pages produces this calculation:
$30 ÷ 300 pages = $0.10 per page
This is an illustration, not a quoted market price. It estimates ink only. It does not include paper, the printer’s purchase price, maintenance or any other operating expense.
Apply the calculation consistently
- Identify the exact supply family and capacity that fits the printer.
- Record the supply’s current purchase price from the seller you are considering.
- Record the rated yield shown for that same supply.
- Divide price by yield and keep the result labeled as an ink-only estimate.
- When comparing another supply, repeat the calculation using the same cost scope and a comparable yield method.
If a seller lists a multipack, calculate with the price of the complete pack and the combined rated yield only when every included supply has the same intended use and the seller clearly identifies the yields. Otherwise, calculate each supply separately so a mixed bundle does not hide different capacities.
Why your actual yield can be higher or lower
A test rating and household use answer different questions. The rating asks how many pages the supply produced under the specified procedure. Your result depends on what you print and how the printer is operated.
Print content
Documents with different amounts and types of ink do not consume supplies at the same rate. A mostly text document and a heavily colored document can therefore produce different numbers of pages from the same rated supply. The rating is most useful when the test pages resemble your own print mix.
Printing frequency
How often you print is another factor identified by HP. A user who prints regularly may have a different experience from someone who prints only occasionally, even with the same cartridge and printer.
Rank #3
- HP Ink Cartridges are engineered to work with HP printers to provide consistent quality, reliability and value
- Works with these HP Printers: DeskJet 1255, 2710e, 2720e, 2721e, 2722, 2722e, 2723e, 2724, 2725, 2732, 2742e, 2752e, 2755, 2755e, 4110e, 4120e, 4121e, 4122e, 4123e, 4130e, 4132e, 4152e, 4155e, 4158e; DeskJet Plus 4122, 4132, 4155
- Works with these HP Printers: ENVY 6010e, 6020e, 6022e, 6030e, 6032e, 6034e, 6050e, 6052e, 6055, 6055e, 6075, 6075e, 6420e, 6422e, 6430e, 6432e, 6450e, 6452e, 6455e, 6458e, 6475e; ENVY Pro 6455, 6458, 6475
- Cartridge yield (approx.): 240 pages
- Trusted HP Printer Ink Cartridges for every printing need: Perfect for everyday home, office, and small business printing needs — choose HP 67XL Ink Cartridges for reliable printing
Ink used during setup
Some ink can be consumed while the printer is initialized or prepared for operation. HP specifically lists setup ink use as a reason an individual user’s result may differ from the published ISO figure. Treat the rating as a comparison baseline rather than subtracting an invented fixed amount from every cartridge.
Because these variables are user-specific, there is no single verified “typical home yield” or universal realized cost per page that can be applied to every printer.
How to compare supplies without being misled
Use the following four checks whenever you compare cartridges, refill bottles or printers:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
1. Compare the exact compatible supply
A price is meaningful only when it belongs to a supply that your printer can use. Compare the same type of supply and, where applicable, the same capacity class. A lower-priced item that does not fit the printer is not a lower-cost option.
2. Compare rated yields measured on a comparable basis
A page count alone can mislead when one figure follows ISO/IEC 24711 and another uses a different procedure or unstated conditions. Look for the method behind the number before treating the yields as equivalent.
3. Ask whether your print mix resembles the test
ISO/IEC 24711 is intended for plain-paper printing. If your work differs substantially from that context, use the rating as a directional comparison and expect your realized result to vary.
Rank #4
- Compatible with TS3520/3522, TR4720/4722, TS3720/3722 inkjet printers.
- Value pack of 2 cartridges: PG-275 Black ink yields up to 100 pages, CL-276 color ink yields up to 100 pages.
- Canon Genuine Inks provide peak performance that is specifically designed for compatible Canon printers. The PG black ink cartridge produces crisp, sharp black text for your documents and the CL color cartridge produces accurate impressive color photos.
- Canon's FINE (Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) technology utilizes 6,000 or more nozzles inside the print heads to provide greater efficiency, higher print precision and reliable accuracy in your photos and documents.
- Don’t be fooled by imposters - look for the Canon logo on all ink packaging to ensure you’re buying Genuine Canon Ink for outstanding quality and performance you can rely on.
