Cost per candle: from weights and prices to a selling price
The cost of a candle is the wax, the oil, the things bought per candle, and a share of the time and overhead of the batch. The wax and oil are weights from the jar and load multiplied by what you pay per unit of weight. The jar, wick and packaging are per candle. Working time times your hourly rate, and the overhead of the batch, are divided by the number of candles.
The selling price is the cost plus a markup you choose, so the profit is the price minus the cost and the margin is that profit divided by the price. A markup of zero sells at cost and a hundred percent doubles the cost. The tool does not recommend a markup, because what a candle sells for depends on where and to whom you sell it.
Only the costs you enter are counted. Wax that stays in the pot, failed candles, fees and shipping are left out unless you include them in the overhead of the batch.
Chart: cost per candle by batch size and working time
Each cell is the cost of one eight-ounce soy candle at the example prices shown on the calculator, with the working time in the column for the whole batch. Money is in whatever currency you use; the point is how the cost falls as a batch grows.
| Working time for the batch | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candles in the batch | 1 h | 2 h | 3 h |
| 6 pcs | 6.85 | 9.35 | 11.85 |
| 12 pcs | 5.60 | 6.85 | 8.10 |
| 24 pcs | 4.97 | 5.60 | 6.22 |
| 48 pcs | 4.66 | 4.97 | 5.28 |
Used by
- Candle cost calculatorCost per candle and a selling price from wax, oil, jar, wick, packaging, labor and overhead.