1-Line vs 2-Line Price Guns: Which Is Better for Your Business?

A 1-line price gun prints a single row of information, typically a price, and suits simple retail environments. A 2-line price gun adds a second row, allowing you to display a price alongside a date, batch code, or product reference. The right choice depends on how much information your labels need to carry.

If you are buying a price gun for the first time, or replacing one that has seen better days, the choice between a 1-line and 2-line model is usually the first decision you face. Both formats are widely used across UK retail, food service, warehouse operations, and market trading. The difference between them is straightforward, but picking the wrong one for your setup can cause unnecessary frustration further down the line.

This guide explains exactly what separates the two, which types of business benefit most from each format, and what to look for before you commit to a purchase.

Price Gun Land stocks both formats across a wide range of brands — including Avery, Monarch, Sato, Motex, Puma, Lynx, Tiger, and Panther — with free next day delivery on orders placed before 4pm.

What Is a 1-Line Price Gun?

A 1-line pricing gun prints a single row of text onto a self-adhesive label and applies it directly to your product or packaging as you squeeze the trigger. Most 1-line models print between six and eight digits, which is enough to display a price, a short batch code, or a simple date.

They are compact, lightweight, and quick to load. For businesses that need to label products with a price and nothing else, a 1-line gun is often all that is needed and typically the most affordable option to buy and run.

Popular 1-line models at Price Gun Land

The Puma PJ6 has six digits and is well suited to smaller retailers with products priced up to £99.99. The Puma PJ8 and Tiger PGL-8 both offer eight digits for pricing up to £9,999.99, making them a better fit for businesses with a broader product range. The Motex MX-2200 provides seven digits and is a popular choice for its clean, reliable print.

All 1-line models use CT4 pricing gun labels and are compatible with the relevant brand ink rollers stocked at Price Gun Land.

What Is a 2-Line Price Gun?

A 2-line pricing gun prints two rows of text on each label. The top line typically carries the price or primary information, while the bottom line displays a secondary detail such as a use-by date, packed-on date, batch number, product code, promotional reference, or store name.

The extra line delivers significantly more flexibility without a great deal of added complexity. Most 2-line models are only marginally larger than their 1-line equivalents, and the loading and operating process is equally simple once you are set up.

Popular 2-line models at Price Gun Land

The Motex 2612 is one of the most widely used 2-line guns in UK retail and a reliable general-purpose choice. The Lynx C-W17 offers ten digits on the top line and seven on the bottom, handling prices up to £999,999.99 on the primary row. The Panther 2616 10/7 provides the same digit configuration and is a popular option for food and general retail environments. The Puma PJ16 is a compact 2-line model suited to smaller operations, while the Tiger PGL-S16 offers eight characters on each line for businesses needing a blend of numbers and short codes.

2-line models at Price Gun Land primarily use CT7 pricing gun labels (26mm x 16mm), along with their corresponding ink rollers.

1-Line vs 2-Line: The Key Differences

How much information fits on each label

The most significant practical difference is information capacity. A 1-line gun gives you a single row for a price or code. A 2-line gun gives you two rows, so you can show a price and a date, a price and a batch reference, or a product category and a selling price on the same label in one application.

If you currently stick two separate labels onto the same product to show different pieces of information, a 2-line gun would resolve that immediately and speed up your labelling process.

Label size and consumable costs

1-line guns use CT4 labels (22mm x 12mm). 2-line models use the slightly larger CT7 format (26mm x 16mm) to accommodate the second line of text. The two formats are not interchangeable, so it is worth factoring in your ongoing label costs when comparing models. CT4 labels are generally a little less expensive per roll, though the difference is modest in most cases.

Purchase price

1-line price guns tend to carry a slightly lower upfront cost. For a business with straightforward, high-volume pricing needs and no requirement for a second line, a 1-line setup is often the more economical choice overall.

That said, if there is any possibility you will need date coding or batch references in the future, buying a 2-line model from the outset is usually the smarter investment.

Day-to-day ease of use

Both formats are designed for quick loading and simple daily operation. 2-line models have slightly more bands to configure during setup, but once the gun is set to your standard label format, printing speed and handling is equally fast and straightforward. Most users are comfortable with either format within a day of regular use.

Which Businesses Suit a 1-Line Price Gun?

A 1-line pricing gun is the right choice when your labelling needs are simple and consistent. Typical users include:

• Independent shops, newsagents, and convenience stores labelling products with a single price

• Market traders who need to price stock quickly without additional detail

• Charity shops and second-hand retailers where only the selling price is needed

• Warehouses and storage operations applying a short code or reference number to items

• Businesses with very high labelling volumes where keeping consumable costs low is a priority

Browse the full range of 1-line price guns at Price Gun Land.

Which Businesses Suit a 2-Line Price Gun?

A 2-line pricing gun is the better option when your labels need to carry more than a price. Common use cases include:

• Food retailers, delicatessens, and farm shops that need to display a price and a use-by or packed-on date on the same label

• Butchers, fishmongers, and fresh food counters where date labelling is a daily requirement

• Retailers running promotions who want to show both an original price and a sale or discount reference

• Businesses that track products by batch or lot number for stock control or traceability purposes

• Any operation where a product reference, department code, or short description sits alongside the price

For food businesses in particular, a 2-line gun is often a practical necessity rather than a luxury. Displaying both a price and a date in a single pass is faster, cleaner, and reduces the risk of errors compared to applying separate labels.

Browse the full range of 2-line price guns at Price Gun Land.

What About Alphanumeric Price Guns?

If your labels need to include words as well as numbers, specialist alphanumeric price guns are available in both 1-line and 2-line formats. The Lynx 1-Line and 2-Line Alphanumeric models are popular choices and can print words such as USE BY, SALE, REDUCED, or your store name alongside a price or date on the same label.

These models are particularly useful for food businesses, fashion retailers, and any operation that needs descriptive or branded labelling rather than numerical data alone.

Do Not Forget Your Labels and Ink Rollers

Whichever format you choose, making sure you have the correct consumables is just as important as the gun itself. Price gun labels and ink rollers are not universal across brands and formats. Using the wrong label size will cause jamming or misfeed. A worn or dried-out ink roller will result in faded, unreadable prints.

Price Gun Land stocks a full range of price gun labels and ink rollers matched to every model in their range. Each product page clearly lists the correct label reference and ink roller, so there is no guesswork involved when it comes to reordering.

For businesses that want consistent branding or specific information pre-printed on their labels, custom printed price gun labels are available alongside the standard range.

The Easy Starting Point: Price Gun Starter Packs

If you are setting up from scratch and want everything you need in one order, price gun starter packs from Price Gun Land include a gun, label rolls, and an ink roller in a single purchase. They are available in both 1-line and 2-line formats and take the guesswork out of compatibility.

Starter packs are a cost-effective way to get up and running quickly, and are particularly popular with new retailers, market traders, and businesses replacing an old gun without wanting to manage multiple separate orders.

Quick Summary

• 1-line price guns display a single row of information and suit basic retail pricing needs where simplicity and low running costs matter most

• 2-line price guns add a second row for dates, batch codes, product references, or promotional details and suit food retail and more complex labelling requirements

• Food businesses and date-coding operations will almost always benefit from a 2-line model

• CT4 labels suit 1-line guns; CT7 labels suit 2-line guns — they are not interchangeable

• Both formats are available in starter packs that include labels and ink rollers from the outset

• Price Gun Land offers free next day delivery on orders placed before 4pm, covering brands including Avery, Monarch, Sato, Motex, Puma, Lynx, Tiger, and Panther

Browse the full price gun range at Price Gun Land or explore starter packs to get everything you need in one order.