The short answer
- PLA: sharp detail, a matt surface and more colours than PETG. Softens at around 55 °C. For ornaments, figures, prototypes and most things that stay indoors.
- PETG: tougher and more durable, takes heat up to around 70 °C, moisture and sun. Slightly less crisp detail and a slightly glossier surface. For brackets, holders, spare parts and anything that lives outdoors.
If in doubt, choose PLA for what will be looked at and PETG for what will be used.
PLA: sharp detail and a matt surface
PLA is the material most 3D prints are made in. It reproduces small details well, gives an even, matt surface and comes in more colours than PETG. Overhangs and thin sections come out cleanly, so figures, ornaments and highly detailed models come out finer in PLA than in PETG.
PLA is stiff but more brittle than PETG, so a thin part can snap if it is bent. Nor does it take heat: at around 55 °C it starts to soften, which is enough for a part on a sunny car dashboard or in a dishwasher to lose its shape. Outdoors, sun and weather make PLA brittle over time. Indoors, at room temperature, it stays as it is.
PETG: tougher, takes heat and moisture
PETG is tougher than PLA and gives a little before it breaks, so it suits parts under load, impact or tension: brackets, holders, hooks, lids and spare parts. It takes heat up to around 70 °C, copes with moisture and stands up to sun and rain better, so it is the material for anything that lives outdoors, in a garage or in a bathroom.
The downside of that toughness is a little less sharpness. Small details come out slightly softer at the edges, the surface is slightly glossier, and fine strands can form between parts that stand apart. For a figure on a shelf PETG is the poorer choice, for a hook that has to carry something it is the better one. If the part is to replace something that has broken, there is more in the guide 3D printed replacement parts.
The quick picks on the order page
When you upload a model on Order a custom 3D print online, three quick picks give you a good starting point:
- Decor gives PLA with a 0.20 mm layer height and 15 % infill. The standard choice for ornaments, figures and prototypes.
- Fine surface gives PLA with a 0.12 mm layer height. Thinner layers give a finer surface on curved and sloping areas, but the print takes longer and costs more.
- Functional gives PETG with a 0.20 mm layer height and 15 % infill, for brackets, holders and anything that has to stand up to sun and rain.
You can change each setting on its own. Layer heights come in 0.12, 0.20 and 0.28 mm, and infill runs from hollow to solid. A part that carries a load does well with 30 % infill or more. The colours we have in stock for each material are shown when you order, and the colour does not affect the price. What each choice does to the price is in the guide What does 3D printing cost, and what it does to the print itself in the guide Layer height, infill and nozzle.
What neither material is for
Neither PLA nor PETG takes high heat. Neither should hold a live candle, stand next to a hob or go in the oven, and neither belongs in a dishwasher or a car parked in the sun. For candle holders and lamps, only LED lights are suitable, because they stay cool.
The materials are not intended for contact with food. A 3D print has fine grooves between the layers where residue collects and cannot be washed out, so cookie cutters, bowls and mugs should not be used for food.
Do not rely on a print where a failure could hurt someone or damage something: load-bearing parts, protective equipment or parts connected to mains electricity. That applies to both materials and is also stated in the terms of sale.
How to choose when you order
Upload the model, choose a quick pick and see the price. Switch material and see how the price changes before you order. Many model sites state which material a model was made for, and that is a good reason to follow it if you do not know what the part has to withstand. More questions about materials and colours are answered in the FAQ.