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3D Printing Filaments
Filament showdown

PLA vs TPU: which filament should you use?

Per-kg price, temperatures, food contact and a worked cost example for the same part printed in PLA and TPU. Plus a verdict on the five dimensions that matter when picking between them.

Specs side by side

PLA

Typical price
~$22.00/kg
Print temperature
190–220 °C
Bed temperature
50–60 °C
Enclosed chamber
Optional
Food-safe
With certified hotend
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆

TPU

Typical price
~$30.00/kg
Print temperature
220–240 °C
Bed temperature
40–60 °C
Enclosed chamber
Optional
Food-safe
No
Difficulty
★★★☆☆

Same part, different filament

50 g part, 6 h print time on a Bambu Lab A1 (the reference printer at 130 W) with 8% failure rate. Only the filament price changes between columns.

PLA

  • Filament$1.10
  • Energy$0.14
  • Unit Cost$1.50
  • Final Consumer Price$6.53

TPU

  • Filament$1.50
  • Energy$0.14
  • Unit Cost$1.93
  • Final Consumer Price$8.41

Verdict by dimension

  • Cheaper per kg

    PLA

    PLA averages $22.00/kg vs $30.00 for TPU — every gram you print costs less.

  • Easier to print

    PLA

    PLA is rated 1/5 difficulty vs 3/5 for TPU — fewer failed prints while you tune.

  • Lower print temperature

    PLA

    PLA prints at 190–220 °C vs 220–240 °C for TPU — less wear on the hotend and easier on basic printers.

  • Open-frame friendly

    Tie

    Both filaments land within the noise threshold for this dimension.

  • Food contact

    PLA

    PLA is rated With certified hotend for food contact, while TPU is rated No.

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