Quick answer: Enter filament used, print time, spool price, power use, electricity price, hands-on time and labor rate, and this calculator gives the true cost per part, break-even price and a suggested selling price at your target margin. With the defaults, one 50 g part printed in 4 hours costs $5.51, with a suggested selling price of $7.87. It is free, with no signup, and you can also try the Epoxy Resin Calculator and Portable Power Station Runtime Calculator.
3D Printing Cost Calculator
Calculate the true production cost, break-even price, and a target-margin selling price for your 3D printed parts.
Enter your print details
Use slicer-reported material and print time when available. Expand advanced costs if you sell prints.
Print & material
Electricity
Labor & target price
Advanced costs & risk
How this works
The calculator estimates your production cost from the resources and time used to make the print. It then works backward from your target profit margin and selling fees to suggest a price.
For batch orders, the tool calculates per-part economics while multiplying per-part costs by the quantity entered. Machine depreciation is modeled as printer purchase price divided by expected lifetime in print hours.
Tips for pricing 3D printed products
How this calculator works
The calculator builds the price in two stages. First it adds up everything that goes into one part: filament, electricity, machine use, hands-on labor, a waste allowance, and packaging plus other costs. Machine use is printer depreciation, modeled as the printer purchase price divided by its expected lifetime in print hours. Then it works backward from your target profit margin and any marketplace or payment fees to suggest a selling price.
True cost = material + electricity + machine use + labor + waste allowance + packaging + other costs. Target-margin price = true cost divided by (1 - marketplace/payment fees - target margin). Note that a 30% margin is not the same as adding 30% to the cost: margin is measured on the selling price, so the division above is what keeps the margin at 30% after fees.
Worked example: the default setup
Use the defaults: 1 part, 50 g of filament, 4 hours of print time, a $20 spool of 1,000 g, 150 W printer power, electricity at $0.15 per kWh, 10 minutes of hands-on time at $20 per hour, a 30% target profit margin, and no selling fees.
- Material = 50 divided by 1,000 x $20 = $1.00.
- Electricity = 150 W x 4 hours = 0.60 kWh, then 0.60 x $0.15 = $0.09.
- Labor = 10 minutes is 1/6 hour, then 1/6 x $20 = $3.33.
- The tool also shows machine use $0.53, waste allowance $0.05, and packaging + other $0.50, giving a true cost of $5.51 per part.
- Suggested selling price = $5.51 divided by (1 - 0.30) = $7.87, with profit of $2.36 per part and a profit margin of 30.0%.
The break-even price is the same as the true cost, $5.51, because at that price the part covers its costs with no profit left over. For a batch, the tool keeps the same per-part economics while multiplying per-part costs by the quantity entered.
Quick reference: filament cost alone at $20 per 1,000 g spool
This table shows only the material part of the cost, so it is useful for comparing filament use. The full cost per part is higher, because electricity, machine use, labor, waste, and packaging are added on top.
| Filament per part | Material cost only |
|---|---|
| 25 g | $0.50 |
| 50 g | $1.00 |
| 100 g | $2.00 |
| 200 g | $4.00 |
Use your slicer's material and time figures when you can, and measure real power use if the rated wattage looks uncertain. The result is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed accounting result.
FAQ
How much does it cost to 3D print something?
A print's true cost can include material, electricity, printer depreciation, labor, waste, packaging, and selling fees. This calculator combines those inputs into an estimate.
How much should I charge for a 3D print?
Start with your true production cost, then account for selling fees and your target profit margin. Use the break-even price as your cost floor and the suggested price as your target-margin result.
Should I include electricity and labor when pricing 3D prints?
Yes, when you want a fuller production-cost estimate. Electricity, machine use, setup and finishing time can materially affect profitability, especially for products sold in small quantities.
Honest caveat
This is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed accounting result. Actual electricity consumption can differ from the printer's rated wattage; machine life varies; failure rates depend on printer, material and model; labor time differs by product; and marketplace/payment fees change by service and transaction.
For business decisions, use your actual slicer data, measured energy consumption and current fee schedule where available. The suggested selling price is a mathematical result from your assumptions—not a prediction of what customers will pay.