🖨️3D Printer - Buy vs Outsource Calculator
Compare the costs of buying a 3D printer versus outsourcing 3D printing services
Last updated: November 7, 2025
What if… You could physically touch and feel any product you design or visualize? A 3D printer helps you make that vision into a reality. 3D printing has been at the center of innovations in various fields of robotics and engineering. It is revolutionizing the future, from what we drive, what we use, where we live, what we wear, and what we eat! Yes, even food can be 3D printed. Considering the immense potential of 3D printers, it is very beneficial for students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to get exposed to them early on in their careers. Not just in factories, the advancement in affordable rapid prototyping technology has also brought 3D printers in the reach of students in schools and colleges.
But we are often confused about buying a 3D printer or just using one of the available commercial services. A commercial service can take a few days to deliver the part, whereas having a 3D printer at your disposal 24×7 can be very rewarding for a creative mind. However, it could also be a tedious task involving cleaning and maintaining this incredible machine. As you weigh the tasks associated with it, we have got the economic side covered for you! This calculator estimates the cost of either buying a printer or using a 3D printing service and helps make an informed decision.
Buy or outsource a 3D printer: Deciding to buy a 3D printer or just use a service?
Different Types of 3D Printers
Let us look at the different types of 3D printers available and what they can do. Different 3D printers are available based on size, materials, features, and printing technologies. Implementation of these factors decides the cost of a 3D printer.
Onto the printing technology, this aspect of prototyping deals with what kind of technology the printer uses, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Each technology has its pros and cons depending upon cost, level of detail, and type of materials they can print. FDM is one of the most common and affordable methods and is this calculator's prime focus.
An FDM-based 3D printer uses one or more extruding nozzles to print the model one layer at a time. It uses a spool of wire-shaped filament that is heated and melted to form a continuous material flow. The nozzles, controlled by stepper motors, deposit the material on the print bed.
In terms of materials, the most common plastic material used for printing is known as polylactic acid (PLA). The material is affordable and is biodegradable, which makes it perfect for quick design and prototype brainstorming. In addition to PLA, several other thermoplastic materials are acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG). Further, printers can also print using metal powders, composites, and wood or fiber blended thermoplastic materials. The possibility of having different levels of strengths, flexibility, and longevity drives these innovations in material technology. On the other hand, each material has its challenges, such as printing time, and an ABS print requires a heated bed to maintain the print on the bed and avoid any potential warping.
In terms of size, one of the major factors in determining the cost of a 3D printer is the print or build volume. It is defined as the space available for printing or maximum volume or size of the model you print using the printer, for example, 100 mm × 120 mm × 135 mm. The shape of the working area of a 3D printer is usually a parallelepiped. However, we can meet prisms, cylinders, and so on: our volume calculator can help you calculating the volumes in every situation!
The Process of 3D Printing
3D printing has several stages: conceptualization, modeling and analysis, preprocessing, printing, and post-processing.
Conceptualization, Modeling, and Analysis
This phase could involve drawing some rough sketches that a 3D modeler can use to generate 3D models in CAD software like SolidWorks. There are also 3D marketplaces (like CGTrader and TurboSquid) to directly download free 3D models or purchase them at a reasonable cost. Post modeling, depending on the purpose of the print, is often carried out. A student might analyze if the printed parts would fit together as an assembly, especially for robotics.
Preprocessing
The model post design is prepared for printing. This process involves importing the model into slicing software such as Ultimaker Cura, GrabCAD Print, or Simplify3d. The slicing software first assesses the model to be watertight, i.e., no broken parts or disconnected geometry, especially in hollow and thin models. The model is then assessed and sliced to generate G-code: a set of several coordinates as instructions for the printer to deposit material at locations.
The software will also give you information on the amount of material used, the time for printing it, and other properties based on the selected input. There are three main parts of the model, which are:
- Shell
- Support
- Infill
You can adjust the support settings to fix the model support. The support material gets printed at a different density that you can chip away in post-processing. Some other settings include print speed, the temperature of filament and bed, and model placement.
Printing
This phase is pretty easy as the user has to load the model on the printer via a wireless connection or MicroSD card and insert the filament spool. Before printing, the user must level the print bed. It is often seen that due to inappropriate storing conditions, the filament retains moisture and does not melt and deposit evenly, causing manufacturing defects. Therefore, the print is to be monitored in the early phase for any potential issues.
Post-processing
After completing the printing process, the user needs to chip it off the bed after the cooldown. The post-processing phase includes any potential sanding or grinding to obtain a smooth finish. Further, sometimes some supports are needed to be chipped away. You might need some nose pliers, needles, knives to remove intricate support material. The part is then ready for use post final inspection.
