The limit: Etsy
- File size cap
- 20 MB
- Triangle cap
- no fixed cap
- Triangles at that size
- 419,428
This page opens the reducer at 18 MB. Source: Etsy help, digital listings (checked 2026-09).
Why the file is over it
Sellers export at maximum quality because the buyer is paying, and 20 MB is only about 420,000 triangles. A figurine sculpted in ZBrush leaves at 1 to 3 million. But a 0.2 mm FDM layer, or even 0.05 mm resin, cannot reproduce detail below roughly 400,000 triangles on a 100 mm model; the extra data is invisible in the print and only makes the download heavier.
How to get under it
- 1Drop the STL below. The target is preset to 18 MB, under the limit with margin for Etsy's own checks.
- 2Press Reduce. Sculpted detail on faces and folds stays; the triangles come out of smooth areas.
- 3Compare the before and after triangle counts on the result card, then look at the mesh in your slicer once.
- 4Download and attach it to the listing as a plain .stl.
What to expect
A 65 MB figurine (1.36 million triangles) to 18 MB keeps about 375,000 triangles. Printed at 0.05 mm on a resin printer, a 120 mm figure shows no difference a buyer can see. If your buyers print large, offer the original through a link in the listing and the reduced file as the direct download.
Other ways
Zipping helps little: binary STL compresses only 10 to 20 percent. Splitting a model across files works up to five files. Blender's Decimate modifier does the same reduction with more clicks and no size target.
Questions
Will buyers notice the reduction?
Not at consumer print resolution. Keep the original for yourself and any buyer who asks for it; state in the listing that the file is print-optimised.
Can I put several models in one listing?
Up to five files of 20 MB each. Reduce each separately with this preset; the tool takes one STL at a time.
Does 3MF help?
Etsy accepts any file type, and 3MF is typically 20 to 40 percent smaller than STL for the same mesh. Reduce first, then convert if you want the extra margin.