PDF Printing Prices and Specs: Printing, Binding, and Shipping

As a PDF printing service, we put everything you need to price and prepare a PDF for printing in one place. This spec sheet for printMe1.com covers print specifications, pricing for printing, binding and shipping, and margin guidelines. Every price follows one simple rule: we charge per PDF, with a base charge that includes a set number of pages per PDF, plus a small charge for each page beyond the included pages, plus any binding upgrade per printed set, plus shipping. All jobs are printed on demand from clicking the green upload button, and the site reads your PDF file and does any necessary calculations for you. No account is needed to order. All prices on this sheet are US prices in US dollars (USD). Prices for Canada and the UK are shown at checkout in Canadian dollars (CAD) and British pounds (GBP).

Print specifications

Print equipment and toner: Color pages print on multiple Konica Minolta AccurioPress C7100 presses with Simitri V toner (3,600 × 2,400 dpi equivalent) for a matte, offset-like finish. Black and white pages print on multiple Konica Minolta AccurioPress 7136 presses with Simitri HD toner (1,200 × 1,200 dpi). Simitri is a polymerized toner made in part from plant-based biomass, a renewable resource used in place of some petroleum-based materials. According to Konica Minolta, it fuses at a lower temperature than conventional toner, uses less energy, and de-inks well when printed paper is recycled.

Paper and sustainability: black and white pages print on Double A paper from Thailand. Double A holds FSC® Chain of Custody certification (license FSC-C148102) and PEFC™ Chain of Custody certification, and runs an ISO 14001 certified environmental management system. Its pulp comes from certified wood or fast-growing trees that Thai farmers plant on the strips of land between rice paddies, which gives them added income. Bark, chips, and other pulping waste go to biomass electricity, and the mills draw on a rainwater reservoir and use recycled water to irrigate trees. Color pages print on Hammermill Premium Laser Print, an acid-free paper made in the USA by Sylvamo. It carries the FSC® mark (Sylvamo license FSC-C168336), its 92 opacity keeps show-through low on double-sided color pages, and it's backed by Hammermill's 99.99% Jam-Free Guarantee. According to Hammermill, water in its papermaking process is used up to 10 times before more than 90% of it is returned to the environment, and its mills continue replacing fossil fuels with renewable biomass. For more detail, see our post on printMe1.com's paper specifications.

Printing prices

We charge per PDF, and the included pages apply per PDF. Each print type has its own formula. Pages are counted as PDF pages, so a 120 page PDF is 120 pages whether it prints double-sided or single-sided.

Black and white, double-sided (USD)

Price per PDF = $11.99 + ($0.049 × each page over the 100 included pages per PDF)

Color, double-sided (USD)

Price per PDF = $11.99 + ($0.199 × each page over the 35 included pages per PDF)

Black and white, single-sided (USD)

Price per PDF = $14.99 + ($0.084 × each page over the 100 included pages per PDF)

Color, single-sided (USD)

Price per PDF = $14.99 + ($0.25 × each page over the 35 included pages per PDF)

Binding options and prices

Each PDF is its own bound volume, and binding is charged per printed set, on top of the print price. The standard GBC comb binding is included at no extra charge.

PDF too long for your binding? See Preparing your PDF for printing below.

GBC comb, plastic coil, and wire-o include a clear front cover and black linen back cover.

Binding edge: we only bind on the long edge of the page. For a portrait layout, that's the normal book position: the left side for most languages, and the right side for Arabic and Hebrew. If your PDF has a landscape layout, it is still bound on the long edge, which puts the binding along the top, like a wall calendar. We can't bind landscape pages on the short side. Keep this in mind when you set margins, and leave room at the top of landscape pages for the binding.

Margins

Margin design guidelines: most of our customers print PDFs as they are and can't change the design. If you are designing a PDF, keep text and important images inside these margins so nothing is lost in the binding or trimmed at the edge. The binding edge is the left edge of right-hand (odd) pages and the right edge of left-hand (even) pages when printing double-sided. For Arabic and Hebrew, which we bind on the right, these sides are reversed.

