warebyhow much to charge for candles
a price that pays for the materials, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
about $15.00 a candle, if you pay yourself $20 an hour and keep a 25% profit after wareby’s free-plan fees. a fair range is $10.50 to $17.45 a candle, depending on your pay, your profit and where you sell. the math: a batch of 12 soy candles in 8 oz jars costs about $58.80 in materials, and with packaging, your time and overhead, one comes to $9.00. change any number in the pricing calculator to get your own price.
what does a batch of 12 soy candles in 8 oz jars cost to make?
these are example prices: swap in what you pay. buying in bulk brings most of them down.
| material | amount | cost | price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| soy wax | about 7 oz a candle | $25.20 | example: use yours |
| wicks | 12 | $1.80 | example: use yours |
| jars and lids | 12 | $19.20 | example: use yours |
| fragrance oil | $12.60 | example: use yours | |
| a batch of 12 soy candles in 8 oz jars, total | $58.80 |
what does one cost you, all in?
| cost | for one item |
|---|---|
| materials ($58.80 ÷ 12) | $4.90 |
| packaging | $0.60 |
| your time (90 minutes a batch at $20 an hour ÷ 12) | $2.50 |
| overhead | $1.00 |
| your cost | $9.00 |
these match the example in our pricing guide: 90 minutes to pour, cure, label and pack 12 candles. the bls puts the median wage for craft artists at $22.15 an hour (may 2025).
what should you charge for candles?
here’s the price that pays for all of that and leaves a 25% profit, depending on where you sell (fees from each company’s own pages):
| where you sell | price a candle | fees | profit on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| cash, no fees | $12.00 | $0.00 | $3.00 |
| a card reader at a market (2.6% + 15¢) | $12.65 | $0.48 | $3.17 |
| wareby, free plan | $15.00 | $2.25 | $3.75 |
| hotplate | $12.90 | $0.67 | $3.23 |
| etsy | $14.45 | $1.82 | $3.63 |
the more a platform takes, the higher the price has to be for the same profit. cash at a market costs nothing, but it only reaches the people walking by.
what’s a fair price range?
the same candles at different pay and profit, sold on wareby’s free plan:
| your hourly pay | 20% profit | 30% profit |
|---|---|---|
| $15 an hour | $12.95 | $15.25 |
| $20 an hour | $13.90 | $16.35 |
| $25 an hour | $14.85 | $17.45 |
how do you make more on candles?
- pour bigger batches: a dozen takes barely more time than six.
- sell refills or a discount for returning jars.
- a two-candle gift set raises your order size and shrinks the per-order fees.
- seasonal scents sell out: make more in november than you think you’ll need.
- planning to sell to shops too? the classic rule doubles your cost for a wholesale price and doubles it again for retail: about $36 for this candle. here’s why it’s worth considering.
questions people ask
how much should i charge for candles?
about $15.00 a candle at $20 an hour and a 25% profit on wareby’s free plan. a fair range is $10.50 to $17.45 a candle.
how much does it cost to make candles?
about $58.80 in materials for a batch of 12 soy candles in 8 oz jars, or $9.00 an item with packaging, your time and overhead.
how much should i sell a soy candle for?
enough to cover wax, jar, wick, fragrance, label, your time and fees, plus profit. with the example costs, that’s the price above.
sources
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
