What to include in your 3D print cost

1. Filament

filament = grams ÷ 1,000 × price per kg

Use what you actually pay per spool, including shipping. 20 g at €22/kg = €0.44.

2. Printer wear

per hour = printer price ÷ (years of use × print hours per year)

A €599 printer used for 3 years at 1,800 hours a year costs about €0.11 per print hour. Fewer hours per year means a higher rate: at 600 hours a year the same printer costs €0.33/h. Add spare parts (nozzles, build plates) if you replace them often.

3. Electricity

electricity = print hours × printer power (kW) × price per kWh

A typical desktop printer averages about 0.1–0.2 kW while printing. 2 h × 0.15 kW × €0.30 = €0.09. Small, but it adds up on long prints.

4. Your time

your time = hours of hands-on work × hourly wage

Count the time you spend, not the time the printer runs: starting the job, removing the part, cleaning supports, packing. 15 minutes at €20/h is €5.00, more than ten times the filament in a 20 g part. If you don't pay yourself, your “profit” is really your wage.

5. Failed prints

cost after failures = cost ÷ (1 − failure rate)

If 1 in 10 prints fails, every good print has to pay for 1.1 prints. €5.75 ÷ 0.90 = €6.39.

Put it together

Add the five, then apply your margin (and marketplace fees, if any). The calculator below opens with printer wear and your time switched on so you can see each line.

Estimates only. Printer wear here is a pricing rule of thumb, not an accounting or tax depreciation schedule.