Shopping for an office machine and drowning in jargon? You are not alone. The difference between a copier and printer used to be obvious, but modern devices blur the lines, and the words “copier,” “printer,” and “MFP” get used interchangeably even by the people selling them.
This guide clears it up in plain English. We will define each device, show what it actually does, explain paper sizes and form factors, and give you volume and team-size rules of thumb so you can match the machine to your office.
At AOP Inc., we have helped businesses across Southwest Louisiana — from Lake Charles to Sulphur to Jennings — sort through exactly this question for three decades. Here is how we walk clients through it.
The short answer
A printer only prints. A copier is built to make copies at high volume. An MFP (multifunction printer, also called an all-in-one) does both — plus scanning and often faxing — in one device. For most small offices today, an MFP is the answer, because scanning and digital workflow matter more than the print-vs-copy distinction ever did.
Printer, Copier, MFP: The Plain-English Definitions
Let us start with what each term really means, without the sales spin.
What a printer does
A printer takes a digital file from your computer, phone, or network and puts it on paper. That is its whole job. It cannot copy a physical document on its own, it cannot scan a page into a file, and it cannot fax.
Printers are usually small, inexpensive up front, and sit on a desk. They shine when one person needs to print modest amounts and nothing else.
What a copier does
A copier is engineered to reproduce physical documents — you place a page on the glass or in the feeder, press a button, and out come duplicates. Traditional copiers were built for one thing: high-volume duplication, fast, all day, without breaking down.
The word “copier” today almost always means a large, floor-standing office machine built for a whole team. And in practice, nearly every modern copier is also a printer, scanner, and fax — which is exactly why the terms blur.
What an MFP (all-in-one) does
MFP stands for multifunction printer. An MFP combines print, copy, scan, and usually fax into a single device. You will also hear “all-in-one,” “multifunction device,” or “MFD” — same idea.
Here is the key insight most buyers miss: the real difference between a copier and printer today is not print versus copy. It is capability. A basic printer only prints. An MFP does everything, and a modern office copier is a heavy-duty MFP. So the honest question is rarely “copier or printer” — it is “how much do I need this machine to do, and at what volume?”
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
This table lays out how a simple printer, a full MFP, and a floor-standing copier compare across the features offices actually care about.
| Feature | Basic Printer | MFP / All-in-One | Floor-Standing Copier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy | No | Yes | Yes |
| Scan (to email/cloud) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fax | No | Usually | Usually |
| Finishing (staple, sort, hole-punch) | No | Sometimes | Yes (advanced) |
| Paper size | Usually A4/letter | A4 or A3 | A3 (11x17) standard |
| Form factor | Desktop | Desktop or floor | Floor-standing |
| Best for | 1–2 people, low volume | Small teams, mixed tasks | Whole office, high volume |
💡 Tip
If a salesperson insists you need a “copier” but you mostly print from computers and occasionally copy a page, what you actually want is an MFP. Do not pay for a production copier your team will use at 10 percent of its capacity.
A4 vs. A3: The Paper-Size Question
Paper size is one of the biggest practical differences between machine classes, and it quietly sets your price.
A4 machines
A4 (in the US, that is standard 8.5 x 11 letter and legal) covers the vast majority of everyday office documents — invoices, contracts, reports, letters. A4 printers and A4 MFPs are smaller, lighter, and cost less. If your office never prints spreadsheets on 11x17, tabloid marketing pieces, or engineering-style layouts, an A4 machine may be all you ever need.
A3 machines
A3 machines handle up to 11x17 (tabloid) paper in addition to letter and legal. Floor-standing office copiers are almost always A3. You want A3 if you print booklets, large spreadsheets, marketing collateral, or oversized schedules — common for law firms, healthcare offices, schools, and industrial shops. A3 devices are also built tougher for higher monthly volume.
⚠️ Watch out
Do not buy A3 “just in case.” If you genuinely never touch 11x17, you are paying for capacity you will not use. But do not under-buy either — retrofitting is impossible, so if 11x17 is even occasionally important, get A3 from day one.
Desktop vs. Floor-Standing
Form factor tracks closely with volume and durability.
Desktop machines sit on a counter or table. They are quieter, cheaper, and perfect for one person or a very small team. The trade-off is lower monthly duty cycle, smaller paper trays, and fewer finishing options.
