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Start with your slicer
Enter the material weight and time from your slicer—not an unsupported estimate inferred from STL geometry.
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3D Print Cost Calculator
Know the cost. Price with confidence.
3D Print Cost Calculator — find out what each FDM print really costs in filament, electricity, machine wear and labor. Then set a selling price using your target margin and order fees.
✓ Transparent cost formulas✓ Order-level fee allocation✓ CSV, Excel and printable estimates
CALCULATION WORKSPACE
Example values shown — replace with yoursQuote different parts in one customer order Manual multi-model pricing
Enter the cost per successful item for each distinct part (from separate runs of the calculator above). This tool combines costs, quantity and the current order fees, shipping and margin. It computes a whole-cent order subtotal, not separate unit selling prices for each different part.
Enter at least one part to calculate an order total.
Manual item costs are not slicer estimates. Existing Excel export covers one repeated part type; use the separate mixed-order CSV for unlike parts. Checkout and profit exclude taxes and any costs you have not entered.
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See every cost component
Material, electricity, machine hours, preparation, finishing and full-plate failures are included separately.
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Quote a real order
Set quantity, one fixed order fee, percentage fees, shipping charges and a target pre-income-tax profit margin.
TRANSPARENT METHOD
How 3D printing cost is calculated
This calculator assumes that each print attempt uses the entered material, time and preparation labor. It allocates the expected failed attempts across successful items, then calculates the selling price using the order's actual fee structure.
Material per plate = grams used × (spool price ÷ spool grams)
Electricity per plate = print hours × (average watts ÷ 1,000) × $/kWh
Machine wear per plate = print hours × (printer cost ÷ lifetime hours)
Maintenance reserve per plate = print hours × maintenance cost per hour
Expected successful plate cost = attempt cost ÷ (1 − whole-plate failure rate)
Cost per item = expected plate cost ÷ items per plate + finishing cost
Required order gross = (order costs + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − % fees − target margin)
Electricity per plate = print hours × (average watts ÷ 1,000) × $/kWh
Machine wear per plate = print hours × (printer cost ÷ lifetime hours)
Maintenance reserve per plate = print hours × maintenance cost per hour
Expected successful plate cost = attempt cost ÷ (1 − whole-plate failure rate)
Cost per item = expected plate cost ÷ items per plate + finishing cost
Required order gross = (order costs + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − % fees − target margin)
The quote is an estimate based on your inputs. It does not automatically include modeling/design time, repairs, rent, customer refunds, income tax, local sales tax or real-time carrier fees. Set appropriate values or account for these separately. Read the full assumptions, formula definitions and source code.
Example: what does one FDM print cost?
A reproducible example using user-editable assumptions—not an industry price benchmark.
| Component | Example amount |
|---|---|
| 100 g filament from a $25 / 1,000 g spool | $2.50 |
| 8 hours at 120 W and $0.18 / kWh | $0.1728 |
| 8 machine hours from a $400 / 4,000 h printer | $0.80 |
| 10 minutes of labor at $15 / hour | $2.50 |
| Per-attempt plate cost | $5.9728 |
| One item per plate; 5% whole-plate failure; $0.50 finishing | $6.7872 / successful item |
| 30% target margin; 8% fees + $0.30 fixed fee | $11.43 suggested price |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to 3D print 100 grams of filament?
Material alone costs $2.50 when a 1,000 g spool costs $25. The finished item also uses electricity, machine capacity and often labor. Enter your slicer time and costs above for a complete estimate.
Is 3D printing cost the same as the selling price?
No. Production cost is what you spend; selling price may also include shipping, platform fees, profit and other business overhead. The pricing mode computes a suggested item price based on the specific order expenses entered.
Does a failed print always cost a full attempt?
No. This estimator intentionally treats a failure as an entire lost attempt, a conservative simplification. An early failed print often consumes less material and time. Adjust the probability or costs to match your process.
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Margin divides profit by revenue; markup divides profit by cost. A 30% margin is not a 30% markup. The result shows margin after included transaction fees and expenses, before income tax.
Can I use a G-code, 3MF or STL file instead of entering grams?
Not in this version. Enter accurate grams and time from your slicer. STL geometry alone does not specify infill, supports, printer speed or actual power, so claiming an exact cost from STL would be misleading.
Take the next step
Work through the actual numbers, or learn how to quote customers without confusing costs, markups and margins.
Filament cost per gram and per item
For a dedicated material-only calculation use our filament cost calculator. You can also switch to Filament mode and enter the actual spool price, spool weight and slicer-estimated grams. For instance, $25 ÷ 1,000 g = $0.025 per gram; a 60 g print uses $1.50 of material before power and machine costs.
For the printer running cost alone, without material or sales margin, open the hourly 3D printing cost calculator.
PrintCost Studio — Quote estimate
Calculated from user-supplied assumptions; not an invoice or tax document.
Actual material usage, failed print rate, operating overhead and platform fees may differ.