Filacoste

How much to charge for a 3D printed part

The real cost, your labour and whatever markup you choose. With the quote ready to copy and send to the client.

This calculator needs JavaScript. Turn it on and it works instantly; the rest of the page — how the cost is worked out, the price table and the FAQ — reads fine without it.

Material

Your slicer tells you after slicing.

$

A ballpark price for the material you picked. Swap it for what you actually paid.

g
g/cm³

Filled in from the material. You can change it.

mm

Print time
h

You can paste 5:30 or 5h 30m.

min
Electricity

Picking one fills in its average power draw.

W

A ballpark average — adjust it if you measure yours with a plug power meter.

$
Machine and failures
$
h
$

Optional: nozzles, belts, build plate… the estimated total for the machine's whole life, not for one year.

%

What ends up in the bin. 10% is an honest starting point.

Labour and markup
min
$
%

This is a markup on cost, not your margin on the selling price.

pcs

How it works

  • 1. Work out the costPlastic, power, machine and failures: what you pay no matter what.
  • 2. Charge for your timeThe minutes of prep, support removal and sanding, at your rate.
  • 3. Send the quoteCopy the breakdown and send it over WhatsApp or email.

Pricing a 3D printed part without losing money

A price that holds up has three layers, and they have to be built in this order: real cost → labour → markup. Skipping any of the three is the most common way of working for free without noticing.

1. The real cost, not the plastic cost

Plastic is usually the smallest line. On top of material you have the electricity for those hours, the proportional share of what the printer cost, and a failure percentage, because the prints that go wrong come out of your pocket. On a normal 60 g part that takes five and a half hours, the plastic is $1.20 and the full production cost is around $2.10: nearly double.

2. Your time is charged separately

Preparing the file, slicing, loading and unloading the part, pulling supports, sanding, painting, packing and answering messages. None of that is printing: it is counted separately and multiplied by your hourly rate. If you work for yourself, that rate isn't the salary you'd like to earn — it has to cover the dead time too. The usual reference for a small workshop sits between $12 and $25 an hour.

3. The markup, and which margin is real

A 50% markup on cost is not a 50% margin. If the part costs $5.11 and you sell it at $7.66, you make $2.55, which on the selling price is 33%. To get a real 50% margin you'd have to apply a 100% markup. The calculator shows both figures at once so you don't muddle them while negotiating.

Markup ranges you'll see in the trade

  • One-off simple part: 40-60% on cost.
  • Part you designed or adapted: 80-150%, because you are selling the modelling, not just the printing.
  • Runs of 20 units or more: 20-40%, with the setup time spread across all of them.
  • Rush jobs and prototypes for businesses: above 100%, because what you are selling is speed and risk.

Mistakes that cost real money

  • Charging by grams. Two 50 g parts can take 2 hours or 9, and 5 minutes or an hour of post-processing.
  • Not charging for design. If you modelled the part, those hours go in the quote or in the price, but they go in.
  • Forgetting shipping and packaging. A box, padding and a trip to the post office are money and time.
  • No validity date. Filament and electricity prices move; the text this tool copies already carries the «indicative quote» line.

If all you want is the cost, without the commercial side, use the 3D printing cost calculator. And for reference prices on specific parts, the how much does 3D printing cost table.

Frequently asked questions

How much do people charge for a 3D printed part?

With ten minutes of handling and a 50% markup you get these prices: a 5 gram keyring, $3.23; a 25 gram phone stand, $4.13; a 180 gram large planter, $10.63.

If the part needs sanding, painting or assembly, those extra minutes push the price well above those figures: hand work weighs more than plastic.

How much should I charge per hour of 3D printing?

There are two different hours and it pays not to mix them: machine hours, which are a cost (depreciation plus power, around $0.10 an hour on a $300 desktop printer), and your working hour, which is what you charge for handling the part.

A small workshop usually puts its working hour between $12 and $25.

Should I charge for the design separately?

Yes, whenever you did it. Modelling a bespoke part is skilled work that has nothing to do with printing it.

The usual approach is to quote the design as a separate line, by the hour or as a fixed fee, and then charge each printed copy at part price.

What markup should I apply?

Between 40% and 100% on cost for one-off jobs, and less on long runs.

Remember that a 50% markup on cost equals a 33% margin on the selling price: they are different things.

How do I justify the price to a client who thinks it's expensive?

By showing them the breakdown. When someone sees that the plastic is only one part, and that there is machine, electricity, failures and working hours, the conversation changes.

The «Copy quote» button produces exactly that breakdown as plain text, ready to paste into an email or WhatsApp.

Do I have to add sales tax or VAT?

This tool calculates prices before tax: whatever comes out is your base price.

If you invoice as a business, add whatever tax applies in your country afterwards. We are not tax advisers.

What if the print fails and I have to run it again?

That is what the failed prints percentage is for: it spreads that risk across every part instead of hitting you when it happens.

With tricky parts, demanding materials or geometries full of supports, raising it from 10% to 20% is prudent.

More tools and guides

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