FDM vs resin (SLA/DLP) printing: cost comparison
Short answer: FDM is cheaper per part almost every time - filament costs less than resin and machines are cheaper to run. Pay the resin premium when you need fine detail, smooth surfaces or casting patterns.
Cost comparison at a glance
| FDM 3D Printing | SLA / Resin | |
|---|---|---|
| One-off part | $8-30 | $15-40 |
| Batch of 100 (per part) | $4-10 | $8-20 |
| Production volume (per part) | $3-8 | $6-15 |
| Typical lead time | 1-3 days | 1-3 days |
| Tolerance | ±0.3 mm | ±0.1 mm |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU, nylon, CF blends | standard, tough, flexible, castable resins |
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…
- functional prototypes and brackets
- larger parts (resin gets expensive fast)
- lowest cost per part
- minimal post-processing labor
Choose SLA / Resin when…
- fine detail: miniatures, jewelry, dental
- smooth injection-like surfaces
- small parts where resin volume stays low
- tight dimensional accuracy on small features
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 SLA / Resin cost calculator — upload your file, quantities and machine time are estimated automatically.
Open the SLA / Resin cost calculator →Put AI-powered instant quoting on your own website
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