The Costs of Printing 1GB of Data: Why Cloud Storage is the Smarter Choice
A few weeks ago, we shared an article discussing the environmental cost of printing 1GB of data compared to storing it in the cloud. Today, we’re shifting focus to another important aspect: cost-effectiveness. And let’s be honest, the numbers will surprise you. In many organizations, printing is still a key part of data management. However, the financial cost of printing can be surprisingly high, especially when compared to more modern alternatives like cloud storage.
How much does it cost to print 1GB of Data?
Let’s face it, printing is expensive once you dig into the numbers. The amount of data in 1GB may not sound like much in today’s world of terabytes and petabytes, but printing it out is another story.
To print 1GB of text data, you’re looking at around 282,311 pages. But where do the real costs come in?
• Paper Costs: To print this much data, you’ll need 565 reams of paper. At $6 per ream, that comes to $3,390 just for paper.
• Ink Costs: Each ink cartridge prints about 300 pages, meaning you’ll need 941 cartridges. Each cartridge costs about $20, bringing your ink total to $18,820. That’s right, the ink alone is nearly six times the cost of the paper.
• Energy Costs: Additionally, printing uses a lot of electricity. A typical office printer will consume about 94 kWh of energy to process this amount of data, adding another $18.80 to your bill. It’s a small part, but it makes a big difference over time.
In total, you’re looking at $22,228.80 just to print 1GB of data. Think about that: $22,000 spent on something that could be avoided entirely. And this doesn’t even account for the time lost to handling all that paper and ink.
The cost of Storing 1GB of Data in the Cloud:
Now let’s compare this to storing 1GB of data in the cloud: The cost difference is significant.
- Cloud Storage Fees: Storing 1GB of data in the cloud costs, on average, about $0.25 per year
- Energy Costs: Cloud storage uses energy too, but much less than printing. Storing that 1GB requires about 7 kWh annually, which comes to about $1.40 per year in energy costs.
In total, $1.65 per year is all it takes to store 1GB of data in the cloud. Compare that to the over $22,000 for printing, and the difference is clear. Printing is 13,000 times more expensive than cloud storage.
Why Printing is Becoming Obsolete:
Switching to cloud storage is becoming more common, and it makes sense. Printing large amounts of data used to be necessary, but today it's hard to justify. The costs and effort are clear, but beyond that, think about how much easier cloud storage is.
Why deal with paper when cloud storage gives you secure access to your data from anywhere? Why spend so much on ink and paper when cloud storage saves you that expense? Additionally, cloud storage can easily grow with your needs, while printing has its limits.
Conclusion:
If you’re still using printing as a main part of your data management, it’s time to rethink. Printing is expensive, especially compared to the low cost of cloud storage. With cloud solutions, you can store huge amounts of data for very little, while also making your work easier and saving money.
At RushFiles, we help businesses make the switch to cloud storage. The savings are clear, and we’re here to help your company stay ahead. So, the next time you need to manage data, remember: there’s a better, cheaper option in the cloud.