How to price 3D printing in 2026: the 5-variable method (no spreadsheet)

Pricing 3D printing seems simple until a client orders 30 pieces and you realize the weekend spreadsheet didn’t account for failures, nozzle degradation or supervision time.

The 5 variables that must be there

1. Real filament cost (weight × price per kg, not the slicer’s estimate).
2. Electricity (printer wattage × time × local kWh rate).
3. Machine depreciation (value / useful hours until next maintenance).
4. Historical failure rate (scrap percentage of your operation).
5. Margin and labor (post-processing, painting, packaging).

Ignoring any of these is where profit leaks. Especially the failure rate: anyone who prints knows the 2% from the catalog becomes 15% on complex parts.

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If your price doesn’t cover the second attempt, you are paying to work.

— Lesson learned in 3 years of operation

How EiPrint automates this

The free calculator already considers material, energy and time. On the Premium plan you register your machines and filaments once, and every quote comes with depreciation, historical failure and margin built in automatically.