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Print Markup Price Calculator

Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.

Estimates the retail price, profit per print and true margin on lab prints sold through a proofing gallery, for photographers building a print price list.

Your numbers

Results update as you type.

Your estimate

Retail price per print...
Profit per print after fees...
True margin...
Monthly print profit...

Estimates only. Assumptions are listed below, and you can change every input.

Most photographers set print prices by multiplying the lab cost by a round number and hoping it covers everything. It usually does not. Shipping, payment processing and any platform commission come out of the same retail price, so a 3x markup that looks like a 67% margin can quietly shrink to something closer to 50% once the order actually ships.

This calculator starts with the lab cost of a single print and the multiplier you want to charge, then subtracts per-print shipping, the payment processing percentage and any commission taken on the sale. The result is the price the client sees, the dollars you actually keep on each print, the true margin as a share of that price, and what it adds up to across a typical month of orders. It is a per-print estimate, not an accounting system, so treat the monthly figure as a planning number.

How to use this tool

  1. Enter what your lab charges for the print size you sell most, such as an 8x10, and add what shipping and packaging cost per print.
  2. Set the markup multiplier you plan to charge, then adjust the processing fee and commission percentages to match your payment provider and gallery platform.
  3. Read the retail price and true margin, then change the multiplier until the profit per print and monthly profit match what you need.

What the math assumes

  • Retail price is calculated as lab cost multiplied by your markup multiplier, before any rounding to a nicer price point.
  • Shipping and packaging are entered as a flat amount per print; if your lab charges per order, divide that charge by the typical number of prints per order first.
  • Payment processing and platform commission are applied as percentages of the retail price and default to 2.9% and 0% unless you change them.
  • Sales tax is assumed to be collected on top of the retail price and is left out of the margin.
  • Monthly profit simply multiplies profit per print by the number of prints you expect to sell; it does not account for reprints, returns or unsold stock.

Frequently asked questions

What markup multiplier should photographers use on lab prints?

There is no single right number, and this calculator does not assume one. The useful test is whether the profit per print still covers your time after fees and shipping at the price your market will accept. Use the true margin output rather than the multiplier as your guide.

Why is my true margin lower than the markup suggests?

A 3x multiplier means lab cost is one third of the price, so the gross margin before fees is about 67%. Shipping, processing fees and any commission are then taken out of that same price, which is why the true margin lands lower.

Does this calculator include sales tax?

No. It assumes sales tax is added on top of the retail price and remitted separately, so it does not change your margin. Check your state rules on taxing prints and digital files.

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