CNC milling vs turning: cost comparison
Short answer: For rotational parts, turning is nearly always cheaper - shorter cycles, cheaper bar stock handling and quick setups. Milling covers everything turning cannot: prismatic features, pockets, flats and complex 3D surfaces.
Cost comparison at a glance
| CNC Milling | CNC Turning | |
|---|---|---|
| One-off part | $40-150 | $25-100 |
| Batch of 100 (per part) | $15-60 | $10-35 |
| Production volume (per part) | $8-30 | $5-15 |
| Typical lead time | 2-5 days | 2-5 days |
| Tolerance | ±0.05 mm | ±0.02 mm |
| Materials | aluminum, steel, brass, titanium, plastics | steel, aluminum, brass, plastics |
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 CNC Milling when…
- prismatic parts, pockets, flat faces
- complex 3D contours
- plates, housings, brackets
- features off the rotational axis
Choose CNC Turning when…
- shafts, pins, bushings, flanges
- high volumes from bar stock
- tight roundness/concentricity
- cycle times in minutes not tens of minutes
Price your part in seconds with the free CNC Milling cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
Open the CNC Milling cost calculator →Price your part in seconds with the free CNC Turning cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
Open the CNC Turning cost calculator →Put AI-powered instant quoting on your own website
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