If you’ve been shopping for kids’ coloring books recently, you’ve probably noticed there are now two very different options: traditional printed books and digital downloads. Both have their place, but which is right for your family? We’ve put together the most thorough comparison on the internet so you can make the best choice for your kids and your lifestyle.
📱 Digital Coloring Books: The Case For
✅ Instant Delivery
Digital downloads are available the moment you complete your purchase. No waiting for shipping, no worrying about the package arriving in time for a birthday or holiday. It’s 2am and your toddler is bored on vacation? Digital coloring books are available right now. This immediacy is one of the biggest advantages for busy modern families.
✅ Print Unlimited Copies
This is arguably the biggest advantage of digital coloring books. Color a page, love it, and want to keep it fresh? Print another copy. Have three kids who all want the same page? Print three copies. A page got crumpled or ruined? Print a fresh one. For families with multiple children or kids who color frequently, this alone makes digital the smarter choice.
✅ Lower Cost Per Book
Digital coloring books typically cost significantly less than their printed counterparts — often 50–70% less. And when you factor in the unlimited printing capability, the value is extraordinary. A $4.99 digital coloring book that your child prints 10 times is essentially $0.50 per coloring session.
✅ Eco-Friendly
Digital books eliminate the manufacturing, shipping, and packaging waste of physical books. If sustainability is important to your family, digital downloads are the greener choice — especially when used with recycled paper and eco-friendly ink cartridges.
📱 Digital Coloring Books: The Case Against
❌ Requires a Printer
This is the obvious limitation. If you don’t have a printer at home (or your printer is out of ink), you can’t access the content. For some families, this is a dealbreaker. However, most public libraries offer printing services, and many office supply stores like Staples or FedEx Office can print PDF files inexpensively.
❌ Ink and Paper Costs Add Up
While the book itself is cheap, you’ll go through paper and ink as you print. A typical coloring book page printed at home costs roughly 3–8 cents per page (depending on your printer and ink). For a 30-page book printed twice, that’s $2–5 in consumables. Still very reasonable, but worth factoring in.
📚 Printed Coloring Books: The Case For
✅ Premium Feel and Experience
There’s something special about a beautifully bound, professionally printed coloring book. The weight of the paper, the quality of the binding, the tactile experience of flipping through pages — it’s an experience that digital can’t replicate. Many kids (and parents!) treasure the feeling of a real book.
✅ No Setup Required
Open the book and start coloring — it’s that simple. No printer, no downloading, no file management. For grandparents, for travel, or for kids who just want to grab and go, printed books are wonderfully simple.
✅ Makes a Beautiful Gift
A physical coloring book with a bow on it is a tangible, beautiful gift. Digital downloads, while practical, lack that unwrapping experience. For birthdays and holidays, printed books often feel more special to receive.
📚 Printed Coloring Books: The Case Against
❌ Can’t Reprint Pages
Once a page is colored, it’s done. Mistakes are permanent. Kids can’t get a fresh copy of their favorite page. For young children who color quickly and abundantly, a 30-page book can be finished in a few days and then it’s gone.
❌ More Expensive Long-Term
If your child loves coloring and goes through books quickly, printed books become expensive. At $12–20 per book, buying multiple books per month adds up fast. Digital downloads, at $3–8 each, are significantly more economical for frequent colorists.
🤔 Which Is Right for Your Family?
- Choose digital if: You have multiple kids, your child colors frequently, you’re on a budget, or you want instant access
- Choose printed if: You’re buying a gift, don’t have a printer, or your child loves the experience of a physical book
- Best of both worlds: Buy digital for everyday coloring and printed for special occasions and gifts!
At Squiggle Press, we offer both options! Our digital downloads start at just $3.99, and you can try 3 free pages before committing to anything. Our printed books are professionally printed and perfect for gifts. Explore our full collection →
