3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PLA vs TPU 95A

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

PLA (standard) guideTPU 95A guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PLA comparisonsMore TPU 95A comparisons
PLA vs TPU 95A — documented properties and sources
PropertyPLA (standard)PLATPU 95AFLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$19.74/kg median; $9.99–$32.99/kg across 24 dated product listings$39.99/kg median; $23.00–$106.05/kg across 15 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPoly(lactic acid), a thermoplastic aliphatic polyester from fermented plant starch[1][2]Thermoplastic polyurethane, polyester or polyether based, at about 92–95 Shore A[3][4]
Densityg/cm³1.17–1.24 (ISO 1183)[1][5][2]1.20–1.25 (ISO 1183); Prusament 1.25, Polymaker 1.20–1.24, Bambu Lab 1.22[3][4][6]
Typical priceUSD/kgMainstream 1 kg spools cluster near 20[7][8][9]1 kg spools cluster near 35; the specialist and industrial brands run to 106[10][11][6][12][13][14]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg10–33 across brands; budget house brands 10–14, premium European 26–33[15][16][17][18]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[11][19][10][20][12][13][21][22][23][14]
Market availability1–5Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[24][25]Ubiquitous, every brand and retailer[10][20][11][19][12][13]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.75, 0.85, 1 and 1.1 kg spools plus spool-less refills[7][26][27][17][28]1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5, 0.75 and 1 kg spools[10][20]
Typical applicationsConcept models, functional prototypes, low-wear toys, jigs used at room temperature[29]Gaskets, phone cases, tyres, vibration mounts and protective covers[30]
Diameter tolerance± mm±0.02 (Prusament) to ±0.03 (Bambu Lab, Prusa Research standard)[1][7][31]±0.06 (Prusament) — the loosest tolerance Prusa publishes, because soft filament deforms in the gauge[4]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C190–230; Prusament specifies 210 ± 10[1][5][2]210–240; Polymaker 210–230, Prusament 230 ± 10, Bambu Lab HF 220–240[3][4][6]
Bed temperature°C25–60; Prusament 40–60, Bambu Lab 35–45[1][5][2]25–65; Prusament 65 ± 10, Bambu Lab 30–35, Polymaker 25–60[4][6][3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Open frame is fine[5][24]Open frame is fine[3]
Part cooling fan100 % from the second layer; reduce on the first one or two layers for bed adhesion[1][25]Fan on[3][6]
Bed surface & adhesion aidSmooth or textured PEI, glass or painter's tape; glue stick only where release is a problem[5][32][25]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[33][30]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s12–20 (PrusaSlicer max volumetric speed guidance for PLA)[34]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][6]
Warping tendency1–5None[35][24]None[3]
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Sticks to anything — glue only needed on smooth PEI[5][2][25]Sticks to most surfaces[3]
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Slight — 1–3 mm retraction handles it; oozing rises with nozzle temperature[5][25][36]Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker specifies 3–6 mm retraction, well above the 1–3 mm used for rigid filaments[3]
Overall printing difficulty1–5Beginner — prints on any machine out of the box[24][25]Intermediate — dry filament and a tuned profile; the speed ceiling is the main constraint[3][4]
Extruder requirementAny extruder; Bowden and direct drive both fine, no hardware upgrades[24]Direct 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[37][3][4]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[24]Brass fine indefinitely[38]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[35][24]Non-abrasive[38]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Very low[24][25]Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle[39]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Moderate — good heatbreak cooling needed; softens below 60 °C so it deforms in a warm cold zone[32][40]High — all-metal hotend and strong cooling needed; soft filament buckles in the cold zone if it slows[30]
Hotend requirementAny standard hotend; PTFE-lined is fine at PLA temperatures[24]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[33]
Other hardware wearNone — brass nozzles and standard drive gears are unaffected[35][24]Not documented
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Moderate — 0.40–0.51 % saturated at 23–25 °C and 55–70 % RH[2][5][41]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][39]
Equilibrium moisture content at ~50 % RH%0.43 saturated at 25 °C / 55 % RH (Bambu Lab); 0.51 equilibrium (Polymaker)[2][5]0.82 equilibrium (Polymaker); 0.02 after 24 h and 0.04 after 7 days at 22 % RH (Prusa)[3][4]
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[5][2][40]70 °C for 8 h (Polymaker); 70 °C for 8 h or an 80–90 °C heatbed for 12 h (Bambu Lab)[3][6]
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[39]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing, rough surface and weak layers[39]
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[39]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[39]
Storage requirementSealed with desiccant below 20 % RH; shelf life at ambient is long[2][25]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[39]
