PLA vs ABS: Ultimate Filament comparison
What should you consider in 3D printing your part, PLA or ABS? These two most popular filaments have both pros and cons, but which should you use? In this post, we will uncover the differences between PLA and ABS, and present to you why you should choose one over the other.
Which is better, PLA or ABS?
Printing Requirements


PLA and ABS are relatively the earlier filaments to get into the market. Although ABS was earlier adopted as a filament before PLA, the former is a harder material to use. This is the primary reason why ABS is not recommended to begin with when you’re starting with 3D printers.
The printing requirements for PLA and ABS differs in these areas:
Extruder Temperature
PLA | ABS | |
Extruder Temperature | 190- 210 °C | 220- 260 °C |
The temperature needed to melt PLA is around 190-210 °C, while ABS is at about 220-260 °C. At first glance, you may think that this won’t matter too much, since you can just set your extruder temperature accordingly. Most 3D printers in the hobbyist level are on specs, as they can be able to print up to 260°C, covering ABS’ max printing temperature.
The problem here is that these hobby 3D printer extruders have a PTFE tube inside, installed just before the hotend. This PTFE tube guides the filament into the hotend. PTFE, in general, has a max working temperature of 260°C.
According to the experiences of 3D print hobbyists, the PTFE tube deteriorates over time when printing at high temperatures. On paper, it may seem okay, but with repeated exposure to ABS printing temperatures, 3D printer users have experienced melting/ burning PTFE tubes that caused clogging.
Bed Temperature
PLA | ABS | |
Heated Bed Temperature | 50-60 °C | 95-110 °C |
Similar to the issue with hotend temperature, PLA can be printed fine on hobby 3D printers as most of them can reach up to 70 °C easily. Moreover, PLA can also be printed with no bed healing with the use of adhesive materials and special bed materials.
On the other hand, reaching the ABS hotend temperature can be an issue for some 3D printers. They can be slow, and sometimes not reachable by the 3D printer.
Enclosure
PLA | ABS | |
Requires Enclosure? | No | Yes |
We can say that Polylactic Acid or PLA is the most accessible filament because it does not need a 3D printer enclosure to achieve a successful print.
ABS, on the other hand, requires enclosure as it is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. ABS tends to shrink once it is cooled. This is what causes it to warp and separate at its layers. An open frame 3d printer can expose an ABS 3D print to this unstable ambient temperature. This makes ABS more troublesome to work with unless you have a printer tuned in to its requirements.
Cooling
PLA | ABS | |
Cooling Fan | 100% | 0% |
PLA loves cooling. A good part cooling system is a great benefit for PLA. As PLA is not sensitive with drafts, PLA can get the most out of cooling, as you can print better overhangs, increase print speed, and capture better details.
For ABS, cooling is not recommended. When turned on, the cooling fan will introduce a variance of temperature on the printed part, which can cause warping during the start of the print or layer separation, especially for large ABS parts.
Material Properties


Strength
Tensile Strength (psi) | |
PLA | 8383.18 |
ABS | 6500 |
Flexural Strength (psi) | |
PLA | 8020.58 |
ABS | 11000 |
Izod Impact Strength | |
PLA | 26 J/m |
ABS | 34 J/m |
Impact strength, or toughness, is a material’s ability to absorb impact without breaking. This comparison proves that ABS is better at handling impact than PLA. With this, it is more recommended to use ABS if your prints are exposed to sudden forces (e.g. falling, hammering, etc.)
Note: There is more to 3D printed part strength aside from material selection. Test and studies show that there are other things that you should consider. There are other factors that affect 3D printing strength, such as printing orientation, print quality, filament quality, and your print settings.
Density
Density | |
PLA | 1.24 g/cm3 |
ABS | 1.04 g/cm3 |
This shows that PLA filament has more mass per unit volume than ABS. Meaning, if you print the same 3D model with PLA and ABS, the part printed with PLA will weigh more. This leans more as a benefit for ABS, especially for prototyping. For example, ABS will be a better material for printing RC parts, drones, etc.
Also, when you buy a PLA and ABS filament for 1 kg each, that means you get to have longer filament for ABS!
Heat Resistance
Max. Working Temperature | |
PLA | 52°C |
ABS | 98°C |
Glass Transition Temperature | |
PLA | 60°C |
ABS | 105°C |
Cooling
PLA | ABS | |
Cooling Fan | 100% | 0% |
PLA loves cooling. A good part cooling system is a great benefit for PLA. As PLA is not sensitive with drafts, PLA can get the most out of cooling, as you can print better overhangs, increase print speed, and capture better details.
For ABS, cooling is not recommended. When turned on, the cooling fan will introduce a variance of temperature on the printed part, which can cause warping during the start of the print or layer separation, especially for large ABS parts.
Part Accuracy


Shrinkage rate | |
PLA | 0.2-0.25% |
ABS | 0.8% |
For part accuracy, PLA is a much better material, as it shrinks at about 0.2 to 0.25 % only, as compared to ABS, which can shrink over 0.8%, according to 3dprintergeeks. Moreover, the tendency of ABS to warp makes ABS a material hard to use for detailed and accurate print.
Surface Finish and Post Processing
Acetone smoothing
Easier Sanding
On the other hand, PLA has options for post-processing as well:
Thermoforming
Sanding
Smoothing
Price


Wrapping Up
PLA and ABS have both pros and cons in the 3D printing industry. We recommend PLA for people who are just starting on 3D printing. Soon after, you can try our ABS for tougher prints that you can use in practical projects.
When to use PLA?
- Best for beginners
- Prints in almost any 3D Printer
- For detailed prints
- Low-temperature applications
When to use ABS?
- Best for lightweight applications
- Recommended for prints that require toughness
- High-temperature applications (up to 98°C)
- Easy post-processing