filament
PLA vs PETG vs ABS: A Cost Comparison for Sellers
Filament price is only part of the story. Here's how PLA, PETG and ABS really compare on cost once failure rates, print speed and post-processing are included.
When sellers compare filaments, they usually compare spool prices. But the spool is rarely the deciding cost. A material that's a dollar cheaper per kilo but fails twice as often, prints slower, or needs sanding and an enclosure can easily cost you more per finished, sellable part.
Here's how the three workhorse materials — PLA, PETG and ABS — actually stack up for someone selling prints.
The headline trade-offs
| Material | Spool price (1 kg) | Ease of printing | Failure risk | Post-processing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | $ (cheapest) | Very easy | Low | Minimal | Decor, toys, display pieces, volume sellers |
| PETG | $$ | Moderate | Medium | Light (stringing) | Functional parts, outdoor-ish, mechanical |
| ABS | $$ | Hard | High | Heavy (warping, fumes, enclosure) | Heat/impact-resistant parts only |
Spool price climbs from PLA to PETG to ABS, but so does the hidden cost of running each one.
Where the real cost hides
Failure rate is the biggest lever. PLA forgives almost everything — open frame, no enclosure, low warping. PETG is stickier and strings more, so dialing it in takes effort. ABS warps and delaminates without a heated chamber, and a part that lifts at hour six is a total loss. If ABS fails for you 1 in 4 prints while PLA fails 1 in 20, ABS is carrying a ~25% loss tax versus PLA's ~5% — that gap usually dwarfs the difference in spool price.
Print speed and energy. ABS and PETG often run hotter and, with an enclosure, draw more power for longer. PLA prints fast and cool. Over a month of production that's a measurable electricity and machine-time difference.
Post-processing labor. This is the cost sellers underestimate most. PLA parts often come off the plate sale-ready. PETG may need a quick stringing cleanup. ABS frequently needs sanding, and many sellers acetone-smooth it — that's real, billable time on every unit.
Equipment overhead. Printing ABS well effectively requires an enclosure and good ventilation. That's an upfront cost and a safety consideration that PLA simply doesn't impose.
So which is cheapest to sell?
For most makers selling decorative and hobby items, PLA is the cheapest material to run a business on — not because the spool is cheap, but because it fails rarely and needs little finishing. PETG earns its slightly higher all-in cost when the product genuinely needs durability or some heat tolerance. ABS only pencils out when the customer specifically needs its heat and impact resistance and will pay for it — otherwise the failure rate and finishing labor eat the margin.
The takeaway: don't choose filament on spool price. Choose it on cost per finished, sellable part — and then make sure your selling price reflects the material you actually used.
Compare it for your own prints
The right answer depends on your failure rates, your labor rate, and your electricity cost. Plug your real numbers into the 3D Print Pricing Calculator, switch the material and failure rate, and watch the true cost per part change — so you can pick the filament that actually makes you the most money.