3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs PLA

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

PETG guidePLA (standard) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore PLA comparisons
PETG vs PLA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGPLA (standard)PLA
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Poly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[3][7][4]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[8][9][10]Mainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[11][12][13]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg12–70 across brands; IEMAI 12, ELEGOO 14, CHCKX 14, Bambu Lab 18–20, Hatchbox 26, Prusament 38, Prusament PETG V0 70[8][9][14][10][15][16]10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[17][18][19][20]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[8][9][21][10]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[22][23]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.8 and 1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[9][10]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[11][24][25][19][26]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Concept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[27]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[3][11][28]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[1][2][6]190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[3][7][4]
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[3][7][4]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Open frame is fine[7][22]
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[3][23]
Bed surface & adhesion aidTextured PEI, satin or powder-coated sheets. On smooth PEI a glue stick is used as a release agent, not an adhesive — PETG bonds to bare PEI hard enough to tear the sheet[1][6]Smooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[7][29][23]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s8–15 (PrusaSlicer guidance); My Tech Fun ran Bambu Lab PETG Basic at 13 mm³/s[30][31]12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[30]
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]None[32][22]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[7][4][23]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[7][23][33]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[22][23]
Extruder requirementNot documentedAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[22]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[30]Brass fine indefinitely[22]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive[32][22]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Low — no special hot-end required and clogging is not among the listed drawbacks; Prusa lists no drybox and no hardened nozzle[34][22]Very low[22][23]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[34]Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[29][35]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[34]Any standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[22]
Other hardware wearNot documentedNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[32][22]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate (0.3–0.8 %) — Bambu Lab reports 0.40 % saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH; Prusa measures only 0.07 % in 24 h and 0.10 % in 7 days at the drier 22 % RH[1][36]Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[4][7][37]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.10 after 7 days at 24 °C / 22 % RH (Prusa Polymers); 0.40 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab)[1][36]0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[4][7]
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][36]50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[7][4][35]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[1]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[38]
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker groups PETG with nylon, PVA and TPU as highly hygroscopic and shows a before-and-after-drying comparison; the loss appears as poor layer adhesion and weak, brittle layers rather than a published dry-versus-conditioned figure[38]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[38]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[38][39]Sealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[4][23]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa38–51 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 47 ± 2 at yield; 62 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][5][40]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[3][7][4][41][42]
Young's modulusMPa1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2][5][6]2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[3][7][4]
Elongation at break%5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[2][5][6][1]6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[7][4][3]
Flexural strengthMPa58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[1][2][5][6]76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[3][7][4][43]
Flexural modulusMPa1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2][5][6]2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[3][7][4][43]
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[2][5][1]3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[7][4]
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched does not break on Prusa's 4 J pendulum (ISO 179-1); Izod 3.37 kJ/m² on My Tech Fun printed bars[1][40]Charpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[3][4]
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][40]17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[3][4][42]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Brittle — snaps with little warning[29][32]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell74 Shore D (Prusa Polymers method); measured on printed bars at 68.2 for Extrudr PETG, 72 for Fiberlogy PETG and 72.8 for Prusament PETG[1][40][44][45]81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[3][46]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Below average — a 12 mm bar sagged to 18.2 mm (Fiberlogy) and 19.4 mm (Bambu Lab Basic) over 5 days at 1.25 kg[40][31]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[47][48]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Moderate — 79 000–193 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, about three times printed PLA (R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[49]Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[49][29]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rigid[32]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[7][4][42]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2][6]55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[3][7][4]
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[3][7][4]
Glass transition (Tg)°C71–81 (DSC)[2][5][6]55–61 (DSC)[3][7][4]
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[2][5][6]145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[27][7][4]
Continuous service temperature°C61–66 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature across six grades from four brands; Prusa publishes 68 for Prusament PETG[40][44][45][31][50]50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[32][42]
Annealing responseNot documentedBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[4][51]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[52]96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[53]
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[54][39]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[4][7]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Degrades within weeks outdoors[29][27]
Outdoor durabilityNot documentedNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[27][29]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[39]Good against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[7][29]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[1]Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[4][55]
Food contactPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[39]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[29][55]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[39]Industrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[55][29][4]
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[39]Mechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[55]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[56]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[56]
VOC emission rateµg/minNot documented4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[56]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈5 × 10⁹ median for the PET-based T-Glase filament in the same chamber study, against ≈1 × 10⁸ for PLA[56]≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[56]
Hazardous species emittedNot documentedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[56]
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[56]None needed in a normal room[56]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[34]Wet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[27][29]
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[34]Cyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[29][28]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]No practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[29]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[34]PolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[7][4]
Dimensional accuracy & detailStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[1][6]Good — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[32][4][23]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[57][58]Chloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[59]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[57]Acetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[59][58]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[58]Chloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[60][58]

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. Prusament PETG Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. PolyLite PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  3. Prusament PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  4. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  8. PETG Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Black PETG Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg — product data Hatchbox · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. IEMAI PETG 3D Printing Filament product page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. CHCKX PETG 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 1 kg, Black CHCKX (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  25. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  26. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  28. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  33. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  36. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  37. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  38. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  39. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  40. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  41. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  42. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  43. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  44. Extrudr PETG vs PCTG vs XPETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  45. Prusament PETG-CF vs PETG V0 vs PETG — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  46. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  47. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  48. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  49. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  50. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  51. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  52. 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
  53. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  54. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  55. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  56. 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
  57. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  58. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  59. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  60. 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