3D Printing Profit Calculator Examples
Explore worked 3D printing pricing examples using filament, electricity, labour and selling fees.
These examples show how different product sizes, prices and production methods can affect estimated 3D printing profit. They use the same core calculation but cover low-volume custom work, repeatable products and longer prints.
Example 1: Small custom keychains
A maker sells 20 custom keychains at $8 each through a marketplace charging 12% fees.
Input Summary
Sale price
$8.00 per item
Quantity
20 items
Filament
18 g per item at $24.00 per kg
Print time and power
0.75 hours per item at 0.10 kW
Electricity
$0.20 per kWh
Hands-on time and rate
8 minutes per item at $18.00 per hour
Selling fees
12%
Calculation Breakdown
- 1Revenue$8.00 * 20$160.00
- 2Material cost20 * 18 / 1000 * $24.00$8.64
- 3Energy cost20 * 0.75 * 0.10 * $0.20$0.30
- 4Labour and fees20 * 8 / 60 * $18.00; $160.00 * 12%$48.00 labour; $19.20 fees
- 5Profit$160.00 - ($8.64 + $0.30 + $48.00 + $19.20)$83.86
Result Summary
Profit
$83.86
3D Printing Profit Calculator
Estimated revenue is $160.00, total included costs are $76.14 and estimated profit is $83.86, a 52.4% margin.
Example 2: Batch of plant pots
A seller expects to sell 30 printed plant pots at $18 each.
Input Summary
Sale price
$18.00 per item
Quantity
30 items
Filament
150 g per item at $22.00 per kg
Print time and power
5 hours per item at 0.14 kW
Electricity
$0.25 per kWh
Hands-on time and rate
12 minutes per item at $16.00 per hour
Selling fees
10%
Calculation Breakdown
- 1Revenue$18.00 * 30$540.00
- 2Material cost30 * 150 / 1000 * $22.00$99.00
- 3Energy cost30 * 5 * 0.14 * $0.25$5.25
- 4Labour cost30 * 12 / 60 * $16.00$96.00
- 5Fees and profit$540.00 * 10%; $540.00 - ($99.00 + $5.25 + $96.00 + $54.00)$54.00 fees; $285.75 profit
Result Summary
Fees and profit
$54.00 fees; $285.75 profit
3D Printing Profit Calculator
The batch produces estimated profit of $285.75 from $540.00 revenue, for a 52.9% margin.
Example 3: Large display model
A seller prices five detailed display models at $95 each.
Input Summary
Sale price
$95.00 per item
Quantity
5 items
Filament
650 g per item at $28.00 per kg
Print time and power
28 hours per item at 0.18 kW
Electricity
$0.30 per kWh
Hands-on time and rate
45 minutes per item at $20.00 per hour
Selling fees
9%
Calculation Breakdown
- 1Revenue$95.00 * 5$475.00
- 2Material cost5 * 650 / 1000 * $28.00$91.00
- 3Energy cost5 * 28 * 0.18 * $0.30$7.56
- 4Labour cost5 * 45 / 60 * $20.00$75.00
- 5Fees and profit$475.00 * 9%; $475.00 - ($91.00 + $7.56 + $75.00 + $42.75)$42.75 fees; $258.69 profit
Result Summary
Fees and profit
$42.75 fees; $258.69 profit
3D Printing Profit Calculator
Estimated profit is $258.69, with a 54.5% margin after the included costs.
How to Read Your Results
Revenue is the total sales amount before any included costs are deducted.
Total costs combines only the material, energy, labour and percentage-based fees entered.
Profit per item makes it easier to compare products with different order quantities.
Profit margin shows the estimated profit as a percentage of revenue, not as a percentage of cost.
A positive result does not automatically cover unlisted overheads such as packaging, maintenance, tax or returns.
Assumptions & Important Notes
- Each order contains identical items with consistent material use and production time.
- Electricity calculations use average power draw rather than a measured energy total for every print.
- The stated selling fee applies evenly to all sales.
- Currency values are illustrative estimates and are not financial advice.
Related Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is labour cost high on small 3D print orders?
Setup, finishing and packing can take similar time whether an item is small or large, so labour may dominate low-priced products.
Can I use these examples for resin printing?
The calculation structure can be used, but resin, washing, curing, consumables and safety-related costs should be reflected in the material or additional cost estimate.
Should I use one example per item or per batch?
Use per-item inputs when items are identical. For a batch with shared setup or shipping work, consider adding the shared time across the relevant number of items.
What does a negative estimated profit mean?
It means the included costs are higher than the expected revenue under the values entered.
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