How much should I sell my candles for?
The honest answer: it depends on what your candle truly costs to make. Most makers price off the supply receipt alone and end up working for free. Start with your true cost per candle — materials, labor and overhead — then apply a markup. A widely used rule is 2× cost for wholesale and 4× cost for retail. So a candle that genuinely costs $10 sells for about $20 to shops and $40 direct to customers.
Why pricing off materials alone loses money
A jar candle might use $5 of wax, fragrance and a jar. Price it at $15 and it feels like a $10 profit — but you spent 12 minutes making it (that's labor) and burned electricity, ruined test pours and replaced broken jars (that's overhead). Add those in and your real cost is closer to $10–$11. Now that $15 price is barely breaking even. This calculator forces all three layers in so your markup sits on a real number.
Candle markup cheat sheet
| Channel | Formula | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | Cost × 2 | ~50% |
| Retail (standard) | Cost × 4 | ~75% |
| Premium / luxury | Cost × 5+ | 80%+ |
Frequently asked questions
How much should I sell my candles for?
Find your true cost per candle, then charge about 2× wholesale and 4× retail. The calculator above does the math the moment you type.
What markup should I use for candles?
2× for wholesale and 4× total cost for retail is the standard. Push retail higher for premium scents, branding or packaging.