Canon ink cartridge compatibility chart which of the 45 PIXMA models in our catalogue takes which number, and what each set costs to run
Canon runs two completely different ink systems under the same PIXMA badge, and that is the reason so many people order the wrong box. A PG-245 is not a smaller PGI-280. They do not fit the same machines, they do not hold the same kind of ink, and one of them has the print head bolted inside it. The chart below sorts 56 Canon supplies against 45 PIXMA models from our own catalogue, with every tier's rated yield and the cost per page worked out from the same price data we use across the site. Underneath it is the part Canon leaves off the box: which tier is worth paying for, and how far behind a cartridge PIXMA looks next to a MegaTank.
Work out which number you need in about a minute
You do not need the model number for this if the printer is in front of you. The cartridge is carrying the answer.
- Lift the scanner unit or the front cover until the carriage slides into view, then take out what is fitted. Canon prints the number on the label on top, with any XL or XXL suffix attached to it.
- Count what comes out. Two cartridges, one black and one wider colour unit, means a FINE pair in the PG and CL range. Four or more slim tanks in a row means the PGI and CLI system, and the pigment black tank is the odd one out at the end.
- Look at the underside of the cartridge you removed. A FINE cartridge has a copper coloured nozzle plate on the bottom because the print head is part of it. An ink tank has a small outlet port and no nozzles at all.
- No cartridge left in the machine? Find the model on the front panel and read it off the chart below.
Note both numbers if the printer takes a pair. Ordering the right black and the wrong colour still leaves you unable to print.
The chart, part one: FINE cartridges in the PG and CL range
These are the print head cartridges. 25 of the 45 Canon printers in our catalogue take them, which makes this the range most people are looking for. Each printer takes a pigment black PG paired with a tri-colour CL, and the two numbers are always one apart. Cost per page is the cartridge price divided by its rated yield.
| Cartridge pair | Tiers, rated yield and cost per page | PIXMA models in our catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| PG-243 or PG-245 plus CL-244 or CL-246 | PG-243 black, 180 pages, 11.7c PG-245XL black, 300 pages, 9.3c PG-245 black, 180 pages, 11.1c CL-244 tri-colour, 180 pages, 12.8c CL-246XL tri-colour, 300 pages, 10.0c CL-246 tri-colour, 180 pages, 12.2c | MG2522, MG2525, MG2920, MG3020, MX490, MX492, TR4520, TS202, TS302, TS3120, TS3320, iP2820 |
| PG-240 plus CL-241 | PG-240XL black, 300 pages, 8.3c PG-240 black, 180 pages, 10.0c CL-241XL tri-colour, 400 pages, 7.5c CL-241 tri-colour, 180 pages, 12.2c | MG2120, MG3520, MG3620, MX532, TS5120 |
| PG-275 plus CL-276 | PG-275XL black, 300 pages, 8.3c PG-275 black, 100 pages, 18.0c CL-276XL tri-colour, 300 pages, 10.0c CL-276 tri-colour, 100 pages, 22.0c | TR4720, TS3520, TS3522, TS3720 |
| PG-260 plus CL-261 | PG-260XL black, 400 pages, 6.2c PG-260 black, 180 pages, 10.0c CL-261XL tri-colour, 300 pages, 9.3c CL-261 tri-colour, 180 pages, 11.1c | TR7020, TS5320, TS6420 |
| PG-280 plus CL-281 | PG-280XL black, 400 pages, 7.0c PG-280 black, 200 pages, 10.0c CL-281XL tri-colour, 300 pages, 10.0c CL-281 tri-colour, 165 pages, 13.3c | TR8620 |
Where a row shows two black numbers, Canon sells both into the same machines and either one fits. Buy on price per page rather than on which number the manual happens to name.
The chart, part two: individual ink tanks in the PGI and CLI range
The photo and office models use these. The PGI number is a pigment black for text, the CLI numbers are dye based for colour and photos, and every tank goes in separately. 18 of our 45 Canon models are built this way.
