How to Price 3D Prints for Profit
A practical pricing framework for Etsy sellers, side hustles, and professional 3D printing services.
Reality check: If you only charge "filament cost + a bit", you are donating your time. Include labour, overhead, and profit.
The Complete 3D Printing Pricing Formula
Standard formula
Costs first. Profit on purpose.
Cost Components
Material Costs
Filament, supports, failed prints, waste
Labour Costs
Design time, setup, monitoring, post-processing
Overhead Costs
Electricity, printer depreciation, maintenance
Markup Ranges
Real-world pricing examples
Cost breakdown
- Material: £0.50 (25g PLA)
- Labour: £2.00 (30 min @ £4/hr)
- Overhead: £0.30 (electricity, depreciation)
- Total Cost: £2.80
Pricing options
- Etsy: £8.40 (300% markup)
- Professional: £11.20 (400% markup)
- Custom: £14.00 (500% markup)
Cost breakdown
- Material: £1.20 (60g PETG)
- Labour: £8.00 (2h @ £4/hr)
- Overhead: £0.60 (electricity, depreciation)
- Total Cost: £9.80
Pricing options
- Etsy: £29.40 (300% markup)
- Professional: £39.20 (400% markup)
- Custom: £49.00 (500% markup)
Market-specific pricing strategies
Recommended markup: 200-300% — competitive pricing with solid profit.
- Research competitor prices
- Factor platform fees (6.5%+)
- Include shipping
- Offer bundles/sets
Recommended markup: 300-500% — higher margins for specialized work.
- Charge for design/consultation
- Include rush/complexity fees
- Quote per project, not just per gram
- Guarantee quality, not speed
Quick pricing calculator
Common mistakes
Underpricing
It feels safe until you realise you are paying yourself nothing.
Ignoring hidden costs
Nozzles, failures, electricity, packaging, maintenance.
Not tracking labour
Post-processing and customer messages are labour. Charge for it.
One-size-fits-all pricing
Different products and clients justify different pricing.