How to price 3D-printed parts for sale
Published on May 29, 2026
The single most asked question in 3D printing groups is: how much should I charge for a part? The short answer — "filament × 3" — is wrong, and it's probably why you're working for free without realizing it.
This guide walks through every component of the real cost and shows you how to land at a price that covers your expenses and still leaves a profit.
1. Filament cost
The obvious one. Take the part weight in grams (your slicer shows it) and multiply by the price-per-kg divided by 1000:
filament cost = weight (g) × (price per kg / 1000)
Example: a 50 g part in PLA at $22/kg = $1.10 in raw material.
Heads up: filament prices vary a lot by currency, brand and country. PETG and ABS are typically 20–30% more expensive than PLA. If you import filament, exchange-rate swings eat margin fast.
2. Electricity
The printer draws power for the whole print. The math:
energy cost = time (h) × power (kW) × cost per kWh
Most FDM printers average 100 W to 200 W during printing (don't confuse that with peak draw, which is higher). US residential kWh prices vary from $0.12 (Idaho, Louisiana) to $0.42 (Hawaii) — almost 4× across states. Use YOUR power bill, not a national average.
For a 6-hour print on an Ender 3 (150 W) in California ($0.34/kWh): 6 × 0.15 × 0.34 ≈ $0.31. Sounds tiny, but at 200 hours/month it's $20+ just for electricity.
3. Printer amortization
Your printer won't last forever. Every hour of use "consumes" a fraction of what you paid for it:
amortization = (printer cost / useful life in hours) × print time
Suggested life by model:
- Bambu Lab A1 / P1 ≈ 20,000–25,000 h
- Ender 3 ≈ 15,000 h
- Prusa MK4 / XL ≈ 25,000–30,000 h
Example: $750 Bambu A1 with 20,000 h life, 6 h print → (750 / 20000) × 6 = $0.23. Less than most people think, but it compounds at volume.
4. Failure rate (don't skip this)
Every production has waste: warping, detachment, jams, slice errors. Well-tuned pros sit at 2–5%. Hobbyists in real production sit at 8–15%.
Add a failure percentage on top of the subtotal (filament + energy + amortization). Without it, your real margin is smaller than it looks — you end up paying for material and time on parts that went in the trash.
5. Shop fixed costs
Rent, internet, maintenance, utilities. If you have a dedicated space, these exist even in months you print little. Divide the monthly total by the average parts you produce per month:
fixed cost per part = (monthly expenses / units per month)
If you don't sell yet or you're just a hobbyist, leave this at zero.
6. Accessories and packaging
Box, label, magnet, screw — anything extra shipped with the part. Don't forget tape, bubble wrap, and shipping if you charge it together. These add up fast at volume.
7. Markup: where you actually make money
Markup is the multiplier that turns your cost into a selling price. Common values for 3D printing:
- 2× to 2.5× — competitive, common in saturated marketplaces
- 3× to 4× — healthy, leaves room for promotions and returns
- 5×+ — unique products, scarcity or high added value (custom design, critical functional part)
A 3× markup on a $10 cost produces a $30 selling price, $20 of which is gross profit. Gross profit is not net profit — you still need to subtract taxes and platform fees.
8. Marketplace fees and taxes
If you sell on Etsy, eBay, Amazon Handmade or similar, the platform charges commission (10–20%) + free shipping (your cost) + sales tax if applicable. These come out of the SELLING price, not your cost.
Two ways to handle them:
- Include in the price (recommended for marketplaces): inflate the price so after the platform's cut you're left with your cost + markup. Reverse math:
price = subtotal / (1 - fee% - tax%). - Add on top (direct sale invoiced to the buyer): base price × (1 + fee% + tax%). The customer pays more.
Most of the time you want option 1. Otherwise your margin ends up smaller than planned.
Putting it all together
Total cost per part = filament + energy + amortization + (subtotal × failure%) + fixed/part + accessories
Selling price = (total cost × markup) / (1 - marketplace fee - tax)
Net profit = selling price - total cost - fees - taxes
Skip the spreadsheet
PrintCalc runs exactly this calculation. You enter weight, time, filament cost, pick your printer, set markup and fees, and it gives you the selling price + gross and net profit. There's a G-code upload that auto-fills weight and time, and the kWh cost can be estimated from your location. Free, no signup.