3D print cost calculator
What a print really costs (material, electricity, printer wear, failed prints and your time) and what to sell it for. Works for filament and resin, and for multi-plate projects.
To make the numbers more accurate
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Energy-monitoring smart plug
The watts in the list are the manufacturer's PLA averages. A plug with energy monitoring shows what your printer draws with your material, in your room.
See energy-monitoring plugs on AmazonBambu Lab PLA Basic
The official price of a 1 kg spool: a reference to compare what you pay per kilo.
See the price at the Bambu Lab store
How it is calculated
- Material = amount used × pack price ÷ pack contents.
- Electricity = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh.
- Depreciation and maintenance = hours × (printer price ÷ lifetime + maintenance per hour).
- Failed prints = (material + electricity + depreciation) × f ÷ (1 − f), where f is the failure rate (90% at most).
- Labor = minutes ÷ 60 × hourly rate.
- Cost per piece = (all of the above + extras) ÷ number of pieces.
- Price before tax = cost per piece × (1 + markup ÷ 100). Price with tax = price before tax × (1 + tax ÷ 100).
Where the starting values come from
- Printer power: each manufacturer's published PLA average:Bambu Lab Wiki, «Power consumption» and Prusa Knowledge Base, FAQ (MK series, at 26 °C). Checked on 2026-10-20.
- Price per kWh ($0.18): U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, table 5.3, residential sector, January–July 2026 (preliminary): 18.19 cents. Your utility bill has your own rate.
- Everything else is an example to replace with your own numbers: a $20 spool, a $400 printer, 5,000 hours of life, $0.05 per hour of maintenance, 10% failed prints, 15 minutes of labor at $20 an hour, a 50% markup and no sales tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to 3D print something?
With the example values (100 g of PLA and 4 hours on a Bambu Lab A1), the material costs $2.00 and the electricity $0.07. Adding printer wear and failed prints, the part costs $2.88 before your time, and $7.88 with 15 minutes of labor.
How much electricity does a 3D printer use?
Less than most people think. Bambu Lab measures a 95 W average for the A1 printing PLA, so 4 hours is 0.38 kWh: about $0.07 at $0.18 per kWh. ABS, PC or a cold room push it up.
How should I price a 3D print?
Start from the cost per piece, including your time, and add the markup you want. Add sales tax or VAT if you charge it. Marketplace fees (Etsy, for example) and shipping are not included: add them under “Extras”.
Where do I get the grams and the print time?
Your slicer shows both when you slice each plate (Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer or Cura; Chitubox or Lychee for resin). For a multi-plate project, add one row per plate.
Why is there a failed-print percentage?
Because failed prints also burn material, electricity and machine hours. With a 10% failure rate, every good print carries 1/9 of the cost of a failed one. If your prints almost never fail, set it to 0.
Is what I type stored anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and sends nothing. The values live in the page address, so you can share the calculation or bookmark it.