· DESKTOP COMPANION ·
MALLARDS
PRINT AGENT.
A tiny app that runs on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer, listens for print jobs from the iPhone app, and drives a thermal receipt printer to print your receipts on demand.
1. DOWNLOAD
· MAC · RECOMMENDED · SIGNED & NOTARIZED ·
DOWNLOAD Mallards Print Agent.app →
Double-click to install. Works on every Mac from 2020 onward. Notarized by Apple — no Gatekeeper warnings.
· Linux / Windows / advanced ·
· Linux
DOWNLOAD →
x86_64 · run in terminal
· Windows
DOWNLOAD →
x86_64 · polling only, no spooler yet
· macOS raw binary
DOWNLOAD →
Apple Silicon · for devs who don't want the .app
· macOS raw binary
DOWNLOAD →
Intel · 2019 and earlier
Raw binaries need chmod +x and are run from a terminal. The terminal will prompt for the pairing code on first run.
2. SETUP
1
Install your thermal printer
Plug it into USB (or set up the Wi-Fi / AirPrint config per the printer's manual). Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners (macOS) and confirm it shows up. On Linux,
lpstat -p should list it.2
Open Mallards Print Agent.app
Unzip the download, drag Mallards Print Agent.app into your Applications folder, then double-click it. macOS won't warn you — the app is signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized.
3
Generate a pairing code on your phone
In the Mallards app: tap the ⚙ gear in the top-right of the Home screen → PRINT AGENT → GENERATE CODE. You'll see an 8-character code.
4
Paste the code into the dialog
A small pop-up asks for the 8 characters. Paste and click Pair. The app registers with the cloud, installs a background helper (LaunchAgent), and starts polling for print jobs. It'll also run automatically on every future login — no need to open it again.
5
Print a receipt
Open any receipt in the app → PRINT → pick COMPACT or FULL → SEND TO AGENT. Your thermal printer fires within 5 seconds.
3. THE GEAR
You'll need a thermal receipt printer and 80mm thermal paper. These are the models we've tested — links are Amazon affiliate (Mallards gets a few cents, you pay the same price).
· Primary pick
Milestone P80E
USB · 80mm · ESC/POS · auto-cutter · ~$60. This is the one we actually use day-to-day — plug-and-play with CUPS on macOS, cheap enough to keep a spare.
Check price on Amazon →· Best quality
EPSON TM-T20III
USB · 80mm · ESC/POS · the industry-standard POS printer · ~$230. Pay more, run forever. Drivers are rock solid on macOS and Linux.
Check price on Amazon →· Flexible ports
MUNBYN ITPP047
USB + Ethernet · 80mm · ESC/POS · auto-cutter · ~$70. Add it to your Wi-Fi network via the Ethernet port and any computer on the LAN can print.
Check price on Amazon →· Paper
80mm thermal paper · 10 rolls
Standard 3.15" × 230ft BPA-free thermal rolls. A pack lasts a typical user ~6 months. Stack 'em and forget.
Check price on Amazon →FAQ
· Do I have to own a thermal receipt printer?
No. The iPhone app still works standalone — you can track receipts, track deadlines, and AirPrint a letter-paper mail-in form today. The thermal printer is the upgrade path for people who want paper receipts that look like the originals, either for filing or returns.
· Does the Print Agent send my receipts to your servers?
The Agent polls mallardsrebates.com over HTTPS to see if there are queued jobs. Receipt data (as ESC/POS bytes) is stored briefly in a queue table on Supabase until the Agent picks it up, then deleted. Row-level security means only your account can see your jobs.
· Which printers are supported?
Any 80mm ESC/POS-compatible thermal printer that CUPS (macOS/Linux) recognises. Tested: EPSON TM-T20III, EPSON TM-M30III, Star TSP143III, Munbyn ITPP047. 58mm mini printers also work but everything gets cramped.
· Why does the Agent need a computer? Why not print straight from my phone?
iOS is locked down — Apple doesn't let third-party apps talk directly to most USB or Bluetooth thermal printers. The Agent bridges that gap: your phone queues a job to the cloud, the Agent on your computer picks it up and prints it over USB/Wi-Fi to the printer sitting next to it.
· Is the Agent open source?
Yes — the Go source lives in the main repo at print-agent/. If you want to build from source or audit it, go ahead.
· Will Menards accept a thermal reprint for mail-in rebates?
Unclear — Menards's rebate terms require an 'original' receipt. A reprint from your own data is a gray area. We recommend mailing the ORIGINAL receipt and keeping the reprint for your records / filing / returns. Your call.