3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PETG vs TPU 95A

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

PETG guideTPU 95A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PETG comparisonsMore TPU 95A comparisons
PETG vs TPU 95A — documented properties and sources
PropertyPETGPETGTPU 95AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.99/kg median; $8.99–$69.99/kg across 21 dated product listings$39.99/kg median; $23.00–$106.05/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolyethylene terephthalate glycol copolymer — PET with a glycol comonomer that suppresses crystallisation[1][2]Thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester or polyether based, at about 92–95 Shore A[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.24–1.30 (ISO 1183)[1][2][5][6]1.20–1.25 (ISO 1183); Prusament 1.25, Polymaker 1.20–1.24, Bambu Lab 1.22[3][4][7]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 20[8][9][10]1 kg spools cluster near 35; the specialist and industrial brands run to 106[9][10][7][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]23–106 across brands; IEMAI 3D 23, LANDU 24, Siraya Tech 25, PS Imports 25, PrimaCreator 32, Bambu Lab 35–42, Polymaker 40–50, add:north 72, Recreus 90, 3DXTech 96, NinjaTek Cheetah 106[10][17][9][18][11][12][19][20][21][13]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[8][9][22][10]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[9][18][10][17][11][12]
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; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[9][18]
Typical applicationsFunctional parts, enclosures and outdoor fittings that need more toughness and heat tolerance than PLA[1][2]Gaskets, phone cases, tyres, vibration mounts and protective covers[23]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament)[1]±0.06 (Prusament) — the loosest tolerance Prusa publishes, because soft filament deforms in the gauge[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C230–260 across brands; Prusament 250 ± 10, Polymaker 240–260[1][2][6]210–240; Polymaker 210–230, Prusament 230 ± 10, Bambu Lab HF 220–240[3][4][7]
Bed temperature°C60–90; Prusament 80 ± 10, Polymaker 60–70[1][6]25–65; Prusament 65 ± 10, Bambu Lab 30–35, Polymaker 25–60[4][7][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[6]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fanAround 50 %; Polymaker specifies 20–60 %, less than PLA to protect layer bonding[1][6]Fan on[3][7]
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]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[24][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[25][26]2.4 at Polymaker's 30–50 mm/s and 2.4 at Prusa's 30 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer; Bambu Lab's high-flow grade lifts the cap to 200 mm/s (16 mm³/s)[3][4][7]
Warping tendency1–5Slight — corner lift on large flat parts[1][6]None[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs the right surface or a thin adhesive — the problem is releasing the part, not sticking it[1]Sticks to most surfaces[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed[1][6]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker specifies 3–6 mm retraction, well above the 1–3 mm used for rigid filaments[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Easy — minor profile tuning[6]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the speed ceiling is the main constraint[3][4]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive strongly preferred. BASF rates its 95A grade as running on both direct-drive and Bowden machines, but every maker caps speed at 15–50 mm/s unless the grade is specifically high-flow[27][3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[25]Brass fine indefinitely[28]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[6]Non-abrasive[28]
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[29][30]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[31]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[29]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; soft filament buckles in the cold zone if it slows[23]
Hotend requirementNo special hot-end required[29]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[24]
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][32]Low (0.1–0.3 %) by Prusa's measurement at 0.04 % in 7 days, but Polymaker measures 0.82 % equilibrium and groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials[4][3][31]
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][32]0.82 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.02 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 22 % RH (Prusa)[3][4]
Drying temperature & time60–65 °C for 6–8 h[6][32]70 °C for 8 h (Polymaker); 70 °C for 8 h or an 80–90 °C heatbed for 12 h (Bambu Lab)[3][7]
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[31]
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[31]Polymaker groups TPU with nylon, PVA and PETG as highly hygroscopic and says these often need to stay in a dryer while printing; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[31]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant; Polymaker groups PETG with the highly hygroscopic materials[31][33]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[31]
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][34]41.4 ± 1.3 printed (Prusament, ISO 37); NinjaTek Cheetah 39 ultimate (ASTM D638)[4][35]
Young's modulusMPa1500–2311 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Elongation at break%5.2–9.3 at break (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament 5.1 at yield[2][5][6][1]551 ± 24 printed (Polymaker, ISO 37); the filament itself stretches 7264 % before break (Prusa, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa58–80 (printed XY, ISO 178); Prusament 66 ± 2[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa1068–2277 (printed XY, ISO 178)[1][2][5][6]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²2.6 (PolyLite) to 11.6 (PolyMax) printed XY, ISO 179, notched; Prusament 6 ± 1[2][5][1]Not documented
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][34]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa18 ± 4 (Prusa interlayer adhesion test); 42.8 printed Z for PolyLite PETG; 33 on My Tech Fun bars[1][2][34]9.5 ± 0.2 (Prusament interlayer adhesion, ISO 527)[4]
Brittleness1–5Moderate[1][2]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3][4]
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][34][36][37]92 ± 0.4 Shore A and 39 ± 0.7 Shore D (Prusament); 95A (Polymaker, ISO 7619-1); 91 Shore A / 40 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 40D, ISO 7619); 95A (NinjaTek Cheetah, ASTM D2240); 94.5 A measured on a printed Bambu Lab 95A part and 96.2 A on a Qidi one (My Tech Fun)[4][3][38][35][39]
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[34][26]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; a loaded bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days[39]
