3D Print Quote Online: How to Calculate the Cost for Free

A reliable 3D print quote isn't just the price of the filament used — it's the sum of several line items that, added together, give the real cost of a part. Plenty of hobbyists and small shops settle for a rough estimate (weight × price per kilo), which consistently undercharges.

What a 3D print quote is actually made of

• Material: part weight in grams × price per gram of filament or resin, counting supports and purge waste.
• Printer depreciation: the machine's purchase price spread over its estimated lifetime in hours, multiplied by the part's print time.
• Electricity: printer power (kW) × print time (h) × electricity rate.
• Labor: prep, modeling or post-processing time (removing supports, sanding, painting), valued at an hourly rate.
• Margin: what's left after all these costs — without it, the business can't stay afloat.

Forgetting printer depreciation is the most common mistake: a $500 printer with a 10,000-hour lifespan costs $0.05/hour in wear, even when it's running "for free" at home.

Simplified formula

Cost = material + (hourly depreciation × print time) + electricity + labor
Sale price = cost × (1 + margin)

Worked example

A 60 g PETG part, printed in 5 hours on a $500 printer with a 6,000-hour lifespan (180 W), electricity at $0.14/kWh, no labor charged, target margin 35%:

Material       : 60 × 0.028        = $1.68
Depreciation   : (500 / 6000) × 5  = $0.42
Electricity    : 0.18 × 5 × 0.14   = $0.13
Total cost                         = $2.23
Sale price     : 2.23 × 1.35       = $3.01

On a single part the gap with a rough guess looks minor, but across a steady stream of orders it's the difference between a business that holds a real margin and one that quietly runs at a loss.

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Free calculator: part weight, print time, material price — no sign-up needed.

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The calculator above applies exactly this formula: material weight, the printer used, electricity, optional labor and margin — the quote recalculates in real time, no account needed for a one-off calculation.

Why not settle for a price "by weight"

A price based only on material weight ignores printer depreciation, electricity and prep time — three line items that vary a lot between parts (a thin part that takes a long time to print costs more in depreciation than a dense, fast one). A quote broken down line by line stays consistent regardless of part type, and lets you justify the price to a client if needed.