PrintCostCalc
Precision Quoting Tools for Makers & Print Shops

Stop guessing. Quote with confidence.

Free, open calculators that account for every hidden cost in 3D printing and UV printing, so you never sell at a loss.

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3D Printing

FDM 3D Printing Calculator

Calculate the true cost of every FDM print — filament, electricity, machine depreciation, labour, and fulfilment — in one shot.

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UV Printing

UV Direct-to-Object Printing

Estimate UV flatbed and roll-to-roll print costs including ink coverage, substrate, specialised labour, and machine wear.

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UV Printing

UV DTF Sticker Products

Price UV DTF gang-sheet jobs accurately — factor in film, adhesive, ink density, waste, and finishing time per batch.

Latest Updates & Tips

Guides, hardware news, and pricing insights

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Dialing In Your First Layer: The Cheapest Fix in 3D Printing
Tips & Tricks

Dialing In Your First Layer: The Cheapest Fix in 3D Printing

More failed prints start on layer one than any other layer. A correctly calibrated first layer costs nothing extra and saves every gram of filament in the prints that would have failed.

8 Jul 2026Chris Harlow4 min
UV DTF vs Direct-to-Object Printing: Which Actually Costs Less?
Hardware Guides

UV DTF vs Direct-to-Object Printing: Which Actually Costs Less?

Both methods put UV ink on products, but the economics are completely different. Here is how to calculate cost-per-unit for each before you invest in hardware.

5 Jul 2026Sam Patel4 min
The True Cost of 3D Printing: What Your Quote Is Missing
Business & Pricing

The True Cost of 3D Printing: What Your Quote Is Missing

Filament price is the tip of the iceberg. Electricity, machine depreciation, labour, and failure rate all eat into your margin — and most sellers ignore at least two of them.

1 Jul 2026Jamie Fielding3 min
Slicer Settings That Reduce Cost Without Reducing Quality
Tips & Tricks

Slicer Settings That Reduce Cost Without Reducing Quality

Infill percentage, layer height, and wall count all have direct cost implications. Most prints can be made 20–30 % cheaper by adjusting three settings — without any visible quality difference on the finished part.

28 Apr 2026Chris Harlow4 min
Support Structures Explained: When to Use Them and How to Minimise Cost
Tips & Tricks

Support Structures Explained: When to Use Them and How to Minimise Cost

Supports add material, print time, and post-processing labour to every print they touch. Understanding when they are genuinely necessary — and when design changes avoid them entirely — directly reduces your cost per print.

11 Apr 2026Chris Harlow4 min
Setting Up a Small Print Farm: Costs You Must Plan For
Business & Pricing

Setting Up a Small Print Farm: Costs You Must Plan For

Scaling from one printer to five looks simple on a spreadsheet. Labour, power, and quality control costs behave differently at scale — here is what to model before you buy machine number two.

25 Mar 2026Jamie Fielding5 min
How to Reduce Failed Prints and Stop Wasting Filament
Tips & Tricks

How to Reduce Failed Prints and Stop Wasting Filament

A 10 % failure rate on a busy machine wastes kilograms of filament per month. Most failures are preventable with the same four checks done consistently before every print.

7 Mar 2026Chris Harlow4 min
Bambu Lab X1C vs Prusa MK4: A Cost-Per-Print Comparison
Hardware Guides

Bambu Lab X1C vs Prusa MK4: A Cost-Per-Print Comparison

The X1C is faster. The MK4 has a longer lifespan estimate and lower purchase price. Which one actually costs less per print depends on your volume and workflow.

20 Feb 2026Sam Patel5 min
PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Filament Cost vs Use Case
Business & Pricing

PLA vs PETG vs ABS: Filament Cost vs Use Case

Filament choice affects material cost, electricity cost, and failure rate simultaneously. Here is how to match material to application — and what each choice costs you per kilogram at the printer.

3 Feb 2026Jamie Fielding5 min
Choosing Your First 3D Printer: What the Spec Sheet Does Not Tell You
Hardware Guides

Choosing Your First 3D Printer: What the Spec Sheet Does Not Tell You

Build volume and print speed dominate the marketing. What matters more for day-to-day use is bed levelling, ecosystem, and how the manufacturer handles firmware bugs.

18 Jan 2026Sam Patel5 min
How to Price 3D Prints on Etsy and Online Marketplaces
Business & Pricing

How to Price 3D Prints on Etsy and Online Marketplaces

Undercutting on price is tempting but dangerous. Here is a repeatable method for calculating a floor price — and how to position above it without losing sales.

10 Jan 2026Jamie Fielding5 min

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Supercharge Your Quoting Workflow

Save your settings, presets, and quotes across sessions. Every tool you open starts with your costs already loaded.

  • Filament Costs

    Save custom material presets so every quote starts with your real prices.

  • Hardware & Inserts

    Store your most-used bolts, inserts, and hardware — reuse across projects instantly.

  • Blank Objects for UV Printing

    Keep your blank substrate catalogue on-hand for fast UV job estimation.

  • Electricity Rates

    Set your local kWh rate once and let every calculator pull it automatically.

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