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Print Per Gram is meant to be paid through affiliate links: if you buy through a link to Elegoo, Anycubic, Creality, Snapmaker or Bambu Lab, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. No program has accepted the site yet, links to Shop3D Universe and Flashforge earn us nothing (no program found or joined), and a commission never decides a pick. How we choose.
Pick a printer, a material and a spool from our price check (or type your own price per kilogram), then the weight and print time your slicer shows. The calculator gives the material and electricity cost of one part and of a batch, then ranks the printers in stock with the lowest total cost, printer price included, at your rhythm over one or two years.
The result appears here.
How the calculator works
- Material = grams / 1,000 x price per kg. For resin, the mL you enter are turned into grams with 1.100 g per cm³, the liquid density Elegoo publishes for its Standard Resin.
- Electricity = watts / 1,000 x hours x your state's residential price (EIA, Electric Power Monthly, table 5.6.A, August 2026, read on November 7, 2026).
- Watts: the maker's steady-state figure for PLA when it publishes one and you print PLA (Bambu Lab P2S 200 W, X2D 250 W, H2C 200 W, H3C 240 W at 110 V); otherwise the published maximum at 110 to 120 V, an upper bound. Resin: the power supply rating, or volts x amps of the supply when that is all the maker prints [calc].
- Ranking: every printer in stock whose maker lists the material and publishes its wattage, at printer price + (parts a week x 52 x years) x cost of one part on that printer. Printers without a published wattage are named apart, not ranked.
Left out on purpose: failed prints, support material and multicolor purge waste (add their grams to the part), wear parts such as nozzles and build plates, and your time. Nobody publishes a failure rate we could use honestly.
What a spool costs in U.S. stores
The cheapest in-stock 1 kg spool of each material at each store we read on November 7, 2026, Black Friday prices included. Elegoo's $13.49 PLA Basic is a refill: filament without a spool, to wind onto a reusable one.
| Material | Spool or bottle | Store price | Per kg [calc] | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | Elegoo PLA Basic, 1 kg refill (no spool) | $13.49 | $13.49 | Elegoo US store |
| PLA | Elegoo PLA (RFID), 1 kg | $13.99 | $13.99 | Elegoo US store |
| PLA | Anycubic PLA Basic, 1 kg | $17.99 | $17.99 | Anycubic store |
| PLA | Bambu Lab PLA Basic, 1 kg | $19.99 | $19.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| PLA | Snapmaker Basic PLA, 1 kg | $22.99 | $22.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| PETG | Elegoo Rapid PETG, 1 kg | $13.99 | $13.99 | Elegoo US store |
| PETG | Anycubic PETG, 1 kg | $16.99 | $16.99 | Anycubic store |
| PETG | Bambu Lab PETG Basic, 1 kg | $22.99 | $22.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| PETG | Snapmaker PETG, 1 kg | $22.99 | $22.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| ABS | Elegoo ABS, 1 kg | $18.99 | $18.99 | Elegoo US store |
| ABS | Anycubic ABS, 1 kg | $19.99 | $19.99 | Anycubic store |