Floor-standing machines are the classic “office copier” on wheels or a cabinet. They hold thousands of sheets across multiple trays, run at higher speeds, add finishing like stapling and hole-punching, and are engineered to run all day for years. That durability is why shared team machines are almost always floor-standing.
“Buy for how your team actually works today — not for the fanciest machine on the showroom floor.”
When a Simple Printer Is Enough vs. When You Need an MFP
Here is the honest guidance we give SWLA clients when they ask which way to go.
A simple printer is enough when…
- One or two people use it.
- You only ever print — you rarely copy, and you do not need to scan or fax.
- Your volume is low (a few hundred pages a month).
- You have another way to scan documents (a phone app, a separate scanner).
You need an MFP or copier when…
- A team shares the device.
- You regularly copy and scan, not just print.
- You want to send paper documents straight into email, folders, or the cloud.
- Volume is moderate to heavy — thousands of pages a month.
- You need finishing (stapled packets, sorted sets) or 11x17 output.
Volume and Team-Size Guidance
Print speed and monthly volume are where offices most often buy the wrong machine — either under-powered and constantly jamming, or oversized and overpaid. Here is a rough starting point (always confirm with real numbers from your own office).
| Team / Volume | Right fit | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 people, low volume | Desktop A4 printer or small A4 MFP | Purchase $1,500–$4,000; lease $40–$90/mo |
| 5–20 people, mid volume | A3 color MFP (30–50 ppm) | Purchase $5,000–$12,000; lease $100–$250/mo |
| 20+ people, high volume | High-volume / light-production MFP | Purchase $15,000–$40,000+; lease $300–$700+/mo |
These are typical 2026 ranges — your actual price depends on print volume, color vs. mono, features, and term. Ask for a written quote. For a deeper breakdown of pricing, see our guide on how much a copier costs, and if speed is your main question, read copier pages per minute explained.
Scanning and Workflow: The Modern Deciding Factor
Here is what has genuinely changed the copier-vs-printer decision over the last decade: scanning. Most offices now print less and scan more. Paper comes in, and it needs to become a searchable, shareable digital file — fast.
That is why an MFP with strong scanning often matters more than raw print speed. Look for these capabilities:
- Scan-to-email — send a scanned document straight to an inbox from the machine.
- Scan-to-cloud / scan-to-folder — drop scans directly into a network folder, SharePoint, or a cloud service.
- OCR (optical character recognition) — turn a scanned page into a searchable, editable PDF or Word file instead of a flat image.
- Duplex / single-pass scanning — capture both sides of a page in one fast pass.
If your team handles contracts, patient records, invoices, or case files, scanning workflow is likely the single most important feature — more than color, more than speed. A plain printer cannot do any of it. This is the number-one reason most offices land on an MFP.
💡 Tip
Before you shop, spend a week tracking what your team actually does with paper — print, copy, or scan — and roughly how much. That real usage picture beats any salesperson's guess and keeps you from over- or under-buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a copier and printer?
A printer only puts digital files onto paper — it cannot copy a physical document on its own. A copier is built to reproduce physical documents at high volume, and modern copiers also print, scan, and fax. In short, every copier can print, but a basic printer cannot copy.
Is an MFP the same as a copier?
Nearly. An MFP (multifunction printer) combines print, copy, scan, and fax in one device. A modern office copier is essentially a heavy-duty, floor-standing MFP built for higher volume and finishing options. Smaller desktop MFPs are the same idea scaled down for small teams.
Do I need color or is black-and-white fine?
It depends on your documents. If you mostly print internal paperwork, black-and-white is cheaper to run. If you produce client-facing materials, color matters. We break this down fully in color vs. black-and-white copiers.
What is the best option for a small business?
Most small businesses are best served by a right-sized A4 or A3 MFP with solid scanning — not a bare printer and not an oversized production copier. See our picks in best copiers for small business.
Not sure which machine fits your office?
We will look at how your team actually works — print, copy, and scan volumes — and recommend the right printer, MFP, or copier. Free, no-pressure quote for businesses in Lake Charles and across Southwest Louisiana.
or call (337) 477-3700
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AOP Inc. is a Lake Charles, Louisiana–based provider of Kyocera copiers and office equipment, managed IT, and fiber internet, serving businesses across Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas since 1994.