Most of our posters come two ways: a printed poster shipped to your door, or a high-resolution JPEG you download and print yourself. Both options are on the same product page under the size dropdown. Here's how to choose.
Buy the printed poster if
- It's a gift. A print arrives ready to hang; a file arrives as an email.
- You want it to look the way it looks on the site. We print on premium matte paper with the color calibrated to the design.
- You'd rather not deal with a print shop. Ordering is one click; printing yourself is a trip or an upload plus a wait.
- You're going big. 24x36 on quality paper is hard to get right at a local shop.
Buy the digital download if
- You need it today. The file is available the moment the order goes through.
- You're outside the US and shipping costs or timelines are a problem.
- You want to print it more than once, or at a size we don't offer.
- You already have a printer or a print shop you trust.
If you go digital, print it well
- Use a real print service or a photo lab, not a home inkjet, for anything bigger than 11x14.
- Choose matte or satin paper. Glossy shows fingerprints and glare from every lamp in the room.
- Don't let the shop "enhance" or auto-correct the file. The colors are already right.
- Print at the aspect ratio of the file. Cropping to fit a different frame will cut off part of the design.
Cost
The digital file is the cheaper line item, but by the time you've paid a shop to print it on decent paper, the gap narrows. For one poster in the US, the print is usually the easier buy. For multiple copies, a big custom size, or an international address, digital wins.
Can I get both?
Yes. Add the print and the digital variant of the same design to your cart. Some people frame the print and use the file as a phone or desktop wallpaper.
Every product page in the catalog shows both options where available, and the digital downloads collection lists everything offered as a file.