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)[40]Excellent — living hinges viable[23]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Slightly flexible in thin sections[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3][4]
Z strength as % of XY%84 (PolyLite, printed Z against XY tensile)[2]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion resistance is a headline property; BASF measures 64 mm³ loss by ISO 4649 on its 92A grade[27]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C68 (Prusament) to 78 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa[1][2][6]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C65 (Polymaker) to 75 (PolyLite), ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa; Prusament 68[1][2][6]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C71–81 (DSC)[2][5][6]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 75–84 (ISO 306)[2][5][6]144 melting (BASF 95A, ISO 11357-3); Bambu Lab 183, Polymaker's modulus at 100 % elongation 8.9 MPa[27][7]
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[34][36][37][26][41]Bounded by a melting point of 144–183 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for TPU[27][7]
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K65 at 30 °C (neat PETG, large-format printed bead, TMA)[42]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for standard PETG, though flame-retardant V0 grades exist[43][33]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Moderate — a season or two[1]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[23]
Chemical resistanceWithstands acids, alkalis, oils and UV exposure — Polymaker names outdoor use as a result[33]Good resistance to oils and common solvents (BASF)[27]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — minor absorption[1]Not documented
Food contactPET is the polymer of drinks bottles, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria and no filament here carries a food-contact certification[33]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[23]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[33]Not biodegradable[23]
RecyclabilityPET is widely recycled as bottle stock, but printed PETG waste is not accepted in household collection[33]Not accepted in household plastic collection[23]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[44]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[44]
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[44]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Open a window / occasional ventilation[44]Open a window / occasional ventilation[44]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands poorly — the material is tough and gums rather than powders[29]Sanding is impractical — the surface tears rather than abrades[23]
Painting & finishingPaint adheres poorly without abrasion and a primer[1]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; no common solvent welds PETG cleanly[29]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[23]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing[1]No practical vapour smoothing[23]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; Polymaker rates PolyDissolve S1 for PETG[29]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove; PolyDissolve S1 is rated for TPU[23]
Dimensional accuracy & detailStringing and blobbing are the usual accuracy limits, not shrinkage[1][6]Stringing and elephant-foot are the accuracy limits; retraction has to be long and slow[3]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inNo common workshop solvent; 1,2-dichloroethane destroys it inside a week and dichloromethane — a carcinogen — dissolves the surface.[45][46]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[47]
Softened or crazed byAcetone (+16 % weight over 1 year at 23 °C), ethyl acetate, toluene and DMF swell and soften it; methanol crazes it.[45]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[47]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentDichloromethane brushed on is the only agent that smooths PETG — a controlled carcinogen, not workshop stock.[46]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[47]

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. PolyFlex TPU95 Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  4. Prusament TPU 95A Technical Datasheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2025-05 · tds
  5. PolyMax PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  6. Polymaker PETG Technical Data Sheet Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · tds
  7. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — TPU 95A HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · 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. LANDU TPU 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 95A Black 1 kg — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. IEMAI 3D TPU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Cheetah product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 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. TPU for AMS — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 95A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. PrimaCreator EasyPrint FLEX TPU 95A product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. add:north TPU Pro Matte 95A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. ELEGOO product catalogue ELEGOO · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  25. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  26. BambuLab PETG Basic vs Translucent vs PETG-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  27. Ultrafuse TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet (Version 2.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  28. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  29. PET and PETG — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  30. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  32. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — PETG HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  33. PETG — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  34. PCTG vs PETG comparison — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  35. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  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. FiberFlex 40D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  39. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  40. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  41. Prusament PETG — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  42. 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
  43. Prusament PETG V0 Technical Datasheet Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · tds
  44. 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
  45. Eastman Spectar copolyester — Chemical resistance (unstressed bars, 1 year at 23 °C) Eastman Chemical Company · 2026-08 · tds
  46. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  47. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds