Best TPU Filament 2026: Flexible Spools by Shore Hardness, Ranked

TPU is the filament makers reach for when a part has to bend — phone cases, gaskets, drone bumpers, shoe soles, tool grips, and anything that needs to flex and bounce back instead of snapping. The catch is that flexible filament is harder to print than PLA or PETG: it buckles in the extruder, strings, and demands slow speeds. This guide ranks the best TPU filament we tested in 2026, organized by Shore hardness, so you can pick a spool that prints clean flexible parts on your machine.

TPU filament by the numbers

• 95A — the Shore hardness that is easiest to print and the right starting point for almost everyone; it behaves like a stiff rubber and feeds reliably, while softer 85A grades like NinjaFlex are far harder to print and need a direct-drive extruder (per 3DPrinting.com and All3DP flexible-filament testing).
• NinjaTek Cheetah 95A is rated by All3DP as the single easiest flexible filament available — easy enough that it can even print in Bowden setups where most TPU buckles.
• ~3× faster — Sunlu markets its High Speed TPU as printing roughly three times faster than ordinary TPU, and pre-dries the spool so it prints cleaner straight out of the bag (per Sunlu).
• ±0.03 mm — the typical diameter tolerance of mainstream TPU like Sunlu and Overture, tight enough for reliable flexible extrusion.
• ~215–235 °C — the print-temperature window for most TPU, with the bed at 30–50 °C; the settings that matter most for TPU are slow speed and short retraction, not temperature.

Best TPU filament at a glance

Which TPU should you buy? The 30-second version

If you are new to flexible filament or want the least hassle, buy Polymaker PolyFlex TPU95 — it is the most consistent 95A and feeds cleanly across most printers. For bulk printing on a budget, Overture is the category’s value workhorse with clean winding for less money. Want to print flexible parts fast? Sunlu High Speed TPU is pre-dried and tuned for speed. If your printer is finicky or you’re brand new, NinjaTek Cheetah is the easiest flexible filament to print, even in Bowden setups. Reach for Sunlu TPU 90A when you want grippier, squishier phone cases and tool grips, and NinjaTek NinjaFlex 85A for the softest, most rubber-like, ultra-stretchy parts. Whatever you choose, print slow on direct drive and dry the spool first.

1. Polymaker PolyFlex TPU95 — Best Overall

If flexible filament has a reputation for being frustrating, PolyFlex TPU95 is the spool that fixes it. It is the most consistent 95A we tested: it feeds smoothly thanks to Polymaker’s Jam-Free compounding, resists the buckling that plagues generic TPU at higher speeds, and lays down a smoother surface than its budget rivals. It works across a wide range of printers, so it’s the safe default whether you’re printing phone cases, gaskets, or drone bumpers. For most makers, this is the TPU to buy first.

2. Overture TPU — Best Value

When you want to try flexible printing without spending a premium, Overture TPU is the deal. It is the best-selling TPU in the category for good reason: clean winding, sane diameter control, and a price that makes experimenting affordable. Prints are strong and reliable, and it feeds well on a direct-drive setup. The surface finish is a hair duller than PolyFlex on the softest single-wall prints, but for the money, Overture is the best TPU value in 2026 and a great roll to learn flexible printing on.

3. Sunlu High Speed TPU — Best for Fast Printing

If you run a fast modern machine and don’t want flexible parts to crawl off the bed, Sunlu’s High Speed TPU is built for it. Sunlu rates it at roughly three times the speed of ordinary TPU, and because the filament ships pre-dried, you get fewer steam pops and cleaner surfaces straight out of the bag. It is frequently the cheapest mainstream TPU on the shelf, holds a ±0.03 mm tolerance, and comes in a big color range. For high-volume flexible printing on a CoreXY or fast direct-drive printer, it’s the value speed pick.

4. NinjaTek Cheetah — Best for Beginners

If your printer is finicky with flexibles — or you’re brand new and want the highest odds of a clean first print — NinjaTek Cheetah is the easiest flexible filament to print, full stop. All3DP rates it the single easiest flexible available, and it’s stiff enough at 95A to feed even in Bowden setups where most TPU buckles and jams. Layer adhesion and abrasion resistance are excellent, so the parts are tough as well as easy. It costs more than budget TPU, but on a difficult machine, the reliability pays for itself.

5. Sunlu TPU 90A — Best Grippy / Soft

When 95A feels too firm — for a phone case that should grip, a tool handle that should cushion, or a watch band that should feel like rubber — step down to Sunlu’s 90A. It’s noticeably softer and squishier than standard TPU while still being printable on most direct-drive machines, and Sunlu pre-dries it for cleaner results. The trade-off for that softer feel is that you’ll want to slow down and use a short, direct filament path. For grippy, comfortable, rubbery parts at a reasonable price, 90A is the sweet spot.

6. NinjaTek NinjaFlex — Best Ultra-Flexible

When a part needs to stretch, bounce, and bend like real rubber, NinjaFlex is the benchmark. At 85A it’s the softest filament in this guide — wildly elastic, with the kind of give you want for seals, gaskets, shoe soles, vibration dampers, and stretchy wearables. That softness is also what makes it the hardest to print: it demands a direct-drive extruder and patient, slow speeds, or it buckles. Get the setup right and nothing else here flexes like it. For ultra-flexible parts where 95A simply isn’t soft enough, NinjaFlex is the one to reach for.

How to choose the right TPU filament

Start with Shore hardness. It’s the single most important spec. 95A is the easiest to print and the right choice for most flexible parts — cases, bumpers, brackets, drone arms. Drop to 90A for grippier, squishier parts like phone cases and tool grips. Go to 85A (NinjaFlex) only when you need rubber-band softness, and know it’s the hardest to print.

Match it to your extruder. A direct-drive extruder is strongly preferred for TPU because the short filament path gives flexible filament less room to buckle. Stock Bambu Lab, Creality K1, Prusa, and Sovol machines handle 95A well. If you have a Bowden setup, stick to a stiff, easy 95A like NinjaTek Cheetah, or expect jams with anything softer.

Print slow and dry the spool. TPU prints best slow — often 15–30 mm/s for soft grades — with short retraction (0.5–2 mm) and a textured plate. And because TPU is hygroscopic, dry the spool before an important print; wet TPU is the number-one cause of stringing and steam pops. A filament dryer at 50–60 °C makes a bigger difference with TPU than almost any other material.

Frequently asked questions

This section is rendered from the FAQ schema above and mirrors the questions makers ask most about flexible filament — best overall TPU, what Shore hardness means, why TPU is hard to print, whether to dry it, printer compatibility, and print temperature.

Related guides

• Best 3D Printers 2026: Tested & Ranked — our pillar buyer’s guide across every budget.
• Best 3D Printer Filament 2026 — the full filament hub across PLA, PETG, ASA, and TPU.
• Best PLA Filament 2026 — the easiest material to print, for looks and detail.
• Best PETG Filament 2026 — tough, heat-resistant spools for functional parts.
• Best Filament Dryer 2026 — essential for keeping hygroscopic TPU print-ready.