Comparing Mobility Print and Google Cloud Print (GCP)
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Like many customers, you may be wondering What’s the difference between using PaperCut Mobility Print vs using Google Cloud Print?. You may be currently using Google Cloud Print (GCP) and looking to switch to something else, or you may be looking for something to make your printing life easier. If you need to print from Android, Chromebooks, iOS, macOS or Windows, then PaperCut Mobility Print will fit the bill!
The PaperCut Mobility Print feature comes included with your PaperCut MF or PaperCut NG license. Alternatively there is also a free version of Mobility Print available - however you won’t be able to make use of the Print Management features such as limits, controls or reporting on printing.
We’ll take a look at some of the differences between the Mobility Print, Mobility Print with Cloud Print and Google Cloud Print products.
For more information, also see:
- System Requirements for Mobility Print
- Mobility Print Help Center
- Mobility Print (free version) download
- Migrating from Google Cloud Print to Mobility Print
A product comparison
A look at the different features and requirements available in Mobility Print, Mobility Print with Cloud Print and Google Cloud Print. It’s worth looking through the System requirements for Mobility Print to get an idea of the server-side setup.
Mobility Print allows you to easily advertise your print queues to your users through mDNS, DNS or Known Host options, and enable users to print easily with their native device printing experience. It’s a great option for BYOD mobile devices, laptops and tablets.
Mobility Print with Cloud Print offers the same features as Mobility Print, but additionally allows users not connected to the local network to print to the Mobility Print server over the internet, using the same simple native-device printing.
Google Cloud Print is Google’s soon-to-be-deprecated method of allowing Chromebook and Chrome users to print to Google-Cloud-Print-enabled printers or print queues over the internet.
| Feature | Mobility Print | Mobility Print with Cloud Print | Google Cloud Print |
| Server requirements | The Mobility Print server needs to be installed (and switched on and running the Mobility Print service) on a machine that’s always on, and always connected to your network | The Mobility Print server needs to be installed (and switched on and running the Mobility Print service) on a machine that’s always on, and always connected to your network | Google Cloud Print can allow printing to print queues on a print server, or can allow direct printing to Google-Cloud-Print-enabled printers, without a need for a server. |
| Data privacy | All print job and metadata is internal to your network. | All internet printed jobs are sent over a secure peer-to-peer connection between the client and the Mobility Print server. See more on security. | Print jobs leave your network, go through the Google Cloud and then re-enter your network. |
| Device support | Android, iOS, Chrome OS, Windows, macOS with all applications. | Chromebooks and Windows - macOS coming shortly. | Android, Chromebooks, Windows (with plugin) and macOS (with plugin). iOS when using Google Applications. |
| User experience | Consistent print experience across all devices to all printer types. | Consistent print experience across all devices to all printer types. | Different experience or limitations based on platform or printer support |
| Ease of setup | Simple wizard to install and configure. | Simple wizard to install and configure. Firewall rules need to be setup for internet traffic. | Setup using the Google Cloud platform, and configure firewalls to allow internet traffic. |
| Internet bandwidth | Print jobs and print data does not go over the internet. | Print jobs printed through Cloud Print will go over the internet. | Print jobs printed through Google Cloud Print will go over the internet. |
| Printing off-network | Users need to be on the same network as the Mobility Print Server in order to print. | Users can be on any network including cell/mobile networks in order to print. | Users can be on any network including cell/mobile networks in order to print. |
| Filtering advertised printers | Mobility Print printers can be published or unpublished at a click of a button, and can be filtered by subnet. There are also options for sharing Mobility Print printers to groups. | Mobility Print printers can be published or unpublished at a click of a button. There are also options for sharing Mobility Print printers to groups. | Google Cloud Print administrators can share Google Cloud Print printers with individual users (by email address) or through Google Groups in G-Suite. |
Don’t take our word for it!
If you don’t already have PaperCut and Mobility Print, head over to the PaperCut NG Free Trial page and take it for a spin. You don’t have to install PaperCut onto a server to test it out - for testing purposes you can install it on any workstation or laptop!
Alternatively if you’re not interested in any of the print management features of PaperCut NG and MF, you can use the Mobility Print product on its own too. See more about the free version of Mobility Print.
If you’re wondering what to do if you want to start using Mobility Print, and you’re currently using Google Cloud Print, head over to our page on Migrating from Google Cloud Print to Mobility Print.
Categories: Reference Articles , [LEGACY] Google Cloud Print
Keywords: comparing , comparison , gcp , google cloud print , alternative to GCP , google cloud print alternative
Last updated June 13, 2024
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