{"id":4119,"date":"2026-10-05T15:35:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:35:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.popterror.com\/?post_type=pt_guide&p=4119"},"modified":"2026-10-05T17:03:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:03:53","slug":"custom-figure-cost","status":"publish","type":"pt_guide","link":"https:\/\/www.popterror.com\/en\/studio\/guides\/custom-figure-cost","title":{"rendered":"How much does it cost to make a custom figure? Every cost explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cHow much does a figure cost?\u201d It is the first question brands ask us, and the hardest one to answer in a sentence. Two figures that look alike can have very different prices depending on quantity, technique and finishes. This guide gives you the keys to read a quote, build your budget and know where you can save.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is the price of a custom figure built?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The price of a figure project reads in two columns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fixed costs<\/strong>: you pay them once, whether you produce 200 or 20,000 pieces. They cover design, 3D modelling, the prototype, the moulds and safety testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Variable costs<\/strong>: they repeat for every piece. They cover material, painting, assembly, packaging, then shipping and taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unit price is therefore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Price per piece = (fixed costs \u00f7 quantity) + variable cost per piece<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This formula explains almost everything: why small runs are expensive per piece, why large runs become attractive, and why the choice of technique matters so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the fixed costs of a figure project?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The orders of magnitude below are prices observed on the figure market (manufacturers and specialised laboratories, 2025\u20132026), rounded. Most of our sources quote in US dollars; at current exchange rates, the dollar amounts are of the same order. They help you place your budget, not replace a quote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Item<\/th>What it is for<\/th>Market order of magnitude<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Character design<\/td>Sketches, directions, turnaround, colours<\/td>Quoted per project, depending on the starting point<\/td><\/tr>
Production 3D modelling<\/td>Manufacturable volume, part splitting<\/td>\u20ac300 to \u20ac1,000 per working day: up to 3 days for a simple character, more than 6 days for a complex one<\/td><\/tr>
Prototype<\/td>Resin 3D print, corrections<\/td>Often invoiced together with the tooling<\/td><\/tr>
Moulds<\/td>Tooling for series production<\/td>Vinyl: \u20ac1,500 to \u20ac3,500 per 15\u201320 cm figure. PVC: from around \u20ac3,000. Tooling and prototyping together: often \u20ac6,000 to \u20ac18,000 or more<\/td><\/tr>
Pre-production sample<\/td>First \u201cfactory\u201d figure to approve<\/td>Included or invoiced separately, depending on the manufacturer<\/td><\/tr>
Safety testing<\/td>EN 71, ASTM F963 or other standards as needed<\/td>\u20ac300 to \u20ac3,000 per product, depending on materials and number of colours<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Design<\/strong> depends mostly on the starting point: a production-ready 3D file, an existing drawing to turn into a volume, or a character to create from scratch. If you are starting from nothing, our custom mascot design<\/a> service covers this step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moulds<\/strong> (molds, in US spelling) are generally the biggest item. Their cost depends on the technique (steel for injection costs much more than silicone for resin), the size of the figure and the number of parts to mould. A blind box of six characters needs six sets of moulds. To understand it all, read our guide to figure moulds: steel, metal or silicone<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Exploded<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 3D model of an EQSO The Crew figure in exploded view: the more parts there are to mould, the more the tooling costs.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What are the costs per piece?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n