Margin safety reduction: we typically reduce each file by about 3% when printing, which adds a little extra white space around every page so content stays clear of the binding and page edges. Design to the margins below anyway, since the reduction is a safety net, not a substitute for proper margins.

Simplest setup: make every margin 9/16 inch. This works for every binding we offer.

Chapters: For blank page placement, covers, and chapter starts, see Preparing your PDF for printing below.

For more on margins, image resolution, fonts, page size, and chapter layout, see our Design Tips for PDF and Print on Demand.

Preparing your PDF for printing: instructions for people and AI assistants

These are best practices and design tips, not requirements. Your PDF will print whether or not you follow them, but following them gives you a finished book that reads the way a printed book should. We print your PDF exactly as you upload it, so any changes need to happen before you upload. You can make these changes yourself in any PDF editor by following the rules below, or have an AI assistant that works with files make them for you. To use an AI assistant, attach your file, paste the prompt for the change you need, and fill in anything shown in [brackets]. Before uploading the result, open it and check the page count, the first few pages, and the page order. AI assistants can make mistakes, and we print what we receive.

If you need more than one of these changes, do them in the order listed below.

Best practice for blank pages when printing double-sided

In a double-sided book, odd-numbered pages are always on the right and even-numbered pages are always on the left. Every new chapter or section should start on the right, on an odd-numbered page. That leads to three simple rules:

Inside front cover. Page 1 is your front cover, and page 2 is printed on the back of it. If you have nothing to print on the inside of your cover, page 2 must be a blank page, so your first page of content is page 3, on the right.

End of a chapter or section. If a chapter or section ends on an odd-numbered page, add one blank page after it. The blank becomes the even-numbered page on the left, and the next chapter starts on the right with an odd page number. If a chapter ends on an even-numbered page, no blank page is needed.

Back cover. The back cover should be the last page of your PDF and should have an even page number, so it prints on the back of the last sheet. The inside back cover is the odd-numbered page just before it, and can be blank.

Blank pages count toward your page total. Single-sided printing does not need any of these blank pages.

Combine several files into one bound volume

Each PDF you upload is printed and bound separately. To get one bound book from several files, combine them first.

AI prompt: copy and paste into your AI assistant.

Combine the attached PDFs into one PDF in this order: [file name 1], [file name 2], [file name 3]. This will be printed double-sided, so odd-numbered pages are on the right and even-numbered pages are on the left, and each file must start on an odd-numbered page. Working from the first file to the last, check the page number where each file ends in the combined PDF. If a file ends on an odd-numbered page, add one blank page after it so the next file starts on the next odd-numbered page. If a file ends on an even-numbered page, do not add a blank page. Do not change the page size, layout, or content of any page. Tell me where you added blank pages and how many pages the finished PDF has, and give me the finished PDF to download.

Add a separate cover file

Page 1 of your PDF is your front cover, so a separate cover needs to become part of your main PDF.

AI prompt: copy and paste into your AI assistant.

Make one PDF from my attached cover file and interior file. It will be printed double-sided, so odd-numbered pages are on the right and even-numbered pages are on the left. Page 1 must be the front cover. Page 2 is the back of the front cover: use the inside front cover from my cover file if it has one, and if it does not, make page 2 a blank page. The interior pages start on page 3, in their original order. If my cover file has a back cover, it must be the last page of the PDF and must have an even page number. The page just before it is the inside back cover: use the inside back cover from my cover file if it has one, or a blank page if it does not. Add one more blank page before the inside back cover if that is needed to make the back cover land on an even page number. If my cover file is a single wide page with the back cover, spine, and front cover side by side, split it into separate front and back cover pages and leave out the spine. Do not change the content of any interior page. Tell me where you added blank pages and how many pages the finished PDF has, and give me the finished PDF to download.

