Add a Raspberry Pi print server to your account

A Raspberry Pi running the Expedy image is a Cloud Print Server: it receives the jobs sent to Expedy PRINT and forwards them to an ESC/POS printer plugged into its USB port. Up to four printers can share the same Raspberry Pi.

Depending on the connector or the point-of-sale software you use, the installation may be handled by your partner. Check with them before you start.

Before you begin

  • An Expedy account, no account yet? Create one
  • A Raspberry Pi Zero or 4 flashed with the Expedy image, see Installation on Raspberry Pi
  • Your printer connected to the USB1 port, and the Raspberry Pi connected to your router

Step 1, Open the add machine screen

Sign in to the Expedy console, then go to Machines, Add a machine. You can also open the form directly.

Step 2, Get the serial number

The serial number is what ties the machine to your account. It always has the form RPI_ followed by 40 hexadecimal characters. Two cards let you choose where it comes from:

Card When to use it
I already have a device The serial is already known, shown on your unit or written in the rpi_id.txt file of your SD card. Type it in, the RPI_... format is checked.
Generate a new one The console produces a unique serial for you. The field fills itself and turns read-only.

Generate a new one is the usual path for a fresh install. The console checks the value is free across every account before offering it, so there is nothing to request from support. Copy the generated serial into the rpi_id.txt file on the boot volume of the SD card: that is what lets the Raspberry Pi find your account on first boot.

Step 3, Name the machine and submit

Field What to enter
Machine name A label you will recognise, for example Kitchen RPi
Serial number The RPI_... value from step 2

Click Submit. Three errors can come back:

  • Invalid serial number format, the value does not start with RPI_
  • This serial number is already in use, generate another one
  • This device is already linked to another account, contact support

Step 4, Check the machine and scan the USB ports

Open the machine from your list and click Check Status. For a Raspberry Pi the console pings the machine through the API and reports Online or Offline. If it stays offline, check the network cable and that port 1883 is open on your router.

Then open the Raspberry Pi settings card and click USB scan. The USB ports grid lists what is plugged into USB 1 through USB 4, with the manufacturer, the model and the paper width. A port with nothing connected shows Free.

Each detected port then exposes its print mode, ESC/POS or LABEL, its paper width and its graphic mode. Details in Installation on Raspberry Pi.

Finally, run a Quick test print from the Print Jobs History panel.

Plugins and Zapier use USB 1 by default. Custom API integrations can target any USB port, which is how a single Raspberry Pi drives up to four printers.

The printers form, for pre-provisioned devices

/console/v3/printers/add also offers a Raspberry Pi card. Its help text asks for a serial supplied by Expedy support: take that route only when support has pre-provisioned your device. In every other case, the Machines route above generates the serial itself.

Lift the FREE plan limit

A newly added device runs on the FREE plan, capped at 50 print requests per month. To go further, open its page and click Subscribe to reach the Choose your plan screen.

Plan Included volume
FREE 50 requests per month
START 1 000 per month, 12 000 per year
PRO 3 000 per month, 36 000 per year
UNLIMITED unlimited

Current rates are shown on expedy.io/pricing and in the Choose your plan screen.

Devices installed before 30 April 2026 without a subscription are flagged LEGACY. They keep their historical pricing, have no monthly limit, and the subscription screen is hidden for them. To move a LEGACY device to a current plan, contact support.

Next steps

A question? Open a support ticket