3D Print Cost Calculator
What a Print Really Costs You
Filament price per kilogram is the number printed on the spool, but it's not the number that determines whether a print is profitable or worth the material. Machine time draws power for the whole duration of the job, not just while plastic is flowing, and any print that fails halfway still consumes filament and electricity. This calculator adds material, electricity, and incidental costs together and applies a markup on top, so the total reflects what the print actually consumed rather than just the spool price.
The Formula
Electricity Cost = (Printer Power / 1000) × Print Hours × Electricity Cost per kWh
Subtotal = Material Cost + Electricity Cost + Other Costs
Total Cost = Subtotal × (1 + Markup% / 100)
Other Costs covers anything outside filament and power — nozzle wear, adhesive, post-processing supplies — and Markup% is optional, used when pricing a print for sale rather than for personal cost tracking.
Where This Calculation Matters
- Pricing commission work — a maker selling printed parts needs a total cost figure before deciding on a sale price and margin.
- Comparing filament brands — a cheaper spool isn't necessarily cheaper per print once print time and failure rate are factored in.
- Budgeting a multi-part job — summing per-part costs across a batch print gives an accurate project total before committing filament.
- Deciding between materials — PLA is usually less expensive than specialty filaments, but longer print times on some materials can offset the savings.
Two Worked Examples
| Item | Small print (50g, 4h, 150W) | Large print (200g, 12h, 200W) |
|---|---|---|
| Material cost ($20/kg filament) | $1.00 | $4.00 |
| Energy used | 0.6 kWh | 2.4 kWh |
| Electricity cost ($0.15/kWh) | $0.09 | $0.36 |
| Subtotal | $1.09 | $4.36 |
Electricity is typically a small fraction of total cost on consumer printers — material dominates unless power draw or electricity rates are unusually high.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the filament weight used, in grams.
- Enter the filament price per kilogram.
- Enter the total print time in hours.
- Enter the printer's power draw in watts (check the printer's spec sheet or a wall meter reading).
- Enter your local electricity cost per kWh.
- Optionally add other costs (adhesives, wear items) and a markup percentage if pricing for sale.
- Select Calculate to get the total cost.
Related Calculations
Pair this with the Filament Weight Calculator to estimate grams used from a model's dimensions, or the Print Time Estimator if you don't yet have an exact print duration.