We might know how it works, but the question remains of how much a 3D printer might cost? To figure out what commercial model to choose, you need to answer a few questions like:
- What will be the print volume (depending upon the model size you need)?
- How much space do you have in your lab?
- What material and for what purpose are you going to print?
This calculator will assist you in making a costly decision on that.
Using the Calculator
This calculator helps you compare the cost of buying a 3D printer versus using a 3D printing service. To use this calculator, we suggest you keep all the associated costs ready by your side.
First, we will estimate the cost of owning the printer that involves buying and installing and the cost of consumables and safety gear. To calculate the cost:
- Enter the price of the 3D printer you are planning to purchase.
- Enter the monthly maintenance cost of the printer (you can find it in the instructions manual or specification sheet of the printer).
- Fill in the material cost per print you are planning to use. We also have the average market prices available using a list of pre-listed materials to assist you.
- Enter the number of prints per month you expect to produce.
- Enter the outsource cost per print from a 3D printing service.
- Insert the analysis timeframe in months to estimate the overall cost.
The calculator will now estimate the overall cost of owning and using the 3D printer versus using a 3D print service and compare the costs for your convenience.
The calculator further assesses expenses from both cases and helps you decide if you should buy or use a printing service, including the break-even point to help you make an informed decision.
How to Reduce the Model Printing Costs?
The model printing cost majorly depends on the following factors:
- Complexity of design
- No. of hours required to print
- Material type and usage
Here are some tips for the user to reduce the cost, regardless of buying a printer or renting the service:
- You can estimate the material usage and time by analyzing the output from the slicing software.
- There are often some edges and overhangs that are too thin to print and therefore need fixing; slicing software helps you identify such issues in your model.
- Since the print time primarily depends on the movement of nozzles, you can arrange or optimize your printer tray to ensure minimum travel time by adjusting the distance, orientation, and scale.
- It is essential to choose the right infill setting; otherwise, there's a risk that the structure will collapse on itself while being printed.
Why are 3D Printers so Useful?
Now that we know how it works and how much it costs let's look at its potential! 3D printing is no longer just a machine for hobbyists and DIY-ers. A professional or student with knowledge of 3D printing can now actively contribute to several fields such as robotics, biomedical and tissue engineering, automotive and aerospace industry, construction technology, and product design.
Biomedical and Healthcare
It has been demonstrated that several components crucial to surgical implants and scaffolds can be 3D printed with different ceramics, hydrogel, and polymer-based materials and their variations. Such contributions can be very critical when it comes to saving a patient's life.
Robotics and Prosthetics
Imagine you can give somebody a new life after they lose their limbs! Yes, that's possible with the modern 3D-printed prosthetics design. This advancement has led to customized movable limbs for the disabled, accident victims, and war veterans to perform day-to-day tasks. This technology goes to the next level when you throw robotics in the mix to control these limbs.
Automotive and Aviation Industry
This revolution in manufacturing technology has helped build lighter, stronger vehicles and spare parts for automobiles and aviation industries. The use of additive manufacturing allows complex structures and several iterations to fine tune the product.
Construction
We can now print houses! Yes. From the world's first 3D-printed office building to an apartment building and a set of homes printed in just 24 hours. This technology is also touted to build structures for the space missions to Mars and the Moon, and also affordable houses and schools in Africa.
Entrepreneurship
Additive manufacturing in the hands of young creators has flooded the consumer market with so many customizable products like jewelry, DIY kits, aviation models, cosplay, and action figurines that sit on our desks and houses.
Your dream came true, and you bought a 3D printer: how much should you price your models? Discover it with our 3D printing cost calculator!
Frequently Asked Questions
The decision depends on your printing volume, budget, and needs. If you print frequently (20+ prints per month), buying may be more cost-effective long-term. For occasional use, outsourcing is often cheaper. Use this calculator to compare costs over your expected timeframe.
When buying a 3D printer, consider: initial purchase price, monthly maintenance and repairs, material costs (filament/resin), electricity costs, time investment for setup and troubleshooting, and potential upgrades. This calculator includes the main financial factors.
The break-even point is the number of months it takes for the total cost of buying a printer to equal the total cost of outsourcing. After this point, buying becomes more cost-effective. If break-even never occurs, outsourcing remains cheaper.
This calculator provides a good estimate based on the inputs you provide. Actual costs may vary based on printer reliability, material prices, outsourcing service rates, and unexpected maintenance. Consider adding a 10-20% buffer for unexpected costs.
Beyond cost, consider: turnaround time (owning is faster), quality control (you control the process), learning curve (3D printing requires skills), space requirements, and flexibility. For businesses, also consider tax benefits of equipment purchases.