Buy the Kodak Mini 2 Retro: same print size and process, a cheaper printer, and paper at 42 cents a print against 85. Pick the Polaroid Hi-Print only for its sticky-back prints.
The Kodak Mini 2 Retro and the Polaroid Hi-Print are about as close as two pocket printers get. Both print dye-sublimation photos 86 x 54 mm, roughly credit-card size, from all-in-one 10-sheet cartridges, and both talk to a phone over Bluetooth. “Polaroid Hi-Print” here means the current second generation. With so much shared, the choice comes down to the paper.
What is actually different
Start with the back of the print. Polaroid’s Hi-Print paper peels off as a sticker, and Amazon buyers name that backing as the main reason they bought it, mostly for journaling, scrapbooking and gifting. Kodak’s 4PASS paper is single-sided photo paper with no sticker backing. For a journal, a Kodak print needs glue or tape.
Then there is the border. The Mini 2 Retro lets you print with a white border or without one, a choice almost no rival offers, and the “Retro” in its name refers to that border, not a filter. The Hi-Print makes borderless prints. Kodak’s app also prints text and film-poster layouts.
The finish is close. Both use four-pass (4PASS) cartridges. Kodak’s cartridge adds a laminate layer, and reviewers credit the prints with resisting water, fingerprints and fading. Hi-Print prints come out dry, smudge-proof and water-resistant.
Colour is a weak spot on both. Mini 2 Retro owners most often say prints land darker and flatter than the phone screen unless they nudge the brightness up in the app first. Some Hi-Print buyers say its colours look less vibrant than the screen too, and a recurring Hi-Print complaint is cartridges that jam on the first sheet.
The hardware is a near match. The Mini 2 Retro is rated at 55 seconds a print against 60 for the Hi-Print. Both are rated at about 20 prints per charge, though Britta O’Boyle at Tech Advisor found the Hi-Print lasted about 10 prints. The Kodak weighs 245 g and the Hi-Print 255 g. The Mini 2 Retro comes in white, black or yellow; the Hi-Print in white or black. The Kodak also slows itself down if it gets hot during a long print run.
Alison Winterroth, who ranked both in her 2025 printer guide, called them both solid and dependable. On Amazon the Mini 2 Retro rates 4.1 out of 5 across 12,202 ratings. The Hi-Print also shows 4.1, but that rating is pooled across Gen 1 and Gen 2 listings.
Paper and cost per print
This is where the two printers split. A 60-sheet Kodak 4PASS refill, six cartridges, was $24.99 at Amazon on October 5, 2026, which is 42 cents a print. A 20-sheet Hi-Print pack, two cartridges, costs $16.99 at its regular price, which is 85 cents a print. Hi-Print paper costs 43 cents more a sheet, about twice as much. Over 100 prints that is $42 against $85. William Harrel at PCMag counted the Mini 2 Retro’s running costs among the lowest in its class.
The printers are close on price. At the October 5, 2026 price check the Mini 2 Retro was $79.99, its list price, and the Hi-Print was $88.39, 20% off its $109.99 list. That makes the Kodak $8.40 cheaper on the day, and $30 cheaper at list prices. After about 20 prints, the paper saving alone covers the difference in price on the day.
Which one to buy
Buy the Kodak Mini 2 Retro. It makes the same size of dye-sublimation print as the Hi-Print, costs less to buy, and halves the cost of every print after that. You also get the choice of a white border.
Buy the Polaroid Hi-Print if sticky-back prints are the point, for a journal, a planner or a scrapbook. The Kodak cannot do that. Expect to pay about twice as much per print for it.
Where to buy
Kodak Mini 2 Retro$79.99Check price on Amazon
Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2$88.39 (list $109.99)Check price on Amazon
Specs side by side
Same on both: Instant photo printer · Current · 86 x 54 mm print · Shots per battery / prints per charge: 20.
