01 Resin and supports
Use the complete slicer volume, not the visible model volume. Supports, rafts and resin left on disposable supports still cost money.
RESIN PRINTING COST GUIDE
How much does resin 3D printing actually cost?
Resin in the model is only the visible part of the bill. A realistic cost includes supports, failed attempts, machine and screen wear, electricity, washing, consumables and hands-on time.
For a small miniature, raw resin can cost well under £1, but that is not the same as the cost of producing a finished model. The real answer depends on resin volume, plate utilisation, failure rate and how much labour you include. Use your slicer’s volume and time estimates in the free true-cost calculator rather than relying on a universal price.
CALCULATE YOUR OWN PRINT
Get an answer using your printer and slicer estimates
Choose your printer, enter resin usage and print time, then refine the optional assumptions only if you need them.
Calculate true print cost →Calculate cost per miniatureThe seven costs that matter
02 Failed attempts
A failed plate consumes material, printer hours and consumables. Even a modest recurring failure rate raises the expected cost of every successful plate.
03 Printer wear
Allocate the printer purchase price across an editable estimate of useful printing hours. This is a planning allowance, not a guaranteed lifespan.
04 Screen or light-engine wear
MSLA screens are consumable components. DLP, laser SLA and masked-resin systems have different maintenance economics, so use assumptions appropriate to your machine.
05 Electricity
Multiply average power in kilowatts by printing hours and your electricity tariff. Avoid using the power supply’s maximum rating as though it were constant consumption.
06 Washing and consumables
IPA or cleaning liquid, gloves, filters, towels and release-film wear are individually small but repeat on every batch.
07 Labour and selling costs
Support removal, washing, curing, cleanup, packing, marketplace fees and payment processing can exceed the raw material cost.
The basic calculation
Start with the cost of one attempted plate. Then adjust it for the chance of failure before dividing by the number of usable models.
attempted plate cost = resin + machine wear + screen wear + electricity + consumables + labour
expected successful plate cost = attempted plate cost ÷ (1 − failure rate)
production cost per model = expected successful plate cost ÷ usable models on plate
Packaging, selling fees, tax and postage belong after production cost when you are evaluating a sale. See the complete ResinMetrics methodology for the exact model.
A worked miniature example
Suppose a five-hour plate produces ten miniatures and uses 120 mL of resin including supports. The assumptions below are illustrative—not universal prices or manufacturer specifications.
| Input | Example assumption |
|---|---|
| Resin | 120 mL at £25/L = £3.00 |
| Printer allocation | £329 across 6,000 hours = £0.27 |
| Screen allocation | £130 across 2,000 hours = £0.33 |
| Electricity | 100 W × 5 h at £0.27/kWh = £0.14 |
| Wash, PPE, film and other consumables | £0.57 per attempted plate |
| Hands-on labour | 15 minutes at £12/hour = £3.00 |
| Attempted plate cost | £7.30 |
| Expected plate cost at 10% failures | £8.11 |
| Production cost per miniature | about £0.81 before packaging and selling costs |
Rounding explains minor differences. Change any input and the result changes; that is why a calculator is more useful than a fixed internet estimate.
Why the cheapest bottle may not produce the cheapest model
Price per litre is only one variable. A formulation that causes more failed plates, brittle support damage or shipping replacements can have a higher cost per successful model even if the bottle is cheaper. Compare delivered prices with the resin price-per-litre calculator, then measure success across several plates.
COMPARE A CURRENT RESIN PRICE
Test the delivered SUNLU price in your calculation
Check the resin type, bottle size, delivery cost and printer compatibility, then enter the actual total into ResinMetrics. Optional checkout code: OU4Y1APBJO.
Check current SUNLU prices →Affiliate disclosure: ResinMetrics may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and any code benefit can change; verify the checkout total.
Costs hobbyists can reasonably exclude
If you print only for yourself, you may choose not to assign a commercial hourly rate to your hobby time. You should still understand the material, failure and equipment costs. If you sell prints, excluding labour can make an apparently profitable product consume hours while returning very little.
How to reduce cost without reducing quality
- Fill the build plate when the models genuinely share compatible settings and height.
- Measure your own failure rate and address recurring support or exposure problems.
- Compare delivered resin price per litre, not headline bottle price.
- Use hollowing only when appropriate, with drainage and curing considerations properly handled.
- Standardise washing, curing and support removal to reduce labour variation.
- Review marketplace and advertising fees rather than using an outdated generic percentage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to resin print one miniature?
Raw resin may cost only a few pence or cents, but the useful production figure also includes supports, failed attempts, machine wear, washing, consumables and any labour you choose to allocate.
Does resin printing use a lot of electricity?
Electricity is usually smaller than resin, labour and failure costs for a desktop machine. Calculate it from measured or realistic average watts rather than the power supply’s maximum rating.
Should failed prints be included?
Yes. Divide the attempted plate cost by its probability of success so successful models carry the expected cost of failed attempts.
How should I price prints for sale?
Start with full production cost, then add packaging, marketplace fees, payment fees, shipping and applicable tax before solving for your target margin. The pricing calculator does this backwards from the margin you want.