Cheapest Polycarbonate (PC) Filament Right Now
Live per-kg prices for PC, PC-CF, PC-ABS and PC-FR across the retailers we track, the strongest, most heat-resistant common filament. Updated daily.
Last updated: June 2026
Polycarbonate is the strong, heat-resistant end of the hobbyist filament range. It combines high impact toughness with a service temperature around 110°C, well past PLA, PETG or even ASA. The catch is that it’s demanding to print: high temps, an enclosure, serious drying, and an all-metal hotend. Buy PC when the part genuinely needs heat and strength; otherwise an easier material will serve you better.
Before you buy, make sure your hardware is up to it. See what you need to print PC.
Polycarbonate at a glance
PC is an engineering thermoplastic, the same material as bullet-resistant glazing and safety glasses. In filament form it’s prized for impact strength and heat resistance, and respected for being fussy to print.
Needs an all-metal hotend rated to 300°C. PTFE-lined hotends degrade at these temps.
High bed temp + glue/adhesive. First-layer adhesion is a common failure point.
Warps and cracks badly open-air. A stable heated chamber is essentially mandatory.
The highest of the common filaments, well past ASA (~95°C) and PETG (~75°C).
Highest impact toughness of the common materials. The structural pick.
Very hygroscopic. Dry 80°C/6-12h; print from a dry box. Wet PC is cloudy + brittle.
Better than PLA; for dedicated outdoor use ASA or PC blends with UV stabiliser.
One of the hardest common filaments. PC-ABS / PC-CF are more forgiving than pure PC.
What you need to print PC
PC is the most hardware-demanding material in this list. Before buying a spool, confirm you have: an all-metal hotend rated to 300°C (PTFE-lined hotends release fumes and clog at PC temps); a heated bed to 100-120°C with a strong adhesive (PC-specific glue, Magigoo PC, or a garolite/PEI surface); an enclosure to keep the chamber warm and stable; and a way to dry the filament (80°C for 6-12h) and keep it dry while printing.
For the composite grade (PC-CF) you also need a hardened nozzle because the carbon fibre wears brass fast. If you’re missing the enclosure or the high-temp hotend, choose ASA or a PC-ABS blend instead of pure PC.
Straight polycarbonate is the strongest, most heat-resistant and (often) clearest option, and the hardest to print. Reach for it when the part must survive both high impact and ~110°C: housings near heat sources, structural brackets, light-transmitting parts. Expect to dial in your enclosure and adhesion.
PC-ABS (and PC/ABS) blends are the practical middle ground: most of polycarbonate’s impact strength and heat resistance, but easier to print than pure PC because the ABS component reduces warping. This is the automotive-grade workhorse, the right first PC for most people.
Carbon-fibre-reinforced PC adds stiffness and dimensional stability and warps less than pure PC, with a matte finish. It’s a top choice for rigid, heat-resistant structural parts. Needs a hardened nozzle plus all the usual PC hardware. See the carbon fiber deals page for all CF composites.
Flame-retardant PC is a specialist grade for electrical enclosures, junction boxes and anything that needs a UL-style flammability rating combined with PC’s heat resistance. Less common and priced accordingly; buy it when a flame rating is an actual requirement, not a nice-to-have.
Picking PC by what you’re actually printing
PC is a specialist material; reach for it when the part genuinely needs heat plus strength. Here’s the practical breakdown.
This is PC’s home turf: ~110°C service temperature means it holds shape where PLA, PETG and even ASA soften. PC-ABS is the practical pick for most of these; pure PC when you need the absolute ceiling.
PC has the highest impact toughness of the common filaments, good for brackets, mounts and housings that take knocks. PC-CF adds stiffness for parts that also must not flex.
PC’s heat resistance plus the flame-retardant PC-FR grade make it the choice for electrical housings where heat tolerance and a flammability rating both matter.
Pure PC can print translucent/clear, useful for light pipes and covers. Clarity depends heavily on dry filament and tuned settings; wet PC prints cloudy.
Common polycarbonate pitfalls
The #1 PC failure. Without a warm, stable enclosure, PC contracts unevenly and lifts corners or cracks mid-print. Fixes: enclosure, 100-120°C bed, PC-specific adhesive, a brim, and avoiding cooling fans. PC-ABS warps less if a full PC setup isn’t realistic.
PC soaks up moisture fast and prints cloudy and weak when wet. Dry at 80°C for 6-12h and print from a dry box. Most “PC is brittle” complaints are really wet-filament complaints.
PC’s high print temps degrade PTFE-lined hotends (fumes + clogs). Use an all-metal hotend rated to 300°C. For PC-CF, also fit a hardened nozzle or the abrasive fibre destroys brass.
When polycarbonate isn’t the right answer
SpoolHound aggregates polycarbonate filament prices from multiple retailers daily and normalises every listing to cost per kg. We don’t test filament; we track what things cost and surface the live cheapest in-stock option per PC grade. Prices update every 24 hours; click through to the retailer to confirm the live checkout price.