Buy an ID Card Printer or Outsource It? What Canadian Organizations Need to Know Before Choosing

ID card printing is the process of producing employee badges, visitor credentials, membership cards, and access cards used for identification and security purposes. Organizations can either manage printing internally with professional equipment or outsource badge production to a third party vendor depending on their operational needs, security requirements, and printing volume.

For many organizations, the decision seems simple at first. Outsourcing appears convenient. Buying a printer feels like a larger commitment. But once onboarding delays, security concerns, rush fees, and ongoing badge updates start piling up, the equation changes quickly.

At Avon Security Products, organizations across Canada regularly ask the same question: is it smarter to outsource employee badge printing, or bring everything in house? 

The answer depends on more than just upfront cost.

At a Glance

• In house ID card printing gives organizations faster turnaround times, stronger security control, and better flexibility.
• Outsourced ID card printing may work for businesses with very low print volume or infrequent badge updates.
• Organizations with growing teams often save money long term by investing in professional ID card printers.
• Secure credentials, visitor badges, and access cards are easier to manage internally when immediate reprints or updates are needed.
• Canadian organizations increasingly prefer in house printing for operational efficiency, onboarding speed, and data protection.

Why More Organizations Are Bringing ID Card Printing In House

The biggest shift happening across Canadian workplaces is not just about convenience. It is about control.

Organizations are realizing that employee badges are no longer simple plastic cards. They often connect to building access systems, visitor management platforms, attendance tracking, payment systems, and security infrastructure.

As workplace privacy expectations continue evolving across Canada, many organizations are reassessing how employee credentials, identification systems, and personal data are managed internally. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada also provides broader guidance on workplace privacy considerations for employers managing employee information and access related data.

Waiting several days for an outsourced provider to process badge updates no longer works for fast moving teams.

With modern ID card printer systems, businesses can issue secure credentials immediately without relying on external production schedules or shipping timelines.

For growing companies, schools, healthcare facilities, government organizations, and industrial operations, that flexibility matters more than ever.

Outsourced Badge Printing Sounds Easy Until You Need Speed

Outsourcing can absolutely make sense in some situations. If a company only prints a handful of cards each year, using a third party provider may reduce equipment investment and maintenance responsibilities. Small organizations with limited badge requirements may find outsourcing practical in the short term.

But problems often appear once badge needs become more frequent. A new employee starts tomorrow. A contractor loses an access card. A visitor badge needs updating immediately. A department changes branding. A credential expires unexpectedly.

Now the organization is waiting on:

• Vendor processing times
• Shipping delays
• Reprint approvals
• Rush production costs
• Communication back and forth

That delay creates operational friction that many businesses underestimate initially. Employee onboarding slows down. Temporary workarounds appear. Security gaps increase. Staff waste time managing badge requests instead of solving higher value problems. Convenience disappears quickly once organizations need real time flexibility.

The Real Cost Comparison Most Businesses Miss

The conversation around cost is often framed incorrectly. Many organizations only compare the upfront purchase price of a printer against the per card pricing of outsourced printing. That comparison misses the operational costs attached to delays and dependency.

Outsourced printing may include:

• Per card production fees
• Design setup fees
• Shipping costs
• Rush order charges
• Replacement badge fees
• Ongoing vendor pricing increases

Meanwhile, in house printing creates predictable long term costs tied primarily to supplies and printer maintenance.

Organizations printing badges regularly often discover that producing cards internally becomes significantly more cost effective over time.

The math becomes even more favorable when organizations manage:

• Employee badge printing
• Visitor credentials
• Temporary contractor badges
• Membership cards
• Student IDs
• Parking permits
• Access credentials

The more cards issued throughout the year, the more valuable in house printing becomes financially.

Security and Data Privacy Are Becoming Bigger Concerns

This is where many organizations completely rethink outsourcing.

Employee badges often contain:

• Staff names
• Photos
• Department information
• Security clearance levels
• Access permissions
• Barcodes or QR codes
• Encoded smart card data

Sending sensitive employee information to external vendors introduces additional privacy and security considerations.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has also emphasized the importance of protecting employee information in workplace environments, especially when organizations manage sensitive identification and access related data.

For industries handling regulated information, secure facilities, healthcare data, or controlled access environments, maintaining internal control over credential production can significantly reduce exposure risks.

Organizations looking to print ultra secure ID cards often prefer internal production because it allows tighter control over badge issuance, data handling, encoding, and inventory management. Security is no longer just about the card itself. It is about the entire credential lifecycle.

Better Branding Starts With Better Control

Employee badges are part of a company’s visual identity. When organizations outsource printing, even small design changes can become frustratingly slow. Revisions may require additional setup charges or minimum order quantities.

In house printing allows organizations to control:

• Branding updates
• Logo changes
• Department colors
• Visitor badge variations
• Seasonal credentials
• Temporary access cards
• Event specific designs

That flexibility becomes especially important for organizations managing multiple locations, evolving branding standards, or large employee populations.

Many companies also use badges to reinforce professionalism during onboarding, conferences, customer visits, and internal events. Strong visual consistency matters more than many businesses realize.

