Where to Print Posters? Online and Local Options

7/22/2025

Key Takeaways

• Consider your poster’s purpose, design, paper type, size, budget, volume, and delivery timeline to guarantee you choose the right printing option and avoid costly mistakes.
• Online platforms offer extensive design flexibility, a wide range of paper and finish options, and bulk discounts.
• Local print shops and stores are better suited when you need urgent prints, personal in-store assistance, or simple designs without waiting for shipping.

Posters are timeless. They carry an inherent ability to attract attention that never seems to go out of style. You see many pasted across city walls, others framed and pinned up in rooms. In all cases, they have a way of catching attention.

Posters can share important information within events, promote products or services, act as branded décor, be included in swag bags as memorable takeaways, or simply serve as personal art pieces that reflect your style at home or work. However, you should know where to print posters if you want to guarantee that the end product looks as impressive in real life as it does in your mind.

Best Places to Print Posters Online

Almost everything nowadays, to some degree, has moved online, and poster printing is part of that group. Whether you’re promoting a local fundraiser, enhancing your shopfront, showcasing an upcoming event, or adding a personal touch to your home office, there’s a world of online poster printing services ready to deliver high-quality results straight to your door.

Some of the top platforms making poster printing easier, faster, more accessible, and more creative than ever include:

Eventgroove

If you’re printing custom posters, particularly for an event, fundraiser, community initiative, or small business promotion, Eventgroove stands out as a trusted provider. Our platform is designed to support the entire event ecosystem. From nonprofits rallying donations to schools promoting plays and sports matches, Eventgroove offers tools that help every type of event share its message effectively.

Our design tools simplify the process, whether you choose from professional templates or upload your own artwork. We offer a wide range of paper options to suit your purpose and budget, including signature heavyweight card stock for a professional finish or 100% recycled stock for eco-conscious printing.

Eventgroove also offers souvenir-quality semi-gloss card stock for special occasions, heat-sensitive and UV security media for authenticating tickets or posters, and even opaque bond paper for high-volume needs.

Orders start from as few as 25 posters, which is ideal for local outreach, and scale up for large promotions, with fast turnaround ensuring prints ship within a single business day. Customers consistently praise the vibrant, long-lasting quality, and responsive support team.

Moreover, with built-in fundraising and ticketing tools, Eventgroove lets you create matching wristbands, tickets, and merchandise for a cohesive event presence. This integrated approach is something most competitors simply don’t provide.

Shutterfly 

Shutterfly specializes in custom photo posters, offering prints that measure 22″ x 28″ on durable matte paper. Its services are tailored for creating vibrant, high-quality wall art from personal photographs rather than promotional materials.

The platform excels at transforming your favorite memories into standout décor, with design options ranging from family collages to scenic quotes. This makes it an excellent choice for gifts, dorm rooms, or adding a personal touch to your home or office.

While Shutterfly is primarily known for photo prints and personalized gifts, its poster service provides an easy, affordable way to turn creative or sentimental images into lasting art.

Posterjack

Posterjack is a Canadian-based online photo printing company that specializes in turning digital images into high-quality wall art. While its focus is mainly on photography, it offers poster printing on premium photo paper, ideal for home, office, or gallery use.

With a clean interface, professional print quality, and no overlap in event tools or promotional merchandise, Posterjack is well-suited for personal or decorative poster projects, especially for users looking to showcase photography, travel shots, or artwork without engaging with event management features.

Local Poster Printing Options

Before there were so many online options that made it possible to easily connect with services far away, people turned to nearby physical locations for their printing needs. That’s still a viable option today, too.

Local poster printing remains a great option, as it offers convenience when you need urgent prints or simple designs without waiting for delivery. However, customization options and bulk printing capabilities are often more limited compared to what online services provide.

Pharmacies and retail chains

Places like Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart—and their equivalents in other countries—offer poster printing services mainly geared toward personal use, such as photo posters or enlargements.

Their widespread locations and fast pickup options make them convenient for quick individual prints. However, they may not be the best choice for professional event posters or large-scale promotional orders due to limited design tools and print options.

Local print shops

Using a local print shop comes with the advantage of supporting nearby businesses while receiving more personalized service. You can consult in person about your design, paper choices, and finish, often resulting in a tailored final product.

Pricing varies based on the shop and project complexity, and turnaround times depend on their workload. Even though they might not be as good as online platforms for large orders or extensive customization, local print shops are still useful for people who want personalized service and direct advice.

