You need a nameplate for the letterbox, a "Beware of the dog" sign for the gate or a notice for the workshop door. You search for "custom sign price" and find vague ranges, surprise extras or a form asking you to email for a quote. Hard to know what you will actually pay before you order.
With us, the price of a custom sign is calculated live, line by line, while you design it. Here is how it is built, with real examples, so you know what to expect before you even open the configurator.
What exactly you are buying
Our custom signs are 3D printed in our workshop in Moselle, in north-eastern France. 3D printing builds an object layer by layer from a digital file, which in this case the configurator generates automatically from your text and your choices.
Text and symbols are raised, with the colour built in: the colour is part of the material itself, there is no ink sitting on the surface, so nothing to rub off. A sign can measure up to 28 × 28 cm, in 3 or 5 mm thickness, with square or rounded corners, an optional frame and a choice of 8 colours.
The price, line by line
In the configurator, the summary shows each cost on its own line. Nothing is buried in a single lump sum.
Setup fee: €6.00
The setup fee covers the fixed part of the work, the part that does not depend on the size of the sign. It is the same for a small door sign and for a large gate plate.
Material: priced by area
Material is charged according to the area of the sign in cm² (square centimetres: width multiplied by height, in centimetres). The example shown on the page gives you the scale: €3.87 of material for 300 cm², or roughly 1.3 cents per cm². A 20 × 15 cm sign is exactly 300 cm².
Colours and mounting
Two more lines complete the summary: the number of colours used and the mounting method (screw holes, 3M double-sided tape or magnets). Depending on your choices, they can stay at zero or add a surcharge. The easiest way to find out is to try: the total updates with every option you pick.
Minimum price: €9.90
Finally, there is a price floor: no sign is charged less than €9.90, even the smallest one.
Real examples
To give you some reference points, here are three sizes worked out from the prices shown on the page, using the configurator's default settings. Treat them as ballpark figures: the configurator always has the final word.
A small door sign: 15 × 10 cm
Area: 150 cm². Material: about €1.94. Add the setup fee and you get around €7.94, below the minimum price. So you pay €9.90.
A letterbox nameplate: 20 × 15 cm
Area: 300 cm². Material: €3.87, the example shown on the page. With the setup fee, that comes to €9.87, rounded up to the minimum price: €9.90.
The largest size: 28 × 28 cm
Area: 784 cm². Material: about €10.10. With the setup fee, the sign comes to just over €16.
The takeaway
Up to roughly 300 cm², which is a 20 × 15 cm format, the minimum price applies with the default settings. In other words, on a small sign a few extra centimetres make no difference to the price: you might as well pick the size that reads best.
How to keep the price under control
The price follows your choices directly. A few habits help you pay the right price without compromising on the result.
Measure before you design
Measure the area where the sign will go, then set the width and height to the millimetre in the configurator. Our letterbox and gate sign guide explains how to take those measurements. A sign cut to the right size means you are not paying for material that overhangs the letterbox.
Check what each option does
Thickness, number of colours, frame, mounting: try the variations and watch the summary change. You see straight away what each option costs, and you decide with all the facts in front of you.
Readability before decoration
A name in strong contrast on a plain background reads better from a distance than a sign crowded with colours. The good news: the simple version is often the most affordable one too.
Frequently asked questions
Is the price shown final?
The total calculated by the configurator is the price of the sign as you add it to your basket.
Can I order a sign larger than 28 × 28 cm?
The configurator goes up to 28 × 28 cm. For an oversized project, you can describe what you need through the workshop form.
Do I need to know 3D modelling?
No. You type your text, pick your symbols from the available families (warning, prohibition, information, directional, home and decor, signage, contact, road signs, miscellaneous) and the configurator generates the file.
Will the sign hold up outdoors?
If it will be permanently exposed to sun or weather, get in touch before ordering: we will advise you based on where it is going.
Work out the price of your sign
The quickest way is to try it: head to the custom signs page, enter your dimensions and your text, and the price appears line by line with an instant preview.
And if your project goes beyond a sign, our on-demand 3D printing service makes custom parts to order, and our article on 3D printing costs explains how a quote is put together.