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How much does an injection mould cost?
Published supplier ranges put most injection moulds between a few thousand dollars and $100,000 or more, and Formlabs puts a 3D-printed mould for a very short run at as little as $100.
That is a wide spread, and it is wide for a good reason: "an injection mould" covers everything from a printed resin insert that makes a hundred parts to a hardened multi-cavity steel tool built to run for years. The useful question is not "what does a mould cost?" but "what does the mould I actually need cost, and why might two quotes for it differ?"
Published ranges, side by side
Each supplier below is describing a different kind of tool, so the ranges overlap rather than agree.
| Source | Tool described | Published cost |
|---|---|---|
| Formlabs | Simple 3D-printed mould, low volume | from about $100 |
| Formlabs | Aluminium mould, about 1,000 to 5,000 units | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| Formlabs | Complex mould, about 10,000+ units | $5,000 to $100,000 |
| Xometry | Tooling for about 1,000 to 2,000 small parts | up to $10,000 |
| Xometry | Complex geometry, large orders | up to $100,000 |
| MakerVerse | Simple single-cavity mould, small part | from around €1,000 |
| MakerVerse | Aluminium prototype mould | €3,000 to €8,000 |
| MakerVerse | Soft-steel bridge mould | €8,000 to €20,000 |
| MakerVerse | Production steel mould | €15,000 to €80,000+ |
Protolabs also publishes an entry figure for its own service: an upfront tooling investment from $1,500 for aluminium (depending on capacity) and $50,000 or more for steel. Treat that as one supplier's pricing for its own process rather than an industry design-guide figure; the other ranges above are general planning guides.
What moves the number
Formlabs names the main drivers as production volume, part complexity, mould material and the process used to make the mould. Larger moulds cost more than smaller versions of the same design, and undercuts that need sliding side-actions or cores add cost.
Komaspec is one of the few publishers to put relative figures on these features:
| Feature | Effect on mould cost (Komaspec) |
|---|---|
| Each added cavity, simple part | about 15 to 30 % more |
| Each side-action slider | about 10 to 40 % of total mould cost |
| Side actions plus a complex structure | can add more than 50 % |
| Larger part | bigger steel and a larger mould base |
Komaspec also notes that aluminium as a raw material costs roughly 50 % less than steel, but that is the material only, not the finished tool, where machining and fitting time dominate. Precision Expedited and Fictiv both say aluminium machines roughly three to ten times faster than steel, which is a bigger reason aluminium tools are cheaper and quicker to build.
Other cost drivers that publishers mention without a percentage:
- Steel grade and hardness, which follow from the number of parts the tool must make.
- Surface finish: high-polish and textured cavities take extra work.
- Tolerances: tighter tolerances need more careful machining and more trial rounds.
- Hot or cold runner system and the number of gates.
The mould is not the whole cost
Xometry points out that cycle time can make up about 60 % of final part cost, that scrap is usually estimated at 3 to 5 %, and that you pay for the plastic in runners and sprues as well as in the parts. A cheaper mould with one cavity and slow cooling can therefore cost more over a production run than a dearer tool with more cavities.
Design changes also cost money once steel is cut. MakerVerse lists around €500 to €3,000 per mould modification. Formlabs shows how badly tooling hurts small runs: on its figures, an aluminium mould making only 100 parts adds about $30 to each part, and a steel mould about $200.
How to compare two quotes
Two quotes can differ widely because they are not for the same tool. Before comparing them, put them side by side on the same points.
- Mould class or expected tool life in shots, stated in writing.
- Mould material and steel grade for cavities, cores and base.
- Number of cavities, and whether it is a family mould.
- Runner type (hot or cold) and gate location.
- Side actions, lifters and slides included in the price.
- Surface finish or texture per face.
- Number of trial shots and adjustment rounds included before approval.
- Who owns the tool, where it is stored, and who pays for maintenance.
- Piece price and cycle time at your realistic annual volume.
Precision Expedited suggests asking most of these before the tool is built, including the mould class, steel, cavity count and the maintenance schedule. If one quote is much lower, the usual reasons are a lower class, fewer cavities, a softer material, or a simpler finish.
The company that runs this site, JCH Global Trading, designs injection moulds and matches projects to third-party factories, so comparing quotes like this is everyday work for it; more about it is at jchtrade.com.
These are published planning ranges, not quotes. Only a toolmaker working from your CAD can price your part.
Questions buyers ask
Why is one quote half the price of another?
Usually because the tools are not the same. Check the mould class, steel, cavity count, finish and included trial rounds. A cheaper tool may be perfectly suitable for a short run, but it may not last for the volume you need.
Is a 3D-printed mould a real option?
For very small runs, yes. Formlabs describes printed moulds producing 100 or more parts within a few days, at a mould cost from about $100. They suit trials and bridge needs rather than long production.
Should I pay for more cavities?
Komaspec puts each added cavity at about 15 to 30 % more mould cost for a simple part, while each cycle then makes more parts. It pays off when annual volume is high enough to use the extra output; ask the toolmaker for piece price at your volume for each option.
What does a design change cost after the mould is made?
MakerVerse lists around €500 to €3,000 per modification. Some changes cannot be made by modification at all, so freeze the design and get a design-for-manufacture review before steel is cut.
Sources
- Formlabs, Injection molding cost: https://formlabs.com/blog/injection-molding-cost/
- Xometry, Injection molding cost: https://www.xometry.com/resources/injection-molding/injection-molding-cost/
- MakerVerse, Injection molding FAQ: https://www.makerverse.com/resources/injection-molding-faq/
- Komaspec, Injection mold tooling: https://www.komaspec.com/about-us/blog/injection-mold-tooling/
- Protolabs, Aluminum vs. steel tooling: https://www.protolabs.com/resources/blog/aluminum-vs-steel-tooling/
- Fictiv, Steel vs. aluminum for injection molds: https://www.fictiv.com/articles/steel-vs-aluminum-for-injection-molds
- Precision Expedited, Injection molding companies: questions to ask: https://precisionexpedited.com/injection-molding-companies-questions-to-ask/