💰 Project Paint Cost Calculator
Add up your paints and material costs, and enter how many miniatures they cover, to see your cost per miniature.
Everything in the list, divided by the models it covers
total = sum of every item cost
cost per model = total / number of miniaturesThe three rows loaded by default - a basecoat, a wash and a highlight at $6 each - total $18. Spread over the 10 miniatures in the box that is $1.80 each. Add or remove rows and the total re-adds on every keystroke.
The number of miniatures is the number they cover
This is where the figure usually goes wrong. A $6 pot is not used up by one squad, so charging its whole price against ten models overstates the cost several times over. Enter how many models those paints will cover before they run out - around 40 per 12 ml pot for a main colour.
| Models covered | Cost each from $18 of paint |
|---|---|
| 10 | $1.80 |
| 20 | $0.90 |
| 40 | $0.45 |
| 100 | $0.18 |
- Include the sprays. A can of primer and a can of varnish at around $14 each cover 50 to 80 models, and on a small project they cost more than the paint does.
- Leave brushes and tools out unless you are pricing a commission. They last across projects and distort a per-model figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to paint one miniature?
Roughly $0.40 to $0.80 in materials once paints are spread across everything they cover. It only looks like $1.80 a model if you charge three whole pots against a single ten-model box.
How much does it cost to paint a whole army?
For 100 models, eight paints at $6 plus a primer and a varnish can at $14 each is $76, or $0.76 a model. Larger armies get cheaper per model because the same pots stretch further.
What should I charge for commission painting?
Materials are the small part. At a tabletop standard of 20 minutes a model, labour at any sensible hourly rate is many times the $0.45 of paint, so price from the time estimate and treat this figure as a cost floor.