Pricing Gun Price: What You Pay for the Gun, the Labels and the Ink
A pricing gun price has three parts: the gun, the labels and the ink. A trade-brand one-line gun such as the Monarch 1131 lists at $77 at Uline, with one ink roller and no labels source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026. A box of 20,000 Monarch labels adds $39 source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026. Kits that bundle all three, like the Easy Tag MX-5500EOS, put the whole cost in one number.
Compare the total, not the sticker on the gun.
How much does a pricing gun cost on its own?
A one-line trade gun such as the Monarch 1131 costs in the $70s at Uline, before labels. Uline lists the Monarch 1131 numbers gun at $77, or $73 each when you buy three source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026.
The date version of the same gun prints months and years as well as prices. Uline lists it at $78, or $74 each for three or more source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026. Both come with one free ink roller, and Uline sells the labels separately.
Unbranded MX-5500 style guns sell on marketplaces too. Some listings include labels and ink and some do not, and the prices change often. Read the box contents before you compare a number with anything on this page.
The Easy Tag MX-5500EOS is sold as a kit, not a bare gun: $24.99 with free US shipping, for the gun, 5,000 white labels, three ink rollers and a cleaning scraper.
What do labels and ink add to a pricing gun price?
Labels are the cost you keep paying. The gun is a one-time buy, but every item you price uses a label, and each ink roller runs dry in time.
The table puts the two routes side by side, using numbers we checked on 8 October 2026.
| What you need to start | Trade gun bought in parts (Monarch 1131, Uline) | Easy Tag MX-5500EOS kit |
|---|---|---|
| The gun | $77, one-line, 8 characters source: Uline | Included, one-line, 8 digits |
| Labels | $39 for 20,000, as 8 rolls of 2,500 source: Uline | 5,000 white labels included, as 10 rolls of 500 |
| Ink rollers | 1 with the gun, 1 free with each label box; spares $9 each, minimum order of 4 source: Uline | 3 included, one fitted and two spare |
| Label scraper | Not included on the gun page | Included |
| Total to start | $116 for the gun, 20,000 labels and 2 rollers source: Uline | $24.99 for the gun, 5,000 labels, 3 rollers and a scraper |
The trade route buys you a lot more labels up front, which suits a store pricing thousands of items a month. The kit route costs less to start and holds enough labels for a small shop’s first season.
Label size matters as much as label price. Monarch 1131 guns take Monarch’s own 3/4 x 7/16 inch labels. MX-5500 style guns take the standard 21 mm x 12 mm roll, which many suppliers stock. Our MX 5500 label size guide shows how to check a roll fits before you buy it.
How much is a tagging gun?
The answer depends on which tool you mean. People use “tagging gun” for three different tools: a label pricing gun, a barb gun that fixes swing tags to clothes, and an electronic label maker.
This page covers the label kind. Our guide to the three tools called a tag gun compares what each one does and what it costs to run. If you sell clothes, the barb gun is the one you want. For a shelf of stock, a mechanical label gun is the cheaper tool, with no power and no cartridges.
Why do some pricing guns cost more than others?
Four things move the number: how many lines it prints, which characters the bands carry, the build, and what comes in the box.
- Lines. A one-line gun prints a price. A two-line gun prints a price and a date or code on the same label, and costs more. Our one-line or two-line comparison helps you decide if you need the second line.
- Bands. Date bands add months and years. At Uline the date version of the Monarch 1131 costs one dollar more than the numbers version.
- Build and brand. Trade brands sell on durability for all-day use in large stores.
- The box. A bare gun cannot print until you buy labels and ink. A kit can print the day it arrives.
How do you compare pricing guns before you buy?
Write down the full cost for each option: gun, plus labels, plus ink, plus delivery. Then check that labels for that gun are easy to find, because you will buy them for years.
Use this short list when you compare pricing guns side by side:
- Count the labels in the box. Zero labels means a second order before you start.
- Count the ink rollers. One roller with no spare means a stop when the print fades.
- Check the label size. A common size keeps refills cheap and easy to source.
- Check the digits. Eight characters fit a price plus a code or a date.
- Check the body. Hard plastic that survives a drop off the counter is worth more than a lighter shell.
Our guide on how to choose a retail pricing gun goes deeper on each point and matches the gun to the store type.
Is a cheaper pricing gun worth it?
A cheaper gun is worth it when the labels and ink are included or easy to buy. It costs you more when the low price covers the gun alone and the labels come in an odd size.
Judge a pricing gun price over a year, not a day. A small shop pricing a few hundred items a month needs a few thousand labels a year and a spare roller or two. A store pricing thousands of items a week needs a bulk label supply and a gun built for all-day use.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a pricing gun?
A one-line Monarch 1131 lists at $77 at Uline, with labels sold separately source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026. The Easy Tag MX-5500EOS kit, with labels and ink included, is $24.99.
How much do pricing gun labels cost?
At Uline, a box of 20,000 white Monarch 1131 labels costs $39, about a fifth of a cent per label source: Uline, checked 8 Oct 2026. Prices for MX-5500 style rolls vary by supplier.
Do pricing guns come with ink?
Most come with one ink roller fitted. The Monarch 1131 at Uline includes one free roller. The Easy Tag MX-5500EOS kit includes three: one fitted and two spare.
How much is a tagging gun?
It depends on the tool. A label pricing gun is priced above. Barb tagging guns for clothes and electronic label makers are different tools with their own running costs, compared in our tag gun guide.
Are cheap pricing guns any good?
They can be. Check that the box includes labels and ink, that refill labels come in a common size, and that the body is hard plastic. A low price on a bare gun often ends up costing more once you add labels.
Want the gun, the labels and spare ink in one order? The blue Easy Tag pricing gun kit ships with 5,000 labels, three ink rollers and a scraper, ready to price stock the day it arrives.