The short answer: anywhere from $3 to $3,000+ depending on technology, material, and size. Here's exactly what drives that range — and how to make sure you're not overpaying.
Quick Price Reference by Technology
These are real-world ranges across US service bureaus and local shops, not manufacturer marketing figures.
| Technology | Small Part (<5cm) | Medium Part (5–15cm) | Large Part (>15cm) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM | $3–$20 | $15–$80 | $50–$300 | Functional prototypes, enclosures, jigs |
| SLA/MSLA | $20–$60 | $50–$200 | $150–$500 | High-detail models, dental, jewelry |
| SLS Nylon | $50–$120 | $80–$250 | $150–$400 | Complex geometry, living hinges |
| Metal DMLS | $150–$400 | $300–$900 | $600–$3,000+ | Aerospace, medical, tooling |
| Multi-Jet/PolyJet | $80–$250 | $200–$600 | $500–$2,000 | Full-color, rubber-like parts |
FDM Plastic Printing Costs Browse FDM services →
FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is the cheapest widely available 3D printing technology. It works by melting plastic filament through a heated nozzle layer by layer. Most consumer prints, prototypes, and hobby parts are made this way.
A standard 10cm x 10cm x 5cm enclosure lid in PLA at 20% infill, 0.2mm layer height runs approximately $18–$35 at a US service bureau. The same print at a local shop with faster turnaround typically comes in at $25–$55 including a brief design review.
What moves FDM price up or down:
- Material: PLA is cheapest (~$20/kg). PETG adds 15–25%. ABS adds 20–30%. Nylon adds 50–100%. Carbon-fiber composites can add 200%+.
- Infill: Going from 15% to 100% infill can double print time and material cost.
- Layer height: 0.1mm (fine) takes 2–3x longer than 0.3mm (draft), directly increasing machine-time cost.
- Supports: Complex overhangs requiring support structures add 10–30% in material and post-processing time.
- Finish: Raw off-the-printer costs less. Sanding, priming, and painting add $10–$100+ in labor.
Resin (SLA/MSLA) Printing Costs Browse SLA services →
Stereolithography (SLA) and its consumer cousin MSLA cure liquid resin with UV light to produce extremely fine detail — typically 10–50 microns per layer versus 100–300 for FDM. That precision comes at a higher price.
Resin printing makes sense when surface finish and detail matter more than structural strength: dental models, casting patterns, jewelry masters, miniatures, architectural scale models, and cosmetic prototypes.
A detailed 8cm dental model in standard grey resin: $25–$55. The same model in castable resin for jewelry: $40–$90. An engineering-grade tough resin model with machined accuracy requirements: $80–$200.
Industrial SLA machines (3D Systems, Formlabs Form 4) produce parts with tighter tolerances and more consistent mechanical properties than consumer MSLA printers. Expect a 40–80% price premium for industrial SLA work versus consumer resin printing.
SLS Nylon Printing Costs Browse SLS services →
Selective Laser Sintering fuses nylon powder with a laser — no support structures required, which makes it ideal for complex geometries, interlocking parts, and flexible living hinges. The catch: SLS machines cost $200,000–$1,000,000, so most buyers use service bureaus.
Most US service bureaus have a minimum order of $100–$250 for SLS because the machines need to run at near-full bed capacity to be economical. If you only need one small part, SLS is usually overkill — FDM or SLA will be cheaper.
If you need 5+ identical parts with complex internal channels or thin walls, SLS often beats SLA in per-part price because you can stack parts in the same build chamber and the lack of support structures cuts post-processing time significantly.
