PLA vs PETG vs resin vs nylon: which to order
Most people ordering a print don't need to know polymer chemistry. They need to know which material survives their use case at the lowest price. This is that guide, in the order makers actually think about it. Costs are in USD.
Start from the use, not the material
Before you pick a material, answer three questions:
- Does it carry load, or just sit there?
- Does it see heat, sun or water?
- Does it need fine detail or a smooth surface?
Nearly every part is a "yes" to at most one of these, and that one answer picks the material.
PLA — the default
Cheapest, easiest, prints in the most colors. Stiff, decent detail, fine indoors. Weak points: it softens around 55–60 °C (a car dashboard in July will warp it) and it's brittle under repeated stress.
Order PLA for: display pieces, prototypes to check fit, jigs that live on a bench, phone stands, organizers, anything that doesn't get hot or bent.
Cost: $0.18–0.40 per cm³. A 40 cm³ part is $8–18.
PETG — the functional default
A bit more expensive than PLA, noticeably tougher, handles about 75–80 °C, doesn't mind water or UV nearly as much. Surface is slightly glossier and layer lines show a little more. This is what most makers reach for when a part has to work.
Order PETG for: brackets, clips, enclosures, outdoor mounts, replacement parts on appliances, anything that gets clipped in and out.
Cost: $0.20–0.45 per cm³. About 10–15% over PLA.
ABS and ASA — heat and sun
ABS is the old workhorse: takes 90–100 °C, sands and solvent-smooths well. ASA is ABS's outdoor cousin with far better UV resistance. Both need an enclosed printer, so fewer makers offer them and prices sit a little higher.
Order ABS/ASA for: parts near engines or hot electronics, anything left in direct sun for years, parts you want acetone-smoothed.
Cost: $0.22–0.50 per cm³.
Nylon and carbon fiber — load
FDM nylon is tough and slightly flexible; it takes impact and abrasion that would crack PETG. Carbon-fiber-filled nylon is stiffer and holds dimensions better. Both are harder to print and more expensive, and plain nylon absorbs moisture, which the maker manages.
Order nylon/CF for: gears, hinges, snap fits that cycle thousands of times, drone frames, tool handles, load-bearing brackets.
Cost: $0.50–1.10 per cm³. Roughly two to three times PLA.
Resin — detail
Resin printing (SLA/MSLA) cures liquid resin with light, layer by layer, at resolutions FDM can't touch. Surfaces are smooth, details are crisp, and 28 mm miniatures come out with faces. Standard resin is brittle, though — it chips if dropped and creeps under load. Engineering resins fix some of that at a higher price.
Order resin for: miniatures, figures, jewelry masters, dental and detail-heavy models, anything you'll paint and display.
Cost: $0.45–1.00 per cm³ for standard resin. Ten 4 cm³ miniatures run $30–60.
SLS nylon — production
Selective laser sintering fuses nylon powder with no supports at all, so parts are strong in every direction and have a fine, matte, slightly grainy surface. It's the material of choice for parts that need to look and behave like injection molding without the tooling. Fewer makers run SLS and the minimums are higher.
Order SLS for: functional prototypes headed for production, complex geometries with internal channels, small batches of end-use parts.
Cost: $0.90–2.00 per cm³. A 250 cm³ housing is $220–480.
The short version
| Need | Order |
|---|---|
| Cheapest, indoor, display | PLA |
| Functional, everyday, outdoors | PETG |
| Heat or long-term sun | ABS / ASA |
| Load, impact, wear | Nylon / carbon fiber |
| Fine detail, smooth surface | Resin |
| Production-grade, no support marks | SLS nylon |
If you're still not sure
Don't guess. Describe what the part does, where it lives and what it attaches to, and pick "Not sure" for material when you post. Makers will recommend in their bids, and you'll often get two suggestions with two prices — which is exactly the comparison you want. Full per-material ranges are in the price guide; when you're ready, post the part.