Google Cloud Print was a service, offered by Google, that allowed you to connect your printer to Google Cloud and use the internet to send documents to the printer and have them printed from anywhere.
Using Google Cloud, you were able to instantly print documents from Chromebooks, Gmail, Google Drive, and other Google apps. Thousands of printers supported Google Cloud, and you could connect multiple printers and add users so your employees could send print jobs as well.
However, Google decided to end support for Google Cloud Print. Since it’s been deprecated as of January 2021, many businesses and individuals who were using it frequently have been scrambling to find alternatives.
According to ZDNet, Google Cloud Print actually never left the beta stage of development, despite being around for years, so it’s no surprise that Google decided it was time to end it instead of moving forward.
If you used Google Cloud Print several years ago and wanted to start using it again, you may be surprised to learn that your devices can no longer access Google Cloud Print.
Fortunately, even though support for Google Cloud Print was suspended, many alternatives have popped up. These alternatives have similar features as Google Cloud Print, so read on to learn about the best ones to try.
Best Google Cloud Print Alternatives
1. PaperCut Mobility Print
The best Google Cloud Print alternative now that Google Cloud Print has been discontinued is PaperCut Mobility Print.
Using PaperCut Mobility Print, you can not only print to computers connected to your main network but also print from outside the network by sending files over the internet.
Printing over your local network is possible from all your devices: Chromebooks, Macs, Android, iOS, and Windows devices.
Printing from outside the network is possible from Chromebooks, Macs, and Windows computers.
To allow outside printing, you’ll need to share a setup link with users outside the network so they can access and connect to your local printers.
That’s pretty easy to do, so friends, family members, contractors, and team members can set it up by themselves without any professional help.
Once setup is completed, users can print from any application using native print buttons and shortcuts like CTRL + P. All files are sent over an encrypted and secure connection, so your data is safe.
The best part is that PaperCut Mobility Print is 100% free! You can add an unlimited number of users at no cost, and you can access email support even as a free user.
If you want additional features, like print auditing, watermarking, or requiring authentication from employees before printing, you can sign up for a premium plan.
Due to PaperCut Mobility Print being free and easy to use, and due to the fact that Google itself recommends it as one of the top alternatives to Google Cloud Print, it’s my first alternative on this list.
2. ThinPrint Cloud Printer
Another awesome alternative for former Google Cloud Print users is ThinPrint Cloud Printer. It allows you to print from any device, including your Windows & Mac computers and even your Android and iOS mobile devices, to your printer over the internet.
If you have a Wifi printer, you can send files to be printed over your local network directly to the printer, without going through your Windows PC or Mac first.
If your printer is not Wifi-enabled, you can still use ThinPrint Cloud Printer. In that case, the files will be sent to the printer over the internet via the Windows or Mac computer you connected to the printer.
Since it doesn’t require a Wifi printer, you can use it with any printer, from any brand.
ThinPrint Cloud Printer is entirely free to use for personal use. There are no subscriptions required, nor are there any in-app purchases you must make or ads you will be forced to see.
You’ll be able to share your printer with your family or friends so they can print as well. Download the ThinPrint Cloud Printer app to send files to be printed or use the open/share feature when viewing a file to get it printed.
3. Printix Cloud Print
Printix Cloud Print is one of Google’s recommended alternatives to Google Cloud Print now that GCP is gone.
Printix offers a managed cloud printing solution for businesses and organizations with more than 25 team members or employees. It’s great for schools and other educational institutions as well.
With the managed solution, Printix will install the necessary drivers, deploy client software, update the software automatically as needed, monitor printers, and give you important insights about printers, users, and more.
If some of your employees are working from home, you can add their home office printers to the network so they can print documents on those printers from company-issued computers. You’ll be able to track such printing and reimburse employees for documents printed for the company on home printers.
After two months, unused home office networks will automatically uninstall.
It integrates with Google Workspace, which allows you to control and manage your environment. It also integrates with Google Cloud, allowing you to store documents to be printed later over the cloud.
With the Google Chrome extension, users on Chromebooks can send files to Printix-managed printers wirelessly, with files sent securely over the cloud. That makes Printix perfect for schools that issue Chromebooks to its students.
Furthermore, you can print from mobile devices, including Android and iOS devices, via Printix Mobile Print.
Printix isn’t free, but it does offer a free 30-day trial, with no credit card required to sign up. Pricing is monthly or annually and per user (per staff member for schools); see updated pricing here.
All in all, Printix is one of the best alternatives to Google Cloud Print for small businesses, schools, and large enterprises. Individuals can use one of the other Google Cloud Print alternatives listed in this article, including the two free ones above.
4. Pharos Cloud Print
Another Google-recommended replacement for Google Cloud Print is Pharos Cloud Print. It’s suitable for larger organizations, businesses, and schools.
