Short answer
If it should look good and be easy, choose PLA. If it should be functional and withstand moisture and impacts, choose PETG. If it should withstand heat and heavy use, and you have a printer with a heated bed, choose ABS.
PLA, PETG or ABS: the short answer
The three most common filaments cover almost anything you want to print. PLA is the easiest and gives the nicest surface, PETG suits functional parts, and ABS handles heat and heavy use. This guide compares them, and every temperature comes from our own data sheets.
Easy & detailed
Polylactic acid
Best for: Figures, prototypes, decor & beginners
- Easiest to print
- Sharpest detail
- Little warping
Strong & functional
Polyethylene terephthalate glycol
Best for: Functional parts, mounts & technical parts
- Impact-resistant & tough
- Resists moisture & chemicals
- No enclosure needed
Rule of thumb: If it should look good and be easy, choose PLA. If it should be functional and withstand moisture and impacts, choose PETG. If it should withstand heat and heavy use, and you have a printer with a heated bed, choose ABS.
The three at a glance
PLA: easy & detailed. Best for figurines, prototypes, decor and beginners: easiest to print, sharpest detail and little warping.
PETG: strong & functional. Best for functional parts, brackets and technical parts: tough and impact-resistant, handles moisture and chemicals, and needs no enclosure.
ABS: tough & heat-resistant. Best for parts that have to take heat and heavy use: housings, brackets and parts near heat sources. Impact-resistant and can be post-processed, but needs a heated bed and ideally an enclosed printer.
Properties compared
The table summarises the key figures from our data sheets. The clearest pattern: ease of printing falls and heat resistance rises as you go from PLA to PETG to ABS.
The differences in practice
PLA is the easiest and works on almost any printer with default settings. PETG needs a bit more fine-tuning but no enclosure. ABS is the hardest: it warps easily and prints best in an enclosed printer with a heated bed. If you are choosing between the two most common, we go through it step by step in PLA vs PETG.
In pure tensile strength all three are close (PLA 63 MPa, ABS 60, PETG 53 according to our data sheets). The difference shows in how they break. PLA is stiff but more brittle, while PETG and ABS are tougher and handle impacts better. ABS has the highest elongation at break, 34 percent, closely followed by PETG at 31 percent. If you are weighing those two against each other, we go deeper in PETG vs ABS.
This is where ABS has its big advantage. It withstands higher temperatures than both PLA and PETG, so it suits parts that sit somewhere warm, such as in a car or near electronics. PLA softens first and PETG sits in between. If the part will live outdoors, ASA is worth a look: it is similar to ABS but also handles UV light and weather (see ASA vs ABS).
Which should you choose?
For housings, brackets and parts near heat sources, in other words parts that have to take heat and heavy use, ABS is the better choice. It needs a heated bed and ideally an enclosed printer. Read more in What is PLA?, What is PETG? and What is ABS?
→ Choose PLA
The easiest to print, with sharp detail and little warping. Good for figurines, models, prototypes and decoration, and most people start with PLA.
→ Choose PETG
Functional parts that have to handle moisture, chemicals and impacts, without needing an enclosed printer. Brackets, holders, lids and technical parts.
Frequently asked questions about PLA, PETG and ABS
Which is the strongest of PLA, PETG and ABS?
In pure tensile strength they are close (PLA 63 MPa, ABS 60, PETG 53 according to our data sheets). ABS is the toughest, with 34 percent elongation at break, so it handles impacts best. PLA is the stiffest but also the most brittle.
Which is easiest to print?
PLA, by a wide margin. PETG is moderately difficult but needs no enclosure. ABS is the hardest, because it warps easily and prints best in an enclosed printer.
Which handles heat best?
ABS. It prints the hottest and withstands higher temperatures in the finished part than both PLA and PETG. For outdoor use with UV resistance, ASA is an even better choice.
Which should a beginner start with?
PLA. It is easy to get right, barely warps and works on almost any printer with default settings. PETG is the natural next step when you want to print functional parts.
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