The 3D printing pricing formula starts with cost: material weight times price per gram, plus machine time times an hourly rate, plus labor for setup and finishing. Apply your markup on top of that total to set a target price, then check the number against marketplace fees — because the price that survives fees, not the one before them, is what actually pays you.
What you actually keep
| What you sell | List price | Fees | You keep | Margin |
| A $6-to-make phone stand (Etsy)Etsy: transaction $1.17 · payment processing $0.79 · listing $0.20 | $18.00 | -$2.16 | $9.84 | 55% |
The cost side
Add material cost (weight in grams times your price per gram), machine time (print hours times your hourly rate), and labor for setup, removal, and any finishing. Include a small failure allowance for prints that fail partway — together these make up your true cost to produce the item.
Markup vs margin
Markup is a percentage you add on top of your cost to set a price — it's a decision you make before the sale. Margin is what's actually left afterward, once the sale price has paid back your cost and the marketplace's fees. The two numbers are rarely equal.
Then the fee layer
Once you have a target price from cost plus markup, run it through the marketplace's fees — a percentage of the sale plus fixed charges like listing or processing fees. If what's left after subtracting cost and fees is less than your target margin, raise the price.
See your real margin on your own prints
Drop in an STL, set your price, pick your marketplace — our free calculator shows exactly what you keep after fees. No signup, no upload.
Run your own numbers Run a shop? Start freeFrequently asked questions
What is the formula for pricing 3D prints?
Cost equals material plus machine time plus labor plus a failure allowance. Add your markup to get a target price. Then confirm that price still covers your target margin after marketplace fees — transaction, processing, and listing costs — are subtracted from the sale.
What's the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is added to your cost to decide a price; margin is what's left of that price once cost and fees are subtracted. A high markup percentage can still produce a thin margin if marketplace fees take a large enough bite.
How do I add marketplace fees to the formula?
After material, machine time, labor, and markup give you a target price, calculate what that marketplace would charge — its percentage fee plus any fixed processing or listing fees — and check the price still leaves the margin you planned for.