How to Price 3D Prints: A Simple Formula That Covers Your Costs
Why “filament × 3” undercharges, how to price from your full cost and a target margin, and worked examples for a small part and a long print.
By CalciTools · Published · 7 min read
Every number on this page is calculated with the same formulas as our calculators. How we build and check them
Price a 3D print from its full cost — filament, machine time, your hands-on time and an allowance for failures — then divide by (1 − your target margin). For a 50% margin, that means charging twice your cost. A 25 g part that takes an hour and a half works out to about $9.98; a 14-hour print using 90 g comes to about $26.58.
Why “filament × 3” undercharges
Tripling the material cost is a popular rule of thumb, but it ignores time. By that rule, the small part would sell for $1.50 and the 14-hour print for $5.40 — less than the long print’s full cost of $13.29. The printer was busy for 14 hours and you still spent time on it; the plastic was the cheap part.
The formula
- Filament: grams ÷ 1,000 × price per kg.
- Machine time: hours × your cost per printer-hour (power, wear and maintenance — often well under $1).
- Your time: minutes of slicing, removal, cleanup and packing ÷ 60 × your hourly rate.
- Failures: add (filament + machine) × f ÷ (1 − f), where f is your failure rate.
- Price = total cost ÷ (1 − margin).
Worked examples
| Small part | Long print | |
|---|---|---|
| Filament | $0.50 | $1.80 |
| Machine time ($0.40/h) | $0.60 | $5.60 |
| Failure allowance (5%) | $0.06 | $0.39 |
| Your time ($20/h) | $3.33 | $5.00 |
| Packaging and extras | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Total cost | $4.99 | $13.29 |
| Price at 50% margin | $9.98 | $26.58 |
Assumptions: PLA at $20/kg, $0.40 per machine hour, 5% failures, $0.50 packaging, $20/hour labor.
Margin is not markup
Margin is profit as a share of the price; markup is profit as a share of cost. A 50% margin is a 100% markup. Mixing them up is the most common way to underprice by accident.
Then check the marketplace fees
If you sell on Etsy, fees come out of the price. Run the result through the Etsy profit calculator, or read Etsy fees for 3D printed items. For multi-part orders, the print farm quote calculator adds setup fees and lead time.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good profit margin for 3D prints?
There is no single right number. Many sellers aim for a margin that leaves real profit after their time is paid — the calculator shows prices from 30% to 70% margin so you can compare them with what similar items sell for.
Should I charge per gram?
Per-gram pricing is simple but ignores print time and your labor. It works for quick, similar parts; for anything long or fiddly, price from the full cost.
How do I price custom design work?
Charge for design time separately at an hourly rate. The print price should cover making the object, not creating the model.
Estimates for planning. Results depend on the numbers you enter — use the gram, hour and ml figures from your slicer, and your real material and power prices. Material densities are typical values; check your spool or bottle datasheet for exact figures.