Free tools
3D print pricing calculator.
Price a print from its true cost — material, machine time, and labor — then add the profit you want and see your real margin. Pre-tax.
Before tax. This is your pre-tax price — cost plus the profit you choose. Add GST / VAT / sales tax, marketplace fees, and shipping on top.
Suggested price
$30.35
How it works
Price from true cost, not a guess.
A defensible price starts from what the print actually costs you to make, then adds the profit you want on top. The three cost inputs are material, machine time, and your labor:
cost = material + (machine hrs × machine rate) + (labor hrs × labor rate)
price = cost + profit · margin = profit ÷ price
Worked example. Material $1.35, 6 h machine at $1.50/h ($9.00), 0.5 h labor at $20/h ($10.00) → total cost $20.35. Add $10.00 profit → price $30.35, a 33.0% margin — matching the calculator. (You can also set profit as a percentage of cost instead of a flat amount.)
Profit vs. margin. They aren’t the same number. $10.00 profit on $20.35 of cost is a 33.0% margin, because margin is measured against the final price, not the cost.
Before tax. The suggested price is your pre-tax price. Add GST, VAT, or sales tax, plus any marketplace fees and shipping, on top of it.
What to include
What goes into a 3D printing price.
The sellers who quietly lose money are the ones who price on filament alone. A price that keeps your shop alive covers four things:
- 1. Material. Filament (or resin) for the print, including failed-print and purge waste. Get this number precise with the filament cost calculator, then paste it into the material field above.
- 2. Machine time. Power, wear, maintenance, and depreciation for every hour the printer runs — not free, even on a printer you already own.
- 3. Labor. Slicing, bed prep, part removal, support cleanup, finishing, and packing. Your time has a rate even when the printer does the “work”.
- 4. Profit. A flat amount or a percentage on top of cost — the reason you’re running a shop and not a charity.
How much does it cost to 3D print?
There’s no single answer — it depends on size, material, print time, and your rates — which is exactly why a calculator beats a rule of thumb. A small $1.35-of-filament print can still be worth several times that once machine time, labor, and profit are in. The worked example above turns $20.35 of true cost into a $30.35 price at a 33.0% margin.
For the full method — including where most 3D-printing businesses underprice and how to set rates — read our guide on how to price 3D prints. Quoting a customer? Pair your price with a realistic delivery date from the print-time to ship-date calculator.
FAQ
Good to know.
How should I price a 3D print?
Start from true cost: material + machine time + labor. Then decide the profit you want on top — either a flat amount per print or a percentage of cost. Price = cost + profit. Your margin is profit ÷ price. All figures are before any taxes (GST/VAT/sales tax), fees, or shipping.
Why do so many sellers underprice?
They price on filament alone and forget machine time, failed prints, and their own labor. Once those are in, a print that “felt” like a few dollars often costs far more — and a healthy profit on top is what keeps the shop alive.
Does this price include tax?
No. The suggested price is your pre-tax price — cost plus the profit you choose. Add GST, VAT, sales tax, marketplace fees, and shipping on top according to where and how you sell.
How much should I charge to 3D print something?
Work it out from cost, don’t guess. Add up material, machine time, and labor to get your true cost, then add the profit you want on top. A small keychain might cost under a dollar to make but still sell for several; a large multi-hour print can cost far more than the filament alone suggests. This calculator gives you a defensible number for any print.
What is a good profit margin for 3D printing?
Many print shops aim for a 30–60% margin on made-to-order prints, higher for custom or design work and lower for bulk runs. Remember margin is measured against the price, not the cost — this calculator shows both the profit amount and the resulting margin so you can dial it in.
How do I give a customer a quote for a 3D print?
A quote is your calculated price plus any tax, shipping, and marketplace fees, with a realistic delivery date. Use this calculator for the price, then our ship-date calculator to promise a date you can actually hit.
What machine rate should I use?
Your machine rate (per hour) should cover electricity, wear and maintenance, and depreciation spread over the machine’s useful life. Many hobby-to-small-shop setups land somewhere around a dollar or two per hour; dial it to your own power prices and printer cost.
Does this work as a resin print cost calculator?
Yes. Enter your resin material cost in place of filament and keep the machine-time and labor inputs — the pricing math is identical for FDM and resin prints.
Stop doing this by hand
SpoolDeck computes margin on every order.
SpoolDeck is 3D print shop management software that prices every order for you. Set your machine and labor rates once, and it computes true cost and margin on every order automatically — no re-entering numbers per job.
Free plan · 2 printers · 25 orders/mo · No card