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Cost GuideUpdated April 2026

3D Printing Cost in 2026: What It Really Costs (Full Breakdown)

The real cost of 3D printing is 3–4× higher than filament alone. This guide breaks down every cost layer — material, electricity, machine depreciation, consumables, and failed prints — with real numbers for UK, US, and EU. Use our free cost calculator to get exact figures for your setup.

Quick Answer: What Does 3D Printing Cost?

Small print (50 g, 4 hrs): £2–6 total all-in cost

Medium print (150 g, 10 hrs): £6–16 total

Large print (500 g, 30 hrs): £18–45 total

Filament cost only: ~25–35% of real total cost

Cheapest FDM filament: £0.012–0.018/gram (Sunlu, Overture)

Electricity per hour: £0.06–0.12 (UK 2026 rates)

All figures assume a desktop FDM printer (Bambu, Prusa, Creality). Resin printing costs more per gram but uses less material per print.

The 5 Cost Layers of 3D Printing

Most people only count filament. Here are all five cost layers that make up the real cost of every print:

Material (Filament or Resin)

The most visible cost. PLA costs £12–30/kg depending on brand, which works out to £0.012–0.030 per gram. A 100 g print uses about £1.20–3.00 in filament. Resin is more expensive: £25–60/litre.

Electricity

A Bambu Lab A1 Mini draws ~180 W. At UK average electricity prices (28p/kWh in 2026) that's £0.050/hr. A 10-hour print adds £0.50 in electricity. Larger printers cost more — Bambu X1C runs at 400 W (£0.112/hr).

Machine Depreciation

Your printer wears out. A £500 printer expected to last 3,000 hours costs £0.167 per hour in depreciation — more than electricity. This is the most commonly forgotten cost.

Consumables

Print beds, nozzles, lubricant, isopropyl alcohol, glue stick, build plate adhesive. Budget £5–15/month depending on print volume. Roughly £0.02–0.05 per print hour.

Failed Prints & Waste

Even experienced users see 5–15% print failure rates. Factor this into your cost — a £3 failed print that used 80 g of filament still cost you the material and electricity.

3D Printing Cost by Print Size (2026)

Real all-in cost examples using PLA filament, Bambu A1 Mini, UK electricity rates (28p/kWh), and 15% failure allowance:

Print Size	Filament	Electricity	Depreciation	Consumables	Total Cost
Small (50 g, 4 hrs)	£0.90	£0.20	£0.67	£0.16	£1.93
Medium (100 g, 8 hrs)	£1.80	£0.40	£1.34	£0.32	£3.86
Medium-large (200 g, 14 hrs)	£3.60	£0.71	£2.34	£0.56	£7.21
Large (350 g, 22 hrs)	£6.30	£1.11	£3.67	£0.88	£11.96
Overnight (500 g, 30 hrs)	£9.00	£1.51	£5.01	£1.20	£16.72

Filament at £0.018/g (Polymaker PLA). Depreciation based on £500 printer, 3,000-hour lifespan. Consumables at £0.04/hr.

3D Printing Cost by Country (2026)

Electricity prices vary significantly by country, which changes total print cost:

Country	Rate/kWh (2026)	Cost/hr (A1 Mini)	10-hr print elec. cost
🇬🇧 UK	28p	£0.050	£0.50
🇺🇸 USA	$0.16	$0.029	$0.29
🇩🇪 Germany	€0.34	€0.061	€0.61
🇦🇺 Australia	A$0.28	A$0.050	A$0.50
🇨🇦 Canada	C$0.14	C$0.025	C$0.25

Resin vs FDM: Which Costs More?

FDM (Filament) Printing

✅ PLA: £12–30/kg (£0.012–0.030/g)
✅ PETG: £16–35/kg
✅ ABS/ASA: £18–40/kg
✅ Low electricity use (100–400 W)
✅ Cheap to run long prints
⚠️ Less detail than resin

Resin (MSLA/SLA) Printing

⚠️ Standard resin: £25–50/litre
⚠️ ABS-like resin: £35–80/litre
⚠️ Higher electricity (50–250 W UV + wash)
⚠️ IPA wash solvent costs (~£10/month)
✅ Exceptional surface detail
✅ Small prints use very little material

For small, detailed prints (miniatures, jewellery moulds, dental models) resin often costs less per print due to small volumes. For large functional parts, FDM is cheaper.

Calculate Your Exact 3D Printing Cost

Enter your filament weight, print time, material price, and electricity rate to get a precise cost breakdown including depreciation and platform fees.

Use the Free Calculator →

How to Reduce Your 3D Printing Costs

💡 Buy filament in bulk

Buying 3–5 kg rolls instead of single kg reduces cost by 15–25%. Sunlu, Overture, and eSUN all offer bulk pricing.

💡 Optimise infill

Dropping infill from 20% to 10% on non-structural parts saves 8–12% on material. Gyroid or lightning infill gives strength at lower density.

💡 Print at night on cheap-rate tariffs

UK Economy 7 and equivalent tariffs offer electricity at ~10–14p/kWh at night vs 28p/kWh peak. A 12-hour overnight print saves 60% on electricity.

💡 Use a filament dryer

Wet filament causes failed prints. A £30 dryer pays for itself in 2–3 prevented failures for most setups.

💡 Calibrate before long prints

A failed 20-hour print wastes 250–400 g of filament (£4–8) plus electricity. 10 minutes of calibration is almost always worth it.

💡 Recycle support material

If you have a multi-material setup, use cheaper filament for support. Sunlu or Overture as support material vs Prusament for the main part.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to 3D print 100 grams?

Using PLA at £0.018/g plus electricity and depreciation: roughly £3.50–5.00 all-in for a 100 g print taking about 8 hours on a mid-range printer. Filament alone is ~£1.80.

Is 3D printing expensive compared to buying parts?

For one-off custom parts: 3D printing is usually cheaper. For standard parts available commercially: buying is usually cheaper once you factor in time and material. 3D printing wins on customisation and small batches.

How much does professional 3D printing cost?

Service bureaus charge £5–50+ per part depending on size, material, and technology. FDM services are cheapest; SLA/SLS services charge more. On-demand services like Justway offer instant quotes online.

Does 3D printing cost less than injection moulding?

For quantities under ~200–500 units: yes. Injection moulding has high tooling costs (£2,000–50,000+) but very low per-part cost at volume. 3D printing has no tooling cost but higher per-part cost.

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