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Find the best 3D printer for your money - specs vs. price, no marketing noise.

Best resin 3D printers under $400

Updated 21 May 2026 · Live prices on every page load from United States marketplaces

Ranked off live United States marketplaces prices plus the specs that actually matter on a resin machine: XY pixel size (finer is better), build volume, and light-source technology. Bigger numbers don't always mean better prints - but they do mean more headroom for miniatures, dental work and jewellery casting. Resin is messier than FDM; expect to spend time on wash, cure and nitrile gloves.

  1. #1
    Creality Halot-X1 Resin
    Creality
    Halot-X1 Resin
    $399 MSLA · 14 µm XY · 5.0 L · 16K
  2. #2
    phrozen Mighty 12K
    phrozen
    Mighty 12K
    $386 MSLA · 16.8 µm XY · 2.8 L · 13320 x 5120
  3. #3
    ELEGOO Mercury X Wash and Cure Station and ABS-Li
    ELEGOO
    Mercury X Wash and Cure Station and ABS-Li
    $166 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L
  4. #4
    ELEGOO Mars 4 Resin
    ELEGOO
    Mars 4 Resin
    $185 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L · 8520*4320
  5. #5
    ELEGOO Mercury XS
    ELEGOO
    Mercury XS
    $200 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L · 8520 x 4320
  6. #6
    ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra
    ELEGOO
    Mars 5 Ultra
    $240 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.0 L · 8520 x 4320
  7. #7
    ELEGOO Mars 4 Ultra Resin and ELEGOO Mercury Plus
    ELEGOO
    Mars 4 Ultra Resin and ELEGOO Mercury Plus
    $315 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.0 L · 8520x4320
  8. #8
    ELEGOO Mars 4 Resin and ELEGOO Mercury XS
    ELEGOO
    Mars 4 Resin and ELEGOO Mercury XS
    $326 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L · 8520*4320
  9. #9
    ELEGOO Saturn 3 12K MSLA and ELEGOO 3 PCS PFA Rel
    ELEGOO
    Saturn 3 12K MSLA and ELEGOO 3 PCS PFA Rel
    $286 MSLA · 19 µm XY · 6.7 L · 11520x5120
  10. #10
    phrozen Sonic Mini 8K S LCD Resin
    phrozen
    Sonic Mini 8K S LCD Resin
    $300 MSLA · 22 µm XY · 1.6 L · 8K

Matt's take on this budget

$400 is where 8K resin becomes standard and build areas start creeping towards Mars / Photon D2 size. If you're printing minis at 28 mm scale for tabletop, this is the tier where pixel size stops being a limitation. It's still not a workshop machine - the small bed makes big single prints awkward, and the lack of heating means winter print failures. A fantastic dedicated miniatures machine.

Frequently asked

What is the best resin 3D printer under $400? +

The shortlist above is live from Amazon. At this tier expect Elegoo Saturn 3/4, Anycubic Photon Mono M5s Pro and Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K to trade top slots as prices move. All are 8K-class machines with similar capability.

Is 8K resolution worth the upgrade over 4K? +

Yes for minis and jewellery, marginal for hand-sized props. Pixel size drops from ~35 µm (4K) to ~22 µm (8K) on typical screens - a visible step change on fine detail, less obvious on larger volumes.

How big are the prints at this budget? +

Typical build volumes at $400 are 218 x 123 x 230 mm or similar. Big enough for a handful of army minis or one medium bust. Larger-bed machines (Saturn 4 Ultra class) usually need closer to the $650 tier.

Other resin budgets
Resin under $250 Resin under $650 Resin under $1300 Resin under $2500
Or switch to FDM: Best FDM under $400 →

Related reading

Long readFDM vs resin 3D printingWhen each process wins, where each fails, and why most beginners should start with FDM.Read →Long readHow to pick your first 3D printerSpec by spec, what actually matters on a first printer and what the marketing hopes you will not question.Read →

Ranking is driven by the spec sheet plus live price. Print quality on resin also depends heavily on the slicer, the resin itself, exposure tuning and post-processing - none of which are on the spec sheet. Treat this as a shortlist, read owner reports, then buy.