Buying a used Creality Ender-3: versions, prices and what to check

Work out which version the listing is, then set the asking price against a new Ender-3 V3 SE. The checks below are specific to the Ender-3; the used 3D printer inspection checklist covers any second-hand printer.

How do the Ender-3 versions differ?

Four differences matter: the extruder (Bowden on the Ender-3, Pro, V2 and V2 Neo, direct drive on the rest), leveling (manual on the Ender-3, Pro and V2, automatic on the rest), the build plate, and whether Creality still sells it. All but the V3 Mega and the Max and Plus models have a 220 × 220 mm bed.

Each version, oldest first, with its record’s specs and launch price (US dollars, printer only):

• Ender-3 (March 2018, discontinued; sometimes listed as the “V1”): Bowden, manual leveling, a BuildTak-like sticker on the heated bed, 180 mm/s, no launch price on record.
• Ender-3 Pro (September 2018, discontinued): Bowden, manual, the C-MAG flexible magnetic plate with a textured surface, 180 mm/s, $299.
• Ender-3 V2 (July 2020, discontinued): Bowden, manual, a carborundum glass plate, 180 mm/s, $289 ($269 at its launch sale).
• Ender-3 S1 (December 2021, discontinued): Sprite direct drive, CR Touch, a PC-coated flexible magnetic spring steel plate, 150 mm/s, $399.
• Ender-3 S1 Pro (April 2022, discontinued): Sprite direct drive, CR Touch, a PEI flexible magnetic spring steel plate, a 300 °C hotend against the S1’s 260 °C, 150 mm/s, $479.
• Ender-3 V2 Neo (July 2022, discontinued): Bowden, CR Touch, a PC flexible magnetic plate, 120 mm/s, $299.
• Ender-3 V3 SE (August 2023, current): direct drive, CR Touch with automatic Z offset, a flexible PC plate, 250 mm/s, $199.
• Ender-3 V3 KE (September 2023, current): direct drive, auto leveling, Klipper-based Creality OS with Wi-Fi, 500 mm/s, $279. Launch units shipped a textured PEI sheet, current ones an epoxy resin spring steel sheet.
• Ender-3 V3 (February 2024): a CoreXZ design, direct drive, auto leveling, a flexible textured PEI plate, a hardened steel nozzle, 600 mm/s, $389. Creality’s US store says it will not be restocked.
• Ender-3 V4 (March 2026, current): direct drive, auto leveling, a flexible PEI plate, 500 mm/s, $399, sold only as a combo with one Creality Filament System (CFS) four-spool unit.
• Ender-3 V3 Neo and Ender-3 V3 Mega (both October 2026, current): direct drive, auto leveling, 500 mm/s, $259 and $599. The Mega’s bed is 420 × 420 mm.

In listing photos, look at where the extruder motor sits: on the print head (direct drive) or on the frame, feeding a white tube (Bowden). A probe beside the nozzle is a CR Touch, and a glass plate points to a V2. Ask for a photo of the model label to confirm.

Five more Ender-3 models have no record here. The Ender-3 Neo pairs the classic Bowden frame with a CR Touch. The Ender-3 Max, Max Neo, S1 Plus and V3 Plus each have a 300 × 300 mm bed, so a listing with a bed larger than 220 mm is one of these or a V3 Mega.

The Creality price list sets all 12 records side by side, and the Creality brand page links every spec sheet.

How much is a used Ender-3 worth?

The cheapest new Ender-3 sets the ceiling. On 2 November 2026, Creality’s US store sold a new Ender-3 V3 SE with CR Touch auto leveling and a direct-drive extruder for $179. Its sold-out listings for the Pro, V2, V2 Neo and S1 showed $159 to $179. Any used Ender-3 priced above $179 costs more than that new V3 SE.

Creality’s prices on 2 November 2026, from its US store unless noted:

Version	Price	Status
Ender-3 V3 SE	$179	In stock
Ender-3 V3 Neo	$239	In stock
Ender-3 V3	$239	Out of stock; “will not be restocked”
Ender-3 V3 KE	$259 (livestream-exclusive page)	Sold out
Ender-3 V4 Combo	$399	In stock
Ender-3 V3 Mega	$569	In stock
Ender-3 S1	$175	Out of stock; “will not be restocked”
Ender-3 Pro	$159	Sold out
Ender-3 V2	$179	Out of stock; “will not be restocked”
Ender-3 V2 Neo	$179	Out of stock; “will not be restocked”
Ender-3 S1 Pro	No listing	Page returns not found
Ender-3	$189 on Creality’s product page	Buy link returns not found

Each record lists the plate that came in the box, and a missing or different one is part of the price.

