HP 61 vs HP 962 Cost Per Page — Which Is Actually Cheaper Per Print

The HP 61 vs HP 962 Price Trap

At first glance, HP’s 61 and 962 cartridges appear to serve the same purpose — both are standard yield tri-color cartridges for HP’s consumer printers. But their pricing tells a different story:

• HP 61 (Standard Yield): Currently $16.99 (Amazon)
• HP 962 (Standard Yield): Currently $49.99 (Amazon)

That’s nearly 3x the price for cartridges with identical milliliter capacities. So why the disparity?

Yield Testing Reveals the Truth

Independent testing shows both cartridges deliver approximately 165 pages at 5% coverage (ISO/IEC 24711 standard). This means:

• HP 61 cost per page: $0.103
• HP 962 cost per page: $0.303

The 962’s premium comes from being bundled with HP’s higher-end OfficeJet Pro printers, where manufacturers assume business users will pay more. Home users get identical print quality from the 61.

When to Consider Alternatives

1. Refill Kits: Third-party refill kits for HP 61 average $12.99 for 5 refills ($0.016/page)
2. High-Yield 61XL: The 61XL variant prints 330 pages for $24.99 ($0.076/page)
3. Compatible Cartridges: Reliable third-party options like a reputable third-party option print 200 pages for $9.99 ($0.050/page)

Pro Tip: HP 962 cartridges use the same ink formulation as 61 series — the only difference is the chip that reports remaining ink levels to your printer.

The Verdict

Unless your printer specifically requires HP 962 cartridges, the HP 61 series delivers identical prints at 1/3 the cost per page. For maximum savings, consider vetted third-party alternatives that work in both cartridge types.