Updated 2026-09-05 · 5 min read
How much does it cost to have something 3D printed?
Quick answer
A small part, about 10 grams, runs around $10.53 in PLA. A medium bracket or knob, about 50 grams, runs around $16.65. A larger piece, about 150 grams, runs around $31.95. Shipping is a flat $7.95 per order, no matter how many parts you order. These are example prices from our own formula on 2026-09-05. Upload your file for the exact price, based on its real weight.
Upload your file and get one printed for you.
The honest answer is: it depends on the weight of the part, because more plastic costs more to print. This page is not a live calculator, it is a worked example using the real formula our upload tool runs, so you can see where a price comes from before you ever upload a file.
What actually changes the price
Weight is the biggest factor. A bigger or denser part uses more plastic, and more plastic costs more. Size and weight usually track together, but a part with thick solid walls weighs more than a hollow one the same size.
Material matters a little too. PETG costs slightly more per gram than PLA, since it is a different plastic. The difference is small on most parts. Color does not change the price. Order 10 or more of the same part and 5% comes off at checkout. Need 25 or more? Ask us for a quote.
| Example part | Weight | Price | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| A small clip or button | About 10 grams | $10.53 | $7.95 per order, not per part |
| A drawer knob or small bracket | About 50 grams | $16.65 | $7.95 per order, not per part |
| A wall mount or storage bin | About 150 grams | $31.95 | $7.95 per order, not per part |
Example prices, priced with our own formula on 2026-09-05. PLA, one part at a time. Your exact price depends on your file's real weight, shown after you upload it.
Why the price never drops below a floor
Every part, even a tiny one, has a minimum price of $8.99. A print this small still takes machine time, plastic, packing, and a box, and pricing it any lower would not cover the real cost of making and shipping it.
How to get your exact price
Step 1
Upload your file
Drop your .stl or .3mf into the upload tool.
Step 2
See the price
The price appears right away, based on the real weight of your file at its current size.
Step 3
Adjust the size if you need to
Use the size slider to scale the part up or down. The price updates as you move it.
Step 4
Pick a material and color
Choose PLA or PETG, then a color. Check out when you are ready.
Worth knowing
What this page is not
This is not a live calculator you can type a weight into, and the three example prices above are not quotes. They show the formula working on three sample weights, priced on 2026-09-05. If that formula ever changes, this page could go stale before we update it. The one number you can trust completely is the price shown after you upload your own file.
Common questions
- Is there a 3D printing cost calculator I can use before uploading?
- Not a separate calculator page. Upload your file and the exact price shows up right away, based on its real weight. That is the closest thing we have to a calculator, and it uses your actual part instead of a guess.
- Why is 3D printing not cheaper than buying something off the shelf?
- A mass produced part is made by the thousand on one machine. A 3D printed part is made one at a time, on demand, which costs more per piece but does not require a factory run or a warehouse of stock.
- Does a bigger order cost less per part?
- Yes, a little. Order 10 or more of the same part and 5% comes off at checkout. Need 25 or more? Ask us for a quote.
- Does color change the price?
- No. Color choice does not add or remove cost.
- Is shipping charged per part?
- No. Shipping is one flat $7.95 charge for the whole order, no matter how many parts are in it.
- Does PETG cost more than PLA?
- A little. PETG costs a small amount more per gram than PLA, so a part in PETG runs slightly higher than the same part in PLA.
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