Metal 3D Printing Costs Browse metal services →
Metal printing (DMLS, SLM, EBM, or binder jetting) is the most expensive category by a wide margin. A mid-size stainless steel bracket that costs $30 to CNC machine from stock might cost $300–$600 to 3D print — the economics only make sense for complex geometries that can't be machined, or for rapid iteration where tooling cost is avoided.
| Metal Material | Typical Price/cm³ | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless Steel 316L | $8–$20/cm³ | Medical devices, marine, food |
| Tool Steel H13 | $12–$25/cm³ | Injection mold inserts, tooling |
| Titanium Ti-64 | $25–$60/cm³ | Aerospace, medical implants |
| Inconel 625/718 | $30–$70/cm³ | High-temp aerospace, turbines |
| Aluminum AlSi10Mg | $10–$22/cm³ | Lightweight aerospace, automotive |
| Cobalt Chrome | $20–$45/cm³ | Dental crowns, orthopedic |
Post-processing adds significantly to metal print cost. Heat treatment, HIP (hot isostatic pressing), support removal, and CNC finishing of critical surfaces typically add 30–60% on top of the base print price.
7 Factors That Drive 3D Printing Cost
Online Service Bureau vs. Local Shop
Both have real advantages — the right choice depends on your timeline, project size, and how much back-and-forth you need.
| Online Service | Local Shop | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Often 10–30% cheaper for standard parts | Slightly higher but negotiable for repeat orders |
| Lead Time | 5–14 business days including shipping | 1–5 days, sometimes same-day |
| Design Help | Automated DFM checks only | In-person consultation available |
| Shipping Risk | Damage possible for delicate parts | Pickup eliminates transit damage |
| Minimum Order | Often $25–$100 minimum | Often no minimum |
| Best For | Production runs, standard parts, metal | Prototypes, urgent jobs, unusual requirements |
Find a Local 3D Printing Shop
Get quotes from shops near you — no shipping wait, no minimums, often same-day for simple parts.
How to Reduce Your 3D Printing Bill
Own a Printer vs. Use a Service?
For most people, the math on printer ownership is straightforward:
| Scenario | Better Option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 parts/month | Service bureau | Printer cost, filament waste, and failed prints don't amortize |
| 5–15 parts/month | Toss-up | A $300 FDM printer pays off in 4–8 months at service bureau prices |
| 15+ parts/month | Own a printer | Material at home ($20–$25/kg) vs. service bureau markups (often 5–10x) |
| Need SLS or metal | Service bureau | Industrial machines cost $200k–$1M — ownership rarely justified |
| Need consistent pro finish | Service bureau | Dialing in surface quality on a home printer requires significant time |
A quality FDM printer (Bambu Lab A1, Prusa MK4S, Creality K1C) now costs $300–$700 and produces near-service-bureau quality out of the box. If you're running more than 10 prints a month, ownership pays off quickly.
Enter your part dimensions, select your technology and material, and get an instant price range — no signup needed. It won't replace a real quote, but it gives you a solid ballpark before you contact shops.
Frequently Asked Questions
FDM service bureaus typically charge $0.10–$0.50 per gram of material plus setup and machine time. At home, PLA filament costs roughly $0.02–$0.04 per gram at retail. The markup at service bureaus covers machine depreciation, labor, electricity, and overhead — not just raw material.
Service bureau pricing reflects machine depreciation (industrial printers cost $10k–$1M), skilled operator labor, material waste from failed prints and support structures, overhead, and a margin. Material cost is typically only 10–20% of the total price you pay.
For fewer than ~500 units, yes — 3D printing has no tooling cost. Injection mold tooling runs $5,000–$100,000+, but per-unit cost at volume drops to cents. The crossover point where injection molding becomes cheaper typically sits between 200–1,000 units for a simple plastic part.
Full-color 3D printing (PolyJet or ColorJet) costs significantly more than single-color. PolyJet full-color parts typically run $150–$800 for small-to-medium models. A cheaper alternative is printing in white and painting — $20–$50 in labor often achieves better visual results than the premium color-printing technologies charge.
Yes, especially with local shops. Volume discounts, repeat-customer relationships, flexible delivery windows, and providing ready-to-print files with no prep work needed all give shops reason to offer better rates. Online services have less flexibility but some offer loyalty pricing for business accounts.