If you’ve ever charged $10 for a tumbler and thought, “That wasn’t worth my time,” you’re not alone.
Pricing is one of the hardest parts when you’re getting started with laser engraving. If you’re still dialing in your settings, it’s worth understanding how precision impacts your results—especially things like Scanning Offset.
Let’s make it simple.
Instead of guessing, use this:
Material + Time + Overhead + Profit = Your Price
Here’s what that actually means:
No spreadsheets needed—just a quick, honest breakdown.
Let’s say:
That means:
Now add:
Final price: $18–$25 per tumbler
That’s a healthy range—and way better than guessing $10 and hoping it works.
Here’s what you’ll typically see:
If you’re in that range, you’re in the game.
If you’re way below it… you’re probably undercharging.
A tumbler might only engrave for a few minutes—but that’s not the full story.
You still have:
That “quick job” adds up fast.
If you don’t account for that time, your pricing falls apart.
A lot of wasted time actually comes from poor setup or inconsistent results. Taking the time to properly test your materials upfront can save you hours later—something we break down in our material testing guide.
A simple name on a tumbler is quick.
A full wrap? That’s a different story.
Basic Engrave (Name or Small Logo)
Full Wrap Engrave
That’s easily 3–5x more time.
Let’s use that same $60/hour goal:
Now add material and overhead:
If you charge the same for both, you’re paying yourself less for harder work.
You’ll see people selling engraved tumblers for cheap online.
Here’s the truth:
They’re either:
Trying to be the cheapest is a race you don’t want to win.
Instead, focus on:
People will pay more when it looks worth it.
Before lowering your price, check this:
You can charge $30 all day… if it feels like a $30 product.
Pricing gets easier when your process is consistent.
When your machine is dialed in:
That means your time is predictable—and your pricing can be too.
Don’t overthink it. Try this:
That’s it.
No guessing. No stress.
You don’t need the perfect price—you need a profitable one.
Start with a solid baseline, stay consistent, and improve as you go.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about engraving tumblers…
It’s about building something that actually pays you back.
If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little, you probably are.
Raise your price, improve your process, and give it a real test.
You might be surprised what people are willing to pay.
