Short answer
Choose PLA for anything that lives indoors and mostly gets looked at or lightly handled - figurines, organisers, desk items, prototypes, gifts. It prints the sharpest detail and comes in the most colours. Choose PETG when the part will get hot, wet, sunlit, dropped, or flexed - outdoor fittings, pet and garden items, clips, and anything near a car or kitchen. Both are ₹4 per gram.
Side by side
| Property | PLA | PETG |
|---|---|---|
| Softens at | ~55°C | ~75°C |
| Stiffness | Higher - holds shape under steady load | Lower - flexes slightly |
| Toughness | Brittle - snaps cleanly when overloaded | Tough - bends before it breaks |
| Layer bonding | Good | Excellent - less likely to split between layers |
| Outdoors & UV | Fades and turns brittle over months | Holds up much better |
| Water & moisture | Fine for splashes, not long soaks | Handles wet environments well |
| Surface finish | Matte to satin, crisp edges | Glossy, slightly softer edges |
| Fine detail | Best - sharp text and small features | Good - fine whiskers of stringing possible |
| Colours we stock | 10, including glow and wood-fill | Black and white |
| Price | ₹4/g | ₹4/g |
Strength: stiff vs tough
"Which is stronger?" is the most common question, and the honest answer is that they are strong in different ways. PLA is stiff. A PLA shelf bracket deflects less under a steady weight, and a PLA part feels rigid and solid in the hand. But push it past its limit and it snaps with no warning.
PETG is tough. It gives a little under load, then springs back. Drop it, bend it, clip it onto something - PETG absorbs it where PLA would crack. Its layers also fuse together more strongly, so it resists the between-layer splitting that is the usual way FDM parts fail. For clips, hooks, latches, and anything that flexes in use, PETG wins.
Heat: the deciding factor in India
This is where most of our customers' decisions are actually made. PLA begins to soften around 55°C. That sounds high until you remember a rooftop in May, a windowsill in afternoon sun, or the inside of a parked car - all of which pass it easily. A PLA part left there can sag, warp, or droop out of shape.
PETG holds its shape to around 75°C, which covers almost everything outdoors and around the house. It is why our outdoor shop items - the bird feeder, the plant drip waterer, the dog frisbee - are printed in PETG.
Finish and looks
PLA prints with crisper edges, sharper text, and cleaner small details, and its matte-to-satin surface takes paint well. It is the right choice for figurines, display models, signs, and gifts - and with ten colours, including glow-in-the-dark and wood-fill, it gives you the most options.
PETG comes out glossier, with slightly rounder edges and occasionally a few fine wisps of stringing between features. It looks clean and practical rather than decorative - well suited to functional parts, less so to a detailed miniature.
Which one for your project
Frequently asked questions
Is PETG stronger than PLA?
It depends on what "strong" means. PLA is stiffer - it resists bending better and holds its shape under a steady load. PETG is tougher - it bends and absorbs impact where PLA would snap, and its layers bond to each other more strongly. For a part that gets dropped, clipped, or flexed, PETG is the stronger choice. For a rigid bracket that must not sag, PLA often performs as well or better.
Can I leave a PLA or PETG print in a car?
Not on the dashboard - a parked car in an Indian summer gets hotter than either material can handle, and the part will soften and warp. PLA starts softening around 55°C, so avoid it anywhere in a closed car. PETG (around 75°C) is the better choice for in-car parts that stay out of direct sun, like a vent-mounted holder or a seat-side organiser.
Is PLA or PETG food safe?
Neither should be treated as food safe as printed. The raw plastics are used in food packaging, but the tiny gaps between layers trap moisture and bacteria and cannot be fully cleaned. Printed cookie cutters used briefly on dough are a common exception; cups, plates, and anything that holds food for long should not be printed in either.
Does PETG cost more than PLA?
Not at Pookie Prints - both are Rs 4 per gram. PETG is slightly denser, so the same model weighs a few percent more in PETG, and the quote reflects that small difference. Upload your file and switch materials on the upload page to see the exact figure for your model.
Why do you have more colours in PLA?
PLA is what most people order, so it is where we stock a range - including glow-in-the-dark and wood-fill. PETG is mostly chosen for function rather than looks, so we stock it in black and white. If you need PETG in another colour for a bulk order, ask us and we can source it.