Brother wins on cost per page. The cheapest tracked Brother-compatible cartridge costs $0.002166 per page — a SuppliesMAX 12,000-page jumbo toner at $25.99 on Newegg.
The Short Answer
Brother toner wins this comparison at $0.002166 per page. That low cost per page comes down to yield: Brother's cheapest tracked option is a 12,000-page jumbo cartridge. Both are compatible (non-OEM) cartridges sold on Newegg. Over 12,000 pages of printing, the Brother path costs $25.99. For anyone buying printer ink and toner on a budget, that low cost per page is the entire story.
Price Per Page Breakdown
Here are the tracked listings driving each side's floor price, captured from Newegg on 2024-05-15:
Brother side — cheapest tracked:
| Cartridge | Yield | Price | Cost/Page | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SuppliesMAX Jumbo Toner (Brother DCP-8070/8085/HL-5340/5350/5370/MFC-8370/8480/8890) | 12,000 pages | $25.99 | $0.002166 | Newegg |
| SuppliesMAX Toner (Brother DCP-L2500/L2540/HL-L2300/2360/MFC-L2680/2700/2740) | 2,600 pages | $17.99 | $0.006919 | Newegg |
The jumbo cartridge sets Brother's floor. At 12,000 pages for $25.99, the math is $25.99 ÷ 12,000 = $0.002166 per page.
For a deeper dive on HP specifically, see our HP vs Brother toner cost per page breakdown.
Same Capacity, Same Tier?
Not exactly. The Brother floor comes from a 12,000-page jumbo cartridge. These are different capacity tiers.
For a fairer comparison, look at the Canon side's highest-yield tracked option: a 6,000-page compatible cartridge at $52.99, yielding $0.008832 per page. That is still $0.006666 per page more than Brother's jumbo ($0.008832 − $0.002166). Even at half the Brother jumbo's capacity, the Canon-side option costs more per page.
The Brother side also offers a 2,600-page yield cartridge at $17.99. At matching capacity and price, both sides land at $0.006919 per page. Brother's advantage comes entirely from having a jumbo 12,000-page option available at a proportionally lower price.
What the Extra Cost Buys You
Both sides' cheapest listings are compatible (non-OEM) cartridges. The listing titles confirm compatibility:
- Brother jumbo (12,000 pages, $25.99): Compatible replacement for Brother DCP-8070, DCP-8085, HL-5340, HL-5350, HL-5370, MFC-8370, MFC-8480, MFC-8890
The cost-per-page formula is cartridge price ÷ page yield. Our methodology page details how we source and compute these figures from live marketplace data.
When Each Makes Sense
- Choose Brother-compatible toner if you want the lowest cost per page ($0.002166) and your printer accepts the SuppliesMAX 12,000-page jumbo cartridge.
- Choose Canon if your printer requires Canon-specific cartridges.
Verdict
Brother wins at $0.002166 per page — a low cost per page driven by the availability of a 12,000-page jumbo compatible cartridge at $25.99 on Newegg. Brother's edge comes from offering a high-yield jumbo tier that the Canon-side tracked listings do not match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brother toner cheaper per page than Canon?
Yes. Based on live Newegg tracking captured 2024-05-15, Brother's cheapest compatible toner costs $0.002166 per page (12,000-page yield at $25.99).
How much does Brother toner cost per page?
The cheapest tracked Brother-compatible toner costs $0.002166 per page. This comes from the SuppliesMAX jumbo cartridge with a 12,000-page yield priced at $25.99 on Newegg ($25.99 ÷ 12,000 = $0.002166). A lower-yield Brother-compatible option at 2,600 pages and $17.99 costs $0.006919 per page.
Are compatible toner cartridges cheaper than OEM?
All tracked listings in this comparison are compatible (non-OEM) cartridges. The cheapest compatible Brother toner tracks at $0.002166 per page. No OEM Canon or Brother toner cartridges appear in the current tracked results, so a direct OEM-versus-compatible price comparison cannot be made from this data set.
Which printer brand has the lowest cost per page for high-volume printing?
Between Brother and Canon, Brother delivers the lower cost-per-page floor at $0.002166 per page, driven by the availability of a 12,000-page jumbo compatible cartridge at $25.99 on Newegg.