You do not need a thermal printer to print shipping labels. USPS accepts a label printed on regular printer paper and taped to the package with clear packing tape. A direct thermal label printer is a convenience purchase: it prints on self-adhesive stock with no ink, toner, or ribbon, so each label skips the cutting and taping.

The plain-paper rule is from the USPS Preparing Packages guide. The description of how thermal printing works is from Zebra Technologies, a maker of thermal printers, in its explainer on direct thermal and thermal transfer printing.

How a direct thermal label printer works

A direct thermal printer has no ink in it at all. Zebra describes the process this way: direct thermal printing “uses chemically treated, heat-sensitive media that blackens when it passes under the thermal printhead.” The image is in the label stock, and the printer only supplies heat. That is why, in Zebra’s words, “direct thermal printers have no ink, toner, or ribbon.”

The other kind, thermal transfer, uses a heated ribbon to put the image on the label. It produces a more durable print and works on more materials, and Zebra notes that because it needs ribbon, supply costs are higher than direct thermal. Thermal transfer is built for labels that must last, such as product identification and asset tags.

For shipping labels, direct thermal is the usual choice. Zebra lists shipping labels as a typical direct thermal application, because a shipping label only has to stay readable for the length of one trip.

What direct thermal labels are bad at

The same chemistry that makes direct thermal simple makes it fragile in three conditions. Zebra says direct thermal labels are “not well suited for environments that expose them to heat, long periods of direct sunlight, or abrasion,” and that the paper “remains chemically active after printing.”

For a seller, that translates into a few practical rules:

  • Do not store label rolls somewhere hot or in direct sun. A roll that has darkened before printing will print low-contrast barcodes.
  • Do not use a direct thermal print as a long-term record. Keep the order and tracking number digitally. A printed copy in a drawer can fade.
  • Do not print product labels this way if the product will sit on a shelf for a long time. Zebra says direct thermal is not suitable for that job.

A label that spends a few days in a truck and a sorting facility is within what the technology is meant for.

Thermal printer or plain paper: how to decide

There is no volume number at which a thermal printer becomes required, and anyone who gives you one is guessing about your packing table. The honest comparison is what each label costs you in steps.

Plain paper, inkjet or laser Direct thermal label printer
Up-front cost None if you already own a printer The printer
Supplies Paper, ink or toner, clear packing tape Label stock only
Steps per label Print, cut or fold, tape on all sides Print, peel, stick
Accepted by USPS Yes Yes
Print durability Depends on ink and tape coverage Fine for transit; sensitive to heat, sun, and abrasion

A thermal printer makes sense when the cutting and taping is the slow part of your day, or when you are tired of running out of ink in the middle of a batch. It does not make sense as a first purchase for someone shipping an occasional order. A scale is a better first purchase, because a wrong weight costs money on every label and a taped paper label costs nothing.

What to check before buying a thermal label printer

  • Label size. Shipping labels are normally produced as 4 by 6 inch files. Confirm the printer takes 4 by 6 inch stock.
  • How it connects to what you actually use. A printer that needs a desktop driver is a problem if you buy labels on a phone. Check the manufacturer’s supported devices list for your phone or computer before you order.
  • Direct thermal, not thermal transfer. Unless you also print long-life product labels, you do not need a ribbon.
  • Label stock you can buy easily. Some printers accept any standard roll or fanfold stack, and some are built around the maker’s own labels. That decides your cost per label for as long as you own the printer.

Setting it up so the first label scans

Two settings cause most bad thermal prints, and both are in the print dialog, not the printer:

  • Paper size must match the stock. Set the driver to the exact size of the label loaded.
  • Print at actual size. “Fit to page” or “shrink to fit” rescales the barcode.

If the print is faint, clean the printhead as the manufacturer describes and check that the roll is direct thermal stock. Ordinary paper will come out blank, because there is no ink to put on it.

No printer at all is also an option

USPS will print a label for you, if the label was issued for it. Label Broker works from a Label Broker ID, a QR code that the label provider issues in place of a printable label. A label issued as an ordinary PDF has no such code, and whether you can still get one after paying depends on the provider. USPS Click-N-Ship lets you request a Label Broker code afterwards from Shipping History (USPS Label Broker FAQ). With the code, a Post Office that has Label Broker at the counter or at a self-service kiosk prints the label for free. USPS says Label Broker does not support packages that need a customs form. In I’d Ship That, the choice is made before you buy: the code comes from choosing “I print at the post office” when the app asks “Where will you print?” on a USPS label. How to print and attach a shipping label covers that and the other no-printer routes.

I’d Ship That produces standard 4 by 6 inch USPS and UPS labels that print on a thermal printer or on plain paper.

Sources

Checked October 12, 2026 against USPS Preparing Packages, USPS Label Broker, and Zebra Technologies, What Is the Difference Between Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Printing? No printer model is recommended here, and no figures are given for print speed or printer lifespan, because those vary by model and are the manufacturer’s to state.