It allows you to streamline printing in your office over the cloud to eliminate costs that would otherwise come with print servers. You’ll be able to monitor printing activity over the network and keep track of costs.
Pharos also supports mobile printing from mobile phones, using their native print functions.
You’ll be able to hold print jobs and release them to be printed when a user is physically at the printer so that important documents don’t get left in printers unattended, whether the job was sent from a mobile device or something like a Chromebook.
The mobile print function can be useful not only for businesses but in schools when students need to send something to be printed later in the school library, for example.
There is support for Chromebooks and any laptop or computer running the Chrome browser through the Chrome extension. Particularly useful for schools that issue Chromebooks, it allows students or staff members to send print jobs to school printers.
Similarly, Pharos supports printing for at-home and remote workers. You can track what employees are printing when working at home and restrict certain sensitive documents from being printed on home office printers.
With end-to-end encryption, your files will be safe when using the Pharos Cloud Print platform.
5. Ezeep
Ezeep, powered by ThinPrint, is a great alternative to Google Cloud Print that also integrates with Zapier.
It allows users to print from their Windows and Mac computers without needing to install specific drivers. Printing from Chromebooks, iOS devices, and Android phones is available as well.
When you use Ezeep for your organization or business, you’ll be able to set access to specific printers and track printing behavior across your network. You can ensure that files don’t get printed until the user is at the printer by holding print jobs and releasing them by scanning a QR code on the printer or by authenticating with an RFID employee card.
It’s also an excellent solution for schools and coworking spaces. Coworking space providers can use Ezeep to allow digital workers renting out spots to print via the network printers – you can even charge for each print and collect contactless payments.
Ezeep is an environmentally-friendly alternative to Google Cloud Print. It uses carbon-neutral hosting providers and supports the Justdiggit.com charity that aims to cool down the planet and combat global warming.
Additionally, Ezeep allows for automation through its Zapier integration. Zapier is a workflow automation tool that integrates with thousands of apps to allow you to set up triggers and automatic workflows.
For example, a trigger could be having a file signed in DocuSign, with the automatic action being that Ezeep automatically prints such files. You can also automatically print files sent in Gmail attachments, new files added to a Dropbox folder, and a lot more!
By setting up automation workflows with Zapier and Ezeep, you’ll be able to save time and increase productivity.
6. Epson Connect
If you have an Epson printer, Epson Connect is the best alternative to Google Cloud Print. It’s the easiest way to print a document from any device, wherever you are.
The way it works is really simple. When you set up Epson Connect and link your printers, each printer will get a unique email address.
Getting your printer to print a document is as simple as sending that document to the printer’s unique email address. For example, if you want to print a PDF, simply send an email to the printer’s email address with the PDF attached as an attachment.
You can attach up to 10 files per email, and you can send each email to up to 100 printers. Supported file types include PDF, TIFF, PNG, XLS, DOCX, and many others.
You can also print plain text by simply typing or pasting it into the body of the email. The body of the email will print on a separate page than the files.
The benefit of using Epson Connect is that it doesn’t require any special setup on the device you’re sending the file from. For example, if you want to give a new friend the ability to print something, you can simply provide them with the printer’s special email address.
Once they send the file to the email address, it will print on your printer automatically.
There is also a mobile app that allows you to print files from your phone or tablet.
Additionally, you can install a remote printer driver on your computer or laptop to print to wireless printers connected on the same network without needing to send it to the printer’s unique email address.
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7. Microsoft Universal Print
While Google retired its Google Cloud Print solution, Microsoft has its own Universal Print solution as an alternative. It’s available as part of an Office 365 subscription, and it runs on Azure.
It doesn’t require any printer drivers, and it allows users who are authenticated to print files to connected printers over the internet from anywhere. It will allow you to locate the nearest printer on the network and send a file to it to be printed.
You’ll be able to track printing activity across the network, set user permissions, and more. All files are sent securely to keep your data safe.
8. Chromebook’s Built-In CUPS Print Function
While Google Cloud Print has been retired, devices running on Chrome OS have a built-in feature that allows you to print to wired printers and wireless printers on the same local network. You can add printers in your admin console – they’ll be detected automatically when on the same network.
As an IT administrator using Google Workspace, you can set policies for users signed in to manage Google accounts. You can set specific printers for specific users and set up defaults for users regarding two-sided printing and color printing.
You can also set up printing attributes like stapling.
By default, printers will show up in your users’ print options on Chrome without any additional setup on their end.
The tool has some cool features, such as the ability to create a PIN when sending a print job on and then releasing the print job when at the printer by entering the PIN on the printer. You’ll need a secure connection to use the PIN feature.
