Understanding 3D Printer Resin Costs
MSLA resin (used by printers like the Elegoo Mars and Anycubic Photon) is your main ongoing expense in resin 3D printing. Understanding cost per ml helps you budget for projects and decide when resin is worth it over FDM. Resin is sold by the liter, so your cost per ml is simply the bottle price divided by 1000.
What Affects Resin Price Per Liter?
Resin Type
Standard resin is cheapest at $20-40/L. Water-washable ($25-40/L) trades a small premium for skipping IPA. Tough/ABS-like resin runs $35-60/L for durability, while specialty resins like castable ($60-120/L) and dental ($100-300/L) cost far more due to complex chemistry.
Brand vs Generic
Brand-name resins often cost 30-50% more than comparable generic options. Test cheaper resins before committing — many generic standard resins print beautifully for a fraction of the price per liter.
Buying in Bulk
Multi-packs of 1L bottles often cost 15-25% less per liter than buying individually. If you stick with one resin, bulk buying is the easiest way to lower your resin cost per print — just watch expiration dates.
Consumables & Failures
Beyond the resin itself, IPA, FEP film, gloves, and curing electricity add a few cents per print. A 10-20% failure rate while learning also eats into resin, which is why this calculator includes a waste buffer.