Board games · 2026
3D printed board game inserts and organisers
How much does it cost to 3D print a board game insert?
It depends on how many pieces it has. A typical tray of about 14 × 9.5 cm uses about 35 g of PLA and takes about 2 hours of machine time; a full insert of 10 trays adds up to about 21.5 hours, and a small token box with a lid costs about €12. You need the insert file, free or bought, with a licence that lets someone else print it for you. On Fabrishare, a network of makers, you post it for free and get offers within 24–48 hours.
What goes into an insert?
A good insert does two things: everything fits in the box, expansions included, and set-up takes minutes because each tray goes straight onto the table.
| Part | What it's for | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Token and resource trays | Coins, cubes, markers and tokens, sorted by type | Curved bottoms, so tokens slide out with one finger |
| Player trays | Everything one player needs in a single piece, handed out at the start | One colour per player or faction |
| Card holders | Decks standing up or lying flat, with a finger slot to grab them | The exact card size, sleeved or unsleeved |
| Lidded boxes | Small components that mustn't mix, even when the box is stored upright | Sliding or magnetic lids |
| Spacers and supports | Hold the board and rulebooks on top so nothing rattles | Flush with the edge of the box |
Where does the insert file come from?
You rarely need to design one: the best-selling games already have inserts, and searching by the game's name is usually enough.
Free repositories
Printables, Thingiverse and Cults3D have inserts for thousands of games, from Catan to Gloomhaven. Check the photos from people who've printed it and whether the design covers the expansions you own.
Designers who sell them
Specialist designers sell insert files for a specific game, often tested with sleeves and expansions. Some explicitly allow a print service to print them.
Custom design
If your game has no insert or you want a different one, a maker who models designs it to your measurements. Design is charged separately.
No STL file?Missing a game piece?
A lost pawn, cube or token can be reprinted too, from a file or by measuring a matching one.
Replacement game piecesDice towers and trays
If you also want a dice tower or tray to match the box, ask for it in the same project.
Dice towers and RPG accessoriesDo you design inserts?
If you want to sell your insert ready-printed, a small batch through the maker network saves you building your own print farm.
Small batch 3D printing
The licence: the part most people miss
Many free inserts carry a Creative Commons «non-commercial» licence (NC, as in CC BY-NC). It lets you print it yourself at home, but the most common reading is that a maker who charges to print it is making commercial use of it.
To be safe, you have three options: pick an insert whose licence allows commercial use (CC BY, for example), buy the file from a designer who lets a service print it, or ask the author for permission, which they often give.
When you post the project you confirm you have the right to order the print, and the maker can turn down a file if the licence doesn't allow it.
What to measure before ordering
An insert that stops the lid closing is no use. Before posting the project, check these four things:
- 1
Cards, sleeved or not
A sleeved card is wider and, above all, thicker: a 60-card deck in sleeves may not fit a slot designed without them. Say which sleeves you use, or that you don't.
- 2
Expansions
If you have expansions or plan to buy them, choose an insert that allows for them: redoing it later costs more than doing it once.
- 3
Height under the lid
Measure the usable depth of the box minus the board and rulebooks, which usually sit on top. A few millimetres too many and the lid won't close.
- 4
Components that aren't in the box
Metal coins, painted miniatures or upgraded tokens are bigger than the originals. Mention them so their slot has the real size.
Which material and finish to ask for?
PLA, unless the box will get hot
An insert carries no load and never gets wet, so PLA is the norm: cheap, easy to print well and available in lots of colours. Its limit is heat: it softens at around 55 °C, so don't leave the game in a car boot in the sun. If it travels in summer, ask for PETG.
Thicker layers: faster and cheaper
Nobody inspects the detail on a tray. Printing with thicker layers cuts machine hours substantially, and it's the biggest saving on an insert. Ask for it unless you want a very fine finish.
Colours, magnets and labels
One colour per player or faction makes dealing out faster. Lids can take small magnets, glued by the maker into a pocket in the design, and each tray's name or icons can be embossed.
Machine time and a reference price
Estimates from the Fabrishare calculator in FDM. A full insert is many parts and many hours, so we don't give a fixed price: each maker works it out from the file.
| Part | Approximate weight | Machine time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small lidded token box (about 6 × 6 × 4 cm) | about 35 g | about 2 hours | €7–€19 |
| Typical tray (about 14 × 9.5 × 3 cm) | about 35 g | about 2 hours | Depends on the file |
| Full insert of 10 trays | about 360 g | about 21.5 hours | Ask for a quote |
Prices exclude VAT and shipping. What moves the price most: the number of parts, the layer height (thicker is cheaper) and whether the insert needs designing or adapting.
How to order your game's insert
- 1Post your project for free with the insert file (or the link and licence), the game, your expansions and whether you sleeve your cards.
- 2Makers in the network send you their offer with price, colours and lead time within 24–48 hours.
- 3Compare, choose, and the maker prints it and ships it to you.
Questions about board game inserts
How much does a 3D printed board game insert cost?
It depends on the number of parts. A typical tray takes about 2 hours of machine time and a full insert of 10 trays about 21.5 hours; a small lidded token box costs about €12, excluding VAT and shipping. Each maker gives the exact price once they've seen the file.
Are there ready-made inserts for Gloomhaven, Terraforming Mars or Wingspan?
Yes. The best-selling games have free inserts on Printables, Thingiverse or Cults3D, and designers who sell their own. Search by the game's name and check that it covers your expansions and whether you sleeve your cards.
Can I order an insert I downloaded for free?
It depends on the licence. If it's Creative Commons non-commercial (NC), the most common reading is that a maker who charges to print it is making commercial use. Pick one whose licence allows it, buy it from a designer who permits it, or ask the author.
What material is used for an insert?
Almost always PLA: an insert carries no load and never gets wet. It only softens with heat, at around 55 °C, so if the game travels by car in summer, PETG is the better choice.
Will sleeved cards fit?
Only if the insert was designed for sleeves. A sleeved deck is noticeably thicker than an unsleeved one: say in the project which sleeves you use, or that you don't, and the maker checks the file's measurements.
What if my game has no insert?
A maker who models can design one to the measurements of the box and components. Design is quoted separately; after that, another copy only costs the printing if the maker hands over the file.
Can game pieces such as tokens or miniatures be printed?
An insert is an organiser, not a copy of the game. Generic lost pieces (cubes, pawns, markers) can usually be replaced; what isn't printed is a copy of the publisher's miniatures or designed components.
How long does it take?
Offers arrive within 24–48 hours. A full insert is about 21.5 hours of machine time, so the maker will give the lead time in their offer. If it's a gift, order with time to spare.