Faster Onboarding Creates Real Productivity Gains

Every delay during onboarding creates friction for both employees and administrators.

New hires often need:

• Building access
• Parking permissions
• Time tracking credentials
• Department identification
• Visitor clearance
• Security authentication

Waiting days for outsourced badges slows the process immediately. Organizations with in house badge printing can create credentials during onboarding itself, allowing employees to start fully equipped from day one.

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security also identifies physical access controls and credential management as important components of broader organizational security strategies, especially in environments managing employee access and secure facilities.

That speed improves:

• Employee experience
• HR efficiency
• Security compliance
• Facility access management
• Administrative productivity

For organizations experiencing growth, frequent staffing changes, or contractor turnover, those productivity improvements become substantial over time.

This is one reason businesses increasingly invest in access control cards for employee badge systems alongside internal printing infrastructure.

Technology Has Made In House Printing Easier Than Ever

Years ago, professional ID card printing systems felt complicated and expensive. That is no longer true.

Modern printers offer:

• User friendly interfaces
• Faster print speeds
• High definition printing
• Encoding capabilities
• Secure authentication features
• Cloud connected management tools
• Integration with access systems

Organizations can now manage secure credential programs internally without maintaining massive production departments.

The RCMP’s Access Management Guide also highlights how credential management and access control systems play a critical role in protecting facilities, authorized users, and secure operational environments.

Solutions like the Entrust Sigma series have also improved both security and operational simplicity. Businesses exploring advanced credential protection can learn more about how the Entrust Sigma DSE strengthens ID card security for modern badge environments. Technology has closed much of the operational gap that once made outsourcing seem easier.

Support and Maintenance Matter More Than Most Buyers Expect

One reason some organizations hesitate to buy printers is fear around maintenance. But reliable support changes everything.

Working with a Canadian supplier means organizations can access:

• Technical troubleshooting
• Product recommendations
• Genuine ribbons and supplies
• Replacement equipment guidance
• Setup assistance
• Ongoing system support

That support infrastructure dramatically improves the experience of managing in house printing.

Avon helps organizations build complete printing ecosystems that include printers, software, ribbons, encoding technology, and blank plastic cards for in-house badge printing without relying on disconnected vendors or uncertain supply chains.

The goal is not simply selling hardware. The goal is creating sustainable, scalable badge printing programs.

So, Which Option Is Better?

There is no universal answer. Outsourced ID card printing may still work well for organizations that:

• Print very few badges annually
• Rarely update credentials
• Do not manage access control systems
• Have minimal onboarding activity

But organizations with growing teams, security requirements, ongoing credential management, or operational complexity usually benefit far more from in house printing.

The long term advantages often include:

• Faster badge issuance
• Lower long term costs
• Better security oversight
• Greater operational flexibility
• Improved onboarding efficiency
• Easier branding control
• Reduced dependency on third party vendors

Most importantly, organizations gain the ability to respond immediately instead of waiting for someone else to manage critical credential needs.

Key Takeaways

• Outsourced ID card printing may work for low volume organizations, but growing businesses often benefit more from internal badge printing systems.
• In house ID card printing improves onboarding speed, operational flexibility, and security oversight.
• Professional ID card printers now offer easier setup, stronger integration capabilities, and advanced credential protection features.
• Managing badge printing internally creates more control over branding, access credentials, and employee data privacy.
• Organizations unsure which solution fits best should request guidance on choosing an ID card printer based on their print volume, security needs, and long term growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is buying an ID card printer cheaper than outsourcing?

For organizations printing badges regularly, in house printing often becomes more cost effective over time. Outsourcing may appear cheaper initially, but ongoing production fees, shipping costs, rush orders, and replacement charges can add up quickly as badge volume increases.

When does in house ID card printing make the most sense?

In house printing works best for organizations that frequently onboard employees, manage visitor credentials, update access cards regularly, or require immediate badge production. Businesses with ongoing credential needs usually benefit from faster turnaround times and better operational control.

Is outsourced badge printing less secure?

Outsourcing is not automatically insecure, but it does require sharing employee information and credential data with external vendors. Organizations handling sensitive access credentials or regulated information often prefer internal badge printing to maintain tighter control over security and privacy.

What equipment is needed for in house badge printing?

Most organizations need an ID card printer, printing software, ribbons, blank cards, and potentially encoding technology for smart cards or access credentials. The exact setup depends on print volume, security requirements, and integration needs.

Can modern ID card printers integrate with access control systems?

Yes. Many professional ID card printers integrate with access control platforms, visitor management systems, employee databases, and encoding technologies. Modern systems are designed to support secure credential management across multiple operational environments.

The Bottom Line

The decision between outsourcing and in house printing is really a decision about operational control.

Organizations that value flexibility, faster onboarding, stronger security oversight, and long term scalability increasingly choose to manage badge printing internally.

With the right equipment, support, and supply infrastructure, in house printing becomes less about managing cards and more about improving how the organization operates every day.

For Canadian businesses building secure credential programs, Avon Security Products provides the hardware, supplies, expertise, and long term support needed to create reliable in house ID card printing systems that scale alongside the organization.