Badgy card printer

How to Choose Between Badgy 100 and 200: A Practical Buyer’s Guide

If you’re searching for a reliable and easy-to-use Badgy card printer, chances are you’ve come across two standout options — the Badgy 100 and 200. Both models are made by Evolis, a trusted global brand known for creating simple yet high-quality ID card printers. At first glance, the two models might look almost identical. They’re both compact, professional, and capable of printing high-quality plastic cards right from your desk. But underneath that similar appearance, there are key differences that make each one suited to a different type of user. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how these printers differ, who each one is best for, and how to choose the right model for your business or organisation.

What Makes Badgy Card Printers So Popular?

Before comparing the two, let’s understand what makes the Badgy card printer range such a smart choice for businesses, schools, and clubs. Badgy printers are designed with everyday users in mind — even if you’ve never used a card printer before. They’re plug-and-play devices that come with everything you need to get started, including card design software, colour ribbons, and blank PVC cards. Within minutes, you can begin creating professional-looking ID cards, membership cards, loyalty cards, or event passes. The combination of simplicity, affordability, and quality has made Badgy printers one of the most trusted solutions in the market.

Meet the Badgy 100: Simple, Affordable, and Ideal for Beginners

The Badgy 100 is the entry-level model in the Badgy lineup. It’s built for small-scale use — perfect if you only need to print a handful of cards each week or month. One of its biggest strengths is its simplicity. The Badgy 100 connects easily via USB, just like a normal office printer. You can design your cards using the included Evolis Badge Studio® software, load a blank card, and hit print — it’s that easy. Despite being an entry-level device, it still delivers vibrant, full-colour cards with sharp details. Each card takes roughly 45 seconds to print, which is perfectly fine for low-volume needs. The Badgy 100 is a great fit if you’re:
  • Running a small business or club
  • Organising events and need ID cards occasionally
  • A school or startup wanting an affordable printing solution
  • Looking for a compact, budget-friendly card printer for light use

Why the Badgy 100 Might Be Right for You

The main reason to choose the Badgy 100 is affordability and simplicity. It’s easy to use, requires no technical background, and produces professional-quality results for everyday ID or membership cards. If you only print occasionally, there’s no need to pay more for advanced features you won’t use.

Meet the Badgy 200: Faster, Smarter, and Designed for Regular Use

The Badgy 200 builds on everything that makes the Badgy 100 great, but adds a layer of speed, efficiency, and flexibility. It’s ideal for organisations that print cards more frequently or in larger batches. One of the biggest improvements in the Badgy 200 is its printing speed. It can print a full-colour card in just about 38 seconds, saving valuable time when you’re producing multiple cards. It also comes with a 100-card input feeder and a 25-card output tray, which means you can load a stack of cards and let the printer handle the rest — no manual feeding required. In addition, the Badgy 200 provides slightly sharper edge-to-edge printing and better colour consistency. The upgraded Evolis Badge Studio+® software offers more design flexibility and allows you to import data from spreadsheets or databases. This makes it easy to print dozens of cards at once, each with a different name, photo, or ID number. The Badgy 200 is best suited for:
  • Medium-sized businesses or schools
  • Organisations that issue ID or access cards regularly
  • Retail stores running loyalty or gift card programs
  • Event managers or clubs with ongoing membership needs

Why the Badgy 200 Might Be Right for You

If speed, volume, and automation matter to your workflow, the Badgy 200 is the better investment. It’s designed for efficiency and can easily grow with your organisation’s needs. Over time, it saves both time and effort — especially when you’re printing in batches.

Key Differences Without the Tech Jargon

While both printers share the same overall design and print quality, the Badgy 200 has the upper hand when it comes to automation, speed, and flexibility. The Badgy 100 is like your reliable personal printer — perfect for one-off or occasional projects. You print one card at a time, and that’s completely fine if your needs are small. The Badgy 200, on the other hand, is designed to handle higher workloads with less manual input. It’s faster, can feed multiple cards automatically, and gives you more control over your designs and data. Think of it this way:
  • If you print a few cards now and then, go with Badgy 100.
  • If you print cards regularly or expect your needs to grow, Badgy 200 will save you time and effort in the long run.

Which Badgy Printer Offers Better Value?

Value depends on how often you’ll use your printer. The Badgy 100 offers unbeatable value for first-time users and small setups. It’s low-cost, compact, and does exactly what you need without complications. The Badgy 200, while slightly more expensive, offers more features that pay off over time. Its speed, automation, and professional-grade finish make it worth the investment for anyone printing frequently or managing a growing team. If your organisation is expanding, the Badgy 200 can keep up with increasing demand without slowing you down. It’s a small difference in cost for a big leap in productivity.

