Montreal · Canada-wide
What 3D Printing Actually Costs
If you’ve searched for what 3D printing costs, you’ve probably found the same thing everyone else does: nobody publishes a number. Here’s ours. This guide gives you real starting prices and — more usefully — explains what moves them, so you can estimate your project before you ever ask for a quote. Every number below is a starting point in Canadian dollars.
Starting prices
Price Ranges by Technology
Three printing technologies, three price points. The right one depends on what the part has to do — not just what it costs.
FDM
From $25
CAD / part
Functional prototypes, jigs, fixtures, larger parts where finish is secondary
SLA
From $50
CAD / part
Fine detail, smooth surfaces, presentation models, small precise geometry
SLS
From $100
CAD / part
Durable functional parts, complex geometry, no supports, small production runs
Minimum order is $50. A single small FDM part starts at $25, but our shop minimum is $50 — so the practical entry point for a one-off is a $50 order.
These are floors, not flat rates. A palm-sized FDM bracket is near the bottom of the range; a large, dense, multi-part build is well above it. The next section is what actually helps you estimate.
Beyond printing
Scanning, Reverse Engineering & Design
3D Scanning
$150 CAD/hour
Priced by the hour, and the rate includes what most shops charge extra for: mesh processing, alignment, and a watertight, usable output — not just a raw point cloud. On-site or in-shop, depending on whether the object can travel.
Scan-to-CAD / Reverse Engineering
From $350 CAD
Turning a physical part into an editable, parametric CAD file. Starting price covers a straightforward single part; complex geometry, tight tolerances, or full assemblies scale from there. Turnaround is 2–7 business days depending on complexity.
CAD Design
$75 CAD/hour
Design and modeling is $75/hour. We scope every project up front so you’re not watching a meter.
What Changes Your Price
The starting prices above are floors. Five things move a real quote up or down.
- [01]
Size and volume
Bigger parts use more material and more machine time — the single biggest lever on a print. Doubling a part’s dimensions can more than double its cost, because volume scales faster than length.
- [02]
Material
Standard PLA and PETG sit at the bottom. Engineering-grade materials — nylon, carbon-fiber-filled, high-temp or biocompatible resins — cost more per gram and often need specific machines. If your part has to survive heat, load, or a certification, material is where that shows up.
- [03]
Technology
The FDM/SLA/SLS choice isn’t just about finish — it’s a cost decision. SLS costs more per part but needs no supports and handles geometry the others can’t, which can make it cheaper overall for complex jobs. The right technology is sometimes the more expensive one per unit.
- [04]
Finish and post-processing
A raw print off the machine is the base price. Sanding, priming, painting, dyeing, vapor-smoothing, or tight dimensional finishing all add labor. Presentation models cost more than functional prototypes for this reason alone.
- [05]
Quantity
One-off prototypes carry setup cost per part. A production run amortizes that — per-unit price drops as volume rises. A small series has a very different per-part number than a one-off.
None of this requires you to guess. Send us the part and we’ll give you a fixed number.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to 3D print something?
It depends on size, material, and technology, but our shop minimum is $50 CAD. A small functional FDM part starts at $25/part (so a one-off comes together as a $50 order), a detailed SLA part starts at $50, and a durable SLS part starts at $100. The fastest way to a real number is to send us your file.
What is the average cost to 3D print a part?
There’s no single average — a business-card-sized bracket and a full enclosure are different projects. What we can tell you is the floor: our shop minimum is $50, FDM starts at $25, SLA at $50, SLS at $100. Beyond that, size, material, and complexity set the price. The reliable way to know is to send us the file — the quote is instant and free.
How much does it cost to have a prototype made?
A single 3D-printed prototype starts at our $50 minimum. If it needs design work first, add CAD time at $75/hour. If it’s reverse-engineered from an existing part, scan-to-CAD starts at $350. We scope the full path before you commit.
How much does rapid prototyping cost?
It’s driven by the same factors as any print — size, material, technology, finish, quantity. A simple functional prototype can be under $100; a large or complex one runs higher. We give you a fixed quote up front so there are no surprises mid-project. For turnaround times and technology options, see our rapid prototyping services .
What does a 3D scan cost?
3D scanning is $150 CAD/hour, and that rate includes mesh processing, alignment, and a watertight output — not just raw scan data. Most single objects are a fraction of an hour. On-site scanning is available for parts that can’t travel.
How much does scan-to-CAD cost?
Scan-to-CAD starts at $350 CAD for a straightforward single part, with a 2–7 business day turnaround. Complex geometry, tight tolerances, and full assemblies scale from there.
Are your prices in CAD or USD?
All prices on this page are in Canadian dollars.