Canon vs HP Printer 2026: Which Printer Brand Wins?
HP wins on value-for-money and ink subscription options via HP+ and Instant Ink. Canon wins on photo print quality — their PIXMA inks and dye-based systems produce superior color accuracy for photo printing.
See Today’s Price →At a Glance
| # | Product | Award | Price | Adf | Upc | Asin | Our Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  HP DeskJet 4155e Wireless Color All-in-… |
Best Overall | $79 | No | 195161618147 | B08XYRDSL7 | 9.2 | Buy → |
| 2 |  Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless … |
Best Budget Canon | $69 | 20-sheet | 013803339536 | B09HH532MF | 8.9 | Buy → |
| 3 |  HP LaserJet MFP M234dwe Wireless Monoch… |
Best HP for Business | $139 | — | 195122637293 | B09JW5LGRS | 8.5 | Buy → |
| 4 |  Canon Color imageCLASS MF743Cdw All-in-… |
Best Canon for Small Business | $829 | — | 013803307603 | B07QBR85G6 | 8.2 | Buy → |
| 5 |  HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Wireless C… |
Best HP Color Laser | $498 | — | 196337653344 | B0BKZZBBCK | 7.8 | Buy → |
Showing 5 of 5 products
HP DeskJet 4155e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer
“The HP DeskJet 4155e is the best-selling home printer for good reason: it prints, scans, and copies wirelessly at an affordable price, and the HP Instant Ink subscription option eliminates the 'out of”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Most affordable all-in-one on this list
- HP Instant Ink subscription option included
- Quick wireless setup via HP Smart app
- Compact footprint for small spaces
- Prints, scans, and copies
Watch out for
- Print speed is modest (8.5 ppm black)
- No ADF — manual document placement for scanning
- Ink cartridge costs are high if you don't subscribe
Read Full Analysis
The HP DeskJet 4155e includes print, scan, copy, and fax in one compact machine. 6 months of free Instant Ink included. HP+ compatible for ongoing ink savings. Best for: home users who need an affordable all-in-one with smart ink management.
Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer
“The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is the best entry-level all-in-one for households that want to occasionally print photos. Canon's photo-optimized inkjet technology produces better color accuracy and photo deta”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Canon photo print quality is excellent at this price
- 20-sheet ADF for multi-page scanning
- Wireless, mobile printing, and Bluetooth
- Compact design
- Good color accuracy for photos
Watch out for
- Ink cartridges are expensive without a subscription
- Lower print speed than laser
- Fax feature adds cost that most buyers don't need
Read Full Analysis
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 handles print, copy, scan, and fax with Canon's 4-color ink system for sharper photo output than comparably-priced HP models. Compatible with Canon's FINE ink cartridges. Best for: households that print both documents and occasional photos.
HP LaserJet MFP M234dwe Wireless Monochrome All-in-One Laser Printer
“The HP LaserJet M234dwe is the best laser all-in-one for home offices — it adds scan and copy to the laser printer formula, prints at 30 ppm, and supports automatic duplex printing. The 6 months of In”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Monochrome laser with scan + copy
- 30 ppm print speed
- Automatic duplex printing
- 6 months Instant Toner included
- ADF for multi-page scanning
Watch out for
- Monochrome only — no color printing
- Higher upfront cost than inkjet all-in-ones
- Smaller paper tray than office-grade printers
Read Full Analysis
The HP LaserJet MFP M234dwe delivers laser-sharp text at 30ppm — 3x faster than inkjet competitors. Low per-page cost for high-volume users. Best for: home office users who print 100+ pages monthly and prioritize speed and text quality over color.
