The bill printer is the one machine every customer sees work. Pick the wrong width and your GST bills look cramped, or you pay for a bigger printer than your counter needs. Here is how to choose between 58 mm and 80 mm thermal printers, and when to skip both for A4.
The basic difference
The number is the width of the paper roll. On a 58 mm roll the printed area is usually around 48 mm wide; on an 80 mm roll it is usually around 72 mm. That extra width is what lets an 80 mm bill show more columns on one line.
| 58 mm | 80 mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Item lines | Name on one line, quantity and amount below | Name, quantity, rate and amount on one line |
| GST details | Fits a short GST summary | Room for HSN per line and a GST table |
| Auto-cutter | Often not included | Common on counter models |
| Best for | Small counters, few items per bill | Busy counters and GST bills with many lines |
When 58 mm is enough
- Your bills are short: a few items, mostly to walk-in customers.
- Counter space is tight, or you also bill from a phone with a Bluetooth printer.
- You are not registered for GST, or your customers rarely ask for detailed bills.
When to choose 80 mm
- You print GST bills with HSN codes and a tax table.
- Bills often have 15 or more lines, and long item names.
- The counter is busy, so an auto-cutter and faster printing save real time.
When you need A4 instead
Business customers who claim input tax credit often prefer a full A4 tax invoice. If many of your sales are B2B, keep an office printer for A4 invoices next to the thermal printer, or print the A4 copy as a PDF and send it on WhatsApp.
Connection and other practical points
- USB is the simplest for one PC at the counter. Bluetooth suits phones and tablets. LAN / Wi-Fi helps when several computers share one printer.
- Install the Windows driver from the maker and print a Windows test page before you set it up in your billing software.
- Thermal paper fades over months, especially in heat or sunlight. Keep the bill as a PDF or in your software if it may be needed later.
- A label printer is not a bill printer. TSC, Zebra and similar printers are made for sticker rolls. Use them for barcode labels, not for bills.
Printers in KamaiPlus
KamaiPlus prints the same bill as a 58 mm or 80 mm slip, or as an A4 tax invoice and PDF. It notices when a new printer is plugged in, warns you if a label printer is chosen for bills, and with "print straight away" on, Enter saves and prints without any window. See the bill printer guide, or how billing works in KamaiPlus.