10 Best STL File Sites and What You Can Legally Sell
Downloading a free file doesn't give you the right to sell the print. On every site the rule changes from model to model, and two files side by side can have opposite permissions. This guide covers the 10 sites most worth a visit if you print and want to sell, with each site's rule and real examples.
The order is our own selection, based on usefulness to people who print and sell. It isn't a traffic ranking. We read the rules on the official pages on November 8, 2026. They change, so check again before you list anything.
The 10 sites in one table
| Site | Best for | Cost | To sell the print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. MakerWorld | Bambu Lab owners, with ready-made profiles | Free | Depends on each model's license |
| 2. Printables | Free library with clearly explained licenses | Free, with a store and clubs | Depends on each model's license |
| 3. Cults3D | Buying files with a commercial license | Free and paid | The default doesn't allow it; you need a license that allows commercial use, free or paid |
| 4. Thingiverse | Long-running free library | Free | Depends on each model's license |
| 5. MyMiniFactory | Miniatures | Free and paid | Only with an agreement with the model's owner |
| 6. Thangs | Subscribing to a creator | Free and paid | Only with the creator's commercial license |
| 7. STLFLIX | Subscription priced in Brazilian reais, aimed at sellers | R$ 89 per month | Current plans include a commercial license |
| 8. Creality Cloud | Creality owners | Free and paid | Depends on each model's license |
| 9. Yeggi | Searching many sites at once | Free | The origin site's rule applies |
| 10. CGTrader | Paid professional models | Paid | The default license bans selling it printed |
What you'll find on each site
1. MakerWorld
This is Bambu Lab's site, and many models come with a ready-made print profile. All models are free. The uploader picks the license, which appears in the License section of the page. The creator can also sell a commercial license by subscription.
Real example: the Name Keychain Generator, a popular keychain generator, uses CC BY-NC-SA. The letters NC ban commercial use.
2. Printables
This is Prusa's site. Its terms list Creative Commons, open source, Standard Digital File and commercial use licenses. Each model page usually shows what is allowed, item by item.
Real example: the 3DBenchy is in the public domain, with Commercial Use checked. The same page shows another detail: the uploader isn't the original author. That isn't a problem here, because the 3DBenchy is distributed under CC0, which allows republishing.
3. Cults3D
If the creator picks nothing else, the Cults Private Use license applies, and it doesn't allow selling the print. The CU and CU-ND licenses allow selling prints in unlimited quantities, with credit to the author, but never the file.
Real example: this creator's commercial license cost €29.99 when we checked. The page itself warns that it's only the license: the models are bought separately.
4. Thingiverse
The uploader chooses the license, usually a Creative Commons one, and it appears on the model page. The 3DBenchy there is in the public domain. On other models, look for the letters NC before you think about selling.
5. MyMiniFactory
The terms limit files to personal, non-commercial use unless there is an agreement with the site or the model's owner. Some creators sell that permission through subscriptions on the site.
6. Thangs
The site's rule is direct: to sell the print, you need the commercial license in that creator's membership, and not all creators offer one. The Bundle membership doesn't include it.
Real example: one creator had a Commercial License plan at $8.00 per month billed annually when we checked. The page warns that the license ends if you cancel and requires you to print the parts yourself, with no outsourcing.
7. STLFLIX
This is a subscription priced in Brazilian reais: R$ 89 per month, or R$ 899 upfront for the annual plan. According to its help center, updated October 5, 2026, all current plans include a commercial license to sell the prints. Anyone on an older plan should confirm theirs with support.
8. Creality Cloud
The license appears on the model page, and it's worth reading the whole sentence. On the Vintage Christmas Tree, the name shown is "Copyright License 4.0", but the text right below limits use to non-commercial purposes, and the description tells anyone who wants to sell to buy the creator's license. Creality also runs a commercial model program, with selected models for authorized users.
9. Yeggi
This is a search engine, not a library: it gathers files from many sites. Yeggi doesn't set any license. Open the model on its origin site and read the rule there.
