How do I print a Thingiverse file if I don't own a printer?

Found a model on Thingiverse?

You found the part on Thingiverse. It looks exactly right. The problem is the "Download All Files" button does not print anything by itself, and you do not own a 3D printer. That gap is what this page is for.

Get the file from Thingiverse yourself

Thingiverse is free to browse. Some pages let you download right away. Others ask for a free Thingiverse account first. Either way, the download button is on the model page itself, and it packages the design as a zip file.

Open the zip after it downloads. Inside you will usually find one or more files ending in .stl, since that is the main format Thingiverse designs ship in. A design with several parts, like a box with a lid, often comes as more than one .stl file, one per part. Some pages also include a picture, a readme, or other file types. You only need the .stl files.

We do not fetch this file for you. It belongs to the person who made it, and Thingiverse is the only place that has the real copy. Downloading it yourself also means you are the one who reads the maker's terms before anything gets printed.

What the license note means for a personal print

Every Thingiverse page shows a license. Most are Creative Commons licenses, and most of them are fine for a print you are ordering for yourself.

Attribution, often shown as "CC BY", means you can print it as long as you are not the one claiming you designed it. Attribution Non Commercial, "CC BY-NC", is the same idea, but the design can never be used to make something you plan to sell. A print you keep or give as a gift is not a commercial use. Attribution No Derivatives, "CC BY-ND", means you can print the file as is, but you cannot change the design first and then print your changed version. A design marked all rights reserved, or with no license at all, has not been cleared for anyone to print. In that case, message the maker on Thingiverse and ask.

This is the maker's license, not ours. If the page is unclear or you are not sure which box you are in, tell us when you upload and we look at it with you before anything is printed.

From the Thingiverse page to your door

1. Step 1

   Find the file and read the license

   Open the Thingiverse model page. Read the license note near the download button and check it fits a personal print.

2. Step 2

   Download and unzip it

   Click the download button, then unzip the file you get. Pull out the .stl file, or files, that make up the part.

3. Step 3

   Upload the file here

   Drop the .stl into our upload tool. You'll see a price right away, based on the real size of the file.

4. Step 4

   Pick a color and check it over

   Choose a color and material. Use the size slider if the part needs to be bigger or smaller than the file as downloaded.

5. Step 5

   Check out

   Pay and we print it in the USA. It ships to your door, with one flat shipping charge no matter how many parts are in your order.

Have the file? Upload it.

Do I need a Thingiverse account to download a file?

Some model pages let you download without one. Others ask you to make a free account first. Either way, the download is free.

What file type does Thingiverse give me?

A zip file. Inside it you will usually find one or more .stl files, which is the format most printers and print services take.

Can you download the file from Thingiverse for me?

No. You download it yourself and upload it to us. We never fetch a file from another site on a customer's behalf.

Is a Creative Commons Non Commercial license OK for a print I keep?

Yes. A print you keep or give as a gift is a personal use, not a commercial one, so a Non Commercial license covers it.

What if I am not sure the license allows printing?

Say so when you upload the file. A person looks at it with you before anything is printed.

Have the file? Upload it.