How To Make Money With A 3d Printer 2021?

9 min readApr 11, 2021

How to make money with a 3d Printer 2021?

The invention of 3d printers is the revolution in the world of printing, it also created many opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs. If we talk about 2021, it is a perfect time to make money in 3d printing.

3d Designing and printing are not mainstream yet and not everyone has 3d printer at home. So, you have a great opportunity to use your expertise and 3d printer to make some good income.

There are several ways to earn money from a 3d printer or even if you don’t have a 3d printer you can earn money by selling 3d designs or teaching other people how to 3d print. In this article, we will tell you everything: can you make money with a 3d printer, best 3d printers, different ways you can earn money from 3d printing, various 3d printing ideas.

Can you make money with a 3d printer?

The answer is YES!

Although 3d printing is old and has been around for a long time, but still there are quite a limited number of businesses that offer 3d printing services. We can also say that it is because this technology has not knocked everyone’s door. Or in simple words that everyone doesn’t have a 3d printer at their home. This means that this is a great time to start a business in 3d printing services.

Now the best part of this business is that there is very little competition and also you will have great opportunities to establish your brand in this low competition business of 3d printing. But now the question is How to make money with 3d printing?

There are many ways to make money with 3d printing. One can start their e-commerce firm and sell their manufactured 3d products their or you can also sell your creative 3d products in the offline market. There is no way you cannot succeed along with the 3d printing technology.

How to make money with 3d Printing:

As we discussed above that there are many ways to make money with 3d printing. Here we are sharing some best ways of earning money from 3d printing:

1. Sell 3d printed products:

This option is simple, easy, and straight forward. Also, it includes very small risk as you have to invest only your time and creativity. You can sell your 3d products online as well as offline.

All you need to do is a 3d printer, some cool and useful designs, and some good products which are in high demand and you can print on and sell.

Where to sell: If you are thinking to sell it online, There are multiple options available on the internet that offers marketplaces where you can sell anything you want. Etsy and eBay are very popular and have a massive following and will get your products in front of a lot of people.

2. Rent your 3d printer:

Some people want to get involved in 3d printing but they do not want to throw down the cash for it or sometimes some people want to create a prototype themselves, simply rent them your 3d printer. You can charge them on any basis, per print, hourly, or even daily basis depending on how long they want to use it.

3. Jewelry printing:

If you like fashion accessories or inexpensive jewelry like rings, earrings, or necklaces, then you can create eyecatching designs and prints on jewelry and fashion accessories.

This can be a great option for you, as people are looking for new fashion trends to pair with their new outfits.

4. Create Prototypes:

Creating prototypes can be a great option for people who know how to network and market their skills. This service is in high demand among professionals and business networks that work in fields like designing, engineering, architecture, and construction.

Every business and engineer has great and creative ideas in their minds that they need to test before bringing them to production. So, you will need to have some contacts or you must know some people who can help you find clients for this.

5. Teach 3d Printing:

Do you believe that you have enough knowledge to help someone learn 3d printing? Lots of people are interested in 3d printing especially students who are looking for their career in 3d printing or 3d designs.

Sometimes it becomes a little difficult to find 3d printing teaching jobs, but social media sites and job offer sites can help you.

What can I make and sell with a 3d printer?

One of the best things about 3d printing is that you can create almost everything that you can imagine. The best answer to what you can make and sell with a 3d printer is your imagination and creativity. It depends on what you can imagine and your creativity level.

Beginners often wonder what they can print. For those who are new in the field of 3d printing and are eagerly waiting for their first project, you can start with some small stuff and work your way up.

3d Printing Ideas:

To get you started here we are mentioning a few things for you that you can make and sell with a 3d printer:

Anti Gravity Planter
Phone stand
Tape dispenser
Door opener
Small gadgets storage box
Cable organizer
Book Hide
Headset holder
Refrigerator storage box
Smart wallet
Pen and Pencil Holder
Self-watering planter
Toothpaste tube squeezer
Toilet paper phone holder
Secret shelf
Earbud holder
Wall outlet shelf
Amazon echo dot wall mount
Headphone stand
Measuring spoons

What Is The Best 3d Printers In The Market:

Here we are sharing some best 3d printers available in the market on the basis of our research:

1. Ultimaker S3:

This is one of the best manufacturers since the 3d technology broke into the mainstream. Ultimate S3 is a next-generation printer with high speed, great printing quality, and reliability.

The main purpose of the printer is Educational and commercial use and also this printer offers a wide choice of accessories and materials to any type of designer’s requirements.

Specifications of Ultimaker S3:

Print technology: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
Filament diameter: 2.85mm
Build area: 230 * 190 * 200 mm
Minimum layer resolution: 20 microns
Maximum layer resolution: 600 microns.
Dimemsions: 394 * 489 * 637 mm
Weight: 14.4 Kg.

