What should a 3D print cost? A buyer's guide

Typical price ranges

Small FDM parts (under 50 g): $5-20 from small shops. Palm-sized functional parts: $15-50. Resin miniatures and detailed models: $10-60 by size and finish. SLS nylon parts: $20-80. Metal printed parts: $150+. Minimum order fees of $10-30 are normal and fair.

Why quotes differ so much

Machine quality, failure rates, finishing labor and simple pricing literacy vary enormously. A quote 5x cheaper than others usually means the seller forgot their own costs - fine for you short-term, but expect quality or reliability corners.

How to get better prices

Provide a clean watertight STL, state material and tolerance needs honestly, accept standard layer heights for hidden parts, and batch multiple parts into one order to share setup and minimums.

Check any quote yourself

Upload your file to our calculator with default shop rates - you will see the honest cost structure behind a fair price, including the market range for comparable parts.