3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs PMMA

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

PLA (standard) guidePMMA (acrylic) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore PMMA comparisons
PLA vs PMMA — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLAPMMA (acrylic)ENGINEERING
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$49.99/kg median; $49.99–$49.99/kg across 1 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]Poly(methyl methacrylate) — acrylic, sold for 3D printing as a transparent glass substitute[3]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][4][2]Not documented
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[5][6][7]1 kg spools cluster near 50[8]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[9][10][11][12]50 at Push Plastic's 1 kg listing; 3 kg spools run the same per kilogram[8]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[13][14]Special order, 1–2 makers worldwide[8]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[5][15][16][11][17]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 1 and 3 kg spools[8]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[18]Transparent covers and light guides where PC's yellowing or cost rules it out[3]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][5][19]Not documented
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][4][2]Not documented
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][4][2]Not documented
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[4][13]Not documented
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][14]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[4][20][14]Not documented
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[21]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5None[22][13]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[4][2][14]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[4][14][23]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[13][14]Not documented
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[13]Not documented
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[13]Not documented
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[22][13]Not documented
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[13][14]Not documented
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[20][24]Not documented
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[13]Not documented
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[22][13]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][4][25]Not documented
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][4]Not documented
Drying temperature & time50–55 °C for 6–8 h in a forced-air dryer; 45 °C for 12 h in the Bambu Lab AMS HT[4][2][24]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[26]Not documented
Effect of moisture on strengthPolymaker 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[26]Not documented
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][14]Not documented
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa35–52 (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[1][4][2][27][28]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][4][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[4][2][1]Not documented
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][4][2][29]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][4][2][29]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[4][2]Not documented
Other impact dataCharpy unnotched, printed: 13–14 (Prusament, ISO 179-1), 26.6 (Bambu Lab PLA Basic)[1][2]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa17–31 (Prusa interlayer test and printed Z tensile); 23 mean on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[1][2][28]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[20][22]Not documented
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / Rockwell81 Shore D (Prusa Polymers in-house method); 75.3 Shore D measured on printed bars (My Tech Fun, Sunlu PLA)[1][30]Not documented
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; 12 mm bar sagged to 20.3 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[31][32]Not documented
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Poor — 38 000–49 000 cycles at 30 % of tensile strength, against 79 000–193 000 for PETG (printed, R = 0.2, 7 Hz)[33][20]Not documented
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[22]Not documented
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[4][2][28]Not documented
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][4][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][4][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][4][2]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°C145–160 peak melt (Prusament, ISO 11357); 150 and 160 by DSC (PolyLite, Bambu Lab); Vicat 57–63 (ISO 306)[18][4][2]Not documented
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[22][28]Not documented
Annealing responseBambu Lab conditions specimens at 55 °C for 8 h; annealing at 50–60 °C for 6–12 h raises crystallinity but can warp parts[2][34]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K96 ± 5 at 0° and 99 ± 5 at 90° raster (printed PLA, fibre Bragg grating, 25–50 °C)[35]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][4]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[20][18]Not documented
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[18][20]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[4][20]Not documented
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][36]Not documented
Food contactBase resin is food-contact grade and EN 71-3 certified by some brands, but printed layer grooves harbour bacteria; Prusa advises against food use[20][36]Not documented
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[36][20][2]Not documented
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[36]Not documented
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[37]Not documented
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[37]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[37]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[37]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[37]Not documented
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[18][20]Not documented
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[20][19]Not documented
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[20]Not documented
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[4][2]Not documented
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[22][2][14]Not documented
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inChloroform: 10 % w/v in 2–4 h at 23 °C, every grade and morphology; THF and DMF only at 65 °C. Laboratory reagents.[38]Acetone, MEK, ethyl and butyl acetate, THF, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride dissolve it; the last two are laboratory reagents.[39]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[38][40]Alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and phthalate plasticisers craze it, and the threshold falls as stress rises.[39]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[41][40]Dichloromethane acrylic cement (IPS Weld-On 3): 2–5 min soak, 17.2 MPa lap shear at one week. Controlled carcinogen.[42]

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 PLA Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  2. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Basic Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  3. PMMA Filament 1.75mm 1kg — product page Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  4. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  5. PLA Basic — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. MH Build Series PLA Filament White 1.75mm 1kg MatterHackers · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. 3DJAKE ecoPLA Black 1.75mm 1000g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Push Plastic product catalogue Push Plastic · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  14. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  19. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  21. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  22. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  23. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  24. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  26. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  27. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  28. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  29. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  30. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  31. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  32. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  33. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  34. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  35. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  36. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  37. 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
  38. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  39. Chemical resistance of PMMA products Mitsubishi Chemical (Acrypet) · 2026-08 · tds
  40. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  41. 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
  42. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds