What is CloudPRNT?
CloudPRNT is a printing protocol developed by Star Micronics that allows web-based and cloud-based software to send print jobs directly to a Star printer over the internet, without needing a local computer, app, or extra tablet in between.
In simple terms: an online order, receipt, or label can be sent straight from a cloud server to the printer, and the printer prints it automatically.
It is built into Star’s range of thermal receipt, label, and matrix kitchen printers, and is commonly used for online ordering, click & collect, delivery, and remote print management.
How does CloudPRNT work?
CloudPRNT uses a simple polling system over standard HTTP/HTTPS:
The printer (or its network interface) regularly checks in with a server URL to ask if there is a print job waiting. If there is, the server responds with the print job, and the printer retrieves and prints it. If there is nothing to print, the printer simply checks again at the next interval.
Because this uses common web technology (a REST/JSON API), it does not require port forwarding, VPNs, or firewall configuration, and it can be built using any standard server-side language such as PHP, Node.js, Python, or .NET.
What problem does CloudPRNT solve?
Before CloudPRNT, many online ordering setups needed an extra tablet or device sitting in-store just to receive an order and relay it to a printer.
CloudPRNT removes that extra step. The ordering platform communicates directly with the printer, which means:
Fewer devices to manage in-store, no dedicated tablet required just for printing, simpler architecture for software providers, and no SSL certificate to maintain on the printer itself, since the printer connects out to the server rather than the server connecting in.
What is the difference between CloudPRNT and CloudPRNT Next?
CloudPRNT Next is Star’s newer generation of the same underlying technology.
It is designed to offer faster, more secure, and more efficient cloud-based printing, while keeping the same core principle: print jobs are created and stored by a web-based system, and the printer retrieves them automatically.
Existing CloudPRNT integrations are not made obsolete by CloudPRNT Next. It is an evolution of the protocol rather than a replacement requiring rework.
Which Star printers support CloudPRNT?
CloudPRNT is built into a wide range of Star printers, including:
Thermal receipt printers (such as the TSP100 and mC-Print series), thermal label printers, matrix kitchen printers (such as the SP700), and wide-format thermal printers.
Availability depends on the specific model and interface. Check individual product pages or the CloudPRNT product page for current compatibility.
Do I need to build my own server for CloudPRNT?
Yes, in the standard CloudPRNT setup, a developer or software provider needs to host a server that follows the CloudPRNT protocol to create and serve print jobs.
Star provides a CloudPRNT SDK with helper functions and sample servers to make this easier, supporting common languages and frameworks.
For businesses that don’t want to build and maintain their own server, Star also offers StarIO.Online, a hosted cloud service that manages CloudPRNT-enabled devices without requiring custom server infrastructure. (See our StarIO.Online explainer page for details.)
Is CloudPRNT secure?
Yes. CloudPRNT is designed with security as a core requirement.
Because the printer initiates the connection to the server (rather than the server connecting in), there is no need to open inbound ports or maintain an SSL certificate on the printer itself, which reduces the attack surface compared to traditional local network printing setups.
What can CloudPRNT control besides printing?
CloudPRNT can also be used to manage peripheral devices connected to a printer, such as a cash drawer, barcode scanner, customer display, or buzzer, through the same server-based instructions.
Is CloudPRNT only for receipts?
No. CloudPRNT works across Star’s receipt, label, and kitchen ticket printers, so it can be used for:
Online order receipts, click & collect and delivery labels, kitchen order tickets, and remote print management across multiple store locations.
Do I need extra hardware to use CloudPRNT?
It depends on the printer model. Some Star printers have CloudPRNT built in natively. Older or non-networked models may require an intelligent interface card (such as the HI01X/HI02X) to add CloudPRNT support.
Star CloudPRNT is built into Star Micronics’ range of receipt, label, and kitchen printers, giving software providers a simple way to add cloud-based printing to retail, hospitality, and online ordering platforms across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
See CloudPRNT-enabled printers | Talk to Star about integration