💰 Cost Calculators
Calculate total 3D printing costs including material, electricity, batch runs, and printer ROI.
All Cost Tools
True Cost of a 3D Print
The material cost visible in slicer software is only part of the total print cost. A comprehensive cost calculation includes: filament material cost, electricity cost (printer wattage × print hours × electricity rate), machine depreciation (printer purchase price ÷ expected lifetime hours), wear items (nozzle replacement, bed surface, lubricants), and operator time for design, slicing, print monitoring, and post-processing. For hobbyist use, material and electricity dominate. For commercial or professional use, machine depreciation and labour costs become significant.
Electricity Consumption of 3D Printers
A typical FDM desktop printer (Ender 3, Prusa MK4) consumes 150–300 W during active printing — primarily from the heated bed (80–150 W) and hotend heater (30–40 W). A 10-hour print at 200 W consumes 2 kWh, costing approximately $0.30 at $0.15/kWh. Resin printers (SLA/MSLA) typically consume less power (50–100 W) but require UV curing stations and isopropyl alcohol for washing. Industrial printers (Stratasys, Markforged) can consume 1–5 kW and require climate-controlled enclosures.
Comparing Filament Materials by Cost
PLA is the cheapest filament at $15–25 per kg for standard brands, with budget options available at $10–15/kg. PETG ranges from $20–30/kg. ABS is similar to PETG in price. Engineering-grade materials command significant premiums: nylon $30–60/kg, polycarbonate $40–80/kg, carbon-fibre-reinforced composites $80–200/kg. Resin for SLA printing costs $30–80/litre, but resin prints are typically much smaller with thinner walls, so cost per part can be competitive with FDM for small, high-detail parts.
Printer ROI for Hobbyists and Businesses
For hobbyists, the ROI calculation compares the printer cost against the value of objects printed versus buying equivalent items. A $300 printer that produces $20 worth of useful objects per month pays back in 15 months. For businesses offering print-on-demand services, the comparison is against outsourcing print costs to a service bureau. Professional FDM print services typically charge $3–15 per print-hour plus material cost. A printer running 1,000 hours per year at a service equivalent of $5/hour represents $5,000 in avoided outsourcing costs — easily justifying a $2,000 printer investment in the first year.