How to price 3D prints you sell
Three ways to set a price, how marketplace fees change what you keep, and how to check a price before you list it.
Updated 2026-11-05
Start from the cost, not from a guess
A price has to cover what the item costs you, the fees of the place you sell it, and a margin that makes the work worth doing. If you don't know your cost yet, work it out first with what a 3D print really costs. Most underpriced listings come from counting only the filament.
Three ways to set a price
In practice, many sellers combine them: calculate a floor from the cost, then look at the market to see how far above it they can go. The 3D print price calculator works out a price from a target margin after fees.
- Cost plus margin: add up the full cost and add a fixed percentage. It is simple and always covers the cost, but it ignores what buyers will pay. A personalized gift can sell for much more than its cost.
- Per printer hour: charge a rate per hour of printing plus the material. It suits custom work and print-on-request, where every job is different. Long, simple prints get expensive this way, so check them against the market.
- Market price: look at what similar items sell for and price within that range. It tells you what buyers accept, but not whether you make money at that price. Use it as a check on the other two, not alone.
Fees take a share of every sale
Marketplaces charge per listing, per sale and for payment processing. These percentages are taken from the selling price, so they grow with it. The figures below were checked against the official fee pages on 21 October 2026. They change, so check the source before you rely on them.
- Etsy, shop in the Netherlands: 0.18 euros to list, 6.5% of the price including shipping, and 4% + 0.30 euros for payment processing.
- Etsy, shop in the US: USD 0.20 to list, 6.5% transaction fee, and 3% + USD 0.25 payment processing.
- Etsy Offsite Ads: if a sale comes from one of Etsy's ads on other sites, another 15% of the order, or 12% for shops that sold more than USD 10,000 in a year.
- eBay US, most categories: 13.6% of the whole order including shipping, plus USD 0.30 per order, or USD 0.40 for orders over USD 10.
An example with fees
Say an item costs you 8 euros to make and you want to keep about 5 euros on top. If you sell it on Etsy from the Netherlands for 20 euros without shipping, the fees are 0.18 + 1.30 + 0.80 + 0.30 = 2.58 euros. You keep 17.42 euros, which leaves 9.42 euros above your cost. At 15 euros, the fees drop to about 2.13 euros and you keep about 4.87 euros above your cost. The Etsy fee calculator and the Etsy vs eBay comparison do this for your own prices.
VAT and income tax come on top of this and depend on where you live and how much you sell. Ask your tax office or an accountant before you sell regularly.
Shipping
Decide whether shipping is in the price or added at checkout. On Etsy, the transaction fee is also charged on shipping, so shipping is never free for you. Weigh a packed item before you set the shipping price: a box and padding can weigh more than the print, and a small parcel rate can cost more than the item.
Packaging and shipping 3D prints covers how to pack prints and keep the cost down.
Personalized items
An item with a name on it takes more of your time: the buyer has to send the text, you have to check the spelling and the fit, and you can't print it in advance. Price that time in. Personalized items also can't be resold if the buyer cancels, so many sellers ask for payment before they print.
On the other hand, buyers often pay more for something made for them. A name keychain uses about 5 grams of filament, so its price is almost entirely time and value, not material.
Sets, bundles and quantity prices
Printing several copies together can share setup and order-handling time, but adding copies adds material and toolpath work. A full plate usually takes longer than a half-full one. Use your slicer's estimate for the complete plate, including purge waste and supports, when working out a quantity price. Sets can cost less per item when the shared overhead falls, but check the actual plate cost before offering a discount.
For larger orders from shops, clubs or events, give a price per quantity, for example per 10, 25 and 50 pieces, and say how long each takes. Ask for a deposit before you start a large run, as it ties up your printer and your filament.
Check a price before you list it
- Does it cover the full cost from the cost guide, not only the filament?
- Do you still make money after the fees of the place you sell it, including ads?
- Would you still be happy at this price if you sold fifty of them?
- Is it in the range that similar items sell for? If it is far below, you may be leaving money on the table. If it is far above, your listing needs to show why.
- Have you left room for a discount, a failed print or a return?
Raise prices carefully, but do raise them
Filament, power and fees change. Recalculate your cost a few times a year, and adjust your prices when it moves. A small price increase on every item usually goes unnoticed. Selling below cost for a long time doesn't.
Frequently asked questions
What margin should I add to a 3D print?
There is no fixed number. Work out your full cost including your time, subtract the selling fees from the price, and check that what is left is worth the work. Then compare with similar items on the market.
Do Etsy fees apply to shipping?
Yes. Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee is charged on the price including shipping, and payment processing on the whole order.