10 Cheap 3D Printing Services to Cut Your Costs
Professional 3D printing on a hobby budget is still possible even though tariffs on Chinese products have made it a bit less so. Check out our recommendations for saving.
Whether you need a prototype or two, a small batch of parts quickly, or a complex custom part, there are more 3D printing services options than ever, and competition breeds low prices. Over the past few years, All3DP has noticed a split in these services; some are focusing on industrial production with only engineering-grade materials and minimum orders, while others are thriving on large volumes of one-offs and quick prototypes.
Our list of budget 3D printing services, as you might expect, is dominated by Chinese manufacturers. There’s no question that the cheapest place to manufacture most things is in China, and this is true for 3D printing as well. Although the U.S. may still lead the world in 3D printing services by market value, the demand is driven by industries such as aerospace and defense, medical devices and healthcare, and automotive. When it comes to mass production of electronics, tools, molds, and low-cost services for global prototyping, Chinese manufacturers may have the edge.
The big Chinese additive manufacturing companies, including FacFox, PCBWay, and JLC3DP, still offer some of the lowest prices, but for U.S.-based customers, there are now higher shipping prices, which is where tariff charges are typically added in. JLC3DP, for example, will apply a standard pre-collected tariff rate of 60%, as of June 2025, for all U.S. orders shipped via “delivered duty paid”. There are even higher tariffs on some metal 3D printed parts, such as those made of aluminum and titanium.
Even with tariffs, some China-based providers remain very price-competitive. But if you want to avoid the fluctuating shipping charges, naturally, order as close to the point of need as possible. 3D printing service Craftcloud recently launched its “Best Local Offer” feature that provides manufacturing quotes from companies near you.
Here, we aim to feature the most affordable 3D printing services, but it’s not the only consideration we kept in mind when making the list. We asked for quotes from a variety of manufacturers, and the following information was noted for each (and can help in making the call on which one to opt for):
- Lowest prices: High-quality prices are the top aspect. We compared services based on the cost of printing a set of printed parts that’s needed to assemble an overspray protector.
- The material choice was PLA (FDM) due to its low cost, sufficient durability, and wide availability.
- We checked the cost of 1 print, as well as of a batch order of 10.
- Various printing capabilities: It’s helpful to have a range of options when you want to print something. Therefore, we took a look at the types of printing options available, including material selection and additional finishing or marking services.
- Fast processing time: Everyone wants to get their prints in a timely fashion, so we compared the time frame from when the order was taken to the time it was expected to ship. Many services also offered an expedited option for an additional fee.
- Wide reach: What’s the point of 3D printing something if it can’t be delivered to your doorstep? Most of the services listed ship worldwide (exceptions are noted).
We Put 10 Companies to the Test
From the following companies, we ordered a sample print to test out each company’s process and gather quotes. (We didn’t actually receive the parts, because that would have been wasteful.) The part we ordered was a medium-sized functional part — a chain lube overspray protector we found at Printables by designer Horrovac — that represents a typical prototype order. It could stand in for almost any part. Our goal was to secure the cheapest possible price, so we chose FDM 3D printing in PLA with no finishing. We collected the price for one and the price for 10.
Our shipping destination for the part was the U.S.A.
Craftcloud
Craftcloud is more than just an affordable 3D printing service. Users can compare 3D printing services worldwide and order directly via the global platform, selecting the lowest possible price or the lowest local price.
By taking our U.S. location into account, Craftcloud displayed real-time prices from manufacturers in the U.S. who can print our design with the material of our choice and deliver it directly. The possibilities are vast, with more than 150 material options, and various finishes and colors.
Each manufacturing partner on the platform undergoes a thorough screening process, with their performance continuously evaluated to ensure quality. The service is fully transparent, giving customers visibility into who handles their orders while also recognizing partners on the site. Despite this, Craftcloud manages the entire process. With a Trustpilot rating of 4.7, more than 1,000 customers have rated their experience as “excellent.”
In the past, the cheapest offer on Craftcloud would have likely been from a Chinese manufacturer, but considering the tariffs, all of the companies we were presented with quotes from were U.S.-based, from Infinite 3D Creations in Illinois to Baysinger’s AM in Texas. The cheapest, Infinite 3D Creations, has a minimum production cost of $9.69.
In addition to this broad range of manufacturer choices, users enjoy IP-protected orders, a responsive customer care team with an average response time of 11 hours, and the ability to communicate directly with service providers. Business customers also have access to specialized features that support their internal processes.
If you’re new to 3D printing, Craftcloud offers recommendations to guide you through the process and explore the exciting world of 3D printing.
Xometry
Xometry is not known for its low prices, but as one of the largest services in the world that still offers PLA material, we knew we needed to include it. Xometry is an on-demand manufacturing service that has an extensive network of industrial manufacturers. Having worked with industry giants like BMW, GE, and Bosch, it’s safe to say that Xometry has an industrial focus.
Their website is intuitive. Unfortunately, it’s a little difficult to change materials or manufacturing type after you’ve gone all the way through, but it’s very clear to see what you’re getting, thanks to the single-page order overview. You have to create an account before you can get your instant quote. Despite the allure of free US shipping, their good prices were not top of our budget list.
