3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PCTG vs PLA+

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

PCTG guidePLA+ / Tough PLA guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PCTG comparisonsMore PLA+ comparisons
PCTG vs PLA+ — documented properties and sources
PropertyPCTGPETGPLA+ / Tough PLAPLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$34.99/kg median; $14.00–$50.67/kg across 5 dated product listings$16.49/kg median; $10.45–$39.99/kg across 10 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) glycol — a copolyester with a higher cyclohexanedimethanol content than PETG[1][2]PLA compounded with impact modifiers; suppliers publish the base as polylactic acid only[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.23 (Extrudr, ASTM D792; 3DXTech, ISO 1183)[2][5]1.17–1.24 (Polymaker); 1.21 (Bambu Lab, ISO 1183)[3][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 34[6][5][7]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 16[8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg14–51 across brands; CHCKX 14 in a 10-roll bundle, Push Plastic 30, Proto-pasta 35 at 1 kg, 3DXTech 51[6][5][10]10–40 across brands; budget house brands 10–17, Sakata 3D HR-870 26, Polymaker and Fiberlogy 36–40[11][9][12][13][14]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[6][5][7][15]Stocked by most mainstream brands[11][8][9][12][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75, 1, 3 and 5 kg spools[6][7][5]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools[12][13][11]
Typical applicationsTransparent covers, guards and impact-loaded parts where PETG cracks[1][2]Functional parts and enclosures that need impact tolerance but not heat resistance[3][4]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.03 (Bambu Lab)[16]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]190–230 (Polymaker); Bambu Lab Tough+ needs 220–250[3][4]
Bed temperature°C60–100 (Spectrum)[1]25–60 (Polymaker); 35–65 (Bambu Lab Tough+)[3][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine — Spectrum and Extrudr both say a closed chamber is not necessary, Extrudr adds it helps on larger parts[1][2]Open frame is fine[3][4]
Part cooling fanUp to 100 % (Spectrum); 20–50 % (Extrudr)[1][2]Fan on[3][4]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[17][18]Textured or smooth PEI; Bambu Lab recommends glue stick or liquid glue for Tough+[3][4]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s1.6–16 at the 20–200 mm/s Extrudr rates the material for, on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[2][19]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[17][18]Sticks to anything[20]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[18]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it[3][20]
Shrinkage%0.2–0.5 (Extrudr, ASTM D955)[2]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[1][2]Easy — minor profile tuning; Tough+ wants a hotter nozzle than plain PLA[3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely — Extrudr explicitly states no hardened nozzle is needed[2]Brass fine indefinitely[21]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[2]Non-abrasive[22][21]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns and no minimum layer height for PCTG, only a 65 °C pre-dry[23]Very low[21]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[24]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C like plain PLA[25]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[24]No special hot-end required[20]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the copolyester matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH and 3DXTech specifies a 65 °C, 4 h pre-dry[17][23]Low — 0.27 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH[4]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.27 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented55 °C for 6–8 h; 65–75 °C for 12 h on a Bambu Lab X1 heatbed[3][4]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[26]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[26]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic; no dry-versus-conditioned strength figures are published for this grade and the loss shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[26]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for the modified grades; the loss shows as poor layer adhesion rather than a strength number[26]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[26][18]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][20]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa43–44 at yield and 45–46 at break (ISO 527, injection-moulded resin data from Spectrum and Extrudr); 48 on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][2][27]35–43 (printed XY, ISO 527); 53 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars for Bambu Lab Tough[3][4][28][29]
Young's modulusMPaNot documented1860–2150 (printed XY, ISO 527) — below plain PLA at 2300–3427[3][4][30][31]
Elongation at break%215–220 at break on moulded specimens (ISO 527); 4.3–4.4 at yield[1][2]5.1–5.7 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPaNot documented62–65 (printed XY, ISO 178) — below plain PLA at 76–87[3][4][32][31]
Flexural modulusMPaNot documented2140–2393 (printed XY, ISO 178)[3][4]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²93–94 notched Izod at 23 °C on moulded specimens (ISO 180); 3DXTech quotes 8 by ISO 180/A[1][2][5]38.9–72.3 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched) — 5–9× plain PLA[3][4]
Other impact dataIzod 4.14 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars, against 3.37 for PETG on the same rig[27]Charpy unnotched 80.6 printed XY (Bambu Lab Tough+); CNC Kitchen measured ~20 vs 5 kJ/m² for PolyLite PLA[4][28]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa21.6 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm printed bars, against 32.9 for PETG[27]20.9–32.4 printed Z (ISO 527); 33.0 on My Tech Fun layer-adhesion bars vs 27.6 for PLA Basic[3][4][29]