| Spec | Kodak Mini 2 Retro | Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | n/a | 2024 |
| Film or media | Kodak 4PASS 2x3 cartridge | Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 cartridge |
| Film cost per shot | $0.42 | $0.85 |
| Power | Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery, micro-USB charging, about 1.5 hours to full | Internal lithium-ion battery, 620 mAh, 7.4 V nominal, 4.588 Wh, USB-C charging in under 1 hour (no cable supplied) |
| Print resolution | 291 dpi | n/a |
| Print time | 55 s | 60 s |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth only (no Wi-Fi, no USB printing) | Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| App | Kodak Photo Printer app (iOS and Android) | Polaroid Hi-Print app (iOS 16.0+, Android 7.0+) |
| Dimensions | 134 x 80 x 26 mm | 149.8 x 79.5 x 26.9 mm |
| Weight | 245 g | 255 g |
| Colours | 3 (White, Black, Yellow) | 2 (White, Black) |
| Street price | $79.99 (checked October 5, 2026) | $88.39 (checked October 5, 2026) |
| Amazon rating | 4.1 (12,202 ratings) | 4.1 (590 ratings) |
| Buy | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon |
Specs from manufacturer pages; prices and ratings checked October 5, 2026.
What reviewers and buyers say
Kodak Mini 2 Retro
Published reviews of the Kodak Mini 2 Retro:
- “A smartphone-companion pocket printer that delivers good-looking business-card-size images with or without borders, at some of the lowest running costs in its class.” (William Harrel, PCMag, 2022-02)
- “He likes the styling, compactness and light weight, and rates it well suited to get-togethers with family and friends where credit-card-sized prints are the point.” (Matthew Richards, Digital Camera World, 2025-02)
- “The Kodak Mini 2 Retro is sleek, functional and compact, comes with a great app, and simply looks very cool.” (Best Buy Blog, 2022-10)
Amazon buyers rate it 4.1 out of 5 across 12,202 ratings.
Praised for: laminated dye-sub prints resist water, fingerprints and fading, choice of bordered retro look or borderless prints, cheap per print for a dye-sub, genuinely pocketable and easy to reload, cartridge holds ink and paper together, so nothing messy to handle. Criticised for: prints can come out darker or less saturated than the phone screen, some owners find the paper thin and the results grainy, Bluetooth only, so no printing from a computer, micro-USB charging, printer pauses to cool down during long print runs.
Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2
Published reviews of the Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2:
- “The print quality isn't terrible for small pictures that you keep in a wallet or stick on a fridge door, but be aware that the recurring costs are quite high.” (RTINGS.com, 2024-10)
- “As an everyday printer for capturing and sharing moments, the Polaroid Hi-Print Generation 2 is a solid and enjoyable choice, even if the battery only lasts about 10 prints and neither paper nor a USB-C cable comes in the box.” (Britta O'Boyle, Tech Advisor, 2026-05)
- “Ranking the Hi-Print alongside the Kodak Mini 2 Retro, she calls them both solid and dependable printers, slightly below the Canon Selphy QX20 and the Instax Mini Link 3.” (Alison Winterroth, 2025)
Amazon buyers rate it 4.1 out of 5 across 590 ratings.
Praised for: flat, crisp prints that people prefer to Instax, peel-and-stick backing suits journaling and scrapbooking, easy to load cartridges and reliable Bluetooth pairing, small and light enough to live in a bag, simple, bug-free app. Criticised for: paper cartridges are expensive and only hold 10 sheets each, some units jam on the first prints, colours can look less vibrant than the phone screen, battery only lasts a handful of prints in some hands, neither paper nor a USB-C cable is in the box.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kodak Mini 2 Retro better than the Polaroid Hi-Print?
For most buyers, yes. Both make 86 x 54 mm dye-sublimation prints, but Kodak's paper costs 42 cents a print against 85 cents for the Hi-Print, and the Mini 2 Retro was $79.99 against $88.39 at the October 5, 2026 price check. The Hi-Print is the better pick only if you want prints with a sticky back.
Do the Kodak Mini 2 Retro and Polaroid Hi-Print use the same paper?
No. The Mini 2 Retro takes Kodak 4PASS 2x3 cartridges, which are single-sided photo paper with no sticker backing. The Hi-Print takes Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 paper cartridges, which have a peel-and-stick back. Both cartridges hold 10 sheets and both print 86 x 54 mm.
How much does a print cost on each?
About 42 cents on the Kodak Mini 2 Retro, from a 60-sheet 4PASS refill at $24.99 at Amazon on October 5, 2026. About 85 cents on the Polaroid Hi-Print, from a 20-sheet pack at its $16.99 regular price. Over 100 prints that is $42 against $85.
Do Kodak Mini 2 Retro prints have a sticky back?
No. Kodak's 4PASS paper for the Mini 2 Retro is single-sided photo paper and is not sticker-backed. If you want peel-and-stick prints for a journal, the Polaroid Hi-Print's paper has an adhesive back.
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