Pros of Ultimaker S3:

Printing speed and quality
Easy to network

Cons of Ultimaker S3:

Expensive.

2. FormLabs Form 3:

Form 3 produces excellent quality prints with fine details and smooth organic curves and surfaces. The printing technology of Form 3 Printer is SLA ( Stereolithography apparatus).

SLA printers are those machines you turn to for exacting details, castability, biocompatibility, and great for other uses where Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) doesn’t quite cut it. The FormLabs Form 3 is with new SLA printing technology that makes SLA faster and more versatile than before.

Specifications of FormLabs Form 3 :

Printing technology: Stereolithography Apparatus.
Build area: 145 * 145 * 185 mm
Minimum layer resolution: 25 microns
Maximum layer resolution: 300 microns
Dimensions: 405 * 375 * 530 mm
Weight: 17.5 Kg.

Pros of FormLabs Form 3:

High-quality printing
Wide material support

Cons of FormLabs Form 3:

SLA Prints require cleaning.

3. Lulz Bot mini 2:

If you are looking for your first 3d printer to learn the basics and become an expert in 3d printing and designs, then the Lulz Bot mini 2 can be a great choice for you. It is available in the market at very affordable prices and also it is very easy to use.

In version 2 of the printer, manufacturers improve the printing speed and work on noise reduction of the printer. This printer is extremely reliable, easy to use, versatile, and a high-performance desktop 3d printer.

If delivered many premium results and features over the previous model. The printer comes with a 1-year warranty and 7 days phone and email support for installation queries.

Specifications of Lulz Bot mini 2 printers:

Print technology: Fused deposition modeling
Build area: 160 * 160 * 180 mm
Minimum layer resolution: 50 Microns
Maximum layer resolution: 400 Microns
Dimensions: 457 * 339 * 607 mm
Weight 9 Kg.

Pros of Lulz Bot Mini 2:

Very easy to use
Open-source.

Cons of Lulz Bot Mini 2:

Open Frame design.

4. Original PRUSA i3 MK3s Printer :

Some brands have a reputation and fanbase in the market, PRUSA is one of those brands that enjoy this reputation. PRUSA Research is the dominant force in the 3d print community and MK3s is their flagship machine.

No other 3d printer comes close to the Original PRUSA i3 MK3s Printer as compared to features, quality, and price. Also, you have multiple choices to buy as a kit or as an expert built ready to go machine.

Whatever you decide according to your requirements, there is no doubt in the quality of MK3s.

The print speed of this printer is also very fast and this machine is as close to silent as you can get. The print quality and the features of this printer makes it the best all-round printer available in the market.

Specifications of PRUSA i3 MK3s Printer:

Print technology: Fused Deposition Modeling.
Filament diameter: 1.75 mm
Build area: 250 * 210 * 210 mm
Minimum layer resolution: 50 microns
Maximum layer resolution: 350 microns
Dimensions: 550 * 400 * 500 mm
Weight: 7 Kg.

Pros of PRUSA i3 MK3s Printer:

Fast print speed
Market-leading print quality

Cons of PRUSA i3 MK3s Printer:

Open Frame design.

5. Creality Ender 5:

You can expect high quality and reliability from Ender 5. It is not perfect, but with a little care of it, you will get great prints out of it. This printer deserves to be in the list of best 3d printers.

Despite the low-cost Creality Ender 5 can print layers as small as 50 microns and also speed up without reducing any quality ( If you are in a little rush or impatient to wait).

Overall it is a fantastic printer and one of the best FDM printers you can buy for less than 500$.

Specifications of Creality Ender 5:

Print technology: Fused Deposition Modeling.
Filament diameter: 1.75 mm
Build volume: 220 * 220 * 300 mm
Minimum layer resolution 50 microns
Product dimensions: 400 * 380 * 400 mm
Weight: 11 Kg.

Pros of Creality Ender 5:

Easy to assemble
High-quality prints

Cons of Creality Ender 5:

The magnetic bed is Flimsy and not very durable.

6. MakerBot Replicator + :

The MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3d printer is great for some features like easy to set up, smooth operation, above-average print quality, user-friendly software, and various multiple connectivity choices for the user.

The all-black replicator is a large printer with 16.2 * 17.4 * 20.8 inches and 35 pounds and 6 ounces weight. You can easily put this printer on a table.

The only drawback of this printer is that this printer is relatively noisy for a 3d printer.

Specifications of MakerBot Replicator + :

Printing quality: Fused Deposition Modeling
Build volume: 29.5 * 19.5 * 16.5 CM
Layer resolution: 100 microns
Material diameter: 1.75 mm
Product size: 52.8 * 44.1 * 41.0 cm
Weight: 18.3 Kg.

Pros of MakerBot Replicator:

Safe design for an open frame printer
user-friendly software
easy to set up and use.

Cons of MakerBot Replicator:

Noisy during operation.