Even though the best printing apps for Android make it easy to print images and documents from a phone, it took me a while to choose the most suitable option for my needs. I often need to create social media content and save pictures, drafts, schedules, and other files on my phone to print them without delays. It takes me too long to transfer these files to my desktop computer, which is why I decided to find apps that would allow me to print them directly from my phone.
It took me a lot of time to find the perfect solutions. Some apps turned out to be compatible only with specific printer brands, some were difficult to set up, and others had limited free versions. I tested over 15 tools to choose the most reliable options that streamlined the mobile printing process.
They are compatible with different printers, support high quality and speed, allow users to print files in many formats, and come with extra tools. In addition, I asked my colleagues to recommend the options they prefer to use to include these apps in the final version of our list as well.
When I tried to print files from my Android phone, I discovered that many apps have issues that make this task nearly impossible to complete. Some of them do not see a printer. Others fail to print photos or have other problems. This is why I always check these things:
Price: Free
Mopria Print Service is a useful Android printing app that allows me to print files from my phone without installing drivers for different printers. After connecting my phone to a printer via a local Wi-Fi network, I do not need to wait long, as Mopria sees the devices and connects automatically.
The app is compatible with printers from 20+ top manufacturers, including HP printers, Canon, Brother, Epson, Xerox, Lexmark, Kyocera, Ricoh, and Konica Minolta. It allows me to print pictures, documents, and web pages, or share files via the Android menu. If I do not have access to a router, I can use the Wi-Fi Direct connection.
Before sending a file for printing, I indicate the number of copies and choose paper size, media type, orientation, color mode, duplex printing, and page range. Some printers also allow me to configure PIN printing, user authentication, accounting, stapling, folding, and punching. My printed documents looked clean, and photos looked detailed. However, I still use a dedicated photo printing software when I need to crop and edit a picture before printing it.
The main shortcoming of this printing app for Android is its limited compatibility with different types of printers. Currently, Mopria is compatible only with Mopria-certified printers. This is why I always check whether a printer is supported before trying to connect the app.
When sending files via Wi-Fi for printing, be sure to choose the same local network for your printer and phone unless you choose Wi-Fi Direct. The app does not allow users to perform printer maintenance, like cleaning printheads or monitoring ink levels.
Price: Free
Epson iPrint is a free printing app for Android that is suitable for a wider range of tasks than other similar solutions. After connecting it to an Epson printer, I can print images, emails, PDF documents, emails, web pages, and Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.
I was also pleased to discover that it has tools for scanning, saving, or sharing documents. With it, I can specify how many copies I need, monitor ink levels, and check printer status. In addition, it supports local printing. After connecting my phone to a printer via Wi-Fi, I selected the document I wanted to print, changed the print settings, and sent my file for printing.
This free printing app for Android has a set of practical photo tools that helped me streamline my workflow. After selecting photos, I specified whether I needed borderless or bordered printing, switched between color and monochrome modes, and selected the desired paper size, media type, page range, and the number of copies. Besides, I could choose between one- or two-sided printing.
Epson iPrint supports automatic backlight and color-cast correction for pictures, which helped me improve the quality of my prints without editing them much. I could also capture, improve, and prepare documents for printing using the camera tool.
Before scanning documents, I chose the resolution and image type and saved the file to my phone. After that, I could share the scanned file online or send it via email. The main shortcoming of this service is that it requires you to use the same Wi-Fi network to connect your phone and printer.
Besides, you will need to convert some Office documents to PDF format using Google Drive first. However, I discovered some delays with printer detection and noticed the limitations of the controls for adjusting the size of a photo.
Price: Free
Canon PRINT stands out among basic printer apps for Android due to its extensive functionality. While testing it, I was pleased to discover that I could perform printer setup, print photos and documents, scan documents, use cloud printing options, and monitor ink levels from the same app.
The app is compatible with a variety of Canon printers, including Canon PIXMA, MAXIFY, imagePROGRAF, imageRUNNER, imageCLASS, and SELPHY. It can also be used with some other inkjet, laser, and portable photo printers. It’s suitable for those who need to print documents daily or want to print their photos on the go.
It was easy for me to get started. After choosing a file, I had to choose a connected printer, configure the printing settings, and send my document or photo for printing. The app has handy scanning tools that helped me save paper documents in a digital format. The cloud printing option was especially handy when I needed to access the files that weren’t stored on my phone. I was pleased with the quality of printed photos and documents. However, I noticed that the features I could access varied depending on the printer model I used.
