Comparison
BadgeBadger vs Bodno
Both print ID cards on your own card printer. Bodno is desktop software you install and license per computer, often sold in a bundle with one of its printers. BadgeBadger runs in the browser, works with the printer you already have, and costs $29 a month.
What a year costs
| Your setup | Bodno | BadgeBadger |
|---|---|---|
| One computer, a card printer you already own | $499.99 / yr for Silver, the first edition that imports Excel and CSV files. Or $59.99 / mo, or $1,399.99 once for a lifetime license. | $290 / yr on Solo, or $29 / mo. Excel and CSV import included. |
| Three people on three computers | One license per computer: 3 × $499.99 = $1,499.97 / yr on Silver. | $790 / yr on Team: 5 users, on any computer they sign in from. |
| You need a printer too | A20 bundle: $1,595 once for the printer, a lifetime Bronze license, 300 cards, a ribbon and a camera. $2,095 with Silver. | $290 / yr on Solo, plus a printer you buy separately (about $1,200 for an entry-level model). |
If you need a printer and only one computer makes cards, Bodno's bundle costs less over a few years: its license never renews, and it comes with a 3-year printer warranty and phone support. If you already own a printer, or more than one computer makes cards, BadgeBadger costs less from the first year. Over five years on one computer, Silver's lifetime license ($1,399.99) and Solo ($1,450) come out about even.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Bodno | BadgeBadger |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app for Windows and macOS. No Chromebook, tablet or phone version, and Bodno lists Apple-chip Macs on macOS 27 as unsupported | In the browser (Chrome 111+ on Windows or macOS); kiosk mode on iPad and Android tablets |
| License | One computer per license. Diamond shares one license across up to 16 Windows PCs on one local network | One price per organization, on any computer you sign in from |
| Free trial | No time limit; cards print with a Bodno watermark until you activate | Your first 10 printed cards, with no watermark |
| Excel and CSV import | Silver and up | Every plan |
| Photos | Webcam or scanner; automatic face crop on Gold and up | Webcam, with background removal and face crop on every plan |
| Self-service photo kiosk | Not listed | Every plan |
| Roles and an audit log | User permissions and logs on Platinum and up | Every plan |
| Magnetic stripe encoding | Every edition, with a printer that has an encoder | Roadmap |
| RFID and smart card encoding | Platinum and up, Windows only | Roadmap |
| API and automation | Command-line printing, plus a self-hosted web print server on Diamond; both Windows only | REST API on the free trial and Team and up; webhooks on Team and up |
| Print from a phone | No phone version | Yes, to a computer running the Print Agent |
| Works without internet | Yes, for about a week between license checks | No, it runs online |
| Where your data lives | On your computer or your network | In BadgeBadger's cloud, in the US |
| Support | Phone, chat and email on weekdays, 9 to 7 ET, plus free setup help | Email, answered within two business days |
| Printer warranty | 3 years with next-business-day replacement on the A10, A20 and A30 bundles | Doesn't sell printers |
Bodno prices and features from bodno.com, checked November 2, 2026. List prices, before tax and shipping.
When Bodno is the right choice
- You need a card printer anyway, and one computer makes all the cards. The bundle’s license never renews, so after a few years it costs less than paying for a plan.
- You need cards encoded with a magnetic stripe, RFID or a smart card chip today.
- You want phone support and someone to set the printer up with you. Bodno offers setup sessions and remote help.
- Your card computer can’t count on the internet, or your records have to stay on your own network.
When BadgeBadger is the right choice
- You already own a card printer. Any printer with a Windows or macOS driver works, so the plan is the only cost.
- More than one person or computer makes cards. One price covers the organization, not each workstation.
- You want people to take their own photo. A tablet kiosk at reception, or printing from a phone, on every plan.
- You want an API. Sync people from your other systems and get a webhook when a badge prints.
Try BadgeBadger
The free trial prints 10 real cards, enough to know if it fits.