How to price a candle to sell
- Add up every material that goes into one candle — wax, fragrance oil, the jar, the wick, and the label and packaging.
- Add your labor: how long one candle takes to pour and finish, multiplied by what your time is worth.
- Add a share of your overhead — utilities, equipment wear, melted-batch waste, and supplies you can't trace to one candle.
- That total is your true cost per candle. Multiply it by your wholesale and retail markups to get prices that actually leave you a profit.
The candle cost formula most makers get wrong
The number one pricing mistake is counting only materials. A jar candle might cost $4–$8 in materials, so a maker prices it at $12 and feels great — until they realize they never paid themselves for the hour of pouring, labeling and cleanup, and never covered the electricity, the wasted test pours, or the broken jars. Once labor and overhead go in, the true cost is often $9–$18 per candle. This calculator adds all three layers so your price is built on real numbers, not just supply receipts.
Candle pricing cheat sheet
| Markup | Calculation | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | True cost × 2 | Selling to shops & retailers |
| Retail | Wholesale × 2 (≈ cost × 4) | Selling direct to customers |
| Minimum | True cost × 2.5 | Floor price — ~50% margin |
| Standard | True cost × 3–4 | Healthy 65–75% margin |
Frequently asked questions
How do I price a candle to sell?
Add materials, labor and overhead to get your true cost per candle, then charge about 2× that wholesale and 4× retail. Adjust the markups above to match your market and the calculator updates instantly.
What is a good profit margin on candles?
Most handmade sellers target a 50–65% gross margin at retail. Pricing at roughly 3–4× your true cost lands you in that range after materials, labor and overhead.
Is this candle cost calculator free?
Yes — completely free, no signup. Every number is calculated in your browser and nothing is uploaded or saved.