Comparison
Calculator or management system for 3D printing?
A calculator works out the price of one piece. A system saves that price and carries it into the order, inventory, and finances. See which one makes sense for where you are now.
Summary
Free calculator or Meu Sócio 3D
| What you need | Free calculator | Meu Sócio 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Calculate the price of a part | Yes | Yes |
| Taxes, fees and margin using the markup divisor | Depends on the calculator | Yes |
| Store calculations and account defaults | Some save them in the browser | Yes |
| Multiple products in one quote | No | Yes |
| Quotes with your logo, by link and PDF | No | Yes |
| Orders with deadlines and payments | No | Yes |
| Filament and resin inventory | No | Yes |
| Online storefront with WhatsApp ordering | No | Yes |
| Profit, return, and break-even point | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | From $5.90/month, with 7 days free |
When the calculator is enough
If you sell only a few pieces a month, just want to check a price now and then and keep track of orders in your head, a calculator does the job. Meu Sócio 3D's is free, needs no sign-up and uses the same formula as the system.
When a system is worth it
When orders come in every week, the price is just the beginning. Then come the quote for the customer, the due date, the filament you need to buy and the end-of-month question: is there any money left?
In the system, the calculated price becomes a quote, the quote becomes an order and production deducts from inventory. You don't copy numbers from one spreadsheet to another.
A free calculator is enough if you
- Sell only a few parts a month
- Just want to check the price of a part
- Are still testing whether it will sell
Choose Meu Sócio 3D if you
- Get orders every week
- Send quotes to customers and companies
- Want to know your monthly profit and when your printer pays for itself
- Have more than one printer or someone helping out
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free 3D printing calculator?
Yes. Meu Sócio 3D's is free, needs no sign-up, and calculates filament, energy, wear, labor, failures, taxes, fees and margin.
Do the calculator and the system give the same price?
Yes. Both use the same math: real cost divided by (1 − taxes − fees − margin).
Can I bring the calculator's numbers into the system?
Yes. When you create your account from the calculator's button, the values show up in the pricing calculator so you can pick up where you left off.
Free trial
Start charging the right price today.
Use the full system for 7 days. No credit card, no commitment.
- 7 days free
- No credit card
- Unlimited use