The main issue with the app is that it does not support a stable connection all the time. This Canon photo printing software would occasionally lose its connection with a printer. Besides, its speed might be lower than in some native printing apps for Android devices. The app occasionally froze when I tried to change margins.
“I mostly used this app to print photos and documents. I liked the fact that it was so easy to set up and use. However, I noticed that some features were available only for specific Canon printers.”
Price: Free
Brother iPrint&Scan is an intuitive wireless printing app for Android. It stands out for its streamlined interface and quick automatic printer detection. I used Wi-Fi to establish a connection with my Brother printer and used this app to print pictures, PDFs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint files, and web pages.
It also allows users to access the direct printing feature when accessing files stored on cloud platforms like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Evernote. I could adjust settings to specify paper type and size. I could print up to 100 copies using this app, which made it unnecessary for me to use my computer.
My scanning workflow was also extremely simple. I saved documents in PDF and JPEG formats, emailed them without switching to another app, and used the Copy Preview option to ensure that the quality of my files was sufficiently high. When used with supported printers, you can use its editing tools to crop, scale, and straighten files. The app allows users to monitor ink or toner levels, assess printer status, and read error notifications. It supports NFC printing and scanning with compatible printers.
The main shortcoming of this wireless printing app for Android is that it can be used only with Brother printers that support a wireless connection. Besides, its scanning features are quite basic, which makes them less convenient to use than the tools available in dedicated software. You may also need to convert some files to PDF format before printing them.
Price: Free with ads or $2/mo.
NokoPrint impressed me with its extensive compatibility with different printer models. This Android printing app is compatible with many inkjet, laser, all-in-one photo printer devices, and thermal printers from HP. Besides, it can be used with Canon, Epson, Brother, Samsung, Xerox printers, among many others. I used it to print pictures, PDFs, documents, and web pages using different types of connection, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB-OTG. The Preview feature allowed me to view my files before printing them. The Print and Share tools make it easy to send documents to other people without delays.
I could adjust print settings to indicate how many copies I needed, enter the desired page range, as well as specify paper size and type, quality, and color mode. I could select a tray, choose the duplex mode, and use the borderless printing option. This app allows me to place several photos on one sheet, print documents stored on Google Drive, send files via email, and use the built-in browser. It can be connected to AirPrint, Mopria, and shared Windows, Mac, and Linux printers. After printing files using this app, I was pleased with clean, polished results. Besides, I could preview every page before printing my file.
The free version has some distracting ads that take up the whole screen. A user should pay for the premium subscription to get rid of ads and access some advanced tools. It might be difficult to use the USB-OTG option with an outdated printer without finding a suitable driver. Despite these shortcomings, NokoPrint is a useful check printing software compatible with many printers that supports multiple connectivity options.
“I was impressed with the choice of print settings. It made it easier for me to print photos and PDFs. I liked the quality of my prints, but was less pleased by the fact that the free version has so many ads.”
Price: Free or for $2/mo.
PrintBot functions like a lightweight utility, which makes it less similar to dedicated apps released by popular printer brands. This mobile printing app integrates with the Android print menu, which made it easy for me to send photos, PDFs, and web pages to a network printer from the browser, gallery, or office apps. The application is compatible with different types of printers. It supports around 6,000 printers released by such brands as HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, Lexmark, and Samsung. The app supports Bonjour auto-detection and uses JetDirect, LPR, and IPP protocols.
I activated the PrintBot option to detect a network printer automatically. This app makes it easy to perform basic printing tasks. When it fails to detect a printer, I can add it manually as a static printer. This application is compatible with many AirPrint-enabled models, which allows users to print files from all sorts of devices without switching between dedicated manufacturer apps.
It printed my pictures and PDFs without any issues. However, I noticed that the app has a more limited choice of printing settings than official printer apps. For instance, I could not adjust advanced tray or color settings.
I was a bit disappointed to discover that the free version allows users to print only three images or three-page PDFs per month. Besides, it adds watermarks to printed files. You will need to pay for the Pro version to remove the limitations. In addition, I noticed some automatic detection issues, which is why I had to spend more time on setup.
Price: Free or for $9.99/mo.
