3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG-GF vs PLA

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

Glass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF) guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG-GF comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PETG-GF vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyGlass-fibre polyester (PETG-GF / PET-GF)PETGPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$27.38/kg median; $18.99–$29.99/kg across 3 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 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]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[2][3]
Densityg/cm³1.43 (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 1183)[1]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[2][4][3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 25[5][6]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg19–30 across brands; ELEGOO 19, Polymaker Fiberon 30[5][6]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[10][11][12][13]
Market availability1–5Niche, a handful of specialist brands[5][6]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[14][15]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[6]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[7][16][17][12][18]
Typical applicationsStiff, dimensionally stable fixtures; the Fiberon grade is designed to be annealed for heat resistance[1]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[19]
Diameter tolerance± mmNot documented±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[2][7][20]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°CNot documented190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[2][4][3]
Bed temperature°CNot documented25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[2][4][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Not documentedOpen frame is fine[4][14]
Part cooling fanNot documented100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[2][15]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets; on smooth PEI a glue stick acts as a release agent[21][22]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][23][15]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/sNot documented12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[24]
Warping tendency1–5Not documentedNone[25][14]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[21][22]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][3][15]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker names stringing as PETG's common quirk[22]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][15][26]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Not documentedBeginner — prints on any machine out of the box[14][15]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[14]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Hardened steel required[1]Brass fine indefinitely[14]
Abrasiveness1–5Highly abrasive — standard GF composite[1]Non-abrasive[25][14]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; Prusa lists higher risk of nozzle clogging for glass-filled composites[27]Very low[14][15]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[28]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[23][29]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[28]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[14]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[25][14]
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[21]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[3][4][30]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%Not documented0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[3][4]
Drying temperature & timeNot documented50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][3][29]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[31]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[31]
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[31]Polymaker rates PLA low-sensitivity — it absorbs moisture slowly and the loss shows as poor layer adhesion and brittle layers rather than a published strength figure[31]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[31][22]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[3][15]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa59.9 ± 0.8 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]35–52 (printed XY, ISO 527); 55 mean across 16 brands and 53 for the reference PLA in a later run, both on 4×4 mm printed bars[2][4][3][32][33]
Young's modulusMPa4144 ± 133 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[2][4][3]
Elongation at break%4.0 ± 0.5 printed XY, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][3][2]
Flexural strengthMPa104.2 ± 2.4 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][34]
Flexural modulusMPa3705 ± 85 printed XY, ISO 178 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[2][4][3][34]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²8.7 ± 0.6 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][3]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched 27.2 ± 2.0 printed XY (Fiberon PET-GF15, ISO 179)[1]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[2][3]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa48.2 ± 0.3 printed Z, ISO 527 (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[2][3][33]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning; elongation 4.0 % in XY and 2.6 % in Z[1]Brittle — snaps with little warning[23][25]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellNot documented81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[2][35]
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[36][37][38]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[39][40]
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][41]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[41][23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rigid[25]
Z strength as % of XY%80 (Fiberon PET-GF15, printed Z against XY tensile)[1]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][3][33]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C81.6 as printed, 133.7 after annealing (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[2][4][3]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C71.8 as printed, 87.3 after annealing (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[2][4][3]
Glass transition (Tg)°C59.5 (DSC)[1]55–61 (DSC)[2][4][3]
Melting point / Vicat°C231.6 melting (DSC); Vicat 232.6 (ISO 306)[1]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[19][4][3]
Continuous service temperature°CNot documented50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[25][33]
Annealing responseAnnealing lifts HDT at 0.45 MPa from 81.6 to 133.7 °C[1]Bambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[3][42]
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)[43]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[44]
Flammability / UL 94UL 94 HB at 1.5 mm (Fiberon PET-GF15)[1]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[3][4]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Not documentedDegrades within weeks outdoors[23][19]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[19][23]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure[22]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][23]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Not documentedGood — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[3][45]
Food contactNot certified for food contact as filament[22]Base resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[23][45]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[22]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[45][23][3]
RecyclabilityNot accepted in household plastic collection[22]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[45]
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[46]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[46]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[46]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/minNot documented≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[46]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[46]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[46]None needed in a normal room[46]
Dust & fibre handling hazardGlass fibre is bound in the matrix; avoid inhaling sanding dust[1]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[28]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[19][23]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[28]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[23][20]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[28]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[23]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[28]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][3]
Dimensional accuracy & detailNot documentedGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[25][3][15]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the matrix surface, 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it in a week.[47][48]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[49]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[47]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[49][48]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane reaches only the resin, so the fibre is left standing proud of the surface. Controlled carcinogen.[48]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[50][48]

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. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  3. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  15. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  20. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  22. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  26. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. Composite materials filled with carbon, kevlar or glass Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  28. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  29. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  30. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  31. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  33. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  34. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  36. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  37. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  38. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  39. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  40. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  42. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  43. 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
  44. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  45. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  46. 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
  47. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  48. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  49. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  50. 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