3D Printing Cost & Profitability Calculator

Selling 3D printed products is an increasingly popular side hustle — a $300–$500 FDM printer can theoretically produce items selling for $15–$100 each on Etsy, Amazon Handmade, or your own store. The business model looks compelling on paper. In practice, margin erosion from multiple directions makes profitability harder than it first appears. Filament costs vary from $18/kg for standard PLA to $150/kg for specialty materials. Printer depreciation spreads the hardware cost across its working life — a printer that runs 3,000 hours before requiring major maintenance contributes $0.12/hour in depreciation cost at a $350 purchase price. Failed prints waste both material and electricity. Platform fees on Etsy (6.5% transaction fee) or Amazon (15% referral fee) directly reduce effective margin. Shipping and packaging add $5–$10+ per order. And as an independent seller, all net income is subject to 15.3% self-employment tax before income tax. This calculator models every cost layer from raw filament through final taxes. Enter your printer specs, material costs, operational parameters, and selling details to see your real gross margin per item, annual net income, and the minimum price you need to charge to make the business viable. Use the scenario table to test how price changes affect your margin and annual take-home.