| ABS | Snapmaker ABS, 1 kg | $22.99 | $22.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| ABS | Bambu Lab ABS, 1 kg | $24.99 | $24.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| ASA | Elegoo ASA, 1 kg | $16.99 | $16.99 | Elegoo US store |
| ASA | Anycubic ASA, 1 kg | $23.99 | $23.99 | Anycubic store |
| ASA | Snapmaker ASA (RFID), 1 kg | $27.99 | $27.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| ASA | Bambu Lab ASA, 1 kg | $29.99 | $29.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| TPU (95A) | Elegoo TPU 95A, 1 kg | $17.99 | $17.99 | Elegoo US store |
| TPU (95A) | Anycubic TPU 95A, 1 kg | $23.99 | $23.99 | Anycubic store |
| TPU (95A) | Snapmaker TPU, 1 kg | $34.99 | $34.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| TPU (95A) | Bambu Lab TPU 95A HF, 1 kg | $41.99 | $41.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| Nylon (PA) | Elegoo PAHT-CF (carbon-fiber nylon), 1 kg | $55.99 | $55.99 | Elegoo US store |
| Nylon (PA) | Bambu Lab PA6-GF (glass-fiber nylon), 1 kg | $59.99 | $59.99 | Shop3D Universe |
| Nylon (PA) | Snapmaker Black Nylon, 1 kg | $59.99 | $59.99 | Snapmaker US store |
| Resin | Elegoo Standard Resin, 12 kg | $159.99 | $13.33 | Elegoo US store |
| Resin | Elegoo ABS-Like Resin V3.0, 1 kg | $17.99 | $17.99 | Elegoo US store |
| Resin | Elegoo Standard Resin, 1 kg | $18.99 | $18.99 | Elegoo US store |
| Resin | Anycubic Standard Resin, 1 kg | $21.99 | $21.99 | Anycubic store |
| Resin | Anycubic ABS-Like Resin 2.0, 1 kg | $22.99 | $22.99 | Anycubic store |
How we compare: criteria, sources and dates
What an hour of printing costs, state by state
EIA residential prices for August 2026, the latest month in the table we read, and the cost of one hour at three typical power levels. Your bill shows your own rate per kWh, which may differ with your utility and plan.
| State | Residential price, Aug 2026 | One hour at 200 W (Bambu P2S printing PLA) [calc] | One hour at 350 W (A1, P1S, K1C max) [calc] | One hour at 1,000 W [calc] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.33 ¢/kWh | $0.033 | $0.057 | $0.163 |
| Alaska | 29.41 ¢/kWh | $0.059 | $0.103 | $0.294 |
| Arizona | 15.05 ¢/kWh | $0.030 | $0.053 | $0.150 |
| Arkansas | 14.37 ¢/kWh | $0.029 | $0.050 | $0.144 |
| California | 29.75 ¢/kWh | $0.060 | $0.104 | $0.297 |
| Colorado | 17.17 ¢/kWh | $0.034 | $0.060 | $0.172 |
| Connecticut | 24.51 ¢/kWh | $0.049 | $0.086 | $0.245 |
| Delaware | 18.70 ¢/kWh | $0.037 | $0.065 | $0.187 |
| District of Columbia | 25.98 ¢/kWh | $0.052 | $0.091 | $0.260 |
| Florida | 14.99 ¢/kWh | $0.030 | $0.052 | $0.150 |
| Georgia | 15.90 ¢/kWh | $0.032 | $0.056 | $0.159 |
| Hawaii | 47.18 ¢/kWh | $0.094 | $0.165 | $0.472 |
| Idaho | 13.37 ¢/kWh | $0.027 | $0.047 | $0.134 |
| Illinois | 19.32 ¢/kWh | $0.039 | $0.068 | $0.193 |
| Indiana | 17.02 ¢/kWh | $0.034 | $0.060 | $0.170 |
| Iowa | 17.06 ¢/kWh | $0.034 | $0.060 | $0.171 |
| Kansas | 15.47 ¢/kWh | $0.031 | $0.054 | $0.155 |
| Kentucky | 13.80 ¢/kWh | $0.028 | $0.048 | $0.138 |
| Louisiana | 12.87 ¢/kWh | $0.026 | $0.045 | $0.129 |
| Maine | 32.11 ¢/kWh | $0.064 | $0.112 | $0.321 |
| Maryland | 21.40 ¢/kWh | $0.043 | $0.075 | $0.214 |
| Massachusetts | 30.48 ¢/kWh | $0.061 | $0.107 | $0.305 |
| Michigan | 22.99 ¢/kWh | $0.046 | $0.080 | $0.230 |
