Cost-per-copy (CPC) contract
A service agreement where a customer pays a fixed rate for every page printed or copied, bundling supplies, maintenance, and service into one price.
A cost-per-copy (CPC) contract is a service agreement in which a customer pays their office equipment dealer a fixed rate for every page printed or copied, instead of paying separately for toner, parts, and repairs. The per-page rate — often called a click charge — bundles supplies, maintenance, and service into one usage-based price.
How a CPC contract works
The dealer and customer agree on a per-page rate: one for black-and-white, a higher one for color. Each month, the dealer collects page counts from the device's built-in meter (see meter billing), multiplies usage by the rate, and invoices the customer. Most CPC contracts include:
- Bundled costs — toner, parts, labor, and maintenance are covered by the click rate. Paper usually is not.
- A monthly minimum — a base charge that applies even in low-usage months.
- Separate B&W and color rates — color typically costs several times more per click.
CPC contract vs flat-rate lease
| Cost-per-copy (CPC) contract | Flat-rate lease | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Pages actually printed | The hardware, at a fixed monthly price |
| Supplies & service | Included in the click rate | Usually paid separately (or via a separate service contract) |
| Monthly cost | Varies with usage (often with a minimum) | Fixed and predictable |
| Best for | Variable or high print volumes; customers who want one bundled price | Stable low volumes; customers who prefer fixed costs |
| Risk | Higher bills in heavy months | Paying for capacity you don't use; surprise repair costs |
In practice, many agreements combine both: a flat lease payment for the hardware plus a CPC rate for usage and service.
Why CPC contracts matter
CPC is the standard commercial model behind managed print services and the core recurring revenue stream for most office technology dealers, administered in a dealer ERP such as e-automate.
Related terms
How Auralis fits in
CPC contracts generate recurring customer questions — invoice amounts, rate tiers, overages. Auralis is an AI support platform dealers use to answer these automatically from their ERP's contract data. See meter-read and billing question support.
FAQ
Typically toner and other consumables (except paper), replacement parts, labor, and preventive maintenance. The idea is one predictable per-page price covering everything needed to keep the device running. Exact inclusions vary, so the contract's coverage terms matter as much as the rate itself.
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