3D Print Profit Calculator
A 3D print profit calculator works out what you actually keep selling a physical print: it starts from the full unit cost (material, machine time, labour, packaging), subtracts marketplace fees charged on the price and shipping, accounts for returns, and shows profit per order, your margin, monthly net after fixed costs, and the break-even number of sales. Optionally it solves for the minimum price to hit a target margin.
Price & cost per print
Filament or resin cost.
Electricity + depreciation.
Prep, post, packing at your rate.
What the buyer pays.
Postage + labels.
Fees & volume
Transaction + payment processing; off-site ads can add 12–15%.
Refunded orders still ate your cost.
Booth, subscriptions, ads.
$12.61
- Unit costmaterial + machine + labour + packaging
- $5.40
- Marketplace fees9.5% of price + shipping + $0.20
- − $2.77
- Shipping netcharged $5.00 − cost $5.50
- −$0.50
- Profit per order3% returns folded in
- $12.61
- Monthly net40 orders − $30 fixed
- $474.32
- Break-even volumeto cover your fixed costs
- 3 orders/mo
Data last verified 30 September 2026.
How it works
- 01
Build the true unit cost
Material, machine time, your labour and packaging — not just filament. Import the all-in figure from the Printing Cost Calculator if you have it.
- 02
Subtract what the platform really takes
Choose Etsy, eBay, Amazon, your own store or a craft fair. Fees apply to the price and the shipping you collect, so they are bigger than most sellers first assume.
- 03
See profit, break-even and monthly net
Returns, per-order profit, your margin, how many orders clear your fixed costs each month, and — if you want it — the minimum price for a chosen target margin.
Marketplace fee percentages are typical 2026 headline rates and vary by category, region, seller tier and advertising add-ons — enter your own under the custom option. The target-margin price ignores the return drag for a clean headline; the per-order profit figures do include it.
Frequently asked questions
Is selling 3D prints profitable?
It can be, but material-only pricing is the classic trap. A $20 print costing $4 in filament can still lose money after a 13% marketplace fee, $5.50 shipping, packaging and an hour of your time. Profitability comes from pricing the full cost stack — machine time, labour, fees and shipping — which is exactly what this calculator totals before you commit to a price.
How much should I mark up a 3D print?
A common starting point is 2× total cost, and the handmade-goods convention is roughly 3× for finished products. But the right number is whatever clears your target margin after fees and shipping — set your costs here and use the target-margin mode to see the minimum price that actually pays, instead of a blind multiplier.
What fees do marketplaces take on 3D prints?
Etsy charges about 9.5% (transaction plus payment) plus $0.20, and off-site ads can add 12–15% on attributed sales. eBay takes roughly 13% plus payment, Amazon a 15% referral before any FBA fees, and your own store only around 3% card processing. Fees are usually charged on the item price and the shipping you collect — so a “free shipping” price gets taxed on the whole amount.
Should I charge for shipping or offer free shipping?
Charge at least your real postage; “free shipping” just hides it in the price and the marketplace still takes its percentage of that inflated figure. If a listing looks better with free shipping, build the true shipping cost into the item price here and watch how it changes the fee and your margin.
How do returns affect 3D print profit?
A refunded order gives back the money but the print and its outbound postage are already spent, so every return costs you the unit cost plus shipping. Even a modest 3–5% return rate meaningfully dents thin margins — the calculator folds that expected loss into your per-order profit.
What is break-even volume and why does it matter?
Fixed costs like a market booth, shop subscription or ads do not shrink with each sale, so you need enough profitable orders just to cover them. Divide those fixed costs by your per-order profit: the calculator shows that number so you know that, say, 24 orders a month is the line between breaking even and actually earning.
How do I account for my own labour when pricing prints?
Pay yourself. Decide an hourly value (the Modeling Hourly Rate Calculator helps set one), estimate the minutes of slicing, support removal, sanding and packing per print, and enter it as labour. Pricing that ignores your time is the fastest route to a busy shop that quietly loses money.
More tools to try
3D Printing Cost Calculator
The true cost of one print — filament, electricity, depreciation, failures and your time, itemised.
Open tool3D Model Pricing Calculator
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Open toolResin Cost Calculator
True cost per resin print — ml of resin, vat residue, IPA, gloves and failures, batched by plate.
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