Print Cost Estimator
Estimate per-unit cost from setup, material, labor, and quantity for print runs.
Inputs
$
$
$
%
Results
Cost per Unit
$1.00
Sell Price per Unit$1.40
Profit per Unit$0.40
Total Cost$1,000.00
Total Material$500.00
Total Labor$250.00
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the Setup Cost for plates, proofs, or press configuration.
- Enter Material Cost Per Unit (paper, ink) and Labor Cost Per Unit for the print run.
- Enter the Quantity and your desired Markup Percentage.
- Review Cost Per Unit, Sell Price Per Unit, and Profit Per Unit.
- Check Total Cost and Total Material cost to evaluate whether the print run is economically viable.
How the result changes with Material Cost / Unit
| Material Cost / Unit | Cost per Unit |
|---|---|
| 10 | $10.50 |
| 35 | $35.50 |
| 65 | $65.50 |
| 90 | $90.50 |
What each input means
- Setup Cost
- One-time setup fee for plates, proofs, or configuration.
- Material Cost / Unit
- Paper, ink, and other material cost per printed piece.
- Labor Cost / Unit
- Labor cost per piece including finishing and trimming.
- Quantity
- Number of pieces in the print run.
- Markup
- Profit markup percentage applied to cost per unit.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersSetup Cost = 250, Material Cost / Unit = 0.5, Labor Cost / Unit = 0.25, Quantity = 1000 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Cost per UnitCost per Unit1 = $1
- Calculate Sell Price per UnitSell Price per Unit1.4 = $1.4
- Calculate Profit per UnitProfit per Unit0.4 = $0.4
Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.
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