10. CGTrader
It's on the list as a warning for sellers. Section 21A.1 of the terms says products under the Royalty Free license may not be sold in the form downloaded "or in 3D printed physical form". "Royalty free" doesn't mean you can sell the print. If the seller offers another license, read that license.
How to know if you can sell the print
The answer has to come from that model's page. The site's reputation doesn't count as permission, and neither does a comment saying "everyone sells it".
Warning: NC means the use can't be primarily intended for commercial advantage or payment. Don't assume you can take paid orders just because you only charge for the filament. Ask the author for permission.
Characters, logos and brands need a separate permission. Creative Commons states that its licenses don't cover trademarks or patents. Copyright generally protects a work without registration, and copying it needs the owner's permission, though details vary by country. A model with the creator's commercial license can still be off limits if it uses another company's character.
What each license lets you do
| License | Sell the print | Give credit | Modify |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC0 or public domain | Yes | Not required | Yes |
| CC BY | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CC BY-SA | Yes | Yes | Yes; when you share an adaptation, use the same or a compatible license |
| CC BY-ND | Yes | Yes | For yourself only; don't share adaptations |
| CC BY-NC | Only with permission | Yes | Yes, with no commercial use |
| CC BY-NC-SA | Only with permission | Yes | Yes, with no commercial use; when you share, use the same or a compatible license |
| CC BY-NC-ND | Only with permission | Yes | For yourself only; don't share adaptations |
| Standard Digital File | Only with permission | See the page | Not to distribute |
| Cults Private Use | Only with permission | See the page | Not to publish or sell |
| Cults CU | Yes, without reselling the file | Yes | Yes |
| Cults CU-ND | Yes, without reselling the file | Yes | No |
A commercial license is also a cost
If you pay for the right to sell, that amount belongs in the cost of each part:
License cost per part = amount for the period ÷ parts sold in the period
| $8 per month license | Cost per part |
|---|---|
| 20 parts in the month | $0.40 |
| 50 parts in the month | $0.16 |
| 100 parts in the month | $0.08 |
In a slow month, the license weighs more. So do the math with the number of parts you really sell. In the calculator, add the per-part amount to the Supplies and packaging block.
Before you subscribe, check what happens when you cancel. On some plans, like the Thangs example, the license ends with the subscription. See in the creator's terms whether you can still sell parts you already printed.
Before you list it
- Save the link and a screenshot of the license, with the date. The model's license can change later.
- Confirm who the author is. If the site says the file was re-uploaded, check the original license.
- Look for characters, logos or brands in the model and in the listing name.
- Meet the conditions the way the license asks. Complete credit in the listing has the author, link, license and what changed: Model "Model name" by Author name, file link, CC BY 4.0 license. Changed: scaled down 20%.
- If you paid for a license, keep the receipt and its text.
- Use photos of your own part, unless the license lets you use the creator's.
Want to publish your own files? The guide on how to publish and charge for licenses on your models shows what's left on each platform. This text is informational and doesn't replace advice from a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
If I credit the author, can I sell it?
Only if the license allows commercial use. Under an NC license, credit is required, but it doesn't allow the sale. To sell, you need the author's permission.
I bought the file. Can I sell the print?
Buying the file doesn't include that right. On Cults3D the default license is personal use, and on Thangs the commercial license is separate. Check that model's license before you list it.
If I modify an NC model, can I sell it?
No. Under NC licenses, the modified version can't be used commercially without permission either. Changing the size or joining two parts doesn't erase the original file's rule.
What if the page shows no license at all?
Don't sell it. Without a license, you have no permission to reproduce the work commercially. Ask the author and keep the answer in writing.
Is a paid file shared for free in a group OK?
No. Someone who received a leaked file has no license at all, and selling the print uses a work without the author's permission.
Why was GrabCAD left out?
It's aimed at engineering projects. Its general terms talk about non-commercial, internal use of the site, and we found no clear rule for selling parts made from the library's models.