Canon Color imageCLASS MF743Cdw All-in-One Color Laser Printer
“The Canon MF743Cdw is the most feature-complete home office printer in this comparison — color all-in-one with flatbed + ADF scanning, 550-sheet paper capacity, duplex in all functions, and a 5-inch t”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Color scanning in the 50-sheet ADF — enables color document digitization in multi-page batches
- 550-sheet total paper capacity across two trays reduces refilling for high-volume color use
- 5-inch color touchscreen is the largest display in this comparison for intuitive navigation
- 3-year limited warranty with Canon's extensive authorized service network
- NFC tap-to-print for compatible smartphones
Watch out for
- At $579.99, the most expensive printer in this comparison
- 22 ppm color speed equivalent to HP M255dw at $180 less
- Color per-page cost comparable to HP Color — high for large-volume color printing
Read Full Analysis
The Canon Color imageCLASS MF743Cdw produces brilliant color documents at laser quality with 22ppm color speed. 50-page ADF for bulk scanning. Best for: small businesses that need professional-quality color documents and marketing materials.
HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Wireless Color Laser Printer
“The HP Color LaserJet M255dw is the best color laser printer for home offices that genuinely need occasional color printing — compact, auto-duplex, wireless, and HP Smart mobile printing. The 22 ppm s”
See Today’s Price →What we like
- Compact color laser footprint — smaller than most color laser alternatives
- Auto-duplex for double-sided printing in both monochrome and color
- Wireless + ethernet + USB connectivity covers all connection scenarios
- 2.7-inch touchscreen for intuitive direct-print and settings control
- HP Smart app provides mobile printing and scan-to-email from smartphone
Watch out for
- 22 ppm is the slowest print speed in the comparison — noticeable for high-volume sessions
- Color per-page cost at ~$0.12 is significantly higher than monochrome options
- 4 separate toner cartridges mean 4 points of expense — color cost tracking requires attention
- HP ink/toner subscription programs (Instant Toner) can lock users into pricing structures
Read Full Analysis
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw delivers fast wireless color laser printing at a competitive price. Energy-efficient and compact for a color laser. Best for: design-conscious home offices that need professional color output at manageable ink costs.
Canon vs HP Printer Buying Guide
Our Top Pick
HP DeskJet 4155e Wireless Color All-in-One Printer at $69.99 — Best all-in-one wireless printer under $70.
Budget Pick: Canon PIXMA TR4720 All-in-One Wireless Printer at $69 — Best Canon for photo and document printing.
Great for: Home office workers who print contracts, photos, or forms weekly, parents with school-age kids, and crafters
Not ideal if: You print fewer than 10 pages a month — public library printers or a FedEx visit is cheaper than ownership and ink costs
Print Quality: Documents vs Photos
For standard document printing, both brands are virtually identical — crisp black text at 600 dpi. The difference emerges in photo printing: Canon's ChromaLife 100+ ink system and dye-based inks produce more accurate skin tones and vibrant colors. HP's LaserJets produce sharper text but aren't designed for photo printing.
Ink Cost & Subscriptions
![Which Tank Printer Should You Buy? [2026 Update] Epson, Cano](https://img.youtube.com/vi/og5zi4tKXA0/mqdefault.jpg)
HP offers HP Instant Ink — a monthly subscription ($3-$36/month) based on pages printed, not ink levels. For light users (10-50 pages/month), this can be very cost-effective. Canon does not offer a comparable ink subscription. Both brands have expensive per-cartridge prices — $15-25 for standard cartridges.
Wireless Connectivity
Both brands support WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile printing via their respective apps (HP Smart and Canon PRINT Inkjet). HP Smart is widely regarded as the better app — more features, better troubleshooting, and easier setup. Both support Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print alternatives.
Speed
HP's LaserJet printers print 30+ pages per minute — significantly faster than inkjet competitors. Canon's PIXMA printers average 8-10 ppm for black and 5-7 ppm for color. For high-volume document printing, HP LaserJets are the clear choice.
Long-Term Ink Costs
Inkjet printers from both brands have high per-page costs ($0.05-0.10/page for black, $0.15-0.25/page for color). HP's Color LaserJet Pro reduces per-page costs to $0.02-0.04 for high-volume users. Canon photo printers use more ink per page but deliver superior results.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper to run, Canon or HP?
Is Canon or HP better for photo printing?
Do HP Instant Ink cartridges work without a subscription?
Can I use third-party ink cartridges?
Which brand is more reliable long-term?
How We Analyze Products
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