Pricing guide
Laser cutting and engraving pricing: how to quote without losing money
Laser cutting isn’t “per piece” or “per meter.” It’s machine time + material + services + margin, with an order minimum so you don’t work at a loss. See the math, a worked example in dollars, and the most common mistakes.
7-day free trial · no credit card · works in browser and mobile
The pricing formula
- Machine time = cutting time + engraving time + piercings
- Machine cost = time (min) × cost per minute of the machine hour rate
- Material = sheet area used (with spacing and scrap) × material price
- Services = assembly, painting, bending, packaging, and others
- Price = (machine + material + services) × (1 + margin), honoring the order minimum
Example: 10 MDF 3 mm keychains with cutting and engraving
| Item | Calculation | Price per part |
|---|---|---|
| Machine hour rate | $120/h → $2.00/min | — |
| Cutting | 1.5 min × $2.00 | $3.00 |
| Engraving | 5 min × $2.00 | $10.00 |
| Material | 0.0035 m² × $45/m² | $0.16 |
| Cost | Sum | $13.16 |
| Price with 50% margin | $13.16 × 1.5 | $19.74 |
Illustrative values. Engraving moves the price most: it usually takes longer than cutting. Charging engraving “per piece” without timing it is the most common mistake.
Engraving: by time, by area, or per piece
Small logo engraving can be priced per piece; photo or large-area engraving should be priced by time or per cm², because time increases with area and resolution. In MakerCutt Factory you can quote laser engraving by time, by area, or per piece, together with cutting in the same job.
Mistakes that make shops lose money
- Charging by part area and ignoring length of cut and holes
- Forgetting spacing and sheet offcuts in the material cost
- Using business hours in the machine hour rate instead of cutting hours
- Not having an order minimum for small parts
- Quoting the same unit price for 1 and for 500 parts, without a planned volume discount
Tools to run the numbers
Upload the DXF. Get price, lead time, and material.
Price, lead time, and material under control — in one go.
FAQ
Is it better to charge laser cutting by minute or by meter?
By machine minute is fairer because it includes piercings and the speed for each material and thickness. Charging per linear meter works as a reference but fails on parts with many holes.
How much to charge per cm² of laser engraving?
Calculate how many cm² your machine engraves per minute at your chosen resolution and divide your cost per minute by that number. Add margin and a per-piece minimum.
What margin should I use for laser cutting?
It depends on your market and customer type. The key is to apply margin to the real cost (machine + material + services) and have different prices for end users and resellers when it makes sense.
Do I need a credit card to try it?
No. It’s a 7-day trial with full access and no card. Upload your own DXF files, set up your materials, and see the calculated price before deciding.
Continue exploring
Machine hourly rate calculator for laser, plasma, and CNC router
Calculate your laser cutting machine hourly rate: depreciation, energy, gas, maintenance, operator, and true productive hours. Free calculator.
Laser cutting calculator: time, cost and price
Calculate laser cutting cost free: cut time, pierces, machine hour rate, material and margin. Online tool, no signup, built for job shops.
Laser cutting pricing and quote spreadsheet (free Excel)
Download the free laser cutting quote spreadsheet for Excel: machine hour rate, cut time, pierces, material, margin, and minimum order price.
How to quote laser and CNC cutting, step by step
Step-by-step to quote laser and CNC cutting: read the drawing, calculate cut time and pierces, nesting for material, machine hour rate and margin.