New printers at the same money are in 3D printers under $200 and the cheapest 3D printers. Where to buy a used 3D printer covers the buyer protection each platform offers.

Can you still get parts for a discontinued Ender-3?

Some. On 2 November 2026, Creality’s US store had a power supply and nozzles for the older versions in stock, but its CR Touch and Sprite extruder kits had sold out.

Part, as Creality names it	Fits, per Creality	Price	2 November 2026
Creality 350W Power Supply	V2, Neo, Max Neo, S1, S1 Pro, S1 Plus, V3 SE, V3 KE	$25.34	In stock
MK8 Nozzles Kit 24 PCS	“Ender-3 Series”	$14.99	In stock
CR Touch Auto Leveling Sensor Kit	Ender-3, Pro and V2 with a 32-bit V4.2.2 or V4.2.7 mainboard	$31.20	Out of stock
Sprite Extruder Pro 300℃	S1, S1 Pro, S1 Plus	$39.99	Sold out

What should you check on a used Ender-3?

Check what is specific to the Ender-3: the V-wheels and eccentric nuts on older versions, the Bowden tube, the leveling knobs, the CR Touch probe, the power supply’s 115V/230V switch and the mainboard, which decides which firmware fits. Read the print counter if the firmware keeps one, then watch the seller level the bed and run a test print.

Wheels and eccentric nuts (Ender-3, Pro, V2, S1, S1 Pro). These versions roll on V-slot wheels in the aluminum extrusions. With the power off, push the print head and the bed by hand. Creality’s S1 Pro manual says both should move smoothly with no play and the X gantry should sit level without wobbling. Its FAQ says an eccentric nut that is too loose lets the bed or print head shake, and one too tight makes it stick.

Bowden tube (Ender-3, Pro, V2, V2 Neo). A white PTFE tube carries filament from the extruder on the frame to the hotend. Creality says a tube not seated flush against the nozzle lets molten plastic fill the gap and block the flow. The signs are uneven extrusion, filament that stops after a short time, and a burned tube end. Ask whether the tube has been replaced, and watch the extrusion on the test print.

Leveling knobs (Ender-3, Pro, V2, S1, S1 Pro). Ask the seller to level the bed in front of you. Creality’s method is to slide paper under the nozzle at each corner and turn that corner’s knob until the paper drags, a gap of about 0.1 mm. Every corner should reach that gap, and the first layer should stick evenly across the plate.

CR Touch (V2 Neo, S1, S1 Pro, V3 SE, V3 KE). Run auto leveling from the menu and watch the probe pin drop and retract at each point until the routine finishes. On the V3 KE, Creality’s wiki lists “CR-touch red light flashing, probe not deploying” as a cause of a failed Z home (error 2194).

Power supply switch (documented for the Ender-3, V2 and S1 Pro). These power supplies have a 115V/230V selector. Creality’s S1 Pro manual gives 230V as the default and 115V for 100 to 120 V mains, and says to check the switch before connecting power “to avoid damage to the device.” On a US outlet it must read 115V before you plug in.

Mainboard. Creality’s firmware files each name the board they are for, so a replaced board or custom firmware falls outside them. Ask what was changed, and for a photo of the board or its version marking:

• Ender-3 and Pro: Creality’s current downloads are built for the 32-bit V4.2.2 board, and its own guide says updating is “more complex” on the original Melzi or V1.1.X boards.
• V2: Creality publishes separate firmware for its V4.2.2 and 4.2.7 boards.
• S1 and S1 Pro: builds differ by processor (F103 or F401 on the S1), and Creality says to “confirm the main control chip model before updating the firmware.”

Print hours. In the Marlin-based firmware source Creality publishes on GitHub, the print counter is off for the Ender-3 and V2 and on for the S1 and V3 SE. Where it is on, the M78 command sent from a computer over USB reports total print time. M78 S78 resets it to zero, so treat the figure as a minimum. Used 3D printer hours covers other ways to judge wear.

Test run. With the power on, Creality’s S1 Pro manual has you confirm that the screen, all three axes, both heaters, filament loading and leveling work. Move the axes by hand only with the power off: the manual says pushing the nozzle or bed quickly while the printer is on makes it switch off to protect itself.