58 mm vs 80 mm receipts: which paper width should you choose?
The two common thermal roll widths differ by more than size. The printable area and the number of text columns per line decide how much information fits on one line of a receipt.
Steps
Check your printer’s roll width
Measure the roll or check the printer body: it is almost always 58 mm or 80 mm.
Pick the matching paper preset
In the studio, set the printer profile to 58 mm (48 mm printable, 32 text columns) or 80 mm (72 mm printable, 48 text columns).
Choose templates that fit
Roll templates marked as adapting to your roll rescale automatically; fixed-size labels keep their exact dimensions.
The numbers that matter
- 58 mm roll: ~48 mm printable width, 32 monospace columns per line.
- 80 mm roll: ~72 mm printable width, 48 monospace columns per line.
- Item lines with qty × rate and amount fit comfortably in 48 columns; in 32 they need tighter names.
Which one for your shop
80 mm suits itemised bills, kitchen tickets and anything with long item names. 58 mm suits tokens, short receipts, payment QR cards and shelf-edge labels — the printers are cheaper and smaller. Labels are a separate decision: die-cut label sizes (50 × 30 mm and friends) depend on the label printer, not the roll width.
Templates mentioned in this guide
- Small-shop receipt (58 mm) · 58 mm roll
- GST bill receipt (80 mm) · 80 mm roll
- Pickup token · 58 mm roll