Filament Types Compared: PLA vs PETG vs ABS vs TPU
Prices are US market averages from September 2026. They move — check the calculator's editable price field before trusting any number here.
| Material | Avg. price/kg (Sep 2026) | Print difficulty | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | $20.71 | Easy | Prototypes, models, indoor parts, beginners | Softens in heat/sun (~60 °C); brittle under impact |
| PETG | $19.07 | Easy–Medium | Functional parts, outdoor use, tougher prints | Absorbs moisture — dry storage matters; stringing |
| ABS | $20.43 | Medium–Hard | Heat-resistant, durable parts; acetone smoothing | Warps without enclosure; fumes need ventilation |
| TPU | $26.45 | Medium | Flexible parts: gaskets, phone cases, feet | Prints slowly; direct-drive extruder strongly preferred |
Averages: Filament Price Tracker, ~14,800 listings across 420+ brands, updated every 4 hours, accessed Sep 2026. Your spool's price will differ by brand, color, and sales.
The cost surprise: material barely matters
PLA, PETG, and ABS all sit within about $2/kg of each other at market average. On a 100 g print, switching from PLA to PETG saves roughly twenty cents. The material decision should be about properties — heat, toughness, flexibility — not price. The one exception is TPU at ~$26/kg, which is genuinely pricier, and specialty filaments (carbon fiber, glow, silk) that can run $30–$50/kg.
What actually changes the price
- Buying in bulk. 3–5 kg multipacks from value brands routinely land at $12–$16/kg — 25–40% under the market average.
- Brand tier. Budget spools ($15–$18/kg) vs. premium ($28–$40/kg). Premium buys consistency and color accuracy, not strength.
- Waste. A failed print in cheap filament still costs more than a successful print in expensive filament. Reliability beats price/kg.
Which should you buy?
Starting out: PLA. Making things that take abuse or live outside: PETG. Need heat resistance or post-processing: ABS (with an enclosure and ventilation). Need rubber: TPU. Then plug your actual spool price into the 3D printing cost calculator and see what drives the cost of your specific prints.