Frequently asked questions

Create a free account, complete your designer profile, and upload your first model for review. Once approved, your listing goes live. You'll need to connect a Stripe account and provide a valid U.S. bank account to receive payouts. The whole process takes under 30 minutes.

We accept STL, STEP, OBJ, 3MF, F3D, and other supported formats. Models are automatically validated for printability — checking for watertight geometry, minimum wall thickness, and size constraints. You'll receive a report if any issues are found before your listing goes live.

We support a wide and growing range of filament types — including PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, carbon fiber composites (PLA-CF, PETG-CF), Nylon (PA and PA-CF), Silk PLA, support materials like PVA and HIPS, and more. When creating a listing, simply select the materials your design is compatible with. As we expand our material catalog, newly added options will automatically become available for you to enable on your listings.

When creating a listing, you select which filament colors you have available for that design. Buyers can only choose from the colors you've enabled — they cannot request colors outside of what you've listed. You can update your available colors at any time from your listing dashboard.

You receive 100% of the net profit on every completed sale. Net profit is calculated as the gross sales price (the amount paid for the product, excluding shipping and taxes) minus Print Focal's production minimum fees, which include the platform and fulfillment fee, manufacturing and materials costs, shipping and packaging costs, a 3% payment processing fee, and applicable taxes. You keep all remaining profit after those deductions. An itemized breakdown of each sale — gross sales price, all fee deductions, and your net profit payout — is available in your seller dashboard.

No, however a physical photo of the 3D printed item you are listing is required. You design it, we print and ship it. All you need is a model file, at least one physical print of your model to photograph, and a Print Focal account. We handle manufacturing, packaging, and fulfillment entirely. If you do not have a printer and need the physical model photos, look for a local makerspace or utilize our 3D print on demand service for your file first.

You retain full intellectual property rights to everything you upload. By listing on Print Focal you grant us a non-exclusive license to manufacture physical prints of your design, use your listing images and descriptions for marketing, and make minor technical adjustments needed for print compatibility. Your digital files are never sold, shared, or distributed.

Earnings are paid out every 14 days via Stripe Connect to your linked U.S. bank account. There is a 14-day clearing period after an order is placed before funds are released, to allow time for disputes or chargebacks. Your full earnings history and pending balance are always visible in your dashboard.

If the defect is caused by a print or fulfillment issue on our end, Print Focal covers the cost — your earnings are not affected. If the defect is caused by a problem with your model file — such as a geometry error or misrepresented product — you may be liable for the chargeback amount plus any associated processing fees, which may be deducted from your payouts.

Top-selling listings have clear photos or render images, a descriptive title with searchable keywords, dimensions and material recommendations in the description, competitive pricing, and multiple color options where possible. Models that solve a specific problem consistently outsell purely decorative items.

The sellers who earn the most treat their storefront like a brand. Here's what works:

• Post photos and short videos of your prints on visual social media platforms. Tag us on Instagram at @printfocal and link directly to your listing. Behind-the-scenes design process videos perform especially well.
• Share your work in communities and forums that are relevant to your product's use case — not 3D printing communities. If you sell miniatures, engage in tabletop gaming forums and groups. If you sell organizers, participate in home improvement or productivity communities. Lead with value — answer questions and contribute before promoting your store.
• Link to your Print Focal storefront from everywhere: your email signature, portfolio sites, project-sharing platforms, and any professional profile you maintain.
• Run a limited-time introductory price when you launch a new model to drive early sales and reviews. Early traction pushes your listing higher in search results.

Sellers who promote consistently — even 20 to 30 minutes a day — compound their visibility over time and significantly outperform those relying on platform search alone.