3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-GF vs PLA-GF

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

Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guideGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-GF comparisonsMore PLA-GF comparisons
PETG-GF vs PLA-GF — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETGGlass-fibre PLA (PLA-GF)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings$44.99/kg median; $29.99–$59.99/kg across 2 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryGlass-fibre reinforced polyester. Polymaker's Fiberon PET-GF15 uses a PET rather than a PETG matrix and carries 15 wt% glass fibre[1]PLA filled with chopped glass fibre — 12 wt% (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF), 15–20 wt% (eSUN PLA-GF). Bambu Lab PLA Galaxy uses glass microspheres, not fibre, and is not equivalent[2][3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[1]1.31 (eSUN) to 1.337 (Polymaker), ISO 1183 / GB/T 1033[2][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[5][6]1 kg spools cluster near 30[7][8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[5][6]30–60 across brands; Polymaker 30, Proto-pasta 60[7][8]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[7][8][3]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6]1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[8][6]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[1]Stiff brackets and fixtures; the Polymaker grade is aimed at parts annealed for heat resistance[2]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented210–230 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60 (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedOpen frame is fine[2]
Part cooling fanNot documentedFan on — eSUN specifies 100 %[3]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[9][10]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented28 at Polymaker's stated 350 mm/s on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; eSUN prints its specimens at 60 mm/s[2][3][11]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[9][10]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[10]Not documented
Shrinkage%Not documented0.05 in X-Y and Z, 0.10 diagonal (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedIntermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; hardened nozzle mandatory[2]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Hardened steel required[2]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[2]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[12]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[13]Not documented
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[13]Hardened steel or ruby nozzle; Polymaker's own slicer preset sets a minimum nozzle hardness of 40 HRC[2]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — the PETG matrix reaches 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[9]Moderate — the PLA matrix takes up 0.40–0.51 % saturated; no glass-filled grade publishes its own figure[14][15]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented60 °C for 6 h (Polymaker HT-PLA-GF)[2]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[16]Not documented
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[16]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity and publishes no dry-versus-conditioned figures for this grade; absorbed water flashes to steam and shows as bubbling and poor layer adhesion[16]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[16][10]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]50.1 as printed and 50.2 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 59.3 by GB/T 1040[2][3]
Young's modulusMPa4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]3794 as printed, 4207 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[2]
Elongation at break%4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]2.77 as printed, 2.3 annealed, printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 7.99[2][3]
Flexural strengthMPa104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]86.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker)[2]
Flexural modulusMPa3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]3685 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); eSUN quotes 4415 flexural modulus by GB/T 9341[2][3]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]5.31 ± 0.46 as printed and 4.92 ± 0.50 annealed (printed XY, ISO 179, notched); Z 4.28 ± 0.18[2]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[1]Izod 10.16 kJ/m² (eSUN, GB/T 1843)[3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]23.7 as printed, 22.5 annealed, printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[2]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[1]Very brittle — elongation at break 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[2]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — no GF-grade creep test; the CF grades sagged to 14.8–16.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg against 17.1–20.4 mm unfilled[17][18][19]Poor — no GF-grade creep test; plain printed PLA sagged from 12 to 16.2–21.8 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[20][21][22]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Below average — no GF-grade S-N curve; elongation at break falls to 4.0 % in XY against 5.2–9.3 % unfilled[1][23]Poor — no grade-specific S-N curve; plain printed PLA ran 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength and elongation at break falls to 2.77 % in XY and 0.85 % in Z[23][2]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[2]
Z strength as % of XY%80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]47 as printed (23.7 Z against 50.1 XY), printed[2]
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedeSUN describes high wear resistance and positions the grade for wear parts[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]75.5 as printed, 114.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa) — the point of the material[2]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]59.7 as printed, 84 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.5 (DSC)[1]59.8 (DSC)[2]
Melting point / Vicat°C231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[1]174.9 peak melt (DSC); Vicat 148.9 as printed, 148.3 annealed[2]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[1]Annealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 75.5 to 114.7 °C and modulus from 3794 to 4207 MPa[2]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K20 along the print bead and 63–74 in the build direction at 30 °C (30 wt% GF, large-format printed, TMA)[24]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[25]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[10]Not documented
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[10]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[10]Not documented
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[10]Not documented
Electrical & ESD propertiesSurface resistivity above 10¹² ohm — insulating (Fiberon PET-GF15, ANSI/ESD S11.11)[1]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[26]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[26]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[26]None needed in a normal room[26]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Glass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[27]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[13]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[13]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[13]Not documented
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[13]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedNear-zero shrinkage — 0.05 % in X-Y and Z (Polymaker)[2]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[28][29]Chloroform dissolves the PLA matrix (10 % w/v, 2–4 h at 23 °C) and leaves the filler as loose sludge; laboratory reagent.[30]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[28]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise the matrix but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; acetone submersion crazes parts.[30][29]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[29]Chloroform vapour attacks only the resin fraction, so the filler is left standing proud; no workshop-safe agent exists.[31][29]

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. Fiberon PET-GF15 Technical Data Sheet V1.0 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  2. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.1 Polymaker · 2026-08 · tds
  3. eSUN ePLA-GF Technical Data Sheet V1.0 (Nov 2023) eSUN (copy hosted on 3d.nice-cdn.com) · 2023-11 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V1.0 — PLA Galaxy Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Polymaker HT-PLA-GF — product page Polymaker Shop · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Proto-pasta product catalogue Proto-pasta · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  10. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  11. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  12. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  13. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  14. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  15. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  16. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  18. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  19. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  20. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  21. Polymaker PLA Pro vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  22. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  23. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  24. Effects of Fiber Orientation on the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of Fiber-Filled Polymer Systems in Large Format Polymer Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing Materials 15(8):2764 · 2022-04 · paper
  25. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. 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
  27. StoneFil safety data sheet Formfutura · 2026-08 · msds
  28. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  29. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  31. 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