# PLA vs ABS: which should I use?

PolyLite PLA's sheet, checked 21 October 2026, puts the heat-deflection temperature at 60 °C (140 °F) under a 0.45 MPa load and 58 °C (136 °F) under a 1.8 MPa load. PolyLite ABS, same ISO 75 test and both loads, is 100 °C (212 °F) and 98 °C (208 °F). Tensile strength, impact, and UV hours are absent from these rows, so the comparison stays on the heat numbers.

PolyLite PLA's sheet, checked 21 October 2026, puts the heat-deflection temperature at 60 °C (140 °F) under a 0.45 MPa load and 58 °C (136 °F) under a 1.8 MPa load. PolyLite ABS, same ISO 75 test and both loads, is 100 °C (212 °F) and 98 °C (208 °F). Tensile strength, impact, and UV hours are absent from these rows, so the comparison stays on the heat numbers.

Use PLA when the part stays under PolyLite PLA's heat-deflection temperatures. Step to ABS when the part has to stay stiff at the higher PolyLite ABS temperatures, and accept the hotter nozzle and bed. [PLA versus PETG](/answers/pla_vs_petg), [PETG versus ABS and ASA](/answers/petg_vs_abs), [ABS printing](/answers/abs_print), and [heat](/answers/heat) are the neighboring pages. MPa is the pressure of the load on the test bar. The heavier load, 1.8 MPa, is where both plastics deflect at the lower temperature.
## Same brand, both loads

[PolyLite PLA](/brand/polymaker/polylite-pla) lists 190–230 °C (374–446 °F), a bed of 25–60 °C (77–140 °F), and drying at 55 °C (131 °F) for 6 h. The heat dataset, checked 21 October 2026, lists heat-deflection temperature 60 °C (140 °F) at 0.45 MPa and 58 °C (136 °F) at 1.8 MPa, ISO 75. Vicat softening is 63 °C (145 °F), ISO 306, and the Vicat load cell is blank. Glass transition is 61 °C (142 °F). [PolyLite ABS](/brand/polymaker/polylite-abs) lists 230–260 °C (446–500 °F), a bed of 90–110 °C (194–230 °F), and drying at 70 °C (158 °F) for 6 h. Heat-deflection temperature is 100 °C (212 °F) at 0.45 MPa and 98 °C (208 °F) at 1.8 MPa. Vicat is 104 °C (219 °F) with the load blank. Glass transition is 101 °C (214 °F).

Tensile strength, impact, and UV hours are not fields on these heat-dataset rows. A higher heat-deflection temperature is the comparison these sheets support. [Prusament PLA](/brand/prusament/pla) lists 205–225 °C (401–437 °F) and a bed of 40–60 °C (104–140 °F). The heat dataset has no row for it, so it is not given a heat-deflection number here. The order is PLA, then ABS, then a second PLA print setting. It is not a strength ranking.
## What the community says

[a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1cpkm49/) uses PLA, names ABS for something that might see sunlight, calls ABS nasty, and stays with PLA and PETG.

[a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1cpkm49/): prefers PETG-CF.

[a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/15htfaf/) says PLA softens around 60–65 °C (140–149 °F) and ABS around 105 °C (221 °F).

Updated 2026-10-26. Sources accessed 2026-10-26. Use case: PLA.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Polymaker Polylite PLA | 190–230 °C (374–446 °F) | 25–60 °C (77–140 °F) | — |
| 2 | Polymaker Polylite ABS | 230–260 °C (446–500 °F) | 90–110 °C (194–230 °F) | — |
| 3 | Prusament PLA | 205–225 °C (401–437 °F) | 40–60 °C (104–140 °F) | — |

## Sources

- [Polymaker PolyLite PLA technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_PLA_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf) (datasheet)
- [Polymaker PolyLite ABS technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_ABS_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf) (datasheet)
- [Open Filament Database, Prusament PLA](https://api.openfilamentdatabase.org/api/v1/brands/prusament/materials/PLA/filaments/pla/index.json) (other)
- [a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1cpkm49/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/15htfaf/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/3Dprinting](https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1ch6ocp/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/prusa3d](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1gc4ty7/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/FixMyPrint](https://www.reddit.com/r/FixMyPrint/comments/1q4ogoo/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/pla_vs_abs