Zebra ZC100 ID Card Printer with USB (Single-Sided)

Zebra ZC100 ID Card Printer with USB (Single-Sided)

The Zebra ZC100 single sided card printer supplied through Plastic-ID as an authorised Zebra dealer, built for organisations printing staff IDs, membership cards or event passes in-house rather than outsourcing to a print bureau. It connects via USB as standard, with Ethernet available as a field upgrade if you need it on the network from day one.

Built to replace the ZXP Series 1

The ZC100 is Zebra's direct successor to its ZXP Series 1 card printer and it's genuinely faster: up to 30% quicker in monochrome and 15% quicker in full colour than the model it replaces. If you're comparing specs against an older Zebra printer you've used before, these are the practical differences you'll notice on a daily basis and why upgrading now is a great option.

Security features that go beyond a locked drawer

AES data encryption protects card data as it's sent to the printer and printer-to-host authentication means only devices the printer recognises can send it a job in the first place, so a laptop plugged in without permission can't start printing your organisation's ID cards. Physically, the printer cover has a Kensington lock point built in, protecting the printer itself and the card stock loaded inside it from theft, useful anywhere it'll sit in an open reception area rather than a locked office.

Genuinely simple to run day to day

The card feeder adjusts automatically to whatever card thickness is loaded, so there's no manual recalibration switching between card types. The driver interface shows an on-screen preview of your design before it prints, which cuts out the cost and time of repeatedly printing test cards just to check alignment. Ribbon changes are built to be difficult to get wrong and Zebra's own engineering brief for this model was making it the slimmest printer in its class, so it sits comfortably on a reception desk or a shelf rather than needing dedicated floor space.

Zebra ZC100 Specifications

This Zebra card printer features some really impressive specs, including:

Compatible printer ribbons

The ZC100 card printer takes Zebra's own ribbon range and each cassette's RFID tag is what lets the printer configure itself when you load it:

Is the Zebra ZC100 the Right Card Printer for You?

If you're printing single-sided ID cards in low to medium volumes, staff badges, membership cards, event passes, this is built for exactly that job and you're not paying for capability you'll never touch. AES encryption and printer-to-host authentication are the kind of security features you'd usually expect on printers costing considerably more, so a school, GP surgery or small business handling personal data on its cards gets genuine protection at an entry-level price.

It also suits a first-time buyer well. There's no dedicated IT setup needed; the card feeder adjusts itself, the driver shows an on-screen preview so you're not burning through test cards and ribbon changes are built to be easy. If your printing needs are straightforward, one side of the card, a steady but modest volume and security that matches the sensitivity of what's on the card, the ZC100 has you covered.

Order today with free UK mainland delivery on orders over £150 or speak to the team first if you want to talk through whether this is the right match for your print volume.

FAQs About the Zebra ZC100 ID Card Printer

Is the Zebra ZC100 the same printer as the ZXP Series 1?

No but it is the direct replacement for it. The ZXP Series 1 is discontinued and the ZC100 takes over the same entry-level, single-sided role at a faster print speed and with more security features built in.

How many cards can it hold at once?

The input hopper holds 100 cards and the output hopper holds another 100 and both adjust automatically for card thickness, so you're not resetting the printer between batches of different stock.

Can we add Ethernet or magnetic stripe encoding after we've already got a USB-only printer?

Ethernet and magnetic stripe encoding are configuration options on the ZC100 and magnetic stripe encoding specifically is field-upgradeable. Get in touch with the team and we'll confirm what's possible for the unit you've already got before you order anything.

Get in touch with the team for advice on choosing between the ZC100 and ZC300 or browse our full range of single-sided ID card printers if you want to compare other options before you order. Orders for stock items placed before 2:30pm are dispatched the same day and we offer a price match guarantee if you find it cheaper elsewhere.

Is Zebra a good brand for ID card printers?

Zebra Technologies has been building card printing hardware for decades, and it shows in the print quality across their whole range, from entry-level models like the ZC100 up to their higher-volume printers. What sets Zebra ID card printers apart isn't just image quality, though; it's the consistency. Cards coming off the same batch look the same as the last, which matters when you're issuing ID cards for an entire organisation rather than a one-off run. For everyday card printing, Zebra's reputation as a reliable, established brand is well-earned, making it an ideal choice if you're looking at bringing ID card printing into your business.