Cost & Time Calculators

Knowing what a 3D print actually costs goes well beyond the price of a filament spool. Our Print Cost Calculator factors in material usage, electricity, and machine depreciation to give you a realistic per-print figure. With UK electricity prices averaging around 24p per kWh, the Electricity Cost Calculator is particularly useful for estimating running costs. A typical FDM printer drawing 200-350 watts can add 5p to 80p per print depending on duration, and those costs add up quickly if you are running overnight jobs or batch production.

For hobbyists thinking about selling prints at UK craft fairs, Etsy UK, or through local maker communities, the Order Pricing Calculator and Hourly Rate Calculator help you set prices that actually cover your costs and time. The Printer ROI Calculator shows how many prints it takes before your machine pays for itself, which is especially relevant if you invested in a higher-end printer like a Bambu Lab or Prusa. The Batch Printing Calculator demonstrates how printing multiple parts in a single job reduces per-unit cost by sharing warm-up time and bed adhesion prep.

Do not overlook post-production either. The Post-Processing Time Calculator estimates sanding, priming, and painting time, while the Shipping Size Calculator helps you quote accurate Royal Mail or Parcel Force shipping costs for customer orders. The Material Waste Calculator tracks filament lost to failed prints, supports, and purge lines, helping you reduce waste and improve your overall cost efficiency. The Time vs Quality Calculator lets you compare how different layer heights affect both print duration and surface finish, so you can make informed trade-offs.