CraftFormulas

Candle Pricing Calculator

Candle Pricing Calculator
Build your price from the ground up based on real costs.

Materials

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Materials$5.40
Labor$15.00
Overhead$3.06
Total cost$23.46
Retail price$46.92
Wholesale price (50%)$23.46
Profit per unit$23.46
Actual margin50%

Price Your Candles for Real Profit

Pricing handmade candles is one of the hardest parts of selling. Price too low and you're working for free. Price too high and nothing moves. This calculator builds your price from the ground up based on real numbers, not guesswork.

Why Cost-Plus Pricing Works for Candle Makers

The most common mistake is pricing based on what "feels right" or what competitors charge on Etsy. But your costs are your costs. If it takes you 45 minutes to pour, cure, label, and package a candle, and your materials cost $4, you need to know that before setting a price. This calculator makes the invisible costs visible. Use the Wax Calculator to figure out your material costs per candle first.

What to Include in Overhead

  • Packaging (boxes, tissue paper, labels, shipping materials)
  • Platform fees (Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee, Shopify subscription)
  • Utilities for your workspace
  • Equipment depreciation (wax melter, scale, heat gun)
  • A general 10-15% overhead is a reasonable starting point if you're not sure.

Wholesale Pricing

The standard wholesale price is 50% of retail. If your candle retails for $24, your wholesale price is $12. Make sure your margins still work at wholesale before committing to wholesale orders. If they don't, your retail price might be too low. Use the Batch Calculator to get exact material totals for wholesale runs.