| Minnesota | 17.20 ¢/kWh | $0.034 | $0.060 | $0.172 |
| Mississippi | 14.43 ¢/kWh | $0.029 | $0.051 | $0.144 |
| Missouri | 16.02 ¢/kWh | $0.032 | $0.056 | $0.160 |
| Montana | 15.57 ¢/kWh | $0.031 | $0.054 | $0.156 |
| Nebraska | 13.54 ¢/kWh | $0.027 | $0.047 | $0.135 |
| Nevada | 12.72 ¢/kWh | $0.025 | $0.045 | $0.127 |
| New Hampshire | 27.64 ¢/kWh | $0.055 | $0.097 | $0.276 |
| New Jersey | 24.61 ¢/kWh | $0.049 | $0.086 | $0.246 |
| New Mexico | 16.51 ¢/kWh | $0.033 | $0.058 | $0.165 |
| New York | 28.65 ¢/kWh | $0.057 | $0.100 | $0.286 |
| North Carolina | 14.95 ¢/kWh | $0.030 | $0.052 | $0.149 |
| North Dakota | 13.31 ¢/kWh | $0.027 | $0.047 | $0.133 |
| Ohio | 19.38 ¢/kWh | $0.039 | $0.068 | $0.194 |
| Oklahoma | 14.82 ¢/kWh | $0.030 | $0.052 | $0.148 |
| Oregon | 15.92 ¢/kWh | $0.032 | $0.056 | $0.159 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.77 ¢/kWh | $0.044 | $0.076 | $0.218 |
| Rhode Island | 28.18 ¢/kWh | $0.056 | $0.099 | $0.282 |
| South Carolina | 15.76 ¢/kWh | $0.032 | $0.055 | $0.158 |
| South Dakota | 15.15 ¢/kWh | $0.030 | $0.053 | $0.151 |
| Tennessee | 13.42 ¢/kWh | $0.027 | $0.047 | $0.134 |
| Texas | 15.91 ¢/kWh | $0.032 | $0.056 | $0.159 |
| Utah | 13.31 ¢/kWh | $0.027 | $0.047 | $0.133 |
| Vermont | 23.84 ¢/kWh | $0.048 | $0.083 | $0.238 |
| Virginia | 17.64 ¢/kWh | $0.035 | $0.062 | $0.176 |
| Washington | 14.63 ¢/kWh | $0.029 | $0.051 | $0.146 |
| West Virginia | 16.31 ¢/kWh | $0.033 | $0.057 | $0.163 |
| Wisconsin | 19.41 ¢/kWh | $0.039 | $0.068 | $0.194 |
| Wyoming | 14.43 ¢/kWh | $0.029 | $0.051 | $0.144 |
| U.S. average | 18.16 ¢/kWh | $0.036 | $0.064 | $0.182 |
How we compare: criteria, sources and dates
Before you buy for a part, check that it fits with Will it print?; to compare all 72 printers, see the 3D printer comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How much does 3D printing cost per gram?
The price of the spool divided by its weight. In our check on November 7, 2026, PLA ran from $13.49 to $22.99 per kg (1.3 to 2.3 cents a gram), PETG from $13.99, ABS from $18.99, ASA from $16.99, TPU from $17.99 and nylon blends from $55.99 per kg. Resin started at $13.33 per kg in a 12 kg box from Elegoo.
How much does a 3D printer cost per hour to run?
Its watts times your price per kWh. One hour at 350 W, the published maximum of the Bambu Lab A1 and P1S at 110 V, is about 6 cents at the U.S. average of 18.16 cents per kWh and about 17 cents in Hawaii (47.18 cents) [calc]. Printing PLA, the Bambu Lab P2S is rated 200 W steady-state: under 4 cents an hour at the U.S. average.
Why do you call the electricity a ceiling?
Because most makers publish only the maximum power, which the printer draws while the bed heats up. Bambu Lab, for instance, notes its printers hold maximum power "for no more than 3 minutes". When a maker publishes a steady-state figure for PLA, we use it for PLA; otherwise the maximum, and we say so.
How do I find the grams of my part?
Your slicer prints it before you print: Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer, Cura and the resin slicers show the filament in grams (resin in mL) and the print time. Add the grams of supports and, on multicolor printers, the purge waste the slicer reports.