Are 3D printed keychains profitable to sell?

They can be. A plain tag costs well under a dollar each to make in a run of the same design, and personalised keychains sell as gifts. The margin depends on charging for the personalisation, not on the plastic.

How much does it cost to 3D print a keychain?

A simple PLA tag takes about 12 minutes and a few grams of plastic. One on its own costs the $2 order minimum with us; in a run of 50 of the same design, each costs well under a dollar including a split ring. The tool above prices your quantity live.

Why do personalised keychains cost more to make than identical ones?

Each different name is its own file. Quantity pricing applies to copies of one design that share a printer bed, so personalised keychains are each priced as a one-off.

What material is best for keychains?

PLA for most, in the finish that photographs best: matte, silk or glow. For a keychain that lives on a set of keys in a hot car, PETG copes better with the heat.

3D-Printed Keychains to Sell: Plain Runs and Personalised Names

Keychains are the smallest product most 3D-print shops sell, and the one with the widest gap between what they cost and what they sell for. A plain tag takes about 12 minutes on the printer and a few grams of plastic. What decides the margin is whether every keychain is the same design or each one carries a different name, because the two are priced very differently. Set the quantity and see both.

A 60 × 18 mm tag, 3.1 g of PLA and 12 minutes on the printer, sliced on our production profile.

How many

Same design, every one

$0.51each

$25.30 for 50

Copies of one file share a bed, so labour steps down: 10% off from the 2nd, 20% from the 5th, 30% from the 10th.

A different name on each

$0.67each

$33.60 for 50

Every name is its own file, so each is priced as a one-off. Personalisation is worth charging for.

Make cost in PLA Basic at today’s rates, through the same pricing the checkout uses, with the $2 order minimum applied once per order. Hardware is charged at its part price with no labour on top, and fitted before packing. Postage not included.

Where the money is

Sell plain keychains in bulk. Sell personalised ones one at a time, priced as the gift they are.

WhyA name turns a commodity into a gift. It also makes every keychain its own file, which costs a little more to make and is worth far more to the buyer.

Keychains that sell

Names and initials: The classic. Bag tags, school bags, gym bags, a name for every family member.
Matching sets: Two or three keychains that fit together or share a design, bought for couples, friends and teams.
Business giveaways: A shop, café or club’s own logo on 100 tags, ordered as one run. This is where the quantity price matters.
Useful tags: Practical pieces: key finders with a slot for a tracker, luggage tags, locker number tags, pet tags.
Glow and silk finishes: PLA Glow and Silk catch the eye in a photo, which matters more on a small, cheap product.

One thing to stay away from: licensed characters, sports teams and brand logos. They are what gets keychain listings taken down, so use only designs and logos you own or have permission for.

Making personalised keychains work

One design, many names: Make a single template in CAD and change only the text, exporting each name as its own file.
Keep the text thick: Raised or cut-out letters need to be at least a couple of millimetres wide to print cleanly at this size.
Collect the name at checkout: Use your storefront’s personalisation field, and check spelling before it goes to print. A misspelt name is a remake.
Price it as a gift: The make cost is close to a plain one; the value to the buyer is not. Charge for the name.

A split ring can be added from our hardware list at its part price and fitted before packing, with no labour charge. For more product ideas with real costs, see the Make-Cost Index and personalised gifts to sell. For a business ordering a branded run, the parts page prices up to 500 in one order.