Skip to main content
305-ink.com

High yield

HP 305XL: yield, codes and current prices

XL high yield

HP 305XL is the high-yield version: HP states about 240 pages for black and 200 for tri-colour, roughly double the standard cartridges.

Content updated:

Black and colour are separate XL cartridges

305XL isn't a combined cartridge. There is a high-yield black (3YM62AE) and a tri-colour (3YM63AE). You can also combine XL in one position with a standard cartridge in the other. HP also makes an official 305XL 2-pack (6ZA94AE); in the UK it's sold by retailers rather than on HP's own store.

Is XL cheaper per page right now?

Using today's lowest checked prices, per colour:

Calculated with the lowest checked product price for each cartridge (checked on 23 September 2026). Yield = HP-stated ISO/IEC 24711 yield.
Colour 305 price 305 per page 305XL price 305XL per page Lower cost
Black £13.99 HP Store · approx. 120 pages 11.7p £19.86 Cartridge Save · approx. 240 pages 8.3p XL · 29%
Tri-colour £13.99 HP Store · approx. 100 pages 14.0p £18.19 Cartridge Save · approx. 200 pages 9.1p XL · 35%

Current result

At the currently checked prices, 305XL has the lower cost per page for 2 of 2 compared colours. This is a snapshot; the result can change when retailer prices change.

Extra 305 → XL price and capacity

  • Black: +£5.87 for 120 extra stated pages
  • Tri-colour: +£4.20 for 100 extra stated pages

Cost per 100 black pages: 305 £11.66 · 305XL £8.28. The yield is HP's stated figure under ISO/IEC 24711 with continuous printing; actual yield can vary considerably.

When does XL make sense?

XL is most attractive if you print regularly or want to change cartridges less often. If you print very rarely, a lower purchase price can matter more than a lower price per page — ink that sits unused for months is partly spent on cleaning.

Alternative XL cartridges

Real products from other brands, each with the seller's own figures, compared with the same composition in original 305XL:

Original HP reference offers

Direct, checked original offers for a like-for-like check. Compatible and remanufactured products stay separate below.

Original HP

  • HP 305 Black

    3YM61AE

    £13.99

    HP Store
    View offer

  • HP 305 Tri-colour

    3YM60AE

    £13.99

    HP Store
    View offer

  • HP 305XL Black

    3YM62AE

    £19.86

    Cartridge Save
    View offer

  • HP 305XL Tri-colour

    3YM63AE

    £18.19

    Cartridge Save
    View offer
Yield = the seller's own figure (not tested by 305-ink.com). Comparison = the same composition in original HP 305XL cartridges at the lowest checked price.
Product Stated pages Price Original HP 305XL, same composition Retailer
Cartridge Save Premium 305XL Tri-colour (remanufactured) Remanufactured 1× tri-colour · remanufactured colour 375 £13.64 checked 23 September 2026 £18.19 colour 200 pages At Cartridge Save
Cartridge Save Premium 305XL Black (remanufactured) Remanufactured 1× black · remanufactured black 650 £14.89 checked 23 September 2026 £19.86 black 240 pages At Cartridge Save
TonerGiant compatible HP 305XL black Compatible 1× black · compatible black 240 £17.15 checked 27 September 2026 £19.86 black 240 pages At TonerGiant
Premium compatible HP 305XL black Compatible 1× black · compatible black 240 £19.99 checked 27 September 2026 £19.86 black 240 pages At The Cartridge Centre
Cartridge Save Premium 305XL 2-pack (black + tri-colour, remanufactured) Remanufactured 1× black + 1× tri-colour · remanufactured black 650 · colour 375 £28.39 checked 23 September 2026 £38.05 black 240 · colour 200 pages At Cartridge Save
TonerGiant compatible HP 305XL black + tri-colour multipack Compatible 1× black + 1× tri-colour · compatible black 240 · colour 200 £30.86 checked 27 September 2026 £38.05 black 240 · colour 200 pages At TonerGiant
Check more retailers (5)

Not ranked: where no exact HP 305 listing has been verified, we show a shop or range link only — never an invented price.

HP 305XL questions

Should I buy HP 305 or HP 305XL?

305 and 305XL fit the same printers and print equally well. The difference is the amount of ink: HP states about 120 pages (black) and 100 pages (tri-colour) for the standard cartridges, and about 240 and 200 pages for the XL versions (ISO/IEC 24711, continuous printing). Whether XL is cheaper per page depends only on the current price divided by that yield — we work that out with the prices checked now, not with a rule of thumb.

Can I use an HP 305 and an HP 305XL in the same printer?

Yes. The printer checks each position (black or tri-colour) for a valid cartridge; standard or XL makes no difference to it. A common combination is XL for the colour you use up fastest and standard for the other.

Is the HP 305 2-pack (6ZD17AE) cheaper than two single cartridges?

The official 2-pack 6ZD17AE contains one standard black and one standard tri-colour cartridge. Whether it's cheaper than buying them separately depends on the current pack price versus the sum of the single prices — compare both before you buy. There is also an official 305XL 2-pack (6ZA94AE); UK retailers sell it, but HP Store UK's own page for it returned an error on 23 September 2026.

How do I work out the cost per page of an HP 305 cartridge?

Cost per page = cartridge price ÷ stated page yield. For HP 305 black (3YM61AE, about 120 pages) and HP 305XL black (3YM62AE, about 240 pages), divide each current price by its yield. HP's yield is an average under ISO/IEC 24711 with continuous printing; with occasional printing or lots of colour photos your real yield can differ.

Will I always get HP 305's stated page yield?

Not necessarily. HP's figure (120/100/240/200 pages) is an average measured under ISO/IEC 24711 by printing a test document continuously. Occasional printing, cleaning cycles after long idle periods and pages with heavy colour coverage all reduce the real yield compared with HP's figure.

What are the official HP 305 part numbers?

HP 305 black is 3YM61AE, HP 305 tri-colour is 3YM60AE, HP 305XL black is 3YM62AE and HP 305XL tri-colour is 3YM63AE. The official 2-packs are 6ZD17AE (standard black + tri-colour) and 6ZA94AE (305XL black + tri-colour).

Sources (7)

Facts from HP and standards bodies are labelled as such. Calculations (cost per page and annual cost) are estimates by the 305-ink.com editorial team. Last reconciled on .