Short version: Altru doesn’t need a special “Altru printer.” Membership cards come out of Altru as a print job, so the real question is whether a given card printer has a solid Windows driver that can handle a standard credit-card-sized page, and whether it prints a barcode crisply enough for your scanners to read. Most mainstream ID card printers can do both. The differences that matter are in cost per card, single- versus double-sided printing, and how much fiddling the driver needs before the layout lines up.
Below is how to think about the choice, what to test before you buy, and where the setup usually goes wrong.
How card printing works from Altru
Altru builds the card from membership data (member name, membership level, expiration date, member or card number, and usually a barcode) and sends it to a printer through the workstation’s normal print dialog. Because the printer is just a Windows printer from Altru’s point of view, compatibility is mostly about the driver and the page size, not about the brand.
Blackbaud does not, as far as we know, publish an official list of certified card printers for Altru. If you want a definitive answer for your exact model, ask Blackbaud support and check the Altru community forums, where other membership managers regularly post what they run. Treat any vendor’s “works with Altru” claim as something to verify with a test print, not a guarantee.
Printers organizations commonly use
Museums, zoos, and gardens running Altru tend to land on the same handful of direct-to-card printer families:
- Zebra (the ZC-series, for example) — widely used, good Windows drivers, single- and dual-sided models.
- HID Fargo (the DTC line) — a long-time standard for ID cards, common in membership and campus settings.
- Evolis (Primacy and Zenius lines) — compact, popular for front-desk counters.
- Magicard — often chosen for its built-in visual security options.
Any of these can work. We are not recommending one over another; pick based on the factors below and on which reseller will actually support you when a ribbon jams on a Saturday.
What to decide before you buy
Single-sided or dual-sided
Most organizations print variable data on one side only. The common approach is to order pre-printed card stock with your full-color brand artwork on both sides (from a card printing vendor), then have the desk printer add the member name, level, expiration, and barcode in black. That lets you buy a cheaper single-sided printer and use a monochrome ribbon, which costs far less per card than a full-color ribbon.
Color or monochrome ribbon
If your design changes by membership level (a different color for Family versus Patron, say), you can either stock several pre-printed card designs or print color on blank white cards. Color ribbons are more expensive per card and slower. Run the math on your annual card volume before deciding.
Print resolution and barcode quality
A standard 300 dpi printer is plenty for a linear barcode, as long as the bars aren’t scaled too small. Whatever symbology your Altru card layout uses, confirm that your door scanners (handheld or mobile) read it reliably from the printed card, including a card that’s been in a wallet for six months. Glossy overlays can cause glare with some scanners, so test under your actual lobby lighting.
Features you can usually skip
Magnetic stripe encoding, smart-card chip encoding, and lamination modules add cost and are rarely needed for membership cards that only carry a barcode. Only pay for them if you already have a reader or access-control system that uses them.
Test before you commit
- Ask the reseller for a demo unit or a return window. Card printers are hard to return once opened, so get this in writing.
- Install the driver on an actual front-desk workstation, not an IT laptop. Set the default paper size to CR80 (the standard credit-card size) and set orientation to match your card layout.
- Print a test card from Altru for a real membership record, and check that text isn’t clipped, the barcode isn’t stretched, and nothing prints off the edge. Expect to adjust margins in the driver or in your card layout a few times.
- Scan it. Use the same scanner and workflow you use at the entrance and confirm it pulls up the right member.
- Print a batch. If you mail renewal cards, print 20–30 in a row to see how the printer handles a queue, and whether cards feed and stack cleanly.
Common snags
- Layout lines up in preview but shifts on the card. This is nearly always a driver margin or orientation setting. Fix it in the printer preferences on each workstation, and write the settings down so a replacement PC can be set up the same way.
- Browser print scaling. If printing passes through a browser dialog, “fit to page” or default scaling can shrink the card. Turn scaling off and check again.
- Multiple workstations, inconsistent results. Each PC has its own driver settings. Standardize them, or route all card printing through one station.
- Running out of supplies mid-season. Ribbons and cleaning kits are model-specific. Keep a spare of each on hand, especially before spring membership drives.
Quick answers
Is there an official Altru-approved card printer?
We’re not aware of one. Confirm with Blackbaud support, and rely on a test print from your own Altru environment rather than a vendor claim.
Can I use a regular office printer instead?
You can print cards on perforated paper or card sheets with a laser printer, and some organizations do for temporary cards. Durability and appearance are much lower than plastic, so it works best as a stopgap.
Do I still need plastic cards at all?
That’s worth asking. Many members are happy with a card on their phone, and printing only on request can cut ribbon and card-stock spending considerably. Whatever you choose, make sure the barcode format is the same so your door scanning doesn’t care which version a member shows.
