3D Printing Cost Calculator: Filament, Labour and Quote
Estimate filament-print costs using material, power, machine time, failed attempts, labour and overhead. Calculate per-part price and distinguish markup from margin.
Your inputs
Your result
Enter your values, then choose Calculate.
Estimate based on your inputs. Fees, taxes and market changes are included only where explicitly entered.
Calculation breakdown
Method, assumptions and worked example
Material per attempt = filament grams ÷ 1,000 × price per kg. Electricity = watts ÷ 1,000 × print hours × price per kWh. Machine cost = hours × entered hourly machine cost.
Failed prints and batch costs
Expected attempts = 1 ÷ (1 − failure probability). The model assumes independent attempts and a failed attempt consumes a full batch of material, machine time and electricity. Multiply those per-attempt costs by expected attempts, then add total labour, overhead and packaging for the finished batch. Include rework labour in your labour estimate; it is not multiplied automatically.
Worked example
100 g of 20/kg filament costs 2. A 5-hour print at an average 100 W and 0.20/kWh costs 0.10 in electricity. At 0.50/hour, machine cost is 2.50. With 10% failure probability, expected print cost is 4.60 ÷ 0.90 = 5.1111. Add 7.50 labour, 1 overhead and 1 packaging: batch cost is 14.6111. For two units and 50% markup, suggested price is 10.9583 per unit, displayed as 10.96.
Markup is not margin
A 50% markup divides profit by cost; it yields a 33.33% gross margin when profit is divided by selling price. Sales tax, platform fees, shipping and profit taxes are excluded. This filament model is not a resin, SLS or industrial-service quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use the power-supply rating as average watts?
Use measured average draw if available. A maximum nameplate rating may overstate typical energy use.
Does machine cost include electricity?
Enter machine depreciation, maintenance and similar costs excluding electricity, which is calculated separately, to avoid double-counting.
Sources and review
Formula and content reviewed on 9 October 2026. Examples are hypothetical. Tax years and model limits are stated above; this page does not receive live rates.