A custom 3D printing quote should identify the file revision, number of accepted parts, material, finish, approval step, price and delivery assumptions before you request payment. A file upload by itself is not an approved production specification.
Use this original template for a small maker selling physical prints to a client. It is a commercial planning aid, not a legal contract or evidence of a completed customer job. Download the editable quote and approval reply.
Copy this custom 3D printing quote template
Quote reference: [reference and date]. Prepared for: [customer and billing contact]. Prepared by: [maker and contact]. Valid until: [date].
Deliverable: [quantity] accepted physical parts of [part name]. Source file [filename], revision [version/date], units [mm or other]. Agreed finished dimensions: [dimensions]. Files or design ownership are included only if specifically listed: [scope].
Intended use and feasibility: [customer-described purpose]. Before accepting production, we will confirm whether our equipment and process are suitable. Performance, safety, regulatory or certification requirements: [specific evidence and responsibility, or excluded claims].
Production specification: [process], [material and exact color], [finish], [support removal], [assembly]. Visible layer lines and other acceptable appearance characteristics: [description with sample/photo]. Substitutions require written approval.
Acceptance criteria: [critical dimensions, measurement method, acceptable range and appearance requirements you can actually verify]. Do not insert a generic tight tolerance without proving your process can meet it.
Prototype and approval: [whether a paid sample is needed], [what the sample proves], [named approver and approval method]. Production starts after [file/specification approval, any sample approval and the agreed payment]. A changed file or specification requires a revised quote.
Price: [setup/design review], [prototype], [quantity × unit price], [finishing], [shipping], [tax treatment where applicable], [total currency and amount]. Payment schedule: [amount and due trigger for each stage].
Timing and delivery: [production working days after all start conditions], dispatch method [method], destination [address confirmed separately], estimated transit [range]. Queue position and quote expiry: [rule].
Changes and problems: [revision process, extra-work approval, cancellation, defects and applicable return/refund terms]. No extra work starts without a revised price and approval. Payment does not replace applicable customer rights.
Customer-supplied files: The customer confirms permission for the intended production. File handling, confidentiality, retention and any subcontracting are [specific agreement]. We review suitability before accepting the job; we do not treat that confirmation as proof of every underlying right.
Ask these questions before you quote
Request the file, intended use, quantity, required date, destination and critical dimensions together. Clarify whether “ten parts” means ten individual components or ten complete assemblies. Ask whether the buyer wants an appearance prototype, a fit-check sample or a functional production part; those are different promises.
If a model is supplied as STL, confirm the intended physical dimensions. If the customer supplies a slicer project, review it against your equipment rather than running unfamiliar settings unchanged. Our 3MF versus STL guide explains the file distinction.
Do not quote a load-bearing, medical, food-contact or other demanding application as an ordinary decorative print. Establish suitability, validation and applicable requirements before committing to that use.
Worked example: twelve display stands
Imagine a client needs twelve original desk display stands for a small event. The file is revision B, the agreed material is a named blue filament, and the customer approves one photographed sample before the remaining batch. This is a hypothetical order.
| Quote line | Illustrative amount | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| File review and setup | €20 | No redesign included |
| Approval sample | €15 | One sample from revision B |
| Remaining eleven accepted stands | 11 × €12 = €132 | Same approved specification |
| Packing and delivery | €8 | One agreed destination |
| Total | €175 | Before any applicable tax; state actual treatment in the real quote |
These prices illustrate quote structure, not market rates. The sample is one of the twelve stands; it is not an extra thirteenth item. If the customer changes the width after approval, pause and price the new revision before printing the batch. Use the 3D print pricing worksheet to check your own production costs.
Use payment milestones that match the work
For the example, you might agree €35 for setup and the sample, followed by €140 after sample approval and before batch production. The two requests total the agreed €175. This is an example payment schedule, not a recommendation that a particular deposit is always lawful or appropriate.
Explain what happens if the sample is rejected against the agreed specification, if the buyer changes the brief, or if production proves infeasible. Record those terms before collecting money. Do not promise that a payment link holds funds in escrow or guarantees project completion.
Copy this approval reply
“I approve quote [reference], file [name/revision], [quantity] physical parts in [material/color], acceptance criteria [reference] and total [amount/currency, including stated shipping and tax treatment]. I understand production begins after [specific conditions]. Delivery destination is [confirmed through agreed channel]. Changes require a revised quote before work.”
Keep the reply, the approved file and payment references together. Store customer files privately; do not publish a client's design or prototype photograph without the agreed permission.
Request payment with PayRequest
Once the quote is accepted, create a PayRequest payment link for the agreed first stage. Include the quote reference and clear description. Confirm payment in the payment record before starting the corresponding work. If you use a second milestone, issue the separately agreed amount and keep both references with the job.
PayRequest collects payments; your quoting process controls file approval, production and shipping. Free has a 2% standard payment fee capped at €25 per transaction; provider fees and commission exceptions remain separate. Active Premium (€5/month) or Business (€20/month) removes standard platform fees. See pricing.
For repeat catalog products rather than changing client files, use the simpler workflow in sell 3D printed objects online.
Editorial note: the template and worked example are original editorial aids. The cover is an AI-generated illustration, not a tested prototype.
