Line printers are still in widespread use today even though their underlying technology harkens back to the early days of computerised printing. This is because line printers are the most cost-effective printers running today, with an extremely low total cost of ownership, consumable cost and an extremely low cost-per-page. They are also low-maintenance and very fast, with the ability to handle a very heavy workload of up to 25,000 pages per day with a typical expected lifespan of five-to ten-years. Their construction is of sturdy materials, giving them durability unmatched by other printer types.

Line printers are popular in payroll environments, banks, distribution centres, factories, and any environments that have high volume and durability requirements, especially considering their ability to print on multiple forms paper. Their output quality is not quite comparable to that of laser printers, however, modern Line Matrix printers still achieve a good print quality overall. More importantly, they beat laser printers in the business-critical areas of speed, duty cycle, lifespan, and total cost of ownership.