3D Printing Cost Calculator

Less in material than most people expect, and more in time. With the calculator's euro defaults, a 50 g PLA print that runs for 3 hours uses €1.10 of filament and €0.41 of machine time, electricity included. Fifteen minutes of hands-on work at €20 an hour adds €5.00, for a true cost of €6.51. At the default 40% margin, that print sells for €10.84 before VAT.

Yes. Every cost input, the advanced machine settings, both the FDM and resin modes and the suggested pricing tiers are free, with no account needed. PRO, a paid plan, adds saved and shared quotes, batch and multi-material pricing, and custom printers and materials.

Yes. Switch to Resin · SLA and enter the resin volume in mL and your price per liter instead of grams and price per kg. Resin mode loads a resin printer profile with a 1.2 efficiency factor (20% for waste) and adds consumables such as FEP film, IPA wash and LCD wear. The resin calculator has its own page, with a resin guide and FAQ. Open the resin 3D printing cost calculator

Our 3D printing cost calculator gives an accurate 3D print cost estimate by factoring in material cost (filament or resin, with a waste allowance), print time, machine wear, energy, labor, and extras like hardware and packaging. Accuracy follows your inputs: use the weight and time from your slicer, your real material price, and your local electricity rate. More failures than the waste allowance covers, printer tuning and slicer settings can still move the final cost slightly.

Total cost = material + machine cost + labor + hardware + packaging, plus consumables for resin prints. Material is weight (g) ÷ 1000 × price per kg × an efficiency factor for waste, and machine cost is print hours × an hourly rate built from depreciation, maintenance and electricity, times a 1.3 buffer factor for downtime. The selling price is total cost ÷ (1 − margin), with VAT or sales tax on top.

The total cost of a 3D print depends on material cost (filament per gram or resin per mL), printing time, power consumption, printer depreciation and maintenance, labor and post-processing, plus extras like hardware components and packaging. Resin prints also wear the FEP film and LCD screen and use IPA for washing. The calculator includes everything in one clear breakdown.

Charge your total cost plus a profit margin. Total cost should include material, machine time, electricity, labor and post-processing, packaging, and any hardware. The suggested pricing tiers apply margins from 25% to 80% of the selling price, or you can set your own. Choose a margin that also covers failed prints, customer support, and business overhead.

A simple way to estimate cost per gram is: (spool price ÷ spool weight). At the calculator's euro default of €19.99 per kg, PLA and PETG cost about €0.02 per gram, or €0.022 with the 1.1 material efficiency factor (10% for waste). For real-world 3D print pricing, also include print time (machine cost), electricity, and labor; this calculator combines all of those into one final price.

Most slicers (like Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, Cura, OrcaSlicer) show an estimated filament weight (g) and filament length after slicing. Use the weight shown in your slicer for the most accurate 3D printing cost calculation.

Electricity cost is based on printer wattage, print time, and your electricity price per kWh: watts ÷ 1000 × print hours × price per kWh. A 150 W printer running for 3 hours at €0.20 per kWh uses €0.09 of electricity. Enter your power consumption (W) and kWh rate in Advanced Settings, and the calculator adds the energy cost to the machine cost automatically.

An FDM printer draws the most power while heating up and much less once the bed and nozzle hold temperature. The calculator assumes a 150 W average, or 0.15 kWh per print hour, which costs €0.03 at €0.20 per kWh. Resin printers default to 60 W. For your own machine, measure a full print with a plug-in power meter and enter the average in Advanced Settings.

Your printer hourly rate typically includes depreciation (printer cost spread over lifespan), maintenance, electricity, and a buffer for downtime. The calculator builds it from your printer price, lifespan, uptime, maintenance, power draw and electricity price, then multiplies by a 1.3 buffer; the euro defaults come to about €0.14 per hour. If you're not sure, start conservative and refine it as you track real maintenance and uptime. PRO users can save custom printers to keep hourly rates accurate per machine.

If you're selling prints, labor is key for realistic 3D print pricing and profit. Labor includes file prep, printer setup, removing supports, post-processing/finishing, and quality checks. Including labor helps you produce a more reliable 3D printing quote.

To lower your 3D print cost, test different slicer settings like infill density, layer height, wall count, and print orientation. Small changes can reduce print time and filament usage while keeping strength and quality. Use the calculator to compare scenarios and choose the best cost-to-quality balance.