# Best thermal labels for UK home sellers > Fanfold stacks, rolls and small stock labels compared by size, printer fit and cost per label, for sellers printing their own postage. Almost every UK postage label you buy online comes out at 100 × 150 mm, often called 4 × 6 inches. A thermal printer burns that onto heat-sensitive paper, so you buy no ink or toner. Pick by format. Fanfold stacks hold 500 labels for about £12 to £18, rolls hold 250 for about £8 to £13, and a roll of small 40 × 30 mm labels covers shelf codes and bag notes. 1. **[100 x 150 mm thermal labels, 500 fanfold](https://sellersetups.com/product/thermal-labels-fanfold)** (£12 to £18): The cheapest per label and the fewest swaps, if your printer has a rear feed slot. - Good for: Ten or more parcels a week; Printers with a rear feed slot - Not for: Printers that only take rolls 2. **[100 x 150 mm thermal labels, 250 roll](https://sellersetups.com/product/thermal-labels-roll)** (£8 to £13): The easy start: drops into most printers and takes little desk space. - Good for: First thermal printer; Small desks - Not for: High volume, where fanfold costs less 3. **[40 x 30 mm thermal labels, 1,000 roll](https://sellersetups.com/product/thermal-labels-sku)** (£8 to £12): Small labels for stock codes, so you can find any item in seconds. - Good for: Coding bags, bins and shelves; Card and clothing sellers with lots of stock - Not for: Postage labels ## How we chose - Matches the label size couriers and marketplaces print - Feeds in the printers home sellers own - Cost per label at a typical pack size - Swap time when a pack runs out ## Fanfold or roll Fanfold labels come as a flat zigzag stack that sits behind the printer and feeds through a slot. You get more labels per pack and fewer swaps in a busy week. Rolls sit on a holder inside or on top of the printer. They suit a small desk, or a printer with no rear slot, and cost a little more per label. ## Getting the size right Buy 100 × 150 mm for postage. Royal Mail Click & Drop, eBay, Vinted and Evri all offer a label layout at that size, so the address and barcode print at full scale. Avoid smaller shipping labels unless your printer can only take narrow rolls. A shrunk barcode can fail to scan at the depot. ## Checking printer compatibility Most desktop thermal printers take generic labels up to about 108 mm wide, on rolls or fanfold. Check two numbers in your printer's manual: maximum label width and maximum roll diameter. Some compact printers only accept the maker's own chipped rolls. If yours does, generic labels will not feed, so factor that cost in before you buy the printer. ## Direct thermal, not transfer Home printers are direct thermal: no ribbon, and the label darkens where the head heats it. Buy labels marked direct thermal. Thermal transfer labels need a ribbon and print blank on a direct thermal printer. They are easy to buy by mistake from bulk listings. ## Questions ### What size thermal labels do I need for Royal Mail? 100 × 150 mm, sometimes sold as 4 × 6 inch. Click & Drop has a layout for that size. ### Are fanfold labels cheaper than rolls? Usually, per label. Our typical bands put 500 fanfold at £12 to £18 and 250 on a roll at £8 to £13. ### Will generic labels work in my printer? Most desktop thermal printers take them. A few compact models need the maker's own rolls, so check the manual first. ### Why are my labels printing blank? You may have thermal transfer labels, which need a ribbon. Scratch the label with a fingernail: direct thermal paper turns dark. ### Do thermal labels fade? Heat and sunlight darken or fade them over months. That is fine for postage, but store spare stock somewhere cool. ### Can I print Vinted labels on a thermal printer? Yes, where Vinted gives you a printable label. Some carriers use a QR code instead, which you show at the drop-off point.