Cheap Resin 3D Printer: The Three Worth Buying
The best cheap resin 3D printer for most people is the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra at $259. It levels itself, tilts its vat to print faster and puts 18-micron detail on a 7-inch 9K screen. Need a bigger plate? The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K is $359. The Anycubic Photon Mono M7 is the roomiest.
We don't own these printers and haven't tested them. Everything here comes from the makers' own stores, named reviews and what owners report, with each source linked. Our method is on the how we research page.
What is the best cheap resin 3D printer?
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Cheap means different things depending on what you print. So here are three picks, each one the cheapest sensible option for a different job. Each button goes to the maker's own store.
Best cheap pick
Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
Miniatures and small parts. The lowest price here with tilt release and auto leveling.
Most plate for the money
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K
A 10-inch screen for terrain, busts and batches of figures.
Biggest build area
Anycubic Photon Mono M7
Props and big parts where size matters more than fine texture.
How do the cheap resin printers compare on price?
| Printer | Price now | Regular | Stock | Store |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | $259 | $338 | In stock | Check at ELEGOO |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K | $359 | $593.99 | In stock | Check at ELEGOO |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M7 | $429 | $519 | In stock | Check at Anycubic |
| Elegoo Mars 5 (lowest price) | $179 | $225 | In stock | Check at ELEGOO |
Prices are checked on the makers' own stores several times a week, and sales end without notice. The Photon Mono M7 price is from Anycubic's US store. Every printer we track is on our 3D printer prices page, and current discounts are on 3D printer deals.
Resin running costs add up quickly. See how much 3D printing really costs, resin versus filament.
How do they compare on specs?
| Printer | Screen | XY resolution | Build volume | Max speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | 7 in, 9K | 18 × 18 µm | 153.36 × 77.76 × 165 mm | 150 mm/h |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K | 10 in, 12K | 19 × 24 µm | 218.88 × 122.88 × 220 mm | 150 mm/h |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M7 | 10.1 in, 14K | 16.8 × 24.8 µm | 223 × 126 × 230 mm | 150 mm/h |
| Elegoo Mars 5 | 6.6 in, 4K | 35 µm | 143.43 × 89.6 × 150 mm | 70 mm/h |
Specs from each maker's US product page. Smaller microns mean finer detail. Anycubic's 150 mm/h figure assumes its own high-speed resin.
Why is the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra the best cheap resin printer?
Image: ELEGOO
It's the cheapest printer here that skips the fiddly parts of resin printing. The plate levels itself. The vat tilts to peel each layer off the film, which is why ELEGOO rates it at up to 150 mm per hour. A built-in camera watches the job.
Tom's Hardware gave it an Editor's Choice and called it close to plug and play. The same review flagged two catches. Prints stick hard to the laser-etched plate on default settings, and the AI camera can't see a failure until the model rises above the vat edge.
Who it suits. Tabletop gamers and anyone printing figures up to about 6 inches tall. Who should skip it. Anyone who wants terrain or helmets in one piece. The plate is small. Our full Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra review covers what owners report.
See the Mars 5 Ultra at ELEGOO
Is the Saturn 4 Ultra 12K worth paying more for?
Image: ELEGOO
If you need the space, yes. It costs $359 against $259 for the Mars 5 Ultra. For that you get a 10-inch screen and a build area of 218.88 by 122.88 by 220 mm. That's room for a full squad of miniatures in one run. It keeps the tilt release and automatic leveling.
The trade is detail. Its pixels are 19 by 24 microns, a little coarser than the Mars 5 Ultra. You'll see it on fine texture before you see it anywhere else. If detail and size both matter, the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K sharpens the screen for $399.
Who it suits. Terrain, busts, vehicles and batch printing. Who should skip it. First-time buyers who aren't sure they'll stick with resin. Start smaller.
See the Saturn 4 Ultra 12K at ELEGOO
When does the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 make sense?
Image: Anycubic
When the part is big before it's detailed. At 223 by 126 by 230 mm, the M7 has the largest build volume on this page. It runs a 10.1-inch 14K screen, and Anycubic adds failed print detection, resin level checks and release film reminders.