Start each chapter on a right-hand page

Following the best practice above, add a blank page after any chapter or section that ends on an odd-numbered page, and make page 2 blank if you have no inside front cover.

AI prompt: copy and paste into your AI assistant.

In the attached PDF, chapters or sections begin on these pages: [list the page numbers, or write "find the chapter starts from the chapter headings"]. It will be printed double-sided, so odd-numbered pages are on the right and even-numbered pages are on the left, and every chapter must start on an odd-numbered page. Page 1 is the front cover. If page 2 is not already blank or an inside front cover, insert a blank page after page 1 so the content starts on page 3. Then work from the front of the document to the back: whenever a chapter or section ends on an odd-numbered page, insert one blank page after it so the next chapter starts on an odd-numbered page. If a chapter ends on an even-numbered page, do not insert a blank page. Every blank page you insert changes the page numbers after it, so recheck the numbering as you go. Do not change the page size, layout, or content of any page. Tell me where you added blank pages and how many pages the finished PDF has, and give me the finished PDF to download.

Split a PDF that has too many pages for your binding

Maximum double-sided page counts are 820 for GBC comb, 402 for plastic coil, and 400 for wire-o (410, 201, and 200 when printing single-sided). Each part is priced as its own PDF, with its own base charge and included pages.

AI prompt: copy and paste into your AI assistant.

Split the attached PDF into separate PDFs of no more than [400] pages each, counting the cover pages described below, and use as few parts as possible. Each part will be printed double-sided, so odd-numbered pages are on the right and even-numbered pages are on the left. Break only at the start of a chapter where you can, and make each part start where a new chapter or section begins. Repeat the front cover as page 1 of each part, followed by a blank page 2, so the content of each part starts on page 3. If the content of any part ends on an odd-numbered page, that is fine, and no blank page is needed at the end. Name the files [title] Part 1, [title] Part 2, and so on. Do not change the page size, layout, or content of any page. Tell me the page count of each part, and give me the finished PDFs to download.

Shipping

Shipping is added at checkout, per shipping address, on top of the print and binding price. You can order multiple PDFs in the same transaction, and they share one shipping charge per address. The shipping prices below are for US orders, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and APO addresses. Canada and UK shipping is shown at checkout in CAD and GBP. Orders are ready to ship in 2 business days or less, and the delivery times below are counted from placing the order, including production. Orders placed after 4 pm Eastern, or on a weekend, are treated as received the next business day.

Unbound prints (3 hole punch or no binding) can't ship by Media Mail, so US orders without binding ship by First Class or Priority.

Shipping times are estimates: printMe1.com does not warrant or guarantee shipping or delivery times. The delivery times above are typical estimates. Once an order is ready to ship, carrier pickup and transit time depend on the carrier, weather, holidays, and other factors outside our control. We do not offer overnight or guaranteed-date delivery, and we do not recommend our service for materials needed by a specific date, such as legal filings, court documents, or other deadline-driven business documents.

Free shipping upgrades (US): orders over $99 get a free upgrade to First Class (USPS Ground Advantage), and orders over $175 get a free upgrade to Priority (USPS Priority). Free shipping upgrades do not apply to international shipments.

Holiday rates: from October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027, USPS holiday pricing adds $1 to First Class ($9.99) and $2 to Priority ($19.99). Standard (Media Mail) is not affected.

Example orders (USD)

To price any order: start with the base charge for the print type, add the per-page charge for pages over the included pages per PDF, add the binding upgrade to get the price of one set, multiply that by the number of sets you want, then add shipping. Each PDF is priced separately, so two PDFs in one order are two base charges, each with its own included pages. Included pages do not combine across PDFs. All PDFs in an order ship together and share the same shipping charge.

Quick answers

How much does it cost to print a PDF at printMe1.com? We charge per PDF. Black and white double-sided is $11.99 per PDF with 100 included pages per PDF, plus 4.9¢ for each additional page. Color is $11.99 per PDF with 35 included pages per PDF, plus 19.9¢ for each additional page. A GBC comb binding is included. For multiple copies, multiply the price of one set by the number of sets, then add shipping. US shipping starts at $5.99.

