Rollo Wireless (X1040) vs Rollo USB (X1038): Which One to Buy?

Which Rollo should you buy: the Wireless X1040 or the USB X1038?

Buy the Rollo Wireless (X1040) if you want to print from a phone, tablet, Chromebook or Linux machine, or if more than one person or device will share the printer. Buy the Rollo USB (X1038) only if it will sit next to one Windows or Mac computer and you are happy to install a driver (Rollo's own pages disagree on whether the Wireless needs one on Windows and Mac). Rollo's own FAQ puts the split in one line: “Wireless for shared or mobile printing; USB for one desktop.” Current prices: Check the current price of the Rollo Wireless (X1040) on Amazon or check the current price of the Rollo USB (X1038) on Amazon.

Updated October 2026

How this comparison was built

We did not test this product ourselves; this review is built from the manufacturer's published specifications and Amazon's product listing. The specs and setup details come from Rollo's product pages and support articles for each model, and the Pirate Ship, Shopify and ShipStation points come from those companies' own help pages. Where a figure is Rollo's own claim, such as speed or printing life, the text says so.

Rollo Wireless vs Rollo USB at a glance

Rollo's pages give both models the same print specs. What differs is how the printer connects, which devices can use it and how you set it up.

The difference that matters: how each one connects

Wireless (X1040). Rollo's product page says the printer is “WiFi and AirPrint®-certified so you can print from any device,” and its FAQ lists “Mac, Windows, Chromebook, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android.” The printer joins your network instead of belonging to one computer: “Everyone in the house or warehouse can print to it.” If the network misbehaves, Rollo says “you can use a USB cable included in the box.”

USB (X1038). Rollo's support site says: “The USB Rollo connects by USB cable to a Windows or Mac computer only. It does not support wireless printing from a phone.” An older Rollo article adds that it “does not support printing from other operating systems.” Rollo does describe one workaround: “Once it is connected to a PC or Mac, you can "share" it across your wired or wireless network via the Windows or Mac built-in share printer feature.” In practice that makes the host computer part of every print job, so the shared printer is only as available as that computer.

Setup: an app and Wi-Fi, or a driver and a cable

Rollo's setup article for the Wireless says: “You set up the Wireless Rollo with the free Rollo app on your phone. The app pairs with the printer over Bluetooth, then joins the printer to your WiFi network.” Before you start, it says to place the printer “within 10 to 15 feet of your WiFi router, ideally in the same room.” No iPhone, iPad or Android device? Rollo has a separate article: “In case you do not have access to an iOS or Android device or you are unable to download the Rollo App (Unsupported regions), you can set up your Rollo Wireless Printer via your computer.”

Wi-Fi also brings a chore a cable does not. Rollo's reconnect article says that after a router, provider or password change, “the printer still remembers the old network and cannot connect,” and the fix is to reset the printer's Wi-Fi and run setup again through the Rollo app.

The USB model is driver-based: “During setup, you will download and install Rollo's printer drivers.” The Wireless is marketed as driverless (“No Driver Needed” on its product page), but Rollo's own pages disagree on how far that goes. The compatibility FAQ, modified October 3, 2026, tells Windows and Mac users of both models to download the driver, while the Wireless setup article treats the driver as a Windows fallback: if the printer does not appear in Add a printer, “add it manually” and “Download and install the Rollo driver.” Check Rollo's setup page for your computer before you buy either model.

Two smaller notes from the same articles. Android printing has a limit: “Note: printing from an Android phone is limited to 4x6 labels. For other label sizes, use the Rollo Design app (Rollo Design web version) or print from a computer.” And the Wireless setup article says “the Rollo driver does not yet support ARM-based Windows computers (such as newer laptops with Qualcomm processors).” Rollo's USB page does not mention ARM, so ask Rollo before buying either model for an ARM-based Windows laptop.

What the two have in common

Rollo's pages put both models on the same print specs: direct thermal, 203 dpi, no ink. The Wireless page says it outright: “Both print 4×6 labels at 203 dpi. No ink.” Rollo's support site adds that “All Rollo printers print in black only,” so neither prints color.

The label rules match as well. Both product pages give a width range of 1.57 to 4.1 inches, and Rollo says it “does not require proprietary labels. You can use any compatible direct thermal labels with your Rollo printer. However, please note that the performance of third-party labels cannot be guaranteed.” The Wireless page adds: “For best results, use Rollo labels.”

