Should I print stickers at Staples or Office Depot, or order custom?
Office-supply stores print sticker sheets on paper or light label stock and cut them square, which suits a handful of indoor labels made today. They do not contour-cut individual vinyl stickers or laminate them. A dedicated sticker printer die-cuts each shape from waterproof 3 mil vinyl with laminate; at Stickerine that starts at $33 for 25 pieces of a 2x2 in.
| Office store strength | Same-day, tiny quantities, indoor use |
|---|---|
| Office store limits | No contour die cut, usually no laminate |
| Stickerine 2x2 at 25 | $33 ($1.32 each) |
| Stickerine 2x2 at 250 | $107 ($0.43 each) |
What an office store actually prints
Walk-up print counters run toner or inkjet on adhesive sheet stock. You get a rectangular sheet of stickers, trimmed on a guillotine or kiss-cut in a grid. That is genuinely useful when you need ten labels this afternoon for a box, a binder or a name tag.
What they do not do:
- Contour die cutting. Your logo shape gets a square around it, not a cut path following the art.
- Laminate. Without a clear UV film over the ink, toner scuffs and fades outdoors.
- Waterproof vinyl. Paper label stock swells and lifts the first time it gets wet.
- Volume pricing. Per-sheet pricing barely moves as you order more.
What custom sticker printing costs at small quantities
Die-cut, 3 mil white vinyl, laminate included, verified 9 September 2026:
| Size | 25 | 50 | 100 | 250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2x2 in | $33 ($1.32 ea) | $60 ($1.20 ea) | $73 ($0.73 ea) | $107 ($0.43 ea) |
| 3x3 in | $40 ($1.60 ea) | $72 ($1.44 ea) | $94 ($0.94 ea) | $153 ($0.61 ea) |
| 4x4 in | $48 ($1.92 ea) | $87 ($1.74 ea) | $120 ($1.20 ea) | $209 ($0.84 ea) |
Our minimum is 25 pieces, so the small end of the range is genuinely available, and the unit price falls fast from there.
How to choose
- Need them today, indoors, under ~20 pieces: the office store is the right call.
- Anything going outside, on a bottle, a laptop, a truck or a hard hat: vinyl with laminate, cut to shape.
- Reselling, packaging inserts, giveaways, events: custom every time. At 250+ pieces the per-sticker cost is a fraction of walk-up printing and the product is a different class.
Check before you print in-store
Ask the counter three questions: is this vinyl or paper, is it laminated, and can you cut my shape? If any answer is no and the sticker matters, order it printed properly.
Related questions
- Can Staples cut a custom sticker shape?
- Standard walk-up printing does not contour cut to an arbitrary shape. Expect rectangles or a kiss-cut grid on a sheet. Contour die cutting needs a plotter with optical registration, which is what a dedicated sticker printer runs.
- Are office store stickers waterproof?
- Usually not. Paper and light label stock absorb water and toner is not UV stable. Waterproof means printed vinyl with a laminate over the ink.
- What is the cheapest way to get a few custom stickers?
- Our 25-piece minimum starts at $33 for a 2x2 in die-cut vinyl sticker. If you need fewer than that and only indoors, sticker paper at home or an office store is cheaper for a one-off.