3D Printing Marketplaces
A 3D printing marketplace is a website people use to buy, sell, or share 3D printable files. This page specifically focuses on 3D printing marketplaces where users buy and sell files to 3D print the designs rather than repurpose them for use with another digital medium, such as a video game application.
The benefits of 3D printing marketplaces are secure payment for 3D printable files, validated printability of the 3D models and well-organized search capabilities. This page provides you with an overview of the best 3D printing marketplaces for different industries and applications.
Medical
The application of 3D printing in medicine arguably the most beneficial use of additive manufacturing technology for wider society. 3D-printed anatomical models can help and inform both patients and surgeons about surgical procedures. Prosthetic limbs and 3D-printed surgical instruments are other important uses of 3D printing in medicine. Here are some 3D printing marketplaces focused on the medical field:
MyMiniFactory
MiMiniFactory’s medical 3D printing marketplace is organized nicely into exoskeleton, orthotic, and prosthetic categories. Both free and premium files are available.
Construction / Architecture
Architects make scale models of structures in their work to physically represent a proposed design. Scale models help communicate design ideas and facilitate the studying of designs by providing a visualization of the structure. 3D printing now plays a huge role in architecture by enabling architects to easily 3D print scale models.
The use of 3D printing extends from architecture to general construction. Scale models can show isolated building elements, and architects can use them to help inform engineers and builders how these elements interact with the larger structure. The result is better planning and safer construction. Here are two of the best 3D printing architecture marketplaces:
Cgtrader
Cgtrader has almost thousands of 3D printing architectural models available for download. Some models are free to download and print while others are for sale. The available structures are diverse and they include contemporary museum designs, scale models of small towns, and holiday villas. Industry-standard 3D printing file formats are available but don’t forget to ignore the low-poly designs, which are suited more for VR or AR projects.
STLbase
Printable architectural models include famous landmarks and more general structures. It’s worth noting that STLbase is also a search engine for STL files, so you will often get redirected to an exterior website when you want certain files that aren’t hosted on the website.
Gaming & Board Games
Maybe you want to download and print 3D models of your favourite video game characters. Perhaps you want to print custom board game pieces to personalize how you play. Whatever your use case, here are some 3D printing marketplaces worth checking out for board games and gaming:
Gambody
Gambody is a premium 3D marketplace where you can buy and sell printable 3D files of video game and comic book characters. You can find printable models from Batman, Warhammer, Half-life, and more. Files are in the STL format and are guaranteed error-free.
Cults
Cults has a wide selection of 3D printable board game pieces and action figures from franchises like World of Warcraft and Pokémon. There’s even a printable dartboard holder. Free and premium files are available (mostly in STL format but some files are available in OBJ).
Pinshape
Pinshape has an exciting range of printable files for toys and games. Available files include pokémon figures, chess sets, and RC aircraft. Most printable models are STL files but some OBJ files are also on this marketplace.
Education
The application of 3D printing in education is well-established by now. Many schools and universities print 3D models to improve conceptual understanding of topics from Mathematics to Science. Other educators teach students to use 3D printers and 3D printing techniques. Whatever your use case, here are three excellent 3D printing marketplaces for education:
MyMiniFactory
MyMiniFactor’s education marketplace is the best organized. There are categories for technology, the major science disciplines in education, and mathematics. You can also filter by grade level. Another benefit of MyMiniFactory is that every file in this marketplace is guaranteed to be 100% printable. MyMiniFactory has premium and free files and it supports a large range of 3D file formats.
Yeggi
Yeggi’s education section has almost 2,000 3D printable models. There is no organization into sub-topics, though. You’ll find some excellent designs, including educational brake caliper models, model jet engines, and human brain models. Many of the designs are available from outside sources, so Yeggi doubles up as a search engine for 3D files. Premium and free 3D files are available in all major formats.
Pinshape
The EDU collections on Pinshape are conveniently divided into models for science, mathematics, and engineering. The Pinshape marketplace includes both free and premium 3D printable files uploaded by an active community of over 70,000 designers.
Props & Cosplay
Cosplay has proven to be yet another excellent application for 3D printing technology. Talented creators are able to bring characters to life from movies and other art forms, enabling people to dress up as those characters. The following are some 3D cosplay marketplaces:
Nikko Industries
Nikko has lots of 3D printable armor and mask files. All files are in STL format and the marketplace is mostly premium files for download. Freebies are available but you need to first donate to Nikko’s Patreon page, so they aren’t technically free.