Why Buy from Badgy

When purchasing a Badgy card printer, it’s important to buy from an authorised and trusted source. At Badgy, we’re proud to be an official New Zealand supplier offering genuine Badgy printers, ribbons, and cards. Here’s why our customers choose us:
  • Genuine Products: 100% authentic Evolis Badgy printers and accessories.
  • Local Support: Our team helps you choose the right model and provides after-sales guidance.
  • Fast Shipping: Get your printer delivered anywhere in New Zealand quickly and safely.
  • Complete Packages: Everything you need to start printing immediately — no hidden extras.
We don’t just sell printers — we help you find the right one for your specific needs.

Final Thoughts

Both the Badgy 100 and 200 are excellent choices, and your decision ultimately depends on your printing habits. The Badgy 100 shines for beginners and small-scale use, while the Badgy 200 is the smarter pick for frequent or batch printing. No matter which model you choose, you’ll get professional results, user-friendly software, and the convenience of printing cards in-house — saving time and money compared to outsourcing. Ready to get started? Explore our full range of Badgy card printers at Badgy and find the perfect model for your business or employees today.
Badgy card printer

Stun your clients and employees with the Badgy card printer

It may be identity cards for your employees, or membership cards for your clients. No matter what it is, you can never go wrong with the all-new Badgy card printer! You can now order it from the website at the best prices, too! With a Badgy printer, you get the best card printing technology and the best designs. Badgy does not just offer one model. It provides several, and each is superb. From flashy business cards to durable identity cards, you have the all-round solution in Badgy! With a good card printer from Badgy and the right collection of consumables, card printing will become a fun run!

Choosing the card printer that matters

Badgy offers several different models. These card printers print using heat and pressure on plastic. The technical label used in PVC is polyvinyl chloride. Whereas regular inkjet and laserjet printers use ink cartridges or powdered ink toner to print on paper, card printers use other methods such as reverse transfer and direct-to-card (DTC) printing.  They use metal ribbons to apply colour to the cards and print the text you desire. Many card printers also come equipped with lamination technology. Badgy essentially covers all these bases. So, if you are looking for a name badge printer for your colleagues and employees, card printers by Badgy will work more than just fine! The following is a list of the best plastic card printers that Badgy offers.
  • The Badgy100 - The Badgy 100 is their signature model. It is the best plastic card printer if your budget is tight. It prints close to the edge as well! You get a printer that can print up to 80 cards an hour without compromising on print quality. It comes with 50 blank and white PVC cards so that you can get started right away!
  • The Badgy200 - The Badgy200 is the newer and more improved version of the already solid Badgy200. It prints edge-to-edge, and the printing speed is an enviable 95 cards per hour. It comes packed with 100 blank and white plastic cards and a colour ribbon that will be enough for 100 prints.
  • The Badgy First Generation - The Badgy First Generation is where it all started! It was the very first card printer model that Badgy brought out, and it is still one of the very best in the market. You can shop for consumables right on the website!

The specialty of plastic card printing

Plastic card printers work with polyvinyl chloride cards that are harder than regular paper. This also makes them more durable, and they last pretty long. With a good name badge printer, you get good quality printing that will not only last long but also withstand a lot of sweat, heat and probably even rain. Put a lamination covering on it, and you have a plastic card that will look as good as new for years and years. The two main processes that are employed by plastic card printers are the following:
  • Direct-to-card printing - Direct-to-card printing is better known as DTC printing. Dye sublimation prints colours and texts from a ribbon with multiple colour panels. Heat transfer works similarly, using a heated printhead to print colours and texts with solid ink. Some printers can also encode data on your card using magnetic strips and barcodes. The finishing touches are applied with varnish, or the card is laminated to make it last longer.
  • Reverse transfer -  This printing method has two distinct steps. The first is printing the colour or design on a thin film in reverse order. This design is then put onto the plastic card using high heat and pressure, keeping the quality of the material in mind.

Why should you choose Badgy?

The Badgy 100 plastic card printer is a favourite in the workplace. It comes well within the affordable range and offers a simple solution to your card printing needs. The newer and improved Badgy200 is a worthy successor as well. It can print even more and even better. What makes Badgy special is that you can order one of their printers online and have it delivered to your address.  The Badgy Technical Support is always willing to help clients with their problems and queries. The website makes shopping from Badgy as easy as possible. The range of consumables that Badgy offers is also one of the brightest spots of their short but highly specialised catalogue. They have everything that you will need for your card printing venture:
  • Travel bag for the printer
  • T-shaped cleaning cards
  • 100 blank cards for printing
  • Black ribbon for 500 prints
  • Cleaning pen for printers

 Conclusion

Badgy is your one-stop solution to all your card printing problems. Superfast printers, high-quality consumables and a highly helpful support staff make Badgy the best in business. Well, what are you waiting for? Open the Badgy website and start shopping now. Get your best id card printer delivered at your doorstep.
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