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Manufacturing · head to head

AMFG vs GrabCAD Print

AMFG logo

AMFG

Manufacturing

Automated quoting and production workflow software for machine shops and additive bureaus

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GrabCAD Print logo

GrabCAD Print

Manufacturing

Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AMFG no pricing is published in any form, and the product is sold by module and site, so total cost is invisible until you are several sales calls in.; GrabCAD Print it only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • They diverge on capability: AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AMFG and GrabCAD Print actually diverge.

Attributes where AMFG and GrabCAD Print differ
AttributeAMFGGrabCAD Print
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per year
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWindows, Desktop, Cloud

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AMFG

  • Geometric auto-quoting
  • 2D drawing analysis
  • Production planning and scheduling
  • Shop-floor control
  • Quality tracking
  • Customer portal
  • CAD and CAM plugins

Only in GrabCAD Print

  • Native CAD import
  • Multi-technology support
  • Tray arrangement and supports
  • Nesting (Pro)
  • Manufacturing templates (Pro)
  • Part labelling (Pro)
  • Wall thickness analysis (Pro)
  • Cost estimation (Pro)