3D print cost comparisons
Price per kilogram can mislead, because a lighter filament makes more parts per spool. These comparisons put materials on a cost-per-volume basis and printers on a cost-per-hour basis.
Materials
Printers
Cost per 100 cm³, cheapest first
| ABS | $2.08 |
| PLA | $2.48 |
| PETG | $2.79 |
| PLA+ / tough PLA | $2.81 |
| Silk PLA | $3.00 |
| ASA | $3.00 |
| Standard resin | $3.00 |
| Wood-fill PLA | $3.22 |
| ABS-like resin | $3.50 |
| Water-washable resin | $3.50 |
| TPU (flexible) | $4.24 |
| Carbon-fiber PLA | $5.12 |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | $6.00 |
| Nylon (PA) | $6.21 |
| Carbon-fiber nylon | $9.36 |
Mid-range retail prices and data-sheet densities, for a solid part. Infill lowers the real figure for all of them.
Know your cost. Now check the demand.
MeshNomics helps makers research what to make and sell. Compare model interest and marketplace signals, review commercial-use permissions and evaluate production costs before committing printer time and money.
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