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What Kind of Paper is Used for Receipts?
Chances are that when you grab a receipt with your purchase, you don't think about the type of paper it's made with. However, many businesses need to make a deliberate choice about what type of paper to use for receipts. Let's review the main options.
Thermal Receipt Paper
By far, the most popular type of paper used for business receipts is thermal receipt paper, sometimes also called POS paper. It's coated with a chemical that reacts with heat from the printer's print head, turning black where it encounters the head to create an image or text. You can identify thermal paper by its slightly slick feel. Thermal paper is preferred for its speed, accuracy, and low cost of operation — no ink required.
3 1/8" x 230' Thermal Paper (50 rolls/case) - BPA Free
BUY NOWBond Paper
Another type of receipt paper is bond paper, sometimes called wood-free or non-thermal paper. It comes in a variety of sizes and requires a traditional printer that uses ink. Since bond paper has no chemical coating, it has a smoother feel than thermal paper. It's less economical for receipts due to ongoing ink costs, but is still used in impact printers and some legacy POS setups.
3" x 150' 1-Ply Bond Paper (50 rolls/case)
BUY NOWCarbonless Paper
Have you ever made a purchase and received a yellow copy while the business kept the original? That's carbonless paper. It uses coats of dye between layers to transfer text and images when pressure is applied — no carbon required. It was popular for restaurant order books, contractor invoices, and multi-copy forms, though it has become less common as digital systems have taken over many of those workflows.
3" x 95' 2-Ply Carbonless Paper (50 rolls/case) - White / Canary
BUY NOWFinal Thoughts
There are three major options when it comes to receipt paper. For most businesses, thermal receipt paper is by far the preferred choice for its speed, cost-effectiveness, and reliability.