How to Price 3D Prints on Etsy in 2026 (Full Fee Breakdown + Formula)
Etsy is the biggest marketplace for 3D printed items — but it's also the easiest place to accidentally sell at a loss. Most sellers only count filament. This guide gives you the complete fee picture and a formula that ensures every sale is actually profitable. Prices shown in GBP (£) and USD ($) throughout. The calculator auto-detects your currency.
Etsy 3D Print Pricing Formula
Selling price = Total production cost ÷ (1 − total Etsy fee rate)
Then add your profit margin on top.
Etsy's percentage fees (6.5% transaction, 3.25% processing) are the same worldwide. The fixed listing fee is £0.16 (UK) / $0.20 (US). Payment processing varies slightly by country.
Example: Total cost £8.00, Etsy fees ~10.5%, desired margin 50%
→ Break-even price = £8.00 ÷ 0.895 = £8.94
→ With 50% margin: £8.94 × 1.5 = £13.41 listing price
The Etsy fee calculator does this calculation automatically.
Every Etsy Fee, Explained
| Fee type | Rate | UK amount | US amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing fee | Fixed | £0.16 per item | $0.20 per item |
| Transaction fee | 6.5% | Same worldwide | Same worldwide |
| Payment processing | varies | 4% + £0.20 | 3% + $0.25 |
| Offsite Ads | 12–15% | Same worldwide | Same worldwide |
| Currency conversion | 2.5% | If buyer pays in foreign currency | If buyer pays in foreign currency |
Total effective fee for a UK seller: ~10.5–13% per sale, ignoring Offsite Ads.
The transaction fee applies to your shipping charge, not just the item price. If you charge £3.50 shipping, Etsy takes 6.5% of that too — £0.23 extra you may not have counted.
What You Actually Keep on a £15 Sale
| Buyer pays (item £15 + shipping £3.55 Tracked 48) | £18.55 |
| Etsy listing fee | −£0.16 |
| Transaction fee: 6.5% of £18.55 | −£1.21 |
| Payment processing: 4% + £0.20 | −£0.94 |
| Actual shipping cost (Tracked 48) | −£3.55 |
| Filament + electricity (80g PLA, 3h print) | −£2.21 |
| Packaging | −£0.40 |
| You keep | £10.08 |
| Effective margin on £15 listing | 67% |
Labour is not included above. Add 20 mins at £15/hr and that becomes £5.08 — 34% margin. That's still profitable, but only if you priced the £15 correctly. Many sellers list at £10–12 and end up below break-even. See our full Etsy seller tips. US equivalent on a $20 listing: transaction fee $1.30, processing $0.85, leaving roughly $11.50 after shipping and production costs.
Why Cost × 3 Is Not Enough
The old hobbyist rule of "charge 3× filament cost" doesn't account for Etsy fees, labour, or depreciation. For an 80g PLA print: filament = £2.00, so 3× = £6.00 listing price. After Etsy fees (~10.5%) = £5.37, minus shipping £3.55, minus packaging £0.40 = £1.42 left for 3+ hours of work. The correct approach: calculate all five cost components first (see our pricing guide), then apply the back-calculation formula.
Filament is typically only 20–30% of total production cost. A formula based only on filament will always undercharge.
Pricing for Different Product Types
Miniatures / small figures (10–30g, 1–2h)
Production cost including 15 mins labour: ~£3–5. Minimum profitable Etsy listing: £9–12. Most Etsy miniature listings at £5–8 are often below cost once labour is counted.
Decorative items / vases (150–300g, 5–8h)
Production cost including 20 mins labour: £14–20. Minimum profitable listing: £28–40. These have the best margin potential because buyers perceive high value.
Functional parts / mounts / brackets (30–100g, 1–3h)
Buyers are price-sensitive — they'll check if they can buy elsewhere. Focus on custom/niche parts where no commercial alternative exists. Minimum listing: £12–20 depending on complexity.
The Offsite Ads Trap
If your Etsy shop earns over £10,000/year, Offsite Ads is mandatory — you cannot opt out. Etsy charges 12% on any sale that came from an Etsy-driven offsite ad (Google, Facebook, etc.). Under £10k, it's optional at 15% but you keep all traffic benefit. If you're under £10k, opt out in Shop Manager → Marketing → Offsite Ads.
At 12% Offsite Ads + 6.5% transaction + 4% processing, a single sale could cost you 22.5% in fees alone. Price accordingly using the Etsy calculator.
Etsy Pricing Checklist
- Calculated filament cost from actual spool price (not estimated)
- Added electricity cost (printer watts × hours × rate)
- Included labour: setup, printing, QC, packing, messages
- Added machine depreciation (printer cost ÷ lifespan hours)
- Checked the Etsy fee breakdown includes shipping transaction fee
- Applied back-calculation formula: cost ÷ (1 − fee rate) before adding margin
- Priced for Offsite Ads if shop earns over £10k/year
- Tested: does the final price look reasonable vs similar Etsy listings?
Etsy vs eBay vs Amazon vs Shopify — Fee Comparison
| Platform | Transaction fee | Processing fee | Fixed fee | Total effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | 6.5% | 3.25% (US) / 4% (UK) | £0.20 | ~10–10.75% |
| eBay | 12.8% | 2.9% | — | ~15.7% |
| Amazon | 15% | 2.9% | — | ~17.9% |
| Shopify | — | 2.9% | — | ~2.9% (just processing) |
| Own website | — | ~2.9% (Stripe/PayPal) | — | ~2.9% |
Etsy's fees are middle-of-the-road but come with built-in traffic. Shopify is cheaper per transaction but you supply all your own traffic. The platform fee calculator shows break-even price for any platform.
FAQ
What percentage does Etsy take from 3D print sales?
~10–10.75% for most UK sellers (transaction + processing + listing); up to 22%+ with Offsite Ads. See the full Etsy fee breakdown.
Is selling 3D prints on Etsy profitable?
Yes, with correct pricing. Most sellers undercharge. At 200% markup over true production cost, profit margins are healthy after fees.
Should I offer free shipping on Etsy?
Only if built into price. Etsy still charges 6.5% on the shipping value even if hidden.
How many 3D prints do I need to sell per month to make £1,000 profit?
Depends on profit per unit. At £10 profit per sale, 100 sales. Use the Pro calculator's break-even tool to calculate your specific target.
What's the best 3D print to sell on Etsy?
High-value-perception, lightweight items: miniatures, planters, desk organisers, custom name signs. Avoid commodity items available for £3 on Amazon.
Calculate Your Exact Etsy Break-even Price
Select Etsy in the platform dropdown. The calculator back-calculates your minimum listing price after all fees, then applies your target margin.
Open Etsy Calculator →