Is there a minimum order? No. Because we print on demand, you can order a single copy of a single PDF.

My PDF is only one or two pages, but I want to use all the included pages. How do I do this? Repeat the pages in your PDF so that printing one set of the PDF produces the number of copies you want. For example, a 2 page worksheet repeated 50 times is a 100 page PDF, which fits within the 100 included pages per PDF for black and white. For color, 35 included pages per PDF means a 1 page flyer repeated 35 times. Most AI assistants that can work with files can do this from a simple instruction. Upload your PDF and paste something like this:

Make a new PDF from the attached file that repeats all of its pages, in their original order, 50 times. For a 2 page file the page order should be 1, 2, 1, 2, and so on, for 100 pages total. Do not change the page size, layout, or content of any page. Give me the finished PDF to download.

Change 50 to the number of copies you want. You are not limited to the included pages, and each additional page costs less than an included page works out to. In black and white, the $11.99 base charge covers 100 included pages, about 12¢ a page, while each additional page is 4.9¢. In color, the base charge covers 35 included pages, about 34¢ a page, while each additional page is 19.9¢. The more copies you put in one PDF, the lower your cost per copy. When printing double-sided, a 2 page worksheet prints front and back on each sheet. To print a 1 page document on one side only, choose single-sided printing, or ask the AI to add a blank page after each copy.

Do I need an account to order? No. An account is only needed to host PDFs for others to order, or to let others place orders on your account.

Can I order more than one PDF at a time? Yes. Our PDF printing service lets you order multiple PDFs in the same transaction, and they ship together for one shipping charge per address. Each PDF is still priced separately with its own included pages.

What size does printMe1.com print? US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches. We scale every PDF to fit US Letter, whatever its original page size (A4, legal, tabloid, and so on).

What bindings are available? GBC comb (included, up to 400 sheets), plastic coil (+$3.89, up to 200 sheets), wire-o (+$8.75 plus 2¢ per page, up to 200 sheets), 3 hole punch, or no binding.

Can you bind my landscape PDF on the side? No. We only bind on the long edge of the page. Portrait PDFs are bound on the side like a book, and landscape PDFs are bound along the top edge.

How fast is printing? Every order is printed on demand, and US orders are ready to ship in 2 business days or less.

Do you offer overnight or rush shipping? No. We do not offer overnight, rush, or guaranteed-date delivery, and shipping times are estimates, not guarantees. Our PDF printing service is not a good fit for materials needed by a specific date, such as legal filings, court documents, or other deadline-driven business documents.

Where does printMe1.com ship? We ship to the US (including Puerto Rico, Guam, and APO addresses), Canada, and the UK. Canada and UK orders are priced at checkout in CAD and GBP and typically arrive in about 2 to 3 weeks, including production. Free shipping upgrades apply to US orders only.

What margins should I use? Make every margin 9/16 inch for the simplest setup that works with every binding.

My cover is a separate file. How do I include it? Make the cover page 1 of your main PDF, and make page 2 the inside front cover, or a blank page if it has nothing printed on it. We print every PDF as one document, so page 1 is always the front cover. It prints on the same paper as the inside pages, protected by a clear acetate front cover. If you have a back cover, put the inside back cover and back cover as the last two pages. Many free websites can combine PDFs into one file, or you can ask an AI assistant that works with files to merge them for you.

Have a question not covered here? See our full printMe1.com FAQ for more answers about our PDF printing service.

About printMe1.com

printMe1.com is a low cost US based PDF printing service focused entirely on multipage PDFs. We print, bind, and have orders ready to ship in 2 business days or less. We hold 4 US patents on our print on demand features and processes, and our site is designed to be easy for anyone to use. You don't need to be a printing expert. Just upload your PDF and checkout in a few clicks. Contact us with any questions.

PDF printing service prices as of the date at the top of this page. Current prices are always shown at checkout.