Price laser engraved pieces from what each one really costs: the blank, masking and finishing, packaging, your hands-on minutes and the laser’s share of overhead. The calculator works backward from your target margin, so the price still leaves your profit after Etsy, card reader or market fees.
Your price
Add your material costs or your time to see a price.
Your shipping charge already covers this. Price at least $0.01.
Suggested price
Charm price
Cost per item
| Suggested | Charm | Your price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees | |||
| Profit | |||
| Margin | |||
| Earnings per hour |
You lose money at this price.
Charm price is the nearest price ending in .99 at or above the suggested price. Results are estimates, not financial or tax advice.
What to count in a laser engraving cost
- The blank. Wood, acrylic, slate, leather or a coated tumbler, at the price per piece including your share of the shipping on your supply order.
- Masking. Masking tape or transfer paper that keeps smoke marks off the surface.
- Finishing. Wipes or cleaner for residue, oil, sealant or paint fill.
- Packaging. Box, bag, tissue, care card.
- Your hands-on minutes. Setting up the file, placing and focusing, masking, unmasking, cleaning and packing. Leave out engraving time you spend on other work.
- The laser as overhead. Divide what the machine and its replacement parts cost by the pieces you expect it to make, add software spread the same way, and enter that as overhead per item.
- Misburns. Spread the cost of ruined blanks across the good pieces. If one in twenty is ruined, add one twentieth of a blank’s cost to each piece.
Read next
- How to price laser engraved items: an engraved tumbler priced step by step, with the numbers from Load example.
- Craft fair pricing and card reader fees: entering card reader fees, rounding for cash and paying back the booth fee.
- Pricing custom and personalized orders: proofs, revisions, minimums and deposits for names and logos.
Questions sellers ask
How do I work out the laser’s overhead per piece?
Add what the laser cost to the replacement parts you expect to buy, then divide by the number of pieces you expect to make with it. Add software and other running costs spread the same way.
How do I price a batch of the same piece?
Time the whole batch from setup to the last piece packed and divide by the number of pieces. Enter that as labor minutes per item. Bigger batches spread the setup, so the minutes per piece fall.
What should I charge to engrave an item the customer brings?
Leave the blank cost at zero and price from your minutes and overhead. Agree in writing who carries the risk if the piece is damaged, since you cannot replace it.