FDM vs MJF: cost comparison
Short answer: FDM wins one-offs on price; MJF wins batches with isotropic nylon and no supports. Many shops prototype in FDM and switch to MJF for the 50-5,000 unit range.
Cost comparison at a glance
| FDM 3D Printing | MJF | |
|---|---|---|
| One-off part | $8-30 | $20-50 |
| Batch of 100 (per part) | $4-10 | $8-20 |
| Production volume (per part) | $3-8 | $5-12 |
| Typical lead time | 1-3 days | 3-6 days |
| Tolerance | ±0.3 mm | ±0.2 mm |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, nylon, CF blends | PA12, PA11, glass-filled PA12 |
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…
- cheapest single prototypes
- in-house iteration
- large parts
- material variety on a budget
Choose MJF when…
- batches of end-use nylon parts
- consistent strength in all directions
- many small parts nested per build
- no support scars
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 MJF cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
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