After testing many apps, I was pleased to see that PrinterShare Mobile Print was suitable for printing a variety of files, including photos, PDFs, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, emails, web pages, contacts, calendars, and other files stored on a phone or cloud storage. The app supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections with a printer. I could quickly print documents from Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. This application is compatible with printers released by such brands as HP, Canon, Brother, Samsung, Dell, Ricoh, Lexmark, Kyocera, and others. Besides, it is compatible with some older network models.
Another advantage of this app is that it allows one to adjust print settings. With it, I can choose paper size, orientation, a number of copies, page range, print quality, color or monochrome mode, media tray, and specify whether I need single- or double-sided printing. PrinterShare can be connected to Windows and Mac shared printers. Besides, it supports USB-OTG printing and remote printing. I could print my documents and photos without any issues. The interface looked a bit outdated and more convoluted than in some recently released Android printing apps.
This app doubles as print management software. However, it could be quite expensive for some. The free version limits direct printing. You will have to pay for the Premium version to remove the limitations. Besides, the paid plan includes 100 pages of remote printing. Be sure to check whether it’s compatible with your printer before paying for a subscription, especially if you have an older model.
Yes. Most Android printing apps allow you to print all types of documents from your phone without saving them to a desktop computer first.
When choosing the best solution, consider the model of printer you have and your particular needs. Mopria Print Service is perfect for those who need to use printers released by different brands. In contrast, Epson iPrint or Canon PRINT are the best choice for those who use printers of these respective brands.
No. Even though some apps support many printer models, others are compatible only with specific brands. Apps like Mopria or PrinterShare Mobile Print can be used with many printer brands, while apps like Brother iPrint&Scan or Epson iPrint can be used with the printers released by those manufacturers.
Many apps are compatible with popular cloud platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box. Using them, you can print your files without installing anything on your phone.
Yes. Android phones have a printing app available by default that is compatible with modern printers. With it, you can print files without installing a specific app developed by a company that released a printer.
You can use most of them safely if you download them from the Google Play Store. There are also apps released by printer manufacturers or printing services. Before downloading and installing an app, consider its developer, check what permissions it needs, read reviews, and consider the privacy policy. Be sure not to install apps released by unknown developers that want to access your contacts, messages, or other personal data stored on your phone.
I tested a variety of Android printing apps to discover the most practical solutions for everyday printing. I did not want to focus only on the most downloaded apps in stores. I decided to thoroughly test these apps and read user feedback on Quora, Reddit, and YouTube to form an unbiased opinion.
My colleagues from FixThePhoto, Kate and Tati, also assisted me with this task, which allowed us to test these apps with different printers and check whether they were suitable for different use cases.
“I tested Epson iPrint when I needed to print scans and photos, and was pleased with the quality of results. However, I had to convert some of my files in different formats before printing them.”
After testing many apps, we decided against including some of them in the final list. I personally tested HP Print Service Plugin, HP Smart, Smart Printer, Canon Print Service, PrinterShare Mobile Print, PrintHand Mobile Print, Printer Pro by Readdle, Lexmark Mobile Print, Happy2Print, PrintJinni, and PDFelement, only to exclude them due to their limited compatibility, similar features to other apps, poor performance, dated UIs, and limited functionality compared to other options.
Here is how we tested:
“I was pleased to see that PrintBot can be accessed from Android’s print menu quickly, so there was no need for me to open an app whenever I needed to print something. However, I did not quite expect that this app would be a bit challenging to set up.”
After thoroughly testing a variety of printing apps for Android, I compared them in terms of their functionality and considered the features that allow one to use them to print files from Android phones. I checked whether they are compatible with a variety of filters, tested connectivity, used them to scan documents, and tried printing files in different formats. Below, you will find a comparison table I created to help you understand the differences between these Android printing apps and discover what their main uses are.
| App | Best For | Printer Compatibility | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Scanning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Universal printing
|
20+ major brands
|
✔️
|
❌
|
❌
|
|
Epson printers
|
Epson
|
✔️
|
❌
|
✔️
|
|
Canon printers
|
Canon
|
✔️
|
❌
|
✔️
|
|
Brother printers
|
Brother
|
✔️
|
❌
|
✔️
|
|
Universal printing
|
Many brands
|
✔️
|
✔️
|
❌
|
|
Network printing
|
6,000+ models
|
✔️
|
❌
|
❌
|
|
Flexible printing
|
Many brands
|
✔️
|
✔️
|
❌
|
