What do 3D printing services charge per hour?

UK-based 3D printing services typically charge £3-15 per print hour depending on the technology. FDM is cheapest, SLA/resin is mid-range, and SLS/industrial printers command the highest rates.

Should I charge for design time?

Yes. Design, slicing, and post-processing time should be billed separately or factored into your hourly rate. Many services charge a setup fee plus per-hour printing.

How do I calculate labour cost?

Include time for print setup, monitoring, removal, post-processing and packing. Even if the printer runs unattended, there is always some hands-on time per print job.

Is markup the same as profit margin?

No. Markup is added on top of your cost (charge = cost x (1 + markup%)), while margin is the share of the selling price you keep (margin% = profit / charge). They are not interchangeable: a 30% markup gives you only a 23.1% gross margin, because margin% = markup% / (1 + markup%). This calculator works in markup terms, so a 30% markup on a £7.81/hr cost charges £10.15/hr and keeps £2.34/hr (23.1% of revenue). If you want a true 30% margin instead, you would need roughly a 42.9% markup.

3DPrintCalcs

Hourly Rate Calculator — 3D Printing Services

Work out your effective hourly rate for 3D printing services.

Material Cost

Filament/resin used per print hour in £ (spool £/kg x grams used per hour ÷ 1000)

Electricity Cost

Cost per print hour, not per kWh: printer power (kW) x tariff. e.g. 0.15 kW x £0.2467/kWh ≈ £0.04/hr at the UK Ofgem rate

Machine Wear

Hourly depreciation, nozzles, belts and maintenance; typically £0.25–£3/hr for a hobby FDM printer, more for SLA/SLS/industrial

Labour Cost

Your hands-on rate for setup, slicing, monitoring, removal and post-processing per print hour

Overhead

Rent, insurance, software and other fixed costs, spread across your paid print hours

Markup

Added on top of cost (charge = cost x (1 + markup%)). Note: a 30% markup = a 23.1% profit margin, not 30%

How We Calculate This

Formula

Cost per hour = Material + Electricity + Wear + Labour + Overhead
Charge per hour = Cost per hour x (1 + Markup %)
Profit per hour = Charge - Cost

This gives your break-even hourly cost and the rate you should charge after applying your markup. Markup is added on top of cost — it is not the same as profit margin. A 30% markup yields a 23.1% gross margin (margin % = markup % / (1 + markup %)), so if you have a target margin in mind, convert it first.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify settings with test prints before committing to final prints.