Both product pages cite roughly the same printing life, about 650,000 labels. That is a maker figure, and Rollo's support FAQ says “For specific duty-cycle or print-head life ratings, or for warranty questions, please contact our support team.” The Amazon listings for both models also mention Rollo's free shipping app, so the app is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Selling on Pirate Ship, Shopify or ShipStation?

Pirate Ship builds labels as PDFs and says it “doesn't directly connect to your printer, just your browser.” Its help center has a Rollo setup guide for Mac and a note for Rollo owners: “If you're using a Rollo printer and notice your labels look pixelated or have darker/larger fonts, this is normal.” The note names no model, so assume it covers both.

Shopify's table of supported label printers lists one Rollo, the “X1038” USB model, and not the X1040. Its compatibility column for that row reads “Android, iOS, and POS Go,” which does not match Rollo's own statement that the USB model connects to a Windows or Mac computer only. The two sources disagree, so confirm phone support for the USB model with Rollo and Shopify before you rely on either. The Wireless page says it “prints any standard 4×6 label image,” but if you want a Rollo that Shopify names, that is the X1038.

ShipStation is where the choice can bite. Its Printing Basics article lists “Rollo label printers” among the printers not supported when printing through ShipStation Connect, and says “Printers should be connected to the printer workstation(s) via USB, though some wireless or network printers may work.” It adds: “You may still use the Download PDF or Browser Print method to print documents to these printers from your ShipStation account.” In practice both Rollos fall under the Rollo entry, and the Wireless also falls under the wireless entry when it prints over Wi-Fi; its included USB cable removes the second problem but not the first.

Warranty and where you buy

Rollo ties its coverage to its own store. The Wireless page says: “Buy from the official website in the US. You get a 1-year replacement warranty. Plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.” It then adds: “Other retailers follow their own listing terms.” Read the seller's return and warranty terms on the Amazon listing before you order either model.

Which one fits you

Rollo's own checklist is short: “Choose Wireless if several people or devices print. Or if you ship from a phone or tablet.” Beyond that:

Choose the Wireless (X1040) if:

• you print from a phone or tablet, or from a Chromebook or Linux machine
• two or more people or devices will share it
• the printer has to sit away from the computer

Choose the USB (X1038) if:

• one Windows or Mac computer does all the printing and sits within cable reach
• you would rather not depend on a Wi-Fi network or re-run setup when the network changes
• you use Shopify and want the Rollo model its table names

If you start with USB and want Wi-Fi later, Rollo's shop lists a separate Wireless Adapter that, in Rollo's words, “enables Rollo USB Printer (X1038) to connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi to all your devices.” Rollo's support FAQ says availability is limited and tells buyers to check the shop or ask support before planning on it. If you go that way, compare the combined cost of printer and adapter with the Wireless model before you decide.

Where to buy: Check the current price of the Rollo Wireless (X1040) on Amazon or check the current price of the Rollo USB (X1038) on Amazon.

Sources

Checked October 2026.

• Rollo – Rollo Wireless Label Printer (product page, rollo.com)
• Rollo – Rollo USB Thermal Shipping Label Printer (product page, rollo.com)
• Rollo – Wireless Adapter (product page, rollo.com)
• Rollo Support – Setup Wireless Rollo for First Use
• Rollo Support – Setup Wireless Rollo without a phone
• Rollo Support – Reconnect Your Rollo Wireless (X1040) After Changing Your Router or WiFi Password
• Rollo Support – Rollo Printer, Rollo Ship Compatibility FAQ: Platforms, Marketplaces, and Operating Systems
• Rollo Support – Rollo Printer Specs FAQ: Print Resolution, Printer Lifespan, and Color Printing
• Rollo Support – Can I print Wirelessly?
• Pirate Ship Help Center – Why doesn't my label print correctly?
• Pirate Ship Help Center – Mac: How to print shipping labels with a Rollo Printer
• Shopify Help Center – Shopify-supported label printers
• ShipStation Help – ShipStation Printing Basics
• Amazon product listings for the Rollo Wireless Shipping Label Printer and the Rollo USB Shipping Label Printer

Choose the rest of your setup

Use the printer connection checklist to match the machine to your devices, then check roll versus fanfold labels before buying supplies. If you are starting a shop, the first-shipment checklist helps you buy only what the workflow needs.