| Cartridge set | Tiers, rated yield and cost per page | PIXMA models in our catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| PGI-280 plus CLI-281 | PGI-280XXL black, 600 pages, 4.5c PGI-280 black, 200 pages, 8.0c CLI-281XXL cyan, 715 pages, 3.1c CLI-281XXL magenta, 715 pages, 3.1c CLI-281XXL yellow, 715 pages, 3.1c CLI-281XXL black, 670 pages, 3.3c CLI-281XXLPB photo blue, 500 pages, 4.8c CLI-281 cyan, 259 pages, 5.0c CLI-281 yellow, 259 pages, 5.0c CLI-281 black, 256 pages, 5.1c CLI-281 magenta, 237 pages, 5.5c CLI-281PB photo blue, 240 pages, 5.8c | TR7520, TR8520, TS6220, TS6320, TS8220, TS8320, TS9120, TS9520 |
| PGI-250 plus CLI-251 | PGI-250XL black, 500 pages, 4.4c PGI-250 black, 300 pages, 5.3c CLI-251 gray, 780 pages, 1.8c CLI-251 black, 349 pages, 3.7c CLI-251 cyan, 298 pages, 4.4c CLI-251 magenta, 298 pages, 4.4c CLI-251 yellow, 298 pages, 4.4c | MG5420, MG6320, MG7520, MX922, iP7220 |
| PGI-270 plus CLI-271 | PGI-270XL black, 500 pages, 4.2c PGI-270 black, 300 pages, 5.0c CLI-271 black, 425 pages, 3.1c CLI-271 cyan, 349 pages, 3.7c CLI-271 yellow, 344 pages, 3.8c CLI-271 gray, 352 pages, 4.0c CLI-271 magenta, 320 pages, 4.1c | MG5720, MG6820, MG7720, TS6020, TS9020 |
The extra black is not a mistake. A machine on this system carries a pigment black tank for plain paper text and a dye black inside the colour set for photos, and the printer chooses between them by paper type. Running out of the dye black will stop photo printing even with a full pigment tank sitting next to it.
The chart, part three: MegaTank refill bottles
The G series does not take cartridges. You pour ink into reservoirs on the side of the printer from GI bottles, and the numbers are yields per bottle rather than per cartridge.
| Bottle set | Tiers, rated yield and cost per page | PIXMA models in our catalogue |
|---|---|---|
| GI-20 | GI-20C cyan, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-20M magenta, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-20Y yellow, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-20BK black, 6000 pages, 0.22c | G7020 |
| GI-21 | GI-21C cyan, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-21M magenta, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-21Y yellow, 7700 pages, 0.16c GI-21BK black, 6000 pages, 0.22c | G3270 |
That is the whole argument for a MegaTank in one row. The dearest black cartridge in the Canon range here, the PG-275, costs 18.0c a page. The GI-20BK bottle costs 0.22c, roughly 82 times less, and the printer costs more up front to make up for it.
Where the XL and XXL step up actually pays
Canon offers a larger tier on most of these numbers, and the gain is nowhere near uniform. Across the 18 tiers in our Canon data where a standard and a larger version fit the same slot, the best step up cuts the running cost by 55% and the weakest manages 16%.
| Step up | Standard | Larger tier | What it saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| CL-276 to CL-276XL | 100 pages at 22.0c | 300 pages at 10.0c | 55% off the running cost |
| PG-275 to PG-275XL | 100 pages at 18.0c | 300 pages at 8.3c | 54% off the running cost |
| CLI-281 to CLI-281XXL | 237 pages at 5.5c | 715 pages at 3.1c | 44% off the running cost |
| PGI-280 to PGI-280XXL | 200 pages at 8.0c | 600 pages at 4.5c | 44% off the running cost |
| CL-241 to CL-241XL | 180 pages at 12.2c | 400 pages at 7.5c | 39% off the running cost |
| CLI-281 to CLI-281XXL | 259 pages at 5.0c | 715 pages at 3.1c | 39% off the running cost |
| CLI-281 to CLI-281XXL | 259 pages at 5.0c | 715 pages at 3.1c | 39% off the running cost |
| PG-260 to PG-260XL | 180 pages at 10.0c | 400 pages at 6.2c | 38% off the running cost |
| CLI-281 to CLI-281XXL | 256 pages at 5.1c | 670 pages at 3.3c | 35% off the running cost |
| PG-280 to PG-280XL | 200 pages at 10.0c | 400 pages at 7.0c | 30% off the running cost |
| CL-281 to CL-281XL | 165 pages at 13.3c | 300 pages at 10.0c | 25% off the running cost |
| CL-246 to CL-246XL | 180 pages at 12.2c | 300 pages at 10.0c | 18% off the running cost |
| CLI-281PB to CLI-281XXLPB | 240 pages at 5.8c | 500 pages at 4.8c | 18% off the running cost |
| PG-240 to PG-240XL | 180 pages at 10.0c | 300 pages at 8.3c | 17% off the running cost |
| PGI-250 to PGI-250XL | 300 pages at 5.3c | 500 pages at 4.4c | 17% off the running cost |
| CL-261 to CL-261XL | 180 pages at 11.1c | 300 pages at 9.3c | 16% off the running cost |
| PG-245 to PG-245XL | 180 pages at 11.1c | 300 pages at 9.3c | 16% off the running cost |
| PGI-270 to PGI-270XL | 300 pages at 5.0c | 500 pages at 4.2c | 16% off the running cost |
The CL-276 is the clearest case here. At 100 rated pages for its price it runs at 22.0c a page, the dearest ink per page in our whole Canon catalogue, and the CL-276XL drops that by 55%. At the other end the PGI-270 to PGI-270XL move is worth 16%, so if you print rarely and the smaller one is discounted, take the discount.
