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Candle Pricing Calculator

Enter what goes into one candle. Get your true cost, plus wholesale and retail prices that actually pay you for your time.

What one candle costs you

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What to charge

Materials—
Labor—
Overhead—
True cost per candle—
Wholesale (cost × 2)—
Retail (cost × 3–4)—

The 2× / 3–4× multipliers are the standard handmade-candle rule of thumb — wholesale must still profit after the discount, and retail leaves room for markets, fees, and sales.

Tired of redoing this math for every product? StashQ's cost builder saves this exact breakdown on each product — when wax prices change, edit one line and every candle's cost, margin, and profit report updates.

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How candle pricing actually works

Most makers underprice because they only count materials. Your true cost has three parts: materials (everything above), labor (your time is a real cost — if you don't pay yourself, your "profit" is just an unpaid wage), and overhead (Etsy fees, booth fees, electricity for that wax melter — typically 10–20% on top).

Why wholesale is cost × 2

Stores buy at half of retail. If your wholesale price doesn't clear your true cost with margin to spare, every wholesale order loses money. Cost × 2 is the floor, not the ceiling.

Why retail is cost × 3–4

The gap between wholesale and retail is what funds your market fees, free shipping promos, gift bundles, and the occasional sale — without dipping below profitability. If your market can't bear 3×, the answer is usually cutting cost per unit (bulk wax, cheaper jars) rather than cutting your wage.