A:Answer Instant ink is HP sending you ink for 3 months for free as you need it. After that, you can pay for it, which if you plan to print a lot off, it is cheaper to sign up and let them send you the Ink. The printer sends the company a notification when your ink is running low, so they know when to send you more. It is like a smart phone honestly. You just set it up and let it do the work for you. Hope that helps!