Capabilities: FDM, SLA, SLS, DMLS, MJF, PolyJet, Carbon DLS, CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, injection and compression molding, vacuum and die casting.
Even though the company offers free shipping within the U.S., the price for our parts was around the middle of the list.
In3DTec
In3DTec is a Chinese manufacturing company with the capability of high-volume production runs and as little as one-day turnarounds. Spread across four locations in mainland China, they boast a machine park of more than 300 units and 20 finishing processes.
The processes offered include not only FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, and SLM printing, but also CNC machining, vacuum casting, and injection molding. With a pool of more than 30 different plastics and metals to choose from, the options are far from limited.
Alongside the more traditional additive manufacturing techniques, they also offer 3D scanning and reverse engineering of parts. This service is great for those designers looking to develop CAD models of fluid or organic shapes, such as a car’s dashboard or a human foot. They also offer engineering consults for those looking to improve their design and prepare it for production.
PCBWay
The popular PCB manufacturer PCBWay has upped its game and introduced the option to order 3D prints directly from its website. Alongside various circuit boards and SMT assembly options, you can now have your model 3D printed in around 30 different materials. FDM, SLS, SLA, MJF, PolyJet, and SLM manufacturing are the main technologies offered.
In addition to 3D printing, PCBWay offers a wide range of prototyping and manufacturing processes like CNC machining, vacuum casting, and injection molding. There are also options to add metal inserts to the parts, mark prints with serial numbers, or even assemble them. And to make your part even more aesthetic, the surface finishes offered include electroplating, spray painting, and sanding.
JLC3DP
JLCPCB, loved by hobbyists for its ultra-low-price PCB prototypes ($2 for 5x 2-layer PCBs) has also grown to provide 3D printing services (named JLC3DP). Although JLC3DP only offers a relatively small range of materials for each of their technologies, you’re still able to get nylon and stainless steel, resin, and plastic parts at low prices.
Similar to their PCB ordering, instant online quoting is available through their website. This option is worth considering if you’re also ordering some PCBs for your projects and you want to take care of everything together at the same time!
Hudson Creative Group
Located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Hudson Creative Group has five years of experience working with 3D printers, slicers, hardware, and related technology and says it has printed more than 60,000 parts.
The company provides 3D design, scanning, and FDM printing services. Though most materials printed are on the basic and easily accessible side (PLA, PETG, ABS), more specialty FDM materials, such as PMMA and PC-CF, are also available upon request.
Generally, they are also praised for good customer service and cost-effectiveness, and have shipped over 60,000 parts.
There’s no instant quote; you need to fill out a form, and the reply can be expected within two business days.
Advanced Additive Innovations
Advanced Additive Innovations offers 3D printing services with both FDM and LCD (MSLA) technologies. While their FDM materials are relatively basic (PLA, PLA+, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, TPE, PA12-CF), they offer both modeling and engineering resins (such as Nexa3D’s xPEEK147 resin and others), which make their LCD services suitable for some engineering part applications.
To receive more information or assistance with materials or printing, or to receive a quote, you can contact them through their website or send them an email.
If you’re not sure about which material will be the most suitable for your project, you can find datasheets for their offerings.
FacFox
FacFox is one of China’s most popular on-demand 3D print services, offering a broad selection of other manufacturing services. These include CNC machining, injection molding, sheet metal fabrication (including plasma, laser and waterjet cutting), casting, and more.
Similar to other popular low-cost 3D printing services on this list, prices are quoted through their online instant quote system, which you need to sign up for, and on which you can also select parameters and post-processing options.
They are also ISO9001 quality management certified, and offer a significant range of over 80 3D printing materials for many technologies, from polymer to metal printing.
Fraction Print
Based in Philadelphia, Penn., Fraction Print was born out of necessity for founder Yazeed Altayeb. He acquired his first 3D printer as an engineering student, but couldn’t find an online service where he could put his talents to use, he says, and FractionPrint was born. The company doesn’t have a warehouse of equipment, like other services; rather, it’s a network of 3D printer owners who have extra capacity to take on your small job.
If you own a few 3D printers yourself, you can join Fraction Print’s network of professional 3D printer operators and start earning money with your equipment.
In addition to providing opportunities to 3D printer owners to become printing partners, Fraction Print offers rapid prototyping, CAD design, and 3D printing services. Currently, their printing capabilities support PLA, ABS, PETG, and TPU materials.
ZLabs3D
Based in Peachtree Corners, Ga., ZLabs3D is a printing service grown from a hobby passion for 3D printing. Alison and Michael Zhu are typical of a growing number of local, independent FDM services where you can even pick up your parts if you’re in the area. They don’t have a lot of bells and whistles (like an instant-quote platform), and they mostly print basic materials, mostly PLA, PETG, and ABS – though more special materials such as TPU and CF-filled materials are available upon request. Despite being a relatively small business, they have a production capacity of upwards of 2,000 daily printer hours.
Unique to this list, ZLabs3D sells a variety of its own filaments in its shop. They also give away small leftovers from used spools free of charge.
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