Two plastic card printers can look remarkably similar while offering different capabilities that affect daily operations.

This is particularly true of the Badgy 100 and Badgy 200. Both are compact desktop printers designed for personalised plastic cards, but they differ in printing coverage, output speed and included software.

For a New Zealand organisation, these differences can influence how quickly cards are produced and how easily staff can manage individual designs.

The evolis badgy 200 is generally better suited to organisations requiring more frequent small batches and advanced personalisation features, while the Badgy 100 addresses simpler printing requirements.

A closer comparison can help businesses understand which specifications genuinely matter before investing.

Printing Technology: What Do Both Models Have in Common?

Both printers use dye-sublimation technology for colour printing and thermal transfer for monochrome output.

This allows users to produce PVC cards containing photographs, text, logos and other design elements.

Both models support standard CR80 plastic cards measuring approximately 85.6 × 54 mm.

They are designed for single-sided printing, although users can manually turn cards over to print the reverse side.

What These Shared Features Mean

Organisations can use either model to produce basic employee badges, visitor identification and membership cards.

Both operate through a USB connection to a compatible computer.

The main distinction is therefore not whether one printer can produce identification cards while the other cannot.

Instead, the differences concern presentation, productivity and the included software.

Close-to-Edge Versus Edge-to-Edge Printing

One of the clearest differences involves how much of the card surface can be printed.

The badgy 100 uses close-to-edge printing, leaving a narrow unprinted border.

The Badgy 200 supports edge-to-edge printing, providing greater coverage for backgrounds and graphics.

When Close-to-Edge Printing Works Well

A small office may use a white identification card containing a photograph, employee name and company logo.

If the design already includes a white background, the narrow printing margin may be barely noticeable.

For such applications, the Badgy 100 can meet the visual requirement without needing complete edge coverage.

When Full-Card Printing Is More Useful

Event organisers and membership organisations may use strong brand colours across their cards.

Edge-to-edge printing makes it possible to extend these backgrounds to the card boundaries.

Consider the Viewing Experience

Full-card colour coverage can create a polished appearance, but it should never reduce readability.

A design with low-contrast text or excessive decoration may be difficult to understand even when printed across the entire surface.

The best layout gives priority to cardholder information while supporting the organisation's branding.

Compare the Printing Speeds

The Badgy 100 is rated at approximately 45 seconds per colour card.

The Badgy 200 is rated at approximately 38 seconds per colour card.

At first glance, the difference may appear relatively small.

However, its importance depends on how many cards are printed during each session.

Think Beyond Individual Card Speed

A business preparing four replacement badges may notice little operational difference.

A training organisation producing dozens of personalised cards may appreciate the faster output.

However, print speed should not be confused with total production time.

Employees still need to organise information, prepare designs and inspect completed cards.

This makes software functionality another important consideration.

Software Features Make a Practical Difference

Both models use Evolis Badge Studio, but the included software editions differ.

The Badgy 100 comes with the Standard edition, while the Badgy 200 includes the Plus edition.

Basic Design and Personalisation

Standard software supports creating card designs and adding individual information.

It can be suitable when employees prepare each card separately.

Businesses producing occasional identification badges may find this functionality adequate.

Spreadsheet-Based Card Production

Evolis Badge Studio Plus supports importing information from spreadsheets.

This feature can help users produce multiple cards containing different names, photographs or identification details.

A business evaluating an evolis badgy printer should consider how often employees need to enter repeated information.

If each card requires manual data entry, producing a batch can take longer than expected.

For organisations managing numerous cardholders, importing prepared records may reduce unnecessary administrative work.

Compare the Included Starting Supplies

The Badgy 100 package includes a colour ribbon and blank cards for 50 prints.

The Badgy 200 package includes a colour ribbon and blank cards for 100 prints.

These supplies allow businesses to begin printing without immediately purchasing the same quantity of replacement materials.

However, package contents do not indicate the complete cost of ownership.

A fair financial comparison should consider replacement ribbons, PVC cards, maintenance supplies and expected printing volume.

Important Limitations Shared by Both Printers

Neither model is intended for every identification application.

For example, both lack built-in magnetic stripe and smart-card encoding capabilities.

This matters when an organisation needs to issue electronically programmed access credentials.

Businesses should also verify compatibility with current operating systems and software versions.

A printer specification should be checked against the actual workplace environment rather than assuming every computer will support it.

Why Choose Us for Comparing Evolis Badgy Printers?

Badgy New Zealand provides product information and relevant resources for businesses researching desktop plastic card printing.

The available range allows organisations to examine differences in printing coverage, speed and software functionality.

Customers can consider these specifications alongside their expected card production requirements.

This makes the product information useful when deciding whether basic printing capabilities are sufficient or additional personalisation features are worthwhile.

About Us

Badgy New Zealand provides plastic card printing solutions for companies, schools, associations and other organisations.

Its range includes the Badgy 100 and Badgy 200, along with compatible consumables and card design resources.

Businesses researching the evolis badgy 200 or another desktop printer can review the available options to understand how different capabilities support their printing activities.

Conclusion

The Badgy 100 and Badgy 200 share the same basic purpose: helping organisations produce personalised plastic cards internally.

The main differences involve printing speed, card-edge coverage, software functionality and starting consumables.

The Badgy 100 is suitable for straightforward, occasional printing, while the Badgy 200 provides advantages for repeated personalisation and small-batch production.

The better choice depends on the work your employees need to complete, not simply the number of features listed on a specification sheet.