Candle Cost Calculator

Add up what one candle costs to make, from wax and fragrance to wick, jar, dye and label, and see the cost of the whole batch.

Candle Making

A candle that sells for twelve dollars can easily be costing you eight, and the only way to know is to add up the parts. This calculator totals a cost per candle from the wax, fragrance, wick, container, dye and label, then multiplies it across the batch so you can see what a run really costs before you place the order.

At a glance

What you enter: Candles in the batch, Wax per candle, Wax price per pound, Fragrance oil per candle, Fragrance price per ounce, Wick and tab, Container and lid, Dye, Label, warning label and tag, Packaging, Delivery and tax on the materials
What you get: Cost per candle, Cost of the batch, Wax for the batch, Fragrance for the batch, Containers for the batch, Wax share of the cost, Fragrance share of the cost, Container share of the cost
Formula shown: Yes, every step, right below your results.
Cost and privacy: Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.

See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓

Candles in the batch

Wax per candle oz

Use the candle wax calculator to work this out from the container and fill level.

Wax price per pound USD/lb

Fragrance oil per candle oz

Fragrance price per ounce USD/oz

Wick and tab USD

Container and lid USD

Dye USD

Label, warning label and tag USD

Packaging USD

Box, wrap, ribbon or bag, if you sell the candle wrapped.

Delivery and tax on the materials USD

Spread across the batch, because it is a cost of the candles.

Reset

Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.

How to use the Candle Cost Calculator

1 Enter Candles in the batch
2 Enter Wax per candle (oz), Use the candle wax calculator to work this out from the container and fill level.
3 Enter Wax price per pound (USD/lb)
4 Enter Fragrance oil per candle (oz)
5 Enter Fragrance price per ounce (USD/oz)
6 Enter Wick and tab (USD)
7 Enter Container and lid (USD)
8 Enter Dye (USD)
9 Enter Label, warning label and tag (USD)
10 Enter Packaging (USD), Box, wrap, ribbon or bag, if you sell the candle wrapped.
11 Enter Delivery and tax on the materials (USD), Spread across the batch, because it is a cost of the candles.
12 Press Calculate. You get Cost per candle, Cost of the batch, Wax for the batch, Fragrance for the batch, Containers for the batch, Wax share of the cost, Fragrance share of the cost, Container share of the cost, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
13 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.

Worked examples

Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.

Twelve 8 oz soy jars

A small market batch in glass jars, with the delivery already paid on the materials.

You enter

Candles in the batch: 12
Wax per candle: 6.30 oz
Wax price per pound: $4.50
Fragrance oil per candle: 0.38 oz
Fragrance price per ounce: $1.20
Wick and tab: $0.25
Container and lid: $1.50
Dye: $0.10
Label, warning label and tag: $0.20
Packaging: $0.00
Delivery and tax on the materials: $0.00

You get

Cost per candle: $4.28
Cost of the batch: $51.33
Wax for the batch: $21.26
Fragrance for the batch: $5.47
Containers for the batch: $18.00
Wax share of the cost: 41.4%
Fragrance share of the cost: 10.7%
Container share of the cost: 35.1%

Just over 4 dollars a candle in materials, so the container and the wax are the two lines to watch.

Open this example in the calculator →

Twenty four 4 oz tins bought in bulk

A larger run in tins, with cheaper unit prices on everything.

You enter

Candles in the batch: 24
Wax per candle: 3.20 oz
Wax price per pound: $5.00
Fragrance oil per candle: 0.26 oz
Fragrance price per ounce: $1.40
Wick and tab: $0.18
Container and lid: $0.60
Dye: $0.05
Label, warning label and tag: $0.12
Packaging: $0.08
Delivery and tax on the materials: $0.00

You get

Cost per candle: $2.39
Cost of the batch: $57.46
Wax for the batch: $24.00
Fragrance for the batch: $8.74
Containers for the batch: $14.40
Wax share of the cost: 41.8%
Fragrance share of the cost: 15.2%
Container share of the cost: 25.1%

Smaller containers cut the cost per candle roughly in half.

Open this example in the calculator →

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to make a candle?

An 8 ounce soy candle in a glass jar commonly costs between 3 and 5 dollars in materials at retail prices: roughly 1.50 for the jar and lid, 1.80 for the wax, 0.45 for fragrance, and about 0.75 for the wick, dye and label. Buying wax by the case and containers by the pallet can cut the two biggest lines substantially. Your own figures above are the ones that matter.

Should delivery and tax go into the material cost?

Yes. If a box of wax cost 30 dollars to deliver, that is a cost of the candles you make from it, and leaving it out understates every candle. Either spread the whole order through the delivery field or work out a landed cost per pound and use that as your wax price, so the number is included rather than forgotten.

Why does the container dominate the cost?

Glass and metal are heavy and bulky, so they carry freight, breakage and minimum order costs that wax does not. On a small candle the container is often the largest single line, and it is common for it to be a third or more of the material cost. Moving to a standard jar bought in bulk, or to a smaller vessel, usually saves more than changing wax.

How do I work out how much wax one candle uses?

Use the candle wax calculator with your jar volume, fill level and wax type, or weigh a finished candle and subtract the empty container. Six to seven ounces of wax is typical for an 8 fluid ounce jar. Weighing the real thing is more accurate, because fill levels vary from pour to pour even when you mean them to be identical.