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][5][2][42][43]41.4 ± 1.3 printed (Prusament, ISO 37); NinjaTek Cheetah 39 ultimate (ASTM D638)[4][44]
Young's modulusMPa2300–3427 (printed XY, ISO 527)[1][5][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%6.3–12.2 (printed XY, ISO 527); Prusament quotes 2.9 at yield[5][2][1]551 ± 24 printed (Polymaker, ISO 37); the filament itself stretches 7264 % before break (Prusa, ISO 527)[3][4]
Flexural strengthMPa76–87 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 81 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][45]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2750–3230 (printed XY, ISO 178); Fiberlogy quotes 3800 by ASTM D790[1][5][2][45]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²3.3–7.9 (printed XY, ISO 179, notched)[5][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][43]9.5 ± 0.2 (Prusament interlayer adhesion, ISO 527)[4]
Brittleness1–5Brittle — snaps with little warning[32][35]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3][4]
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][46]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][47][44][48]
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[49][50]Poor — deforms under load at room temperature; a loaded bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days[48]
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)[51][32]Excellent — living hinges viable[30]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[35]Rubbery / highly elastic[3][4]
Z strength as % of XY%77–89 on TDS specimens; ≈44 on My Tech Fun 4×4 mm bars[5][2][43]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedAbrasion resistance is a headline property; BASF measures 64 mm³ loss by ISO 4649 on its 92A grade[37]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C55–60 (ISO 75, 0.45 MPa)[1][5][2]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C54–58 (ISO 75, 1.8 MPa)[1][5][2]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C55–61 (DSC)[1][5][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)[29][5][2]144 melting (BASF 95A, ISO 11357-3); Bambu Lab 183, Polymaker's modulus at 100 % elongation 8.9 MPa[37][6]
Continuous service temperature°C50–55 — loaded bars begin to move at this temperature[35][43]Bounded by a melting point of 144–183 °C; no loaded-bar service figure is published for TPU[37][6]
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][52]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)[53]Not documented
Flammability / UL 94Flammable; no UL 94 rating published by the major brands[2][5]Flammable; no UL 94 rating published for the grades surveyed[3]
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[32][29]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[30]
Outdoor durabilityNot suitable for long-term outdoor use — UV embrittlement plus softening above 55 °C in direct sun[29][32]Not documented
Chemical resistanceGood against weak acids, oils and grease; poor against strong acids and alkalis; dissolved by chloroform, THF and hot benzene[5][32]Good resistance to oils and common solvents (BASF)[37]
Water / humidity resistance in service1–5Good — insoluble in water, absorbs 0.4–0.5 % at equilibrium[2][54]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[32][54]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[30]
Biodegradability / compostabilityIndustrially compostable only — needs sustained 55 °C and specific microbial conditions; not home compostable[54][32][2]Not biodegradable[30]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable; not accepted in household plastic collection, so brand take-back schemes are the practical route[54]Not accepted in household plastic collection[30]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission[55]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[55]
VOC emission rateµg/min4–5 lactide, the dominant VOC (chamber study, three printers)[55]Not documented
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈1 × 10⁸ median across three printers; only laywood ≈8 × 10⁷ and laybrick ≈6 × 10⁷ were lower[55]Not documented
Hazardous species emittedLactide (3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione) dominates; no styrene or caprolactam as a leading species[55]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5None needed in a normal room[55]Open a window / occasional ventilation[55]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningWet sanding — dry sanding heats the surface by friction and smears it[29][32]Sanding is impractical — the surface tears rather than abrades[30]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate for most joints; some grades partially dissolve and bond with acetone, depending on additives and colour[32][31]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[30]
Vapour / chemical smoothingNo practical vapour smoothing — only chloroform, hot benzene or THF, which are laboratory-only[32]No practical vapour smoothing[30]
Support material pairingPolySupport and PolyDissolve S1 (Polymaker); Support for PLA (Bambu Lab)[5][2]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove; PolyDissolve S1 is rated for TPU[30]
Dimensional accuracy & detailGood — low shrinkage and features under 0.2 mm resolve; 55° overhangs and 30 mm bridges[35][2][25]Stringing and elephant-foot are the accuracy limits; retraction has to be long and slow[3]
