PETG vs PCTG

PETG is the workhorse of functional 3D printing. It is widely available from dozens of brands, well-documented in every slicer, and priced competitively at $10-14/kg.[1] For the vast majority of functional parts — brackets, enclosures, tool holders, garden fixtures — PETG is more than adequate. Its impact resistance, UV tolerance, and chemical resistance handle real-world abuse just fine.

PETG also has the advantage of a massive community. Every printer has a tuned PETG profile. Every filament brand sells PETG. If you run into stringing or adhesion issues, there are thousands of forum posts with solutions. That ecosystem matters when you are troubleshooting at midnight.

Ideal for: general functional printing, outdoor parts, mechanical brackets, anything where cost matters and you need "good enough" toughness.

PCTG is PETG's tougher, clearer cousin. Both are glycol-modified PET copolyesters, but PCTG uses cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) instead of ethylene glycol as its modifier. The result: noticeably better impact resistance (2-3x higher notched Izod in raw resin[2]), superior optical clarity in transparent filaments, and slightly better chemical resistance. Layer adhesion is excellent — many users report PCTG parts feel "more solid" than equivalent PETG prints.

The downsides are practical, not technical. PCTG costs 30-50% more per kilogram, fewer brands sell it, and slicer profiles are less common. You will likely need to start from a PETG profile and bump nozzle temp 10 °C. Availability is improving but still limited compared to PETG's ubiquity.

Ideal for: high-impact parts (drone frames, RC car components), transparent/clear parts where optical quality matters, food-contact applications, and any print where you need PETG-like properties but tougher.