PLA vs ABS: which is better and how they differ

What to choose

Pick PLA if:

  • you want it to print on any printer — nozzle up to 220 °C, lower than ABS
  • the bed does not need heating at all
  • you have no enclosure (unlike ABS)

Pick ABS if:

  • Strong functional parts, heat-resistant enclosures, items finished with acetone smoothing.

Parameters

PLA52 lines
Buy· $9,07
ABS6 lines
Buy· $10,64Реклама · erid: 2SDnjbrb3U6

Printing

Nozzle temperature
190–220 °C
230–250 °C
Bed temperature
up to 60 °C
90–110 °C
Drying before printing
No
No

Requirements

Enclosure
No
Recommended
Hardened nozzle
No
No
All-metal hotend
No
Required

Properties

Density
1.24 g/cm³
1.04 g/cm³

Applications

Typical uses
Prototypes, decor, simple models and learning. The most beginner-friendly filament.
Strong functional parts, heat-resistant enclosures, items finished with acetone smoothing.

PLA lines

All PLA lines (52)
SUNLU PLA

SUNLU PLA

PLA · Standard

Nozzle 200–240 °C

$10,43per 1 kg
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnjea3saA
Anycubic PLA Silk

Anycubic PLA Silk

PLA · Silk

Nozzle 200–230 °C

$17,42per 1 kg
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnjesT5Ab
Anycubic PLA Basic

Anycubic PLA Basic

PLA · Standard

Nozzle 190–220 °C

$11,47per 1 kg
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnjeh5ACB

ABS lines

All ABS lines (6)
ELEGOO ABS

ELEGOO ABS

ABS · Standard

Nozzle 220–250 °C

$18,99per 1 kg
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnjdWe1E3
SUNLU ABS

SUNLU ABS

ABS · Standard

Nozzle 250–260 °C

$24,23per 900 g
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnjdGSWCa
Anycubic ABS

Anycubic ABS

ABS · Standard

Nozzle 230–250 °C

$21,99per 1 kg
BuyРеклама · erid: 2SDnje6jihy

Other comparisons