Two things count against it. Leveling is a manual four-point job, not automatic. And at 16.8 by 24.8 microns it gives up some fine detail to both Elegoo machines.
Who it suits. Cosplay props, large terrain and functional parts. Who should skip it. Miniature painters. More Anycubic machines are on our Anycubic reviews hub.
See the Photon Mono M7 at Anycubic
What if you want the cheapest resin printer possible?
Image: ELEGOO
Then look at the plain Elegoo Mars 5 at $179. It still levels itself, but you give up a lot for the saving. The 6.6-inch 4K screen has 35-micron pixels, roughly half the sharpness of the Ultra. There's no tilt release, so ELEGOO rates it at 70 mm per hour against 150. The build area is 143.43 by 89.6 by 150 mm.
It has outside backing too. All3DP picks the Mars 5 as its best resin printer under $200 and its top pick for beginners.
Our take: stretch to the Mars 5 Ultra if you can. Buy the Mars 5 if the budget is fixed or you're testing whether you like resin at all. Anycubic's Photon Mono 4 is another low-cost option, but it sells mainly through Anycubic's separate US store, which we don't track yet. Our Mars 5 Ultra page has the two Elegoo machines side by side.
Resin printers are some of the deepest cuts in the Black Friday sales. Our 3D printer Black Friday deals page shows which Elegoo and Anycubic models are on sale.
Is a cheap resin 3D printer worth it?
For miniatures and small detailed parts, yes. Filament printers at this price can't match resin on fine detail. But resin is messier than filament, and the printer is only part of the cost.
Resin gives off fumes, so you need ventilation. You'll wear nitrile gloves and eye protection. Every print needs a wash in isopropyl alcohol, or water if you buy water-washable resin, and then a UV cure. If that sounds like too much, a filament printer is the easier start. Our best 3D printers under $300 page covers those. To see how resin printing works first, read our guide to vat polymerization (SLA, DLP and MSLA).
What else do you need to buy?
- Resin. Standard resin is the cheapest kind. ELEGOO and Anycubic both sell their own.
- Isopropyl alcohol, or water-washable resin instead.
- Nitrile gloves and safety glasses. Uncured resin is a skin irritant.
- A wash and cure station. Optional, but it saves time. Anycubic offers its Wash and Cure 3 Plus as a bundle with the M7, and ELEGOO sells its Mercury stations separately.
- A warm room. Resin prints fail in the cold. Reviewers of the Mars 5 Ultra had trouble below about 25°C (77°F).
Our verdict
Buy the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra if you want the cheapest resin printer that's still easy to live with, and you mostly print miniatures.
Buy the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 12K if you print terrain or batches and want a 10-inch plate without paying for 16K.
Buy the Anycubic Photon Mono M7 if build size matters more than the finest texture.
Painting figures? See our best resin 3D printer for miniatures picks. Want the full field, price aside? Our best resin 3D printer guide ranks them. More from ELEGOO is on our Elegoo printer reviews hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth getting a resin 3D printer?
Yes, if you print miniatures, jewelry-sized parts or anything with fine detail. Resin beats filament on detail at the same price. Skip it if you can't ventilate the room or don't want to wash and cure every print.
What is the best cheap resin 3D printer for beginners?
The Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra. It levels itself and runs a self-check before printing, which removes the most common first-timer mistakes. Tom's Hardware pitched it at beginners and tabletop gamers.
What is the lowest price for a 3D printer?
The cheapest printers we track are the Creality Ender-3 V3 SE at $179, a filament printer, and the Elegoo Mars 5 at $179, a resin printer.
Sources
- ELEGOO US, Mars 5 Ultra product page
- ELEGOO US, Saturn 4 Ultra 12K product page
- Anycubic store, Photon Mono M7 product page
- Tom's Hardware, Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra review (Denise Bertacchi, September 2024)
- Maker Hacks, Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra review (Chris Garrett)
- All3DP, Best Resin 3D Printers guide, Under $200 and Beginners picks.
Researched and written by Ric Ruben.