How much does it cost to print?

What 3D printing really costs

Filament is the obvious cost, but not the only one: the printer uses electricity for hours, wears out (nozzles, belts, the bed) and not every print succeeds. If you sell parts and only charge for the plastic, you're losing money without noticing.

This calculator adds it all up: filament per gram, electricity at your rate, printer wear, a percentage of failed prints, your labor and extras (packaging, paint, key rings). With your profit margin it gives you a suggested price per part.

Electricity: small per part, but it adds up

A 5-hour print at 120 W uses 0.6 kWh: about 11 cents at the US average rate. Little per part, but if you print all day it shows on your bill.

Rates vary a lot by state and plan, so use the price per kWh from your own bill for an exact number.

How to price your parts

A common rule among people who sell printed parts is to charge 2 to 3 times the cost for simple parts, and more for custom ones, because you're also selling the design and the service. If you designed the part or paint it by hand, add that as labor hours.

Also check what others charge for something similar: the suggested price is a floor, not a ceiling.

Tips

• Weigh an empty spool once: then you know how much filament is left by subtracting that weight.
• If you print several parts on the same bed, enter the weight and time of the whole print and the number of parts: the cost is split.
• PETG and TPU usually cost more per kg and sometimes print slower: change the price and time.
• Your data is remembered: the calculator saves your filament price, rate and printer in this browser.

Frequently asked questions