A resin 3D print cost calculator for MSLA, DLP, and SLA printers. Enter how many millilitres your slicer reports, the price and size of your bottle, and the tool instantly shows your material cost, cost per mL, mass used in grams, and the optional impact of print failures and support waste.
How it works
Photopolymer resin is sold by volume (mL or litres), so the unit cost is simply price divided by volume. The total material cost for a specific print is:
Cost = (bottle price / bottle volume in mL) x mL used
That is the only formula involved. The calculator also converts volume to mass using the resin’s density:
Mass (g) = mL used x density (g/mL)
This lets you cross-check against your slicer’s gram estimate, which matters when pricing prints or ordering resin in bulk by weight. The optional failure allowance adds a percentage on top — useful when quoting customers or tracking real profit margins across a print batch.
Worked example
You print a miniature in Elegoo ABS-like resin. Chitubox says 38 mL used. Your 1 litre bottle of ABS-like resin cost £28.
- Cost per mL = £28 / 1000 mL = £0.028 / mL
- Resin cost = 38 mL x £0.028 = £1.06
- Mass used = 38 mL x 1.12 g/mL = 42.6 g
- You add a 10 % failure allowance: £1.06 x 0.10 = £0.11
- Total cost including waste: £1.17
| Bottle | Price | Volume | Cost/mL | 38 mL cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard MSLA | £25 | 1000 mL | £0.025 | £0.95 |
| ABS-like | £28 | 1000 mL | £0.028 | £1.06 |
| Premium dental | £65 | 500 mL | £0.13 | £4.94 |
| Bulk standard | £80 | 5000 mL | £0.016 | £0.61 |
Buying in bulk (5 L vs 1 L) typically cuts cost per mL by 35–40 %, which adds up quickly if you print regularly.
Formula note
Resin has a density noticeably above water (1.05–1.20 g/mL vs water at 1.00), which is why the same 100 mL of ABS-like resin weighs 112 g, not 100 g. Slicers default to a fixed internal density (usually 1.10 g/mL) when estimating weight — select the matching preset here if you want the gram figure to agree with your slicer’s estimate. For cost purposes the density does not affect the £ total; it only affects the grams reported.
Reference: typical consumption by model size
| Print size | Typical mL range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 28 mm miniature (solid) | 3–8 mL | Hollow with drain holes: 1–3 mL |
| 75 mm bust (hollowed) | 15–40 mL | Depends on wall thickness |
| Full face mask / prop | 80–200 mL | Complex geometry, heavy supports |
| Dental model (full arch) | 12–25 mL | High-density dental resin |
| Cosplay armour panel | 150–400 mL | Large FEP footprint, fragile in one piece |
These are rough guides only — your slicer’s estimate is always more accurate.
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