How to Earn Extra Income as a 3D Printing Designer in 2025

Whether you're a hobbyist or an experienced designer, 3D printing offers countless ways to make money. But not all methods are equally effective—or practical.

Should you set up your own website? Sell on Etsy? License your designs? Print products yourself? Each approach has advantages and challenges, so let's go through them one by one.

Option 1: Selling Digital 3D Models

If you prefer to focus purely on design, selling digital STL files can be a good option. Platforms like MyMiniFactory, Cults3D, and Gumroad let designers list their models for download.

Pros:

• Scalable—sell the same file an unlimited number of times
• No need to handle manufacturing or shipping

Cons:

• Competitive—plenty of free models are available online
• Marketing is essential to stand out
• Limited buyer pool—mostly hobbyists with printers

Selling STL files works well if you already have an audience or a niche following. However, if you're hoping to make steady income without constantly promoting your work, there may be better choices.

Option 2: Selling on Etsy or Your Own Website

Many 3D printing designers sell their printed products on platforms like Etsy or their own Shopify store. This lets you control pricing, branding, and customer experience.

Pros:

• Higher profit margins than digital downloads
• Full control over branding and pricing
• Potential for repeat customers

Cons:

• Time-intensive—requires handling production and fulfillment
• Customer service, returns, and refunds can be a hassle
• Marketing is necessary to drive traffic to your store

Selling independently can be a great long-term strategy, but **it takes time to build momentum**. If you’re looking for something easier to start with, consider another approach.

Option 3: Print-on-Demand with a 3D Printing Partner

If you like the idea of selling physical products but don’t want to deal with printing and shipping, working with a partner who handles those steps for you can be the best of both worlds.

Pros:

• No need to buy expensive printers or materials
• Products are automatically manufactured and shipped
• Allows you to focus purely on designing

Cons:

• Lower margins than printing yourself (but still profitable)

Why We Think Our Program is the Best Option

Every designer has different goals. Some want to run their own full-scale business, while others just want to make extra income without a major time commitment.

If you’re looking for an **easy and risk-free** way to sell your designs, our designer program might be exactly what you need.

Here’s What We Offer:

• We handle all sales, manufacturing, and shipping
• You get **paid for every sale** without lifting a finger
• If you want to build your own store, **we can help with that too**

There’s no reason not to try it—whether you want to sell through us entirely or use our fulfillment services for your own website.

Ready to Get Started?

If you're interested in seeing how this works, you can apply below. We'll review your designs, set up your products, and take care of the rest.