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1][2]Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[3][4][28]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell69 Shore D measured by My Tech Fun, against 72 for PETG[27]78.8 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun), against 75.3 for the same maker's plain PLA[33]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 19.4 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, slightly worse than PETG's 18.2[27]Poor — 12 mm bar sagged to 20.2 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg, the same as plain PLA[29][34]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Good — 215 % elongation at break and 94 kJ/m² notched Izod on moulded specimens (Extrudr, Spectrum)[1][2]Below average — impact modifiers raise absorbed energy 5–9×; plain PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength[35][4][28]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[27]Rigid[3]
Z strength as % of XY%Not documented60 (Bambu Lab Tough+) to 78 (PolyMax PLA), printed[3][4]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°CNot documented55 (PolyMax) to 61 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[3][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°CNot documented52 (PolyMax) to 58 (Tough+), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa[3][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C78 (3DXTech, DSC)[5]61 (DSC)[3][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 88 (Spectrum, Extrudr)[1][2]149–151 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 62 (ISO 306)[3][4]
Continuous service temperature°C68 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature, against 65 for PETG[27]48–57 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature: 48 for Polymaker PLA Pro, 50 for Sunlu PLA+, 52 for Bambu Lab Tough, 57 for PolyTerra PLA+[29][36][33][34]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·KNot documented96–99 for plain printed PLA (fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C); no grade-specific measurement published[37]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard grades[38]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[25][39]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[18]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis[3][4]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption; Spectrum describes the polymer as hydrophobic[1]Not documented
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[18]Base resin is food-contact grade, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[25]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[18]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C; not home compostable[40][25]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[18]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection[40]
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistance above 10¹³ ohm/sq — insulating (3DXTech, ASTM D257)[5]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[41]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[41]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[41]None needed in a normal room[41]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[24]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[39][25]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[24]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone[25][42]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[24]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[25]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[24]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[3][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailOptical clarity is the selling point; Extrudr recommends a layer height at most 50 % of nozzle diameter[2]55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges (Bambu Lab Tough+)[4]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; Eastman's CHDM copolyester data shows 1,2-dichloroethane destroying it within a week.[43]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[44]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften the copolyester; methanol crazes it (Eastman, 1 y at 23 °C).[43]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[44][45]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[45]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[46][45]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Spectrum Premium PCTG Technical Data Sheet Spectrum Filaments · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Extrudr PCTG technical data Extrudr · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PolyMax PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Tough+ Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. MAX-G PCTG Technical Data Sheet 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. eSUN PLA+ 1.75mm 1KG eSUN Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Overture PLA+ 1.75mm Overture3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. CHCKX 10KG Multicolor PCTG Filament bundle CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. JAYO PLA+ 1.1KG Reusable Spool 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Polymaker PolyMax PLA 0.75kg Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Fiberlogy Impact PLA 850g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. PLA HR-870 NATURAL Sakata 3D Filaments · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. Atomic Filament product catalogue Atomic Filament · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  18. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  20. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  23. MAX-G PCTG — product page (print recommendations) 3DXTech · 2026-08 · doc
  24. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  28. The difference of PLA and PLA+ tested! (feat. Polymaker) CNC Kitchen · 2020-08 · test
  29. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  30. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  31. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  32. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  33. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  36. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  38. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  39. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  40. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  41. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  42. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  43. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  45. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  46. Effect of vapour smoothing in trichloromethane on 3D printed PLA — surface, mechanical and chemical structure Pitale, Keche & Chopra, Engineering Research Express 6(4) 045579 · 2024-12 · paper