Free tool
Candle cost calculator.
Wax, fragrance, wicks, jars and lids, labels — plus the freight, labor, overhead and candles that never sell. Find your true cost per sellable candle and a price for your margin. Preloaded with an example pour of 24 jar candles.
True cost per sellable candle
$7.39
22 good of 24 made · 91.7% yield
Price at 50% margin
$14.78
Check it against what your market pays and your channel’s fees.
The “naive” number
$3.82
Ingredients ÷ candles made — what most spreadsheets show. It leaves out freight, packaging, labor, overhead and rejects.
The example, worked out: In the example, $91.60 of wax, fragrance, wicks and jars over 24 candles looks like $3.82 a candle. Add freight, labels, two and a half hours at $18 and a share of overhead, then divide by the 22 good candles, and each one really costs $7.39. The example numbers are made up for illustration — put in your own.
Want this worked out for every batch?
GodKey MFG costs each recipe at what you actually paid — freight included — and spreads rejects over the good candles every time you complete a batch. No typing numbers in. See how it works for candle makers, or read the cost per unit guide.
More free calculators
How do you calculate the cost of a candle?
Add up the wax, fragrance oil, wicks, jars and lids at what you paid for the amounts used. Add the freight you paid to get them, labels and packaging, labor at a real wage and a share of overhead. Divide by the candles you can actually sell, not the candles you poured.
How do I work out the fragrance cost?
Multiply the wax weight by your fragrance load, then by what you paid per ounce of oil. For example, 160 oz of wax at a 10% load uses 16 oz of fragrance; at $1.50 an ounce that is $24.00 for the pour.
Do labels go in materials or packaging?
Either works as long as you count them once. The calculator has a labels and packaging line so they are easy to see and change.
What margin should I use for candles?
It depends on your channel. Selling direct can work at a lower margin; wholesale, where a retailer takes about half the retail price, needs a higher one. CandleScience suggests roughly 25–50% as a workable range for candles.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculator runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. Use “Copy a link” to keep or share a set of numbers.
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