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.[56]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[57]
Softened or crazed byAcetone, ethyl acetate and toluene plasticise it but dissolve <1 % even at 65 °C; submersion in acetone crazes and destroys parts.[56][58]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[57]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentChloroform vapour smooths and welds PLA at the cost of tensile strength; acetone does not smooth it at all.[59][58]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[57]

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. 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. PolyLite PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  6. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet — TPU 95A HF Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  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. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. Printed Solid product catalogue Printed Solid · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. LANDU TPU 3D Printer Filament 1.75 mm 95A Black 1 kg — Amazon listing Amazon.com · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. IEMAI 3D TPU 3D Printing Filament — store page IEMAI 3D · 2026-08 · vendor
  14. Cheetah product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  15. JAYO PLA Classic 1.1KG 1.75mm JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  16. ELEGOO PLA Filament 1.75mm Colored 1KG Elegoo US Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  17. Fillamentum PLA Extrafill Natural 1kg Fillamentum USA · 2026-08 · vendor
  18. Prusament PLA Jet Black 1kg (NFC) Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  19. TPU for AMS — product page Bambu Lab US Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  20. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  21. Siraya Tech Flex TPU 95A Filament — product page Siraya Tech · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. PrimaCreator EasyPrint FLEX TPU 95A product page PrimaCreator · 2026-08 · vendor
  23. add:north TPU Pro Matte 95A product page add:north · 2026-08 · vendor
  24. Filament Material Guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  25. PLA — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  26. Fiberlogy rPLA Refill Anthracite 850 g 3DJake International · 2026-08 · vendor
  27. JAYO Silk PLA+ 1.75mm 1.1kg JAYO Official Store · 2026-08 · vendor
  28. ColorFabb PLA/PHA 750g 3D Universe · 2026-08 · vendor
  29. Prusament PLA Technical Data Sheet v1.0 Prusa Polymers · 2018-09 · tds
  30. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  31. Prusament rPLA Corn Pigment 1kg — product page Prusa Research · 2026-08 · vendor
  32. PLA — material guide Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  33. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  34. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  35. Prusament PLA — material page Prusa Polymers · 2026-08 · doc
  36. PLA — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  37. Ultrafuse TPU 95A Technical Data Sheet (Version 2.0) BASF Forward AM · 2022-08 · tds
  38. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  39. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  40. Filament Drying Recommendations Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  41. PolySonic PLA Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  42. 16 PLA brand comparison test — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2022-10 · test
  43. Creality Hyper PLA filament review — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  44. NinjaTek technical specs comparison chart (Cheetah, NinjaFlex, Armadillo, Alloy 910, Nylon 645) NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  45. Easy PLA — product and technical data Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  46. Carbon Fiber PLA vs META-PLA vs PLA+ vs PLA by Sunlu — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  47. FiberFlex 40D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  48. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  49. BambuLab PLA Basic vs PLA Tough vs PLA-CF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  50. PolyTerra PLA vs PLA+ — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2026-08 · test
  51. Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Polymeric Materials — PLA and PETG — For Biomechanical Applications Polymers 16(13):1868 · 2024-06 · paper
  52. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V3.0 — PLA Matte Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  53. Characterization of Thermal Expansion Coefficient of 3D Printing Polymeric Materials Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors Materials 17(18):4668 · 2024-09 · paper
  54. Filamentive PLA (recycled) — product page Filamentive · 2026-08 · vendor
  55. 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
  56. Solubility Study of Ingeo Biopolymer Grades in Common Organic Solvents (NWPD003) NatureWorks · 2019-10 · tds
  57. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  58. Improve your 3D prints with chemical smoothing Prusa Research · 2026-08 · doc
  59. 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