How to price 3D prints so you actually profit
Marketplace fees are charged on the selling price, not on your cost, so adding them on top of the cost is not enough. Solve for the price instead:
Price = (cost + fixed fees) ÷ (1 − fee % − margin %)
Example: a $5.00 part, Etsy fees of 6.5% + 3% plus $0.45 fixed, and a 30% margin: (5.00 + 0.45) ÷ (1 − 0.095 − 0.30) = $9.01. Fees take $1.31 and you keep $2.70.
Profit per printer hour
Compare products by profit per hour of printer time, not per piece. A small keychain that makes $2 in 20 minutes beats a $10 profit that ties up the printer for 12 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What are Etsy's fees for 3D printed items?
In the US, a 6.5% transaction fee, about 3% + $0.25 payment processing and $0.20 per listing, plus optional offsite ads. Check Etsy's current fee page.
What profit margin should I aim for?
Many sellers target 30–50% of the selling price after all fees and costs for one-off printed products.