How much does 3D printing cost: 20 parts with real numbers
A table of real parts, their grams, their hours and what each one costs. With a link to recalculate any of them with your own numbers.
The short answer: 3D printing at home costs around 3 cents a gram once you count plastic, power, machine and failures, and don't count your own time. The long answer is this table, because weight isn't everything: two 60 gram parts can take 4 hours or 9, and hours cost money.
| Part | Weight | Time | Cost | Selling price | In the calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom keyring | 5 g | 24 min | $0.15 | $3.23 | run this example → |
| Bookmark | 6 g | 30 min | $0.18 | $3.27 | run this example → |
| Tabletop miniature (32 mm) | 8 g | 1 h 30 min | $0.33 | $3.49 | run this example → |
| Drone wheel or propeller | 10 g | 1 h | $0.32 | $3.48 | run this example → |
| Cookie cutter | 12 g | 48 min | $0.35 | $3.52 | run this example → |
| Replacement gear | 15 g | 1 h 12 min | $0.45 | $3.68 | run this example → |
| Phone stand | 25 g | 2 h | $0.75 | $4.13 | run this example → |
| Electronics enclosure | 40 g | 3 h | $1.19 | $4.78 | run this example → |
| Pen holder | 45 g | 3 h 30 min | $1.35 | $5.02 | run this example → |
| Articulated figure (dragon) | 55 g | 5 h | $1.72 | $5.58 | run this example → |
| Small planter (8 cm) | 60 g | 4 h | $1.73 | $5.59 | run this example → |
| Headphone stand | 70 g | 5 h | $2.05 | $6.08 | run this example → |
| Controller stand | 80 g | 6 h | $2.37 | $6.56 | run this example → |
| Drawer organiser | 90 g | 6 h 30 min | $2.64 | $6.97 | run this example → |
| Vase-mode vase (20 cm) | 95 g | 6 h | $2.70 | $7.06 | run this example → |
| Box with lid (10 cm) | 110 g | 8 h | $3.24 | $7.86 | run this example → |
| Lithophane lamp | 130 g | 9 h | $3.78 | $8.67 | run this example → |
| Large planter (15 cm) | 180 g | 11 h | $5.09 | $10.63 | run this example → |
| Cosplay mask | 320 g | 22 h | $9.29 | $16.94 | run this example → |
| Full cosplay helmet | 900 g | 60 h | $25.94 | $41.91 | run this example → |
What that cost includes and what it doesn't
The «cost» column is what it takes to produce the part: the plastic, the electricity for those hours, the share of the printer that wore out and 10% failed prints. It does not include your time. The «selling price» column does: it adds 10 minutes of handling at $12/h and a 50% markup, which is what a small workshop would charge on a one-off job.
If your electricity tariff, your filament or your printer are different — and they will be — click «run this example» on any row: the 3D printing cost calculator opens with those values already loaded and you only have to change yours.
Why cost per gram isn't constant
Look at the keyring and the tabletop miniature: 5 and 8 grams, but the miniature takes nearly four times as long because it prints in fine layers. The plastic is nearly the same and the cost is not. On small, detailed parts time rules; on big solid parts material rules. That is why charging by grams is an expensive mistake: on the miniature you lose money and on the planter you overcharge the client.
The three costs almost nobody adds up
- Power. Small per part, but constant. The detail is in how much electricity a 3D printer uses.
- The machine. A $300 printer that lasts 4,000 hours costs 7.5 cents for every hour it spends printing.
- Failures. 10% of prints lost makes everything else 10% more expensive.
How much other materials change the cost
The table is worked out with PLA at $20/kg. With PETG at $24/kg the material goes up 20%; with nylon or carbon-filled filaments, two to three times. Since material is only part of the cost, the effect on the total is smaller than it looks: on the 60 gram part, moving from PLA to PETG puts the cost up about 24 cents, not double. The price per kilo of every material is in filament density and price.
And if I want to sell them
Then you have to add your real time — not a token ten minutes — and pick a markup with some thought. That sum, with the quote ready to send to a client, is in how much to charge for 3D prints.
Want the exact number for your own case? 3D printing cost calculator does the full sum with your filament, your electricity tariff and your printer, and leaves the quote ready to copy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to 3D print a small part?
A 5 gram keyring that takes 25 minutes costs about 15 cents to produce: plastic, power, machine and failures included.
Sold, with ten minutes of work and a 50% markup, it comes to about $3.23.
How much does it cost to print a whole kilo of filament?
A kilo of PLA costs between $15 and $25, but printing all of it adds power and machine wear.
A kilo of PLA is about 80 hours of printing, which at 120 W and $0.15/kWh is $1.44 of electricity, plus about $6 of depreciation on a $300 printer.
Is 3D printing cheaper than buying the part?
For small, spare or personalised parts, nearly always: production cost rarely goes past a few dollars.
For mass-produced objects, like an ordinary plastic box, buying is usually cheaper: the advantage of printing is in what the shop doesn't sell.
How much does it cost to print a cosplay helmet?
About 900 grams and around 60 hours of printing, which in PLA comes to roughly $26 of production cost, and about $42 as a selling price with ten minutes of work and a 50% markup.
The bulk of the work comes afterwards: sanding, priming and painting a helmet is several hours that have to be charged separately.
Do these prices include tax?
No. They are base prices, before tax.
If you sell as a business, add whatever tax applies in your country.
More tools and guides
- 3D printing cost calculatorWork out the real cost and selling price of a 3D printed part: material, power, machine and markup. Free, no sign-up.
- How much electricity does a 3D printer useWork out your 3D printer's electricity use and what it costs per month on your own tariff. Free and instant.
- Filament grams to metres converterConvert grams of filament to metres by material and diameter (1.75 / 2.85 mm). Instant calculation, no sign-up.
- How much to charge for a 3D printed partPrice your 3D printed parts properly: real cost + labour + markup. Free, no sign-up, with a quote ready to send.
- How long does a 1 kg filament spool lastHow many metres and how many parts you get from a 1 kg spool, by material and diameter.
- Density and price of 3D printing filamentsDensity (g/cm³) and price per kilo for the most used 3D printing filaments, with metres per kilo.