This is the most asked question in the catalog, and the answer is simpler than people expect: those two letters tell you one thing only — what the device does besides printing.
LBP = print only. MF = print, copy and scan (some also fax). If the office needs to copy or scan a document, an MF saves you a second device and desk space. If printing is all you need, an LBP is cheaper, smaller and has fewer things to go wrong.
| Item | LBP — print only | MF — multifunction |
|---|---|---|
| Printing | Yes | Yes |
| Copying | No | Yes |
| Scanning | No | Yes |
| Fax | No | On some models |
| Size | Smaller — no scanner unit | Larger, because of the scanner on top |
| Price at the same speed | Lower | Higher |
| Points of failure | Fewer — no feeder or scanner glass | More — the feeder and glass need cleaning |
Many offices buy an MF “just in case” and then only ever print. The price difference is wasted, and dust settles on the scanner glass. Ask one question: will anyone in the office copy or scan today? If the answer is no, and will stay no, the LBP is right.
The other common situation: an office with a new LBP and an ageing copier that keeps failing. The real cost here is not the hardware — it is toner for two different machines, service for two machines, and space for two. In that case a single good MF usually works out cheaper than both together.
Not every MF is the same. The smaller models have a flatbed scanner — you place sheets one at a time. Larger models have a document feeder that takes a stack and scans both sides. If you regularly scan multi-page documents, that difference matters more than the LBP-versus-MF question itself.
Still unsure? Tell us your monthly volume and what you use it for and we will recommend — often the cheaper one.
Ask usNo. Print speed is determined by the print engine, not by the presence of a scanner. Some MF models are faster than some LBP models and vice versa — compare the actual figure, not the letters.
That depends on the model, not the type. Each device takes a specific cartridge number — send us the model and we will tell you the right one.
Yes on Wi-Fi models — you can scan straight to a phone via the Canon PRINT app, or to email or a network folder.
Talk to us and the ITCO team will recommend the devices and solutions that match your workload and budget.
