HP 305 Black
3YM61AE
STD standard yield
Approx. 120 pages (HP, ISO/IEC 24711)
Lowest checked price
£13.99
at 
HP Store · 11.7p per page
Last checked: 23 September 2026
By colour
HP 305 black: 3YM61AE or 3YM62AE?
The black position has two original options: HP 305 black (3YM61AE) and HP 305XL black (3YM62AE).
Content updated:
HP 305XL Black
3YM62AE
XL high yield
Approx. 240 pages (HP, ISO/IEC 24711)
Lowest checked price
£19.86
at 
Cartridge Save · 8.3p per page
Last checked: 23 September 2026
Standard or XL black
| Feature | HP 305 black | HP 305XL black |
|---|---|---|
| OEM code | 3YM61AE | 3YM62AE |
| Stated yield (HP) | approx. 120 pages | approx. 240 pages |
| Lowest checked price | £13.99 (HP Store) | £19.86 (Cartridge Save) |
| Cost per page now | 11.7p | 8.3p |
The retailer shown comes first in the ranking (by delivered total when every priced retailer's delivery is known); the price shown excludes delivery.
Which black cartridge suits you?
Standard black makes sense if you print little or don't want an opened cartridge sitting around for long. XL is more practical for regular documents, schoolwork or household admin. Double the yield doesn't automatically mean half the cost: divide the current price by 120 and 240 — the table above does that for you.
Combining black with colour
The capacity doesn't have to match in both positions. If you mostly print text, you can run HP 305XL black alongside a standard HP 305 colour cartridge.
If black won't print
A blank print doesn't always mean an empty cartridge. Check the error message, the seating and that all protective tape is off; don't touch the contacts or the nozzles. See cartridge not recognised.
Prices by retailer
HP 305 black (3YM61AE)
Comparison of 3 retailers with a checked price. Delivery charges are known, so this is a delivered-total comparison.
- HP Store Original HP Lowest checked price
Last checked: 23 September 2026
- Cartridge Save Original HP
Last checked: 23 September 2026
-
Argos Original HP Last checked: 23 September 2026
-
Original HP Price at retailer
View offer
HP 305XL black (3YM62AE)
Comparison of 5 retailers with a checked price. Delivery charges are unknown for at least one retailer, so ranking uses product price before delivery.
- Cartridge Save Original HP Lowest checked product price
Last checked: 23 September 2026
-
Original HP Checked yesterday: 27 September 2026
-
Original HP Checked yesterday: 27 September 2026
- HP Store Original HP
Last checked: 23 September 2026
- Argos Original HP
Last checked: 23 September 2026
- Original HP
Price at retailer
View offer
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Remanufactured and compatible alternatives
The comparison below is limited to this colour position. Each badge states whether the seller explicitly calls the product remanufactured or only compatible.
Original HP reference offers
Direct, checked original offers for a like-for-like check. Compatible and remanufactured products stay separate below.
-
HP 305 Black
3YM61AE
View offer£13.99
HP Store -
HP 305XL Black
3YM62AE
View offer£19.86
Cartridge Save
| Product | Stated pages | Price | Original HP 305XL, same composition | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
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.
- Check retailer
TonerGiant
Original + compatible HP 305 checked - Check retailer
CartridgeMonkey
Original + compatible HP 305 checked - Check retailer
The Cartridge Centre
Compatible / remanufactured HP 305 checked - Check retailer
Staples UK
Original Exact offer not checked - Check retailer
Office Monster
Original Exact offer not checked
HP 305 black 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.
Sources (3)
- Retailer HP 305 product pages at HP Store UK, Argos, Cartridge Save and Amazon.co.uk — HP Store UK · Argos · Cartridge Save · Amazon.co.uk
Price, availability and delivery per exact listing, read live.
Checked: 23 September 2026
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Official product pages for 3YM61AE, 3YM60AE, 3YM62AE, 3YM63AE and 6ZD17AE: codes, yields, prices and reviews.
Checked: 23 September 2026
- Standard ISO/IEC 24711: method for determining ink cartridge yield — International Organization for Standardization
The measurement behind HP's stated yield for the HP 305 series.
Checked: 22 September 2026
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 .