Print at home: why STL files beat physical minis for most players
Heroforge is ideal if you want a custom character without owning a printer. But for players who already have an FDM or resin printer, buying STL files is dramatically cheaper per mini at scale. A resin printer (Elegoo Mars, Anycubic Photon) produces miniatures at roughly $0.10-0.20 in material — the resolution rivals Heroforge's standard plastic at a fraction of the ongoing cost.
Proofly's miniature and tabletop RPG categories include STL files for D&D monsters, fantasy heroes, terrain scatter, dungeon tiles, and wargaming units — all from independent creators. Each listing shows polygon count, bounding box dimensions, and manifold check results in the in-browser viewer so you know what you're printing before you buy.
For miniature creators: sell your STLs with piracy protection
If you design tabletop miniatures, Proofly lets you sell STL and 3MF files with HiddenMark protection — a unique steganographic watermark embedded in the mesh geometry of every paid download. If a buyer shares your file without authorization, you can upload the suspected file to proofly.store/hiddenmark and identify which purchase it came from in seconds.
Creators keep 100% of their listing price. The buyer pays a small flat service fee directly. You can list on Proofly alongside MyMiniFactory, Cults3D, and Printables with no exclusivity requirement.
HiddenMark watermarking
Every paid Proofly download gets a unique watermark in the mesh geometry — unique to the specific buyer and purchase. Invisible to slicers, renders, and editing software, but readable by the Proofly verifier. No other major miniature STL marketplace offers equivalent per-buyer forensic tracing.
How HiddenMark works →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Heroforge and an STL marketplace?
Heroforge is a custom miniature designer and print-on-demand service. You design a miniature in their browser tool, then they ship a physical mini to you — typically $7-25+ depending on material and size. You cannot reprint that mini without ordering again. An STL marketplace like Proofly sells you the 3D print file. You buy it once ($3-12 typically) and print it as many times as you want on your own FDM or resin printer, at a material cost of a few cents per mini.
Is Proofly a good alternative to Heroforge for tabletop miniatures?
Yes, if you own a 3D printer. Proofly's marketplace includes STL files for fantasy characters, D&D monsters, tabletop terrain, RPG props, and wargaming miniatures — all from independent creators. You download the STL file and print it yourself at whatever scale and quality your printer supports. You can reprint broken parts, scale figures to different sizes, and print multiple copies of the same mini without paying again.
How much does it cost to print miniatures from STL files?
With an FDM printer (PLA filament at ~$20/kg), a standard 32mm D&D miniature uses roughly 5-10g of filament — about $0.10-0.20 in material. With a resin printer (resin at ~$25/L), a 32mm mini uses 3-5mL — about $0.08-0.13 in resin. The STL file on Proofly costs a one-time $3-12 fee from the creator. Compare that to $7-25 per Heroforge physical mini, with no ability to reprint.
Do STL files from Proofly work with FDM and resin printers?
Yes. Proofly's STL files work with PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, Cura, Lychee Slicer, and Chitubox — the major slicing software for both FDM and resin printers. Many miniature creators on Proofly include print-tested profiles and recommended settings (layer height, supports, infill) in the listing. The in-browser 3D viewer lets you inspect topology and check for manifold geometry before buying.
Can I sell my own tabletop miniature designs on Proofly?
Yes. Proofly supports STL, 3MF, and OBJ uploads — the formats used for tabletop miniatures. Creators keep 100% of their listing price (the buyer pays a small flat service fee). Every paid download gets HiddenMark watermarking — a unique steganographic code in the mesh geometry that lets you identify any leaked file. You can sell on Proofly alongside MyMiniFactory, Cults3D, or other platforms with no exclusivity requirement.
Browse miniature STL files — print today
Instant download, full 3D preview before you buy, and HiddenMark protection on every file. Buy once, print unlimited.