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3D printing cost guides
Clear, worked explanations of what a 3D print really costs — and how to estimate, reduce and price it.
- How to calculate 3D printing costThe complete 3D printing cost formula — material, electricity, machine wear, labor and failed prints — with a worked example and the numbers to plug in for your printer.
- How to price 3D prints to sellHow to price 3D printed products and commissions: start from full cost, add labor and platform fees, choose a markup, and avoid the per-gram pricing trap.
- How much filament does a 3D print use?Why a model's volume is not its weight: how walls, infill, supports and density decide how many grams and meters of filament a 3D print uses, with real examples.
- How much electricity does a 3D printer use?Average power draw of FDM and resin 3D printers by type, how to calculate electricity cost per print and per hour, and what actually uses the power.
- STL files explainedWhat is inside an STL file: the binary and ASCII formats, why STL has no units, triangle resolution, watertight and manifold meshes, and how volume is calculated.
- How to open STL files on any deviceEvery way to open and view an STL file in 2026: a free browser viewer that works on any device, plus Windows, macOS, iPhone and iPad, Android and Linux options.
- PLA vs PETG vs ABS vs TPU vs resin: cost per printWhich 3D printing material is cheapest per part? Density, price per kg, meters per spool, print speed and hidden costs of PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, nylon, PC and resin.