Resin 3D Printed Miniature Pricing: Cost Per Mini and What to Charge
How to price resin 3D printed miniatures: cost resin per ml, wash and cure supplies, plate time and STL license share, add cleanup time, then set prices by mini size.
In this guide
Resin printers make crisp miniatures for tabletop games, and many makers sell them on Etsy and at game stores. The resin per mini is cheap, but supports, failed plates, IPA, gloves, FEP film and licenses all add up. This guide shows how to price resin minis by size, with examples for infantry, heroes and large monsters.
- Mini price = resin (ml x cost) + wash and consumables + plate time share + STL license share + packaging + cleanup time, then overhead, profit and fees.
- A 28 mm infantry mini costs about $2.86 to make and sells for about $5. A large monster sells for about $39.
- Spread plate time across every mini on the plate. Full plates are much cheaper per mini.
- Check the STL license. Many designers only allow sales with a merchant or commercial license.
Why mini pricing is tricky
Resin is often $0.03 to $0.05 per ml, so a small mini uses only a few cents. But supports add volume, plates fail, and resin printing uses IPA, gloves, paper towels and FEP film. Those consumables can cost more than the resin.
Licenses matter too. Many sculptors sell commercial or merchant tiers that allow you to sell prints. Spread that monthly cost across the minis you sell.
The steps
1. Get resin volume from the slicer
Use the volume including supports. Add 10% for failed prints.
2. Cost consumables
Add IPA or wash fluid, gloves, towels, and FEP wear per print.
3. Share plate time
A plate might run 6 to 10 hours. Divide your machine cost per hour by the number of minis on the plate.
4. Add the STL license share
Divide your monthly license cost by the minis you expect to sell from it.
5. Time cleanup
Support removal, sanding, curing and packing. Large minis take longer.
6. Add overhead, profit and fees
Use about 10% overhead, 30% profit and divide by 0.90 for online fees.
Worked example: infantry, hero and monster
$20 an hour for cleanup and packing, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees.
| 28 mm infantry | Hero or character | Large monster | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resin at $0.04/ml incl. supports | $0.20 | $0.48 | $3.60 |
| IPA, gloves, FEP wear | $0.15 | $0.25 | $1.00 |
| Plate time share | $0.10 | $0.35 | $2.80 |
| STL license share | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.50 |
| Packaging | $0.30 | $0.40 | $1.50 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.08 hr = $1.60 | 0.2 hr = $4.00 | 0.75 hr = $15.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $0.26 | $0.57 | $2.44 |
| Cost to make | $2.86 | $6.30 | $26.84 |
| Plus 30% profit | $3.72 | $8.19 | $34.89 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $4.13 | $9.10 | $38.77 |
| Suggested price | $5 | $10 | $39 |
Small minis are cheap per piece, so sell them in squads or bundles. Large monsters carry the most profit per sale but need careful packaging.
What you keep on each sales channel
The same hero miniature at $10.00 leaves different money in your pocket depending on where it sells. This uses the $6.30 cost to make from the example above, with Etsy's current transaction, processing and listing fees and Square's in-person card rate. Shipping, sales tax and ads are left out.
| Where it sells | Buyer pays | Fees | You keep | Profit over cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy (6.5% + 3% + $0.25 + $0.20 listing) | $10.00 | $1.40 | $8.60 | $2.30 |
| Your own website (about 2.9% + $0.30) | $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | $3.11 |
| Craft fair, card reader (2.6% + $0.15) | $10.00 | $0.41 | $9.59 | $3.29 |
| Craft fair, cash | $10.00 | $0.00 | $10.00 | $3.70 |
| Wholesale to a shop (50% of retail) | $5.00 | $0.00 | $5.00 | -$1.30 |
On Etsy, fees take about 14% of a $10.00 sale. The fixed $0.45 per order hits small items hardest, so bundles and multi-packs keep more of each sale. If a sale comes through Etsy Offsite Ads, add another 15% (12% for shops over $10,000 a year), so build that into your price if you're enrolled. Wholesale at half of retail loses $1.30 per piece here. Either raise retail, lower your cost, or set a separate wholesale price with a case minimum. Game stores often buy minis at wholesale. Make sure the license allows it.
Bulk and custom order pricing
For a squad order of 10 infantry miniatures, file prep, supports and a test print takes about 0.5 hr at $20.00/hr. Charge that once per order, then spread it across the pieces. Materials are $1.00 per piece and hands-on time is 4.8 minutes. Overhead is 10%, profit 30%, and 3% covers card or invoice fees.
| Quantity | Setup share per piece | Cost per piece | Price per piece | Order total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10.00 | $13.86 | $18.58 | $18.58 |
| 5 | $2.00 | $5.06 | $6.78 | $33.91 |
| 10 | $1.00 | $3.96 | $5.31 | $53.07 |
| 20 | $0.50 | $3.41 | $4.57 | $91.40 |
The price per piece falls from $18.58 to $4.57 because the setup is shared, not because you cut your rate. Quote the tier the customer actually orders, ask for a 50% deposit before you buy blanks, and set a minimum order size for custom work.
Mini pricing checklist
- Resin volume with supports and 10% failures.
- IPA, gloves and FEP wear.
- Plate time shared across minis.
- License cost shared across sales.
- Cleanup and packing time.
- Overhead, profit and fees.
- Squad and bundle prices.
Price minis by size
Type your resin, consumables, plate time and license into the peach cells. The calculator shows the cost per mini and a suggested price.
Get the Resin Miniature CalculatorCalculators that help
- Resin print cost: Cost any resin print. Use the Resin 3D Printing Cost Calculator – Resin, IPA, Failures & Profit.
- STL license cost: Spread license fees across sales. Use the STL Commercial License Cost Calculator – Patreon & Merchant Tiers.
- Painting: Price painted minis. Use the 3D Print Painting & Post-Processing Cost Calculator – Sanding to Clear Coat.
- Print farm capacity: Plan output and profit. Use the 3D Print Farm Capacity & Profit Planner – Output, Profit & Printer Payoff.
Common questions
How much should I charge for a resin miniature?
Many sellers charge about $3 to $8 for infantry and $10 to $40 or more for large monsters. In this guide an infantry mini prices at about $5.
How much resin does a miniature use?
A 28 mm mini often uses 2 to 8 ml with supports. Large monsters can use 50 to 150 ml or more.
Do I need a license to sell 3D printed minis?
Usually, yes. Many designers sell commercial or merchant tiers. Check the license for each file.
How do I lower the cost per mini?
Fill the plate, hollow large models and reduce supports where safe.
Should I charge more for painted minis?
Yes. Painting is skilled work. Price it by time.
Is resin or FDM better for minis?
Resin gives finer detail for minis. FDM is cheaper for terrain.
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