What to Consider When Printing Posters

If your poster printing experience has ever been unsatisfactory, it may be because you haven’t yet discovered the platform or retailer that best suits your requirements. Finding out what you need and what you want to accomplish early on will help your next poster project go smoothly. After that, you can select a poster printing service that fits your goals and specifications.

When determining what you want in a poster, you should consider the following factors:

Purpose and design

Begin by asking yourself why you’re printing this poster. Is it to promote an upcoming event, advertise your business, raise awareness for a fundraiser, decorate your space, or create personalized gifts?

Your poster’s purpose should shape its design choices, from the color palette and font style to the tone of messaging and overall layout. For example, an event poster designed to promote ticket sales should emphasize clarity and bold details, using elements like QR codes for easy ticket access and catchy slogans to quickly capture attention. On the other hand, a personal photo poster would lean more toward aesthetic warmth and emotional appeal

Size and paper options

Posters can come in various sizes, with some of the most common options being:

• Standard posters (approx. 11.5″ x 17 “): Ideal for event promotions and shop windows.
• Flyer-sized posters (approx. 8.5″ x 11.5 “): Great for handouts, bulletin boards, or targeted outreach.
• Extra-large posters (16″ x 20″ and above): Best for concerts, stage shows, or large venue advertising.

Once you have established the size you need, you should look into paper finishes and thickness, too. Glossy finishes provide vibrant, shiny visuals perfect for colorful graphics, while matte finishes minimize glare, making them better for readability. The thickness of the paper you choose will affect durability.

Budget and volume

Printing costs depend on how many posters you order, their size, and the materials you choose. Always consider how many copies you truly need and balance this with your budget to avoid overspending or under-ordering.

Ordering in bulk typically reduces the per-unit cost significantly. This is something Eventgroove does particularly well, with flexible quantities to accommodate both small community events and large-scale promotions.

Turnaround and shipping

You should also be very careful when it comes to the timeline, as production and shipping times vary widely between services. Online platforms like Eventgroove often provide rush printing services or fast standard delivery, making them convenient if you’re on a tight deadline.

Local print shops or office supply stores may offer same-day pickup, but their customization and bulk options are usually more limited.

Local vs. Online Poster Printing: Which Is Better?

Both local and online poster printing have their advantages. Choosing between them isn’t a question of one option being universally better but more so which one suits your specific needs best.

As explained, local printing is all about immediacy and personal connection. If you’re facing a tight deadline and need a poster within hours, local stores like office supply chains, pharmacies, or neighborhood print shops are often your fastest route. You can discuss your project directly with staff, see paper samples in person, and walk out with your prints the same day.

However, these options tend to offer fewer choices in terms of paper types, finishes, and advanced customization. Bulk printing may also be less cost-effective locally, especially for larger campaigns.

Online printing, on the other hand, offers broader possibilities. Platforms like Eventgroove excel in delivering professionally printed posters at scale, with design flexibility that goes beyond standard templates.

Such options are ideal for when you want cohesive branding across multiple materials, need access to specialty paper stocks, or are looking to print in higher volumes while keeping unit costs down. Of course, online services require factoring in shipping time, though many offer rush production if needed.

Essentially, your decision should come down to what you value most for this project: speed and in-person assistance, in which case local is the way to go, or variety, customization, bulk pricing, and integrated services for events or promotions, for which online printing will serve you better.

Conclusion

Posters can be so many things. They can be professional tools that promote your next big event, personal prints that brighten your workspace, thoughtful gifts that carry meaning, or bold statements that make people stop and look. But no matter how striking a poster design appears on your screen, it can all fall apart if you don’t choose the right printing service, the right paper, finish, and format to bring it to life.

That’s why so many people choose Eventgroove. It’s a safe bet for any poster printing needs you have. With a wide range of paper options, finishes, and security media, plus intuitive design tools and digital templates, we guarantee your posters look as good in hand as they do in your design software.

Even more, it offers the ability to match your posters with other custom-printed products—like wristbands, event tickets, stickers, or merchandise—helping you build a cohesive and professional presence across your entire event or campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to print posters online or in-store?

Online printing is usually cheaper for bulk orders, whereas in-store printing can be cost-effective for single or urgent prints.

How much does it cost to print out 100 posters?

Costs vary widely depending on size, paper type, and printing service, but ordering 100 posters generally qualifies for bulk discounts that reduce the per-unit price.

How can I turn my digital art into printed posters?

Upload your digital file to an online printing platform, choose your size and paper options, and place your order for delivery to your door.