How Big Can You Print a Poster? Walgreens vs. Staples vs. Printkeg

Do you need a large poster? There are three questions to answer first: how big can a large poster actually be, how much will it cost, and where should you send the file? The answer depends on where you go: a drugstore photo counter, an office-supply store, or a dedicated print shop - each cap out at very different sizes and price points. Here's a straight comparison of what Walgreens, Staples, and professional online printers can do, so you can match the right option to your project.

Gloss Poster Prices by Size: Walgreens vs. Staples vs. Printkeg

Here's a side-by-side look at single-poster gloss pricing across all three. Each card covers one size, so you can compare the same dimensions across every printer at a glance. Retail prices reflect standard catalog rates; promo codes and sales can run lower.

“Not offered” means that size isn't part of the printer's standard gloss poster lineup. Notice that the drugstore and office-store menus skip around — Walgreens has no standard 18×24, Staples skips 16×20 and 20×30 — while a dedicated printer can produce any of these sizes (and beyond) on archival gloss.

Two things are worth knowing before you assume the cheapest counter is the best deal. First, retail photo posters are usually printed on lighter photo or poster stock with aqueous inkjet or a color plotter — fine for short-term display, less ideal for artwork you want to keep or sell. Second, the lowest sticker prices you'll see advertised (a 24×36 for under $10, for example) are almost always promo-code sale prices, not the everyday rate. For a one-off decoration that's great. For a print that represents your work, paper quality and color accuracy matter more than shaving a few dollars.

What Is the Largest Size I Can Print at Staples?

The largest standard poster size at Staples is 36″ × 48″. Their custom poster lineup typically offers four paper sizes — 12×18, 18×24, 24×36, and 36×48 — on matte or gloss stock, with lamination available as an add-on. Most sizes qualify for same-day pickup if you order by the local cutoff, though the largest 36×48 size is generally produced for delivery rather than same-day.

Staples also offers foam board and adhesive posters in similar dimensions, which are useful for presentations and signage. For everyday business and event posters, Staples is a solid, widely available choice. Where it gets limiting is when you need something larger than 36×48, or when you need archival paper and color management for fine art and photography — that's outside what an office-supply counter is built for.

How Big of a Poster Can You Print at Walgreens?

The largest poster you can print at Walgreens is 24″ × 36″. Walgreens Photo offers posters in 11×14, 12×18, 16×20, 20×30, and 24×36, printed on photo paper or styrene, with many locations offering same-day in-store pickup. They also offer larger vinyl banners (up to roughly 2×8 feet), but those are a different product category aimed at signage rather than wall-quality poster prints.

For quick, inexpensive photo posters — a graduation portrait, an event sign, a family photo blown up for a party — Walgreens is genuinely convenient and hard to beat on speed. The ceiling is the size: 24×36 is as large as it goes, and the photo-counter paper is built for everyday use rather than gallery display or resale.

How Big of a Poster Can You Print at Printkeg?

Printkeg prints standard posters up to 36″ × 48″ — sizes include 16×20, 18×24, 20×30, 24×36, 27×40, and 36×48 — plus panoramic formats that stretch well beyond that, like 12×36, 16×48, 20×60, and 36x60. Custom trim sizes are welcome at no extra charge: pick the closest size and note your finished dimensions in the order. Every print is produced on archival photo gloss or photo matte paper, both rated to resist fading for around 200 years, using giclée and large-format equipment built for color accuracy.

The difference here isn't just size, it's purpose. Printkeg is built for artists and photographers printing work they'll frame, sell, or display long-term — so prints ship in plain, unbranded packaging, and a staff artist reviews every file for resolution, color, and bleed before press. For artwork that represents you, archival paper and proper color management are the difference between a keepsake and a throwaway.

When a Drugstore or Office Store Isn't Big Enough

Notice the pattern in the numbers above: Walgreens stops at 24×36, Staples stops at 36×48. For a lot of projects that's plenty. But artists, photographers, and designers tend to run into that ceiling fast — and they care about things a photo counter isn't set up to deliver:

This is the gap a professional print shop fills. A dedicated printer can produce posters at custom sizes well past what retail counters offer, on archival paper, with attention to color — and ship them flat or rolled so they arrive ready to frame or sell. It costs a little more than a drugstore promo print, but for work that represents you, it's a different category of result.

Which Option Should You Choose?

Match the printer to the job:

• Need it today and it's a casual photo or event sign? Walgreens or Staples same-day pickup is the fast, cheap answer, up to 24×36 or 36×48 respectively.
• Need a standard business or presentation poster? Staples handles up to 36×48 with lamination and foam board options.
• Printing artwork, photography, or anything you'll sell, frame, or keep? A professional printer, like Printkeg, gives you custom sizes, archival paper, and real color accuracy — the things that separate a keepsake from a throwaway.

Frequently Asked Questions