3D printing vs injection molding: where is the breakeven?
Short answer: The mold changes everything: molding has a $2,000-20,000 entry ticket but near-zero unit costs. Below roughly 500-5,000 parts 3D printing usually wins; above it, molding is unbeatable.
Cost comparison at a glance
| FDM 3D Printing | Injection Molding | |
|---|---|---|
| One-off part | $8-30 | n/a (mold $2k-20k) |
| Batch of 100 (per part) | $4-10 | $1-5 |
| Production volume (per part) | $3-8 | $0.3-3 |
| Typical lead time | 1-3 days | 3-8 weeks first part |
| Tolerance | ±0.3 mm | ±0.1 mm |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, nylon, CF blends | PP, ABS, PC, nylon, TPE and hundreds more |
These are indicative service-market ranges for a palm-sized part — your own costs depend on your machines, rates and region. Both calculators below let you price the same part both ways with your numbers and see the crossover for yourself.
Choose FDM 3D Printing when…
- under ~500 parts, or demand is uncertain
- design still changing - no tooling risk
- each unit can be different
- you need parts this week, not in 6 weeks
Choose Injection Molding when…
- thousands of identical parts
- per-part cost must fall below $1-3
- injection-grade materials and finish required
- cycle times of seconds, not hours
Price your part in seconds with the free FDM 3D Printing cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
Open the FDM 3D Printing cost calculator →Price your part in seconds with the free Injection Molding cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
Open the Injection Molding cost calculator →Put AI-powered instant quoting on your own website
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