How do I include failed prints?

Set wastage to reflect your real failure rate on this design. A 10% wastage means you assume 1 in 10 prints of this item cannot be sold.

Should machine time be in labour hours?

No. Use labour hours only for time you actively spend. Machine time is better handled by loading a small amount into other business cost per item, covering electricity and printer wear.

Can I sell 3D prints wholesale?

Sometimes. Prints with long machine time and heavy post-processing rarely support a 50% wholesale discount. The calculator will tell you if the numbers work.

3D print pricing calculator

A calculator tuned for 3D-printing sellers. Filament is cheap; failed prints, machine time and post-processing are not. Include them honestly and the calculator returns a retail price that survives a bad print week.

Step 1 of 4Product

Product

Product type

Product name

Country

Currency

Costs makers often forget

Filament or resin by weight for the print
Supports and rafts that end up in the bin
Failed prints across a realistic failure rate
Machine-running cost or amortised printer wear
Electricity for long prints
Post-processing: sanding, curing, painting, assembly
Packaging suited to fragile parts

A simple worked example

A printed articulated figure

If a figure uses 40 g of filament (roughly 1) and takes 6 hours of print time plus 30 minutes of post-processing labour, and about 1 in 10 prints fails, you should price for the failed print as well as the sold one. The calculator does this via the wastage field.

Illustrative only. Your numbers will differ.

Frequently asked questions

Marketplace fees change and may differ by account, country, advertising use and tax treatment. Confirm the fees that apply to you.