Quick cost estimate without a file
How the 3D print cost calculator works out a price
The calculator uses two lines of arithmetic, the same in Info and in the form.
| Step | Formula | Where the input comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | volume (cm³) × density (g/cm³) × % solid | the model, the material list, your infill |
| Material | weight (g) ÷ 1000 × price per kg | your spool or resin price |
| Machine | print hours × hourly rate | your slicer, your own rate |
| Cost | material + machine | shown as one number |
Prices are plain numbers, so dollars, euros or any other currency work the same.
A worked example with the form's starting values
The form opens with 25 cm³ of PLA at 30 % solid, a material price of 20 per kg, 3 hours and a rate of 1.5 per hour. PLA weighs 1.24 g/cm³, so the part comes to 25 × 1.24 × 0.30 = 9.3 g.
Material is 9.3 ÷ 1000 × 20 = 0.19, and machine time is 3 × 1.5 = 4.50. The total reads 4.69. With these values the machine time costs about 24 times the plastic, which is why a quote without a time estimate is mostly guesswork.
Calculate the cost of 3D printing from your own file
- Drop the STL or 3MF on the viewer. The volume comes straight from the mesh.
- Open Info and pick the material: PLA, PETG, ABS, resins, nylon, metals and wood are among the 17.
- Set % of solid to match your infill and walls, then enter the price per kg.
- Enter the print hours and your hourly rate. The cost updates as you type.
The model stays in your browser while you price it, which matters when the file belongs to a customer.
Where the print hours come from
Take the hours from your slicer, or open its G-code on print time. Our estimate from G-code came out 0.6–8.8 % above PrusaSlicer's own figure on 13 real files, median 2.6 %. From an STL sliced here the estimate ranged −30 … +16 % against PrusaSlicer. Both numbers compare estimators; nobody has timed a real print against them yet.
The G-code Info panel also prices the job from its filament length, which includes supports and skirt. For a part with heavy supports, that is the better weight for a quote.
The Check the units warning
A part drawn in inches but read as millimetres is 25.4 times too small in each direction, so its volume is off by a factor of about 16,387. The reverse mistake makes it 16,387 times too heavy. The viewer raises a soft Check the units warning when a part is longer than 2 m, weighs over 100 kg or the cost looks unrealistic.
When you see it, fix the scale before you trust the price. The STL dimensions page explains the units in each format.
Quoting a customer's file
When a quote is due today, a broken mesh is the quickest way to get the price wrong. Check the mesh first. Volume from an open mesh is unreliable, and the mesh check runs per body, so an assembly with one broken part shows which one. Fix simple faults in the STL editor under Repair.
Put everything that is not plastic into the hourly rate: power, wear, failed prints, your time at the machine. For the broader picture of what drives a price, the guide how much a 3D print costs goes through the factors.
Questions and answers
How do I calculate the cost of a 3D print?
Multiply the weight in kg by the material price per kg, then add print hours times your hourly rate. The calculator does both from the model's volume.
Does the cost include electricity?
Only through the hourly rate. Add power, machine wear and labour into that one number.
Are supports included in the price?
The model volume does not include supports. Open the sliced G-code instead: its filament figure covers everything the nozzle extrudes.
Can I price resin or metal parts?
Yes. Standard and tough resin, PA12 for powder printing, aluminium, steel, stainless steel, titanium and brass are in the list of 17 materials.
Is my file uploaded to get the quote?
No. The volume is measured in your browser tab, and the price is worked out there too.