One caveat on the FINE cartridges. You are buying a print head with every one of them, and a standard and an XL carry the same head. The XL premium buys ink only, which is why the larger tier nearly always wins on this system if you will use it before it dries.
The tri-colour problem, and why the tank machines cost less to feed
A CL cartridge holds cyan, magenta and yellow in one body behind one head. When any single colour runs dry the printer calls the cartridge empty, and the ink left in the other two chambers goes in the bin with it. Anyone who prints a lot of one colour, a logo or a photo with a lot of sky in it, pays for that every time.
The numbers on this page show the gap plainly. A CL-241XL covers 400 rated pages of all three colours at 7.5c a page. On the tank system a CLI-281XXL cyan tank covers 715 pages at 3.1c, and you replace only the colour that ran out.
The trade runs the other way on reliability. The head on a tank machine is a permanent part of the printer, so a bad clog is a repair rather than a purchase. On a FINE machine the head is disposable, so a clogged cartridge is solved by the next cartridge. If a PIXMA sits unused for months at a time, that disposable head is worth something.
Third party ink in a Canon, and what the errors mean
Canon does not run a firmware programme that refuses to print with third party cartridges. All 45 Canon models in our catalogue are marked open on our firmware lockout tracker, which is the difference between Canon and the HP models on that same list.
What Canon does do is complain. A non-genuine cartridge usually triggers a message about the cartridge not being recognised or the ink level being unknown, because the printer cannot read a level it did not write. That is a warning rather than a block, and holding the stop button until the machine relents is the standard way through it. The step by step version is in our guide on clearing a Canon ink error.
There is a catch to that. With the ink monitor off, the printer keeps printing past empty instead of stopping. On a tank machine, running a tank dry can pull air into a print head you cannot replace, so keep an eye on the pages rather than the gauge.
Common questions
What is the difference between a Canon PG and a PGI cartridge?
PG is a FINE cartridge with the print head built in, and PGI is an ink tank that feeds a print head fixed inside the printer. They are not interchangeable and they do not fit the same models. The PGI tanks are also cheaper to run: the PGI-270XL works out at 4.2c a page against 6.2c for the best FINE black in our Canon data.
Can I use a CL cartridge in a printer that takes CLI tanks?
No. A CL tri-colour is a single cartridge with a print head on the bottom, and a CLI is a slim tank with no head at all. They are different shapes and different carriages. Match the prefix first, then the number.
Why does my Canon have two black cartridges?
Machines on the PGI and CLI system carry a pigment black for text on plain paper and a dye black inside the colour set for photo paper. The printer picks between them by media type, so an empty dye black stops photo printing even when the pigment tank is full.
Is the XL version always worth it on a Canon?
Usually, and on the FINE cartridges especially, because the standard and the XL carry the same print head so the premium is buying ink alone. The size of the win varies: in our data the step from the CL-276 to the CL-276XL cuts the cost per page by 55%, while the PGI-270 to PGI-270XL step is worth 16%.
Does Canon block third party ink with firmware updates?
No. Every one of the 45 Canon printers in our catalogue is listed as open on our firmware lockout tracker. Canon printers do warn that a non-genuine cartridge cannot report its ink level, but the warning can be dismissed and the printer carries on.
How much cheaper is a MegaTank than a PIXMA that takes cartridges?
On the figures in this chart, about 82 times cheaper per black page at the extreme: 0.22c from a GI-20BK bottle against 18.0c from a PG-275. The MegaTank printer costs more to buy, so the saving only lands if you print enough to work through the difference.
Keep reading
- Does Canon block third party ink? what the non-genuine warning actually does
- How to reset a Canon printer after a firmware or ink error
- Ink tank vs cartridge printers: is refillable worth it? the MegaTank maths in full
- OEM vs compatible vs remanufactured cartridges
- The same chart for HP including which HP models lock out third party ink
- Firmware lockout tracker every printer we track, by whether it blocks third party ink
- What a page yield number really means what the page yield column on this chart is actually measuring.
- Is your cartridge number being discontinued? the PIXMA numbers Canon kept fitting to new machines, and the ones it stopped.
- Your cartridge is being discontinued: what to do about it the options if your PIXMA is on a number Canon stopped fitting.
- Is the XL cartridge actually cheaper? how to run the same comparison on Canon, which publishes millilitres not pages.
Sources
- Canon USA, Ink and Toner Finder, the manufacturer's own cartridge lookup by printer model. usa.canon.com
- Canon USA support, Find Ink for your Printer. support.usa.canon.com
- LD Products, on the split between Canon FINE print head cartridges and individual ink tanks. ldproducts.com
- Yields quoted throughout are the manufacturer's ISO/IEC 24711 ratings as recorded in our own catalogue, and cost per page is that price divided by that yield. iso.org
Last updated . This guide is general information, not a repair warranty. Printer menus and HP's model lists change, so confirm the exact steps for your model on the manufacturer's support site before you make changes.