Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Suggested price
$15.53
Engrave time
1.50
Machine time cost
$0.63
Total cost
$8.63
Profit
$6.90
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How to use this
- 1Enter engrave area (sq in).
- 2Enter effective coverage speed (sq in/min).
- 3Enter number of passes.
- 4Enter machine + overhead rate ($/hr).
- 5Enter material/blank cost ($).
- 6Enter setup/design fee ($).
- 7Enter markup (%).
- 8Read your suggested price on the right — it updates as you type.
- 9Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Laser engraving jobs are priced on machine time far more than material in most cases, because a CO2 or fiber laser only removes a thin layer and material cost per piece is often just the blank. This calculator estimates engrave time from the area to be covered, your laser's effective speed (inches per minute, accounting for the actual raster/fill pattern rather than the machine's rated max), and number of passes needed for depth or contrast, then converts that into machine-cost-per-minute pricing plus a materials and labor markup. Effective engraving speed for detailed raster work is usually much slower than a laser's max stated speed because of DPI and passes — a machine rated at 20 in/sec might realistically cover fine detail at an effective rate equivalent to 2-4 minutes per square inch of dense raster fill. Use actual job timing from your own machine log for the most accurate quotes, since laser type, wattage, and material (wood vs anodized aluminum vs glass) change speed dramatically.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Engrave area: 6 sq in
- Effective coverage speed: 4 sq in/min
- Number of passes: 1
- Machine + overhead rate: 25 $/hr
- Material/blank cost: 3 $
- Setup/design fee: 5 $
- Markup: 80 %
Results
- Suggested price: $15.53
- Engrave time: 1.5
- Machine time cost: $0.63
- Total cost: $8.63
- Profit: $6.90
What each field means
Inputs
- Engrave area (sq in)
- The engrave area used in the calculation, measured in sq in. Starts at 6 sq in so you have a working example on load.
- Effective coverage speed (sq in/min)
- The effective coverage speed used in the calculation, measured in sq in/min. Starts at 4 sq in/min so you have a working example on load.
- Number of passes
- The number of passes used in the calculation. Starts at 1 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–5.
- Machine + overhead rate ($/hr)
- The machine + overhead rate used in the calculation, measured in $/hr. Starts at 25 $/hr so you have a working example on load.
- Material/blank cost ($)
- The material/blank cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 3 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Setup/design fee ($)
- The setup/design fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 5 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Markup (%)
- The markup used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 80 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–400 %.
Results
- Suggested price
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Engrave time
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Machine time cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Profit
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why does effective speed differ so much from the laser's rated speed?
Rated speed is usually the max travel speed of the head, but raster engraving fills area line by line at a set DPI, so dense fills or fine detail need slower speed and higher power to burn cleanly. Timing 5-10 real jobs on your machine gives a far better number than the spec sheet.
Does material change price beyond the blank cost?
Yes — harder or reflective materials (anodized aluminum, glass, stainless) often need multiple passes or slower speed to engrave cleanly, which raises machine time cost even though the blank price is the same. Wood and acrylic generally engrave fastest.
How much should setup/design fees be?
A flat $5-$15 covers file prep, positioning, and test burns on simple jobs. Custom vector tracing from a logo or photo conversion for photo-engraving can justify $15-$40 depending on complexity.
What markup makes sense for laser engraving?
60-100% over hard cost is typical for personalized/custom items since customers pay for uniqueness, not just material. Bulk corporate orders (50+ identical items) often compress to 30-50% markup since setup is amortized.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Laser Engraving Time & Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/laser-engraving-time-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/laser-engraving-time-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Laser Engraving Time & Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Laser Engraving Time & Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/laser-engraving-time-cost) (2026).