3D printing cost guide
A 3D-printed part is priced on machine time and material volume — not on features, so the cost logic is the reverse of machining. This guide gives the cost per part for each technology as a market range and a relative index, the drivers you control, where quantity flips the answer, and when to leave additive for machining, casting or molding.
What you are paying for
Every additive quote is the same four lines. The proportions change by technology; the machine line dominates everywhere except metal, where material and post-processing take over.
45–65 %
Machine time
Priced per hour of build, shared across every part in the build. Build height (layers) drives FDM, SLA and DMLS time; total packed volume drives SLS and MJF, where a full bed prints at one price.
10–35 %
Material
Resin and filament by the gram; powder by the volume consumed plus a refresh fraction; metal powder by weight at 10–50 × the polymer price. Supports and rafts are billed material too.
10–30 %
Labour and post-processing
Support removal, depowdering, wash and UV cure, bead blast, dyeing, machining, heat treatment. Fixed minutes per part — the reason small parts have a floor price.
$5–$30 min.
Minimum order and setup
File check, orientation, build planning. Most bureaus carry a per-order or per-part minimum; ten tiny parts cost about the same as one.
The delivered part is what you compare: include inspection, first-article approval, shipping and assembly. A lower print-only figure can be a higher total cost.
Cost per part by technology — the same part, six ways
Reference: a 60 × 40 × 30 mm bracket, ~25 cm³, moderate detail, quantity 1 and 50. Polymer ranges are typical Western service-bureau list prices; the metal row is calibrated on recorded stainless-steel orders and sits well under Western list. The index sets FDM = 1 for reading across the row.
| Technology | Index, qty 1 | Range, qty 1 | Index, qty 50 | Range each, qty 50 | Why it lands there |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM | 1.0 | $10 – $30 | 1.0 | $6 – $15 | Cheapest material, one part per nozzle at a time — poor scaling past ~20 |
| SLA | 1.5 | $15 – $45 | 1.2 | $8 – $20 | Resin is dear, but a vat prints many parts per layer; wash + cure labour |
| MJF | 2.0 | $20 – $60 | 0.9 | $5 – $14 | Full-bed nesting; the cheapest technology per part above ~30 pieces |
| SLS | 2.2 | $22 – $65 | 1.0 | $6 – $16 | Same nesting logic as MJF; slightly slower cool-down, similar per-part |
| PolyJet | 3.5 | $35 – $100 | 2.5 | $18 – $40 | Expensive resins and support material; priced for looks, not economy |
| DMLS / SLM (Al, SS) | 6.5 | $90 – $180 | 9.5 | $70 – $140 | Metal powder, slow builds, supports cut off by machining, stress relief; the per-part work barely amortises, so the gap to polymers widens at volume |
Titanium and Inconel run 1.5–3 × the aluminum/stainless metal figures. Metal scales differently from polymers: its curve is nearly flat, so the metal-to-polymer gap widens with quantity. All ranges are indicative, for comparison between technologies — not quotes. Compare like for like: same material product, finish, inspection and delivery basis. Upload the file for the real number.
The cost drivers you control
Additive pricing is almost entirely geometry × technology. Change the geometry, and the quote moves in predictable ways — as long as the function stays fixed.
| Driver | Effect on price | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Part volume (material) | ~ linearhalving volume ≈ −35–45 % (machine time also falls) | Shell to 2–3 mm walls; lattice or hollow; leave drain holes in SLA / MJF / SLS. Keep stiffness and cleaning access. |
| Build height (Z) | linear on FDM / SLA / DMLSlayers = time; lie the part down | Orient the shortest dimension vertical; split tall parts and bond them. Check strength direction and cosmetic faces first. |
| Bounding box / nesting | SLS & MJF price by packed volumea hollow box costs like a solid one | Break large hollow shapes into nestable parts; ship flat and assemble |
| Supports | +10–40 % on FDM / SLA / PolyJet / DMLSmaterial + removal labour + surface repair | Self-supporting angles (> 45°), chamfer overhangs, one flat base; SLS / MJF need none |
| Layer height / resolution | halving layer height ≈ 1.6–2 × timeon FDM, SLA, DMLS | Standard layer everywhere except cosmetic faces; state “standard resolution” unless you need better |
| Post-processing | +$5–$50 per partdye, blast, vapor smooth, paint, tap, machine | Spec only what the part needs; “as-printed, bead blasted” is the floor |
| Quantity | steep to ~30, then flatsetup and bed-fill amortise; material does not | Order in bed-sized batches; ask for the price break at 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 |
| Material grade | 1 × (PLA, PA12) → 2–4 × (PEEK, ULTEM, CF-filled) → 15 × (metals) | Use the engineering grade only where load or heat demands it; cheaper is not equivalent |
How quantity changes the answer
The per-part price of a polymer print falls fast to about 30–50 parts and then flattens — there is no tooling to amortise, so the curve has a floor. That floor is where other processes take over.
