In short
- Resin costs about € 25 to € 45 per litre, so € 0.03 to € 0.05 per ml.
- A 28 mm miniature uses about 5 ml of resin, including supports.
- If you print a full build plate of 10 miniatures, each mini costs about € 0.45. If you print just one, about € 2.40.
- On top of that, budget a one-off € 100 to € 200 for a wash and cure station, gloves and ventilation.
What do you pay for with resin printing?
| Cost item | Typical price | How long does it last? |
|---|---|---|
| Standard resin | € 25 – € 35 per litre | about 200 miniatures per litre |
| Water-washable resin | € 30 – € 45 per litre | same |
| Tough resin (ABS-like, tough) | € 35 – € 55 per litre | same |
| Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for rinsing | € 25 – € 40 per 5 litres | many prints; replace when it gets cloudy |
| FEP film in the resin vat | € 10 – € 20 each | 10 to 30 prints |
| Nitrile gloves | € 10 – € 20 per 100 | 1 or 2 pairs per print |
| LCD screen (wear part) | € 50 – € 100 | about 2,000 print hours |
| Electricity | 30 – 70 watts while printing | about € 0.015 per hour |
Typical prices, September 2026. Prices vary widely by brand and web shop.
Worked example: 10 miniatures on one build plate
A resin printer prints each layer of the whole build plate at once. So the print time depends on the height, not on the number of models. Ten miniatures take just as long as one.
Example: a € 300 resin printer, 10 miniatures of 28 mm, 60 ml of resin (including supports), 3 hours of printing.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Resin (60 ml × € 0.035) | € 2.10 |
| Electricity (50 W × 3 hours × € 0.30/kWh) | € 0.05 |
| IPA (share per print session) | € 0.50 |
| FEP film (€ 15 over 20 prints) | € 0.75 |
| Gloves and kitchen paper | € 0.30 |
| Printer depreciation (€ 300 over 2,000 hours) | € 0.45 |
| LCD screen wear | € 0.09 |
| Failed prints (10%) | € 0.42 |
| Total for 10 miniatures | € 4.66 |
| Per miniature | € 0.47 |
If you print the same miniature on its own (5 ml, 2.5 hours), it costs about € 2.43. The resin is only € 0.18 of that. The rest are fixed costs per print. Tip: fill your build plate as much as possible.
A larger print, such as a 150 ml bust that prints for 6 hours, costs about € 8.80.
Resin or filament: which is cheaper?
| Resin | Filament (FDM) | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 mm miniature | € 0.47 (full plate) to € 2.43 (single) | about € 0.34 |
| Detail | Very fine, layer lines almost invisible | Visible layer lines, small details get lost |
| Large, strong parts | Expensive and often brittle | Cheap and strong |
| Post-processing | Always rinse and cure | Usually not needed |
| Safety | Gloves and ventilation needed | Little attention needed with PLA |
For miniatures, jewellery and small figures, resin is the better choice, especially if you print full plates. For functional parts, large prints and anything that needs to be strong, filament is cheaper. See filament costs and examples of filament prints.
How to keep resin printing cheap
- Fill the build plate. This saves the most.
- Print hollow and add drain holes. A hollow bust often uses half as much resin.
- Use your IPA twice. First a dirty tub for a pre-rinse, then a clean tub for the final rinse. Leave dirty IPA in the sun: the resin sinks to the bottom and you can reuse the clear alcohol.
- Test new resin with a calibration print before you print a full plate. That way you avoid expensive failures.
- Store resin in the dark and at room temperature.
Note: liquid resin irritates the skin and airways. Work with nitrile gloves in a well-ventilated room and never pour resin or dirty IPA down the sink. Cure leftovers in the sun and hand them in as small chemical waste (klein chemisch afval, collected by your municipality).
Frequently asked questions
How much does resin cost per miniature?
For resin alone, about € 0.15 to € 0.20 for a 28 mm miniature. With all extra costs included, it is € 0.45 on a full build plate and around € 2.40 if you print it on its own.
Is resin printing more expensive than filament?
Per gram, yes, and the extra costs (IPA, FEP film, gloves) are higher. For small, detailed prints on a full build plate, the difference is small.
How much electricity does a resin printer use?
Usually 30 to 70 watts. That is less than a filament printer, because there is no heated bed. A 3-hour print costs about 5 euro cents in electricity.
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