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Free Printing & Packaging Cost Calculator

Know the Real Cost of Every Job Before You Send the Quote.

For printers and packaging companies that need to calculate material, setup, machine time, wastage, finishing, quantity discounts and a profitable selling price.

Open the Cost CalculatorSee What It Covers
Commercial PrintersCost jobs from setup through finishing.
Packaging CompaniesPrice cartons, labels, flexible packs and converted materials.
Digital Print ShopsCapture toner, machine time, finishing and minimum job charges.
Converters & FabricatorsModel material yield, wastage and quantity economics.

Printing and packaging costing desk

From Material Yield to Customer Selling Price.

Job Cost Dashboard

Material, waste, setup, machine time, finishing, overhead, discount and profit in one model.

Material Cost

Calculate material requirement from quantity, yield, wastage and consumables.

Setup & Prepress

Spread artwork, proofing, plates, dies, cylinders and make-ready across the order.

Machine Cost

Calculate production time, downtime allowance, setup time and machine cost.

Finishing Cost

Add lamination, cutting, folding, binding, gluing, special finishes and packing.

Wastage

See how expected spoilage changes required input quantity and material cost.

Selling Price

Convert true job cost into a price using margin or markup and a minimum order charge.

Quantity Discounts

See the lower unit economics created when fixed setup costs are spread over larger orders.

Job Profitability

Compare customer revenue with actual job cost and realised margin.

Astute Printing & Packaging Cost Calculator

Know the Real Cost of Every Print or Packaging Job Before You Quote It.

Built for commercial printers, digital print shops, label printers, carton converters, flexible packaging firms and other packaging companies. Calculate material, setup, wastage, machine time, finishing, quantity discounts and profitable selling prices.

Current job

Untitled Print / Packaging Job

Set the job type, product, quantity and currency once.

Complete job costing

Build the full production cost before applying profit.

Use the whole job quantity, then let the calculator spread setup and other fixed job costs across the units produced.

Job quantity & material

Setup, machine & finishing

Overhead & pricing

Material cost

Calculate the true material requirement including wastage.

Setup & prepress

Spread fixed job setup costs across the quantity ordered.

Machine cost

Calculate production time and machine cost for the job.

Finishing cost

Add post-production processes without losing sight of unit economics.

Wastage

See how spoilage and make-ready waste change the material cost.

Selling price

Convert true job cost into a profitable customer price.

Quantity discounts

See whether a larger order really justifies a lower unit price.

Fixed setup costs are spread over more units, but variable material and finishing costs still remain.

Job profitability

Check whether the completed or proposed job actually makes money.

Why job costing matters

A High-Volume Job Can Still Lose Money if Setup, Waste and Finishing Are Missed.

Material may be the most visible cost in printing and packaging, but it is not the only cost. Setup, machine time, spoilage, finishing, packing and delivery can materially change the true unit cost.

The calculator keeps fixed job costs and variable unit costs visible so quantity discounts can be based on real economies of scale rather than guesswork.