PLA or PETG? How to pick the material for your part
Two plastics cover almost everything we print. PLA is crisp and cheap, PETG is tough and takes heat and sun. Tell us what the part has to survive and the choice makes itself.
The quote form has a material field, and the most popular answer is "not sure, recommend one". That is a perfectly good answer: we would rather pick for you than have you guess. But if you want to know what you are choosing between, here is the whole story in one page. There are really only two plastics to decide between for most parts, and one more for the few that need to bend.
PLA: crisp, cheap and good enough for most things
PLA is the plastic most 3D prints in the world are made of, and for good reason. It prints sharp corners and fine lettering, it comes in the widest range of colours, and it is the cheapest option, from €3.50. It is stiff and strong enough for prototypes, décor, figurines, name signs, desk organisers, boxes, holders and most replacement parts that live indoors.
Its one real weakness is heat. PLA starts to soften at around 55 to 60 °C. That sounds like a lot until you remember what a car dashboard, a windowsill in July or the top of a radiator reaches. A PLA part left there will slowly sag. It also gets brittle rather than bending: a thin PLA clip that is flexed every day will eventually snap.
PETG: tougher, and happy outdoors
PETG is a cousin of the plastic water bottles are made of. It is a little more flexible than PLA, so instead of snapping it gives, which makes it the better choice for clips, brackets, hinges and anything that takes knocks. It handles heat up to around 75 to 80 °C, so it survives a car in summer, and it holds up far better in sun and rain. If the part lives outside, in a garage, in a bathroom or anywhere near something warm, PETG is the answer.
What you give up: PETG is glossier and a touch less precise on sharp edges and tiny details, it can leave fine "hairs" between parts of a print that we clean off, and it costs a little more, from €4.50. For a part that is about function rather than looks, none of that matters.
TPU: for the parts that have to bend
TPU is a flexible, rubber-like plastic. It is what you want for phone cases, grips, bumpers, feet, gaskets and seals, anything that should squash and spring back. It prints slowly and it is the most expensive of the three, from €7. We print it when a job calls for it; check the materials table to see whether it is on the shelf right now, or just ask in the quote form.
Side by side
| PLA | PETG | TPU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | €3.50 | €4.50 | €7 |
| Detail and sharp edges | Best | Good | Soft |
| Impact and bending | Brittle | Tough | Flexible |
| Heat it tolerates | About 55 °C | About 75 °C | About 80 °C |
| Sun and weather | Fades, sags | Good | Good |
| Surface | Matte to satin | Glossy | Matte |
| Typical use | Décor, prototypes, gifts | Functional parts, outdoors | Grips, seals, bumpers |
A simple way to decide
Do not start with the plastic. Start with the part, and answer four questions:
- Will it get warm? A car, a window in summer, a lamp, a kitchen appliance. Yes means PETG.
- Will it be bent, clipped, dropped or stepped on? Yes means PETG. Should it bend on purpose? That is TPU.
- Will it live outside or in a damp room? Yes means PETG.
- Is it mainly about how it looks: lettering, a figurine, a sharp-edged box? Then PLA, and you save money too.
Four no's is PLA. Any yes in the first three is PETG. If the answers pull both ways, tell us what the part is for and leave the material to us; that is exactly what the "recommend one" option is for.
About colours
The colours under each material on the home page are the spools on our shelf today. Pick one of those and the print starts as soon as you confirm. Want a colour that is not listed? Ask: we can usually get it, and it adds about 1 extra day. Two colours in one part (a sign with a base in one colour and letters in another, say) is done by printing the pieces separately and joining them, which is how most of the items in the shop are made.
Have a part in mind? Send it over and we will suggest the plastic with the price.
Get a quoteCommon questions
- Is PETG stronger than PLA?
- PETG is tougher: it bends and absorbs knocks where PLA cracks, so it lasts longer as a clip, bracket or hinge. PLA is actually a bit stiffer and holds sharp detail better, which is why it is the better choice for decorative pieces and precise shapes that are not stressed.
- Can I leave a PLA print in the car?
- Not in summer. PLA softens at around 55 to 60 °C, and a closed car easily passes that, so a PLA part on the dashboard will slowly deform. Anything that lives in a car, by a window in the sun or near a heater should be printed in PETG, which tolerates roughly 75 to 80 °C.
- Which material is best for outdoor use?
- PETG. It resists sun and rain far better than PLA, which fades and can sag over a hot summer. For parts that must stay flexible outdoors, like a seal or a bumper, TPU is the choice. In either case, tell us the part lives outside and we will adjust the print settings for it.
- How much more does PETG cost?
- A little. PETG filament costs more per gram and its minimum order is €4.50 instead of €3.50 for PLA. Print times are similar, so for a typical part the difference is small, and it is money well spent on anything that has to take heat or knocks.
- Are 3D printed parts food safe?
- No, not by default. A 3D print has tiny grooves between layers that are hard to clean, and we do not use certified food-safe filament or printers. Treat our prints as not food safe, medical or load-bearing unless we have agreed otherwise in writing before printing.