4. Keep cost scope identical
Compare ink-only estimates with other ink-only estimates. If you add paper, printer ownership, maintenance or other operating expenses to one calculation, add the same categories to the other. Otherwise, the apparent winner may simply be using a narrower definition of cost.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Cartridge versus refill-bottle compatibility
Replacement cartridges are a direct purchase fit when the cartridge family matches the printer model. Refill bottles are different: they fit only printers designed to accept that type of bottle, such as compatible tank configurations. A bottle’s volume or price does not make it interchangeable with a cartridge.
Before buying, check:
- The full printer model name and regional variant, if one is shown.
- The supply family or part number listed by the printer maker.
- Whether the printer expects a cartridge or a refill bottle.
- Whether the seller’s yield applies to the exact capacity being sold.
No universal cartridge number or current price applies to every printer. Verify the listing and compatibility at the time of purchase.
Ink-only cost is not total printing cost
The basic formula deliberately isolates ink. It excludes:
- Paper.
- The printer’s purchase price.
- Maintenance.
- Other operating expenses.
That narrow scope is useful when you want to compare supplies, but it should not be presented as the total cost of producing a page. If you need a broader operating estimate, first decide which additional costs matter for your use and calculate them consistently for every printer or supply you compare. Keep the ink-only figure visible so readers can see which part of the result comes from the supply itself.
A practical worksheet for a purchase decision
Use this sequence when evaluating a printer or replacement supply:
Best Value
- Higher Page Yield: Up to 750 pages for hp ink 63 black, 450 pages for hp 63 ink tri-color (at 5% coverage of A4 paper)
- Package Includes: 1 x 63XL black ink cartridge, 1 x 63XL color ink cartridge, 1 x User Guide
- Compatible for HP OfficeJet 3830, 3831, 3832, 3833, 3834, 3836, 4650, 4652, 4654, 4655, 4656, 4657, 4658, 5255, 5200, 5220, 5222, 5230, 5232, 5252, 5258, 5260, 5264, 5212
- Compatible for HP Envy 4520, 4510, 4511, 4512, 4513, 4516, 4517, 4521, 4522, 4523, 4524, 4525, 4526, 4527, 4528
- Compatible for HP DeskJet 1110, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2136, 2137, 2138, 3630, 3631, 3632, 3633, 3634, 3635, 3636, 3637, 3638, 3639, 3640
- Write down the printer model. This prevents a compatible-looking listing from being matched to the wrong device.
- Identify the supply type. Confirm whether the printer uses a cartridge or a refill bottle and note the exact supply family.
- Find the rated yield and its method. Prefer a clearly identified ISO/IEC 24711 figure when the printer and use fall within that standard’s scope.
- Record the current price. Use the price for the exact supply and state whether it is a single unit or a pack.
- Calculate ink-only cost per page. Divide price by rated yield, retaining enough decimal places to compare options fairly.
- Stress-test the estimate. Consider whether your documents, printing frequency and setup conditions differ from the test context.
- Check the broader budget. Add paper, printer ownership or maintenance only if you add those same categories to every option.
Common mistakes and their fixes
Reading yield as a guarantee
Mistake: Treating the rated page count as the exact number every user will print.
Fix: Treat it as a standardized comparison point and account for content, frequency and setup use.
Dividing by the wrong yield
Mistake: Using a high-capacity yield with the price of a smaller cartridge, or mixing a bottle’s price with a cartridge rating.
Fix: Pair the price and yield for the same exact supply.
Comparing unlike test methods
Mistake: Assuming two page counts are equivalent because both are printed on packaging.
Fix: Check whether the method is comparable and whether the device falls within ISO/IEC 24711’s scope.
Calling ink-only cost the total cost
Mistake: Presenting the price-to-yield result as the complete cost of printing.
Fix: Label it “ink-only” and separately account for paper, printer purchase, maintenance and other expenses when those matter.
Bottom line for interpreting the numbers
Page yield is a test-based estimate tied to a particular supply, printer context and method. ISO/IEC 24711:2021 provides a current, defined method for qualifying color inkjet printers and multifunction devices, using the ISO/IEC 24712 test suite and plain-paper conditions. Cost per page is the simple price-divided-by-yield calculation, but it remains an ink-only estimate. Use both figures to compare like with like, verify the exact supply fit, and adjust your expectations for your own documents and printing habits.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