Do3D
Do3D has printable armor, helmets, and props/weapons. Files are almost entirely just STL format. You can’t upload files to sell on this marketplace, it is download-only.
Etsy
Etsy’s marketplace features many cool cosplay/props files from lightsabers to masks to daggers. Files are mostly premium and if you want to sell your own 3D printable files, you open up a shop on the Etsy marketplace for a small listing fee.
Furniture / Home / Office
3D printing is thriving lately in interior design. Shaped both by customer demand for tailor-made pieces that complement interior spaces and improved additive manufacturing technology, you can now find a range of interior 3D designs at several marketplaces and 3D print your own lights, ornaments, stools, and more.
Design Connected
Design Connected has an exciting range of over 8,000 3D designs to download and print. You can subscribe to the marketplace to avail of a cheaper price for designs or you can pay a premium on-demand price. Free files are available for you to test the quality of the 3D models on the Design connected marketplace.
Dimensiva
Dimensiva is a marketplace focused on buyers. You can get some free files for printing, and the free models include clocks, lamps, coffee tables, and chairs. File formats include OBJ and 3DS (convert 3DS to STL for printing purposes). You can upgrade to a Pro plan for a wider range of printable furniture and interior design items.
Art & Musical Instruments
Art is inherently creative and innovative and the same is true for 3D printing. It should be no surprise, therefore, that creative people are embracing 3D printing in many different branches of art from visual arts to music.
Cgtrader
Cgtrader also has an extensive collection of art 3D models for printing. There are abstract shapes, ornamental models, and sculptures available. All the main 3D printable formats are covered, and you can find both free and premium files. You can also sell your artistics model files on Cgtrader by registering an account and uploading your designs.
Yeggi
Yeggi’s marketplace has some impressive 3D printable music instruments. There are recorder flutes, playable mini guitars, and even a Jinghu, which is a Chinese bowed instrument. Most of the music instrument files are free but there are premium files. Since Yeggi is a search engine, you’ll be redirected to exterior sources for most files.
Supplier-Certified Spare Parts
Another innovative application of 3D printing is to print spare parts. 3D printing overcomes many of the cost and time issues to suppliers involved in making, storing, and shipping spare parts. According to a PWC report, more than 85 percent of spare parts suppliers will implement 3D printing by 2022. Here are some good marketplaces for spare parts:
3D ContentCentral
3D ContentCentral has an impressive selection of supplier-certified replacement part 3D files divided into categories including cylinders, ball screws, gears, and actuators. You need to create an account to upload or download files.
MyMiniFactory
MyMiniFactory is more focused on general spare parts for various items, with its typical well-organized division into helpful categories. You can find spare parts for kitchen appliances, remote control battery covers, and vacuum cleaners. Most files are STL-formatted but it’s worth noting that many of the branded spare parts in this marketplace are not supplier-certified.
Fashion and Jewelry
Trend-setting designs and quirky jewelry—3D printing intersects nicely with personal style. Here are two good marketplaces to find printable designs that actually look fashionable:
Fabbly
Fabbly’s marketplace has plenty of jewelry STL files ready for printing. You’ll find pendants, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and charms. You can also sell your own designs on the Fabbly marketplace by registering an account.
Pinshape
Pinshape has a good selection of jewelry and fashion print-ready 3D files. Rings, bracelets, jewelry boxes, necklaces, and even 3D-printable dresses and shoes are all available. Pinshape emphasizes a community marketplace approach that brings together designers, makers, manufacturers, and buyers. You can find free and premium 3D files.
Electronics & Tech
Prototyping is the main use case for 3D printing in electronics right now from a manufacturing perspective. Manufacturers create 3D-printed prototypes of circuits and circuit boards to reduce procurement expenses and keep intellectual property in-house. However, 3D printing integrates with consumer electronics and many people enjoy creating and printing accessories, housings, stands, mountings and more.
MyMiniFactory
MyMiniFactory again comes up trumps with a well-organized gadget and electronics section in its huge marketplace. You can find free and premium files for printing quadcopters, drone concept designs, smartphone stands, camera lens caps, and much more.
Cgtrader
The Cgtrader marketplace has an electronics models section with circuit boards, drones, CPU fans, and more. Cgtrader caters to sellers, providing a full-service platform for designing, producing, and scaling your creations. There’s an active 3D designer community of over 1 million people.
