3D Printing Cost Calculator
Calculate your true 3D printing costs — materials, machine time, labour, and overheads. Upload an STL file or enter values manually. No account required.
Drop your files here
or click to browse · multiple files supported
STL files for volume estimates · G-code for slicer data
Job Details
Weight of the printed part in grams — auto-filled from your STL or G-code file
Estimated print time in minutes — auto-filled from G-code or estimated from STL volume
Number of copies to produce
Your profit margin applied on top of all production costs
Cost Breakdown
Recalculates instantly as you type
Total
$40.35 AUD
How the 3D printing cost calculator works
Guessing your margins is how print businesses lose money. This calculator builds a price from the five real costs of every print, so you quote with confidence instead of gut feel.
- Material
- Filament or resin used, priced per kilogram. Cost = (grams used ÷ 1000) × spool price. The calculator reads the weight straight from your STL or G-code file.
- Machine time
- Printer depreciation (purchase price ÷ expected lifetime hours), electricity (power draw × print time × your kWh rate), and consumables like nozzles and build plates.
- Labour
- Your time for setup, slicing, plate removal, and post-processing, charged at your hourly rate. Easy to forget and the most commonly under-priced cost.
- Overhead
- A share of fixed costs — rent, software, maintenance — spread across your expected jobs so every quote carries its weight.
- Markup
- Applied on top of production cost to cover failed prints, admin, and profit. Most print businesses run 50–150%. You set your own percentage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to 3D print?
Most FDM prints cost between $0.50 and $10 in materials, but the price you should charge also depends on print time, labour, machine wear, and your markup. Enter your figures above for an exact breakdown in AUD.
How do I calculate 3D printing filament cost?
Filament cost = (grams used ÷ 1000) × the spool price per kilogram. For example, 50 g of a $28/kg PLA costs $1.40. The calculator estimates the grams from your uploaded STL or reads them from a sliced G-code file.
What machine cost should I include per print?
Add printer depreciation (purchase price divided by its expected lifetime in hours), electricity (power draw × print time × your kWh rate), and consumables such as nozzles, belts, and build plates.
What markup should I charge for 3D prints?
Most print businesses apply a 50–150% markup on production cost to cover failed prints, overheads, and profit. The calculator lets you set your own percentage and see the effect instantly.
Is the Printforge cost calculator free?
Yes — it is completely free with no sign-up. Upload an STL file or enter values manually to get an instant cost breakdown in Australian dollars.