| Technology | Qty 1 | Qty 10 | Qty 50 | Qty 250 | Qty 1,000 | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM | 1.00 | 0.75 | 0.55 | 0.50 | 0.48 | Flattens early — one nozzle, one part; volume does not help much |
| SLA | 1.00 | 0.65 | 0.45 | 0.40 | 0.38 | Platform fills with many parts per layer, then flat |
| MJF / SLS | 1.00 | 0.55 | 0.32 | 0.25 | 0.22 | Steepest curve — full-bed nesting; competitive with molding to ~ 500–1,000 small parts |
| PolyJet | 1.00 | 0.80 | 0.65 | 0.60 | — | Rarely used past prototypes |
| DMLS / SLM | 1.00 | 0.97 | 0.80 | 0.79 | 0.79 | Flat to ~10, one step down when a build plate fills, then flat — powder and post-machining are per-part costs that never amortise |
Illustrative curves for planning; the exact break points depend on how many of your part fit a build. Quote the first article and production separately, and ask for your real order sizes rather than a theoretical full bed. A printer manufacturer’s in-house cost study (see Formlabs below) assumes high utilisation and bulk supplies — it is not a service-bureau price.
When 3D printing stops being the cheapest
Additive has no tooling and no minimum, so it always wins at one. Every other process has a fixed cost and a lower per-part cost — the question is where the lines cross for your part.
| Alternative | Usually cheaper above | Fixed cost | What you gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining (plastic, aluminum) | 5 – 20 parts for simple prismatic shapes; never for lattices or organic forms | none | True engineering materials, ± 0.02 mm, any finish; also cheaper for metal from one piece |
| Urethane casting | 10 – 50 parts | master + silicone mold | Molded look, painted and clear parts, soft over-molds, 20–25 shots per mold |
| Injection molding (aluminum tool) | 300 – 1,000 parts vs MJF / SLS; 100 – 300 vs FDM / SLA | aluminum tool | Production plastics, $1–5 per part, cosmetic finish, thin walls |
| Metal casting | 50 – 200 parts vs DMLS | pattern or die | Same alloys at a tenth of the per-part price; larger parts |
| Sheet metal | 1 part — for anything that is a folded plate | none | Metal enclosures, brackets and panels are always cheaper cut and bent than printed |
Rule of thumb: prototype and iterate in additive; if the design is stable and you will order more than a few hundred, quote the molded or cast version in parallel and let the numbers decide. Crossovers move with tool complexity, revisions and finish — confirm each route can make the same functional part before comparing.
Material cost tiers
Within a technology, material choice moves the price by up to 4 × (polymers) or 3 × (metals). These are relative tiers, not prices.
| Technology | Base tier | Mid tier | Premium tier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM | PLA · PETG · ABS | ASA · Nylon · TPU | CF-Nylon · PC · ULTEM · PEEK | PEEK / ULTEM need a heated-chamber machine — the machine rate rises too |
| SLA | Standard / draft resin | Tough · Durable · Clear | High-temp · Flexible · Biocompatible · Ceramic-filled | Clear parts add polishing / coating labour |
| SLS / MJF | PA12 | PA11 · glass-filled PA12 | TPU · PA12 flame-retardant · PP | Powder refresh rate matters — bureaus price PA11 slightly above PA12 |
| PolyJet | Vero rigid | Digital ABS · Agilus flex | Multi-material / full colour | Support material is consumed and billed on every part |
| DMLS / SLM | AlSi10Mg · 316L | 17-4PH · Maraging · CoCr | Ti-6Al-4V · Inconel 718 · Copper | Titanium powder alone can be 3–5 × aluminum; Inconel needs longer stress relief and HIP |
Ten ways to cut a 3D printing quote
In rough order of effect. Most quotes drop 30–60 % after the first four — but name the requirement you will not trade away first (a locating bore, a clip that must survive cycling, a visible face, a qualified material) and ask for changes elsewhere.
- Switch technology to match quantity. FDM or SLA for one to five; MJF or SLS for ten to a few hundred. The same part can be half the price on the right machine.
