How much wax do I need per candle?

Divide your jar's fill volume in ounces by how much one pound of wax yields — 16 oz of wax plus fragrance oil typically fills about two 8 oz containers. This calculator does it automatically: enter your batch weight, fragrance load, and jar volume, and it estimates how many candles you can pour after accounting for loss.

What fragrance oil percentage should I use?

Most container candles use a 6–10% fragrance load. 6% gives a lighter scent, 8% is a dependable standard, and 10% pushes a stronger hot throw. Always check your wax's maximum fragrance load, and measure fragrance as a percentage of wax weight rather than total volume.

How do I price handmade candles?

Start from your true cost per candle — wax, fragrance oil, container, wick, label, and a share of overhead — then apply your desired profit margin or test a target retail price. Common rules of thumb are 2× total cost for wholesale and 3–4× for retail.

What profit margin should a candle business aim for?

Many small candle businesses target a 25–50% profit margin per candle after material costs. Wholesale orders usually run at lower margins with higher volume, while direct-to-customer sales support higher margins.

What does loss percentage mean in candle making?

Loss percentage covers the wax and fragrance that never make it into a finished candle — residue on pitchers, spills, and test pours. Most makers lose 3–10% of a batch, and this calculator subtracts that loss before working out how many candles the run finishes.

How do I calculate the cost of one candle?

Add the materials used by a single candle — wax by weight, fragrance oil, one container, one wick, one label — plus a per-candle share of other expenses like packaging and shipping supplies. The calculator totals your batch costs and divides them across your expected yield.

How much fragrance oil per pound of wax?

At a standard 8% fragrance load, one pound of wax (16 oz) takes about 1.3 oz of fragrance oil; at 6% it's roughly 1 oz, and at 10% about 1.6 oz. Enter your wax weight and fragrance percentage above and the calculator converts it into exact ounces for your batch.

How many candles does a pound of wax make?

One pound of wax plus fragrance oil yields roughly 17–18 oz of pourable candle, which fills about two 8 oz jars, four 4 oz tins, or one large 16 oz three-wick candle. The calculator estimates your exact yield from batch weight, fragrance load, jar size, and expected loss.

Which wax is best for candle making?

Soy wax is the most popular choice for container candles — affordable, clean-burning, and beginner-friendly. Paraffin gives the strongest scent throw, coconut and coconut-soy blends offer a premium creamy finish, and beeswax burns longest but costs the most. Whichever wax you choose, this calculator works the same: enter its weight and cost to see your true cost per candle.

Is candle making profitable?

Yes — handmade candles commonly sell for 3–4× their material cost, so a candle that costs $4 to make can retail for $12–16. Profitability comes down to knowing your true cost per candle and pricing deliberately, which is exactly what this calculator is built to do for every batch.

Candle Calculator

Free candle calculator for wax, fragrance oil, batch yield, cost per candle, and pricing by profit margin or target price. Works in 17 languages, no sign-up.