9. Directprint.io
Directprint.io is one of Google’s recommended replacements for Google Cloud Print.
Directprint.io works without printer drivers or servers. It works with all printers, and you can deploy it across your network without needing any IT skills.
You’ll be able to set printing attributes for users, including stapling, hole-punching, and more. Secure printing so that print jobs can only be released once by the printer is ensured by the printer’s built-in secure print feature or by setting up a terminal next to the printer.
In addition to allowing you to print over your local network, you can use the Edge Print feature to print from outside the network, which is useful if you employ remote workers.
Edge Print integrates with Google Workspace to give you full control over your remote network and control who or which groups have access to remote printing. Despite printing being done remotely, you’ll enjoy full visibility and be able to track printing activity across the network.
Users will be able to print remotely using the native CTRL + P or similar shortcuts.
Since jobs are sent via Google Workspace, they don’t have to be sent via Google Cloud like they would have if you were to use Google Cloud Print back when it was available.
Remote printing with Directprint.io works on Windows PCs, Macs, and Chromebooks. You’ll need the Directprint.io app installed on those devices for it to work.
With Directprint.io, you’ll be able to save ink and paper by previewing print modes before printing and with Smart Mode, which will automatically ignore blank pages. Thus, Directprint.io is a good choice for those who care about the environment as well.
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10. HP ePrint
If you have an HP printer, you’ll know that you can typically print over Wifi or Bluetooth. However, if you have an HP printer that supports HP ePrint, you’ll also be able to print over email.
HP ePrint assigns each printer an email address. Printing remotely is as easy as sending an email with an attached file to the printer’s email address for automatic printing.
Most HP printers support ePrint, so ePrint is an excellent alternative to Google Cloud Print if you have an HP printer. It allows you to print from anywhere and from any device without prior setup.
While attachments are sent over email, your printer still needs to be connected to Wifi for it to receive emails on its email address. Also, you’ll want to have it connected to your network to find its email address – here’s a tutorial.
Additionally, HP has an app that allows you to print from Android devices to nearby supported HP printers over Wifi. Alternatively, you can connect your phone to an HP printer via an on-the-go USB cable and print documents that way.
11. PrinterShare
PrinterShare is an interesting alternative to Google Cloud Print that allows you to send documents remotely to other computers for automatic printing.
Let’s say you have a printer in your home office, and it’s connected to your home office desktop computer. However, you also have a laptop that you travel with on business trips or when working in cafes.
Using PrinterShare, you’ll be able to send documents from your business travel laptop to your home office’s printer via your home office desktop.
PrinterShare will send those documents to the PrinterShare client installed on your home computer, which acts as a mailbox but shows up as a real printer in your laptop’s list of printers.
If you have certain Wifi-supported printers, you may also be able to send from PrinterShare directly to the printer over Wifi, without going through a connected computer first.
The PrinterShare software also allows you to share your printer with a group of friends. So, for example, if you are the only student in your study group who has a printer, you can share it so your entire study group can send documents to be printed over the internet.
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12. Y Soft
Y Soft is one of Google’s recommended replacements for Google Cloud Print. It provides a full print management solution for businesses, organizations, schools, and others with large teams.
It allows for print authentication so you can ensure that only the right employees, staff members, or students are able to print documents.
There are a few ways to set up authentication. It could be done by swiping a card if you already use cards to allow specific people access to rooms in your building and so on.
Alternatively, you can use PINs that act as virtual cards; the user will have to enter the PIN on the printer’s display. You can also set up a terminal next to the printer so users can enter their usernames and passwords to grant themselves access to the printer.
With the YSoft SAFEQ client and server installed on the appropriate devices, users can send print jobs from Linux, Windows, and Mac computers – the print client will automatically detect the nearest print server.
Mobile printing with Bring Your Own Device support is available as well, both for employees and guests. Mobile printing works by sending an email to a specified email address with the desired file attached or uploading the file to a website.
Therefore, installing print drivers for mobile printing is not necessary.
A cool feature is the ability to charge for printing services, which could be useful for coworking spaces and other use cases. For example, if you want to charge clients for printing costs associated with their services, you can use billing codes to track printing services for each client.
Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions can set quotas on free printing services by issuing free credit associated with each student’s account. Otherwise, students may cost you a lot of money through excessive printer usage.
Smaller organizations can use the Cash Desk application to accept cash and issue credits for printing services in exchange. Larger organizations can set up self-service payment gateways so customers can buy new credits themselves using a credit card or PayPal.
Wrapping It Up: What Is The Best Google Cloud Print Alternative?
Google Cloud Print probably isn’t coming back.
I recommend using PaperCut Mobility instead, as it’s entirely free, allows both local and remote printing, and is the closest you will get to Google Cloud Print without paying a lot of money for an enterprise solution.