- Hollow and shell. A solid 25 cm³ block becomes a 2 mm shell of 9 cm³ — material and time fall together. Add drain holes (SLA, MJF, SLS) or let FDM print infill. Check shell stiffness before you accept the saving.
- Lie it down. Z height is time on FDM, SLA and DMLS. Orient for the shortest build, or split and bond tall parts — after checking the load path and cosmetic faces.
- Design out supports. Self-supporting overhangs (≤ 45°), chamfers under ledges, one flat base — or move to SLS / MJF where supports do not exist.
- Standard layer height. 0.1–0.2 mm unless a face is cosmetic. Fine layers double the time and rarely improve function.
- Right-size the material. PA12 before glass-filled; PLA / PETG before ABS; AlSi10Mg before titanium. Upgrade only where load or heat demands it.
- Batch to the bed. Ask what quantity fills a build and order in that multiple; ask for the 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 price break.
- Combine parts. Print an assembly as one piece — hinges, snap features and captured parts print in place; fewer parts, less handling. Keep powder-removal and inspection access.
- Minimal finishing. “As-printed, bead blasted” is the floor. Dye is cheap; vapor smoothing, paint and machining are per-part labour.
- Cut the metal post-processing. On DMLS, design the support faces to be machined datums anyway; specify heat treatment and HIP only where fatigue or pressure demands it.
Compare the complete route — printing, treatment, post-machining, inspection and delivery — never a finished machined part against an unfinished print. Design rules behind these tips are in the 3D printing design guide.
3D printing cost — FAQ
How much does 3D printing cost per part?
For a hand-sized polymer part (~25 cm³) typical service-bureau prices run about $10–30 for FDM, $15–45 for SLA, $20–65 for MJF or SLS and $35–100 for PolyJet at quantity one; the same part in stainless or aluminum (DMLS/SLM) runs about $90–180. At quantity 50 the polymer figures fall to roughly $5–20 each, with MJF/SLS cheapest, while metal barely moves. These are indicative ranges for comparison, not quotes — upload the file for a price.
Which 3D printing technology is cheapest?
FDM at quantity one to five. MJF and SLS from about ten parts upward, because a full powder bed nests dozens of parts and prints them at one price. SLA sits between them; PolyJet and metal printing are premium technologies chosen for looks or material, not economy.
What drives 3D printing cost the most?
Machine time (45–65 % of the price) and material volume. Build height on FDM/SLA/DMLS, packed volume on SLS/MJF, supports, layer height, post-processing, and material grade — roughly in that order. Quantity helps to about 30–50 parts, then the curve flattens because there is no tooling to amortise.
Does hollowing always reduce the price?
It reduces fused material and usually machine time, but the saving depends on how the build is priced: SLS and MJF charge by packed volume, so a hollow box can cost like a solid one. Check shell stiffness and drain or depowdering access before comparing the revised quote.
Is 3D printing cheaper than CNC machining?
For one to a few parts with complex or organic geometry, yes. For simple prismatic shapes machining is often cheaper from about five to twenty parts, and it is almost always cheaper for metal parts from one piece unless the geometry cannot be machined (lattices, internal channels).
At what quantity does injection molding become cheaper than 3D printing?
Typically 300–1,000 parts against MJF/SLS and 100–300 against FDM/SLA, for hand-sized polymer parts with an aluminum prototype tool. Urethane casting fills the gap from about 10 to 500 parts when a molded look is needed before tooling. Tool complexity and revisions move the crossover, so quote both routes in parallel.
How much does metal 3D printing cost?
Roughly 6–7 × an FDM print of the same geometry at quantity one — about $90–180 for a hand-sized aluminum or stainless part — and 9–10 × at fifty, because metal falls only to about $70–140 each while polymers halve; titanium and Inconel 1.5–3 × more. Powder cost, slow builds, support removal by machining and stress relief are per-part work that does not amortise — casting or machining wins above 50–200 parts.
Are the figures on this page FabDigit prices?
No. They are published market ranges and relative indices for comparing technologies and planning. FabDigit never states a list price on a guide; your quote establishes the price for the actual geometry, material, quantity and finish.
Sources and further reading
- Formlabs — calculating SLS cost per partManufacturer in-house scenario; not a service-bureau price or a FabDigit quote.
- Formlabs — FDM/SLA cost components
- HP — MJF design and process handbook
- EOS — supports and metal post-processing implications
Ranges compare technologies. The quote prices your part.
Upload the model with quantity and material — FabDigit returns the price per technology with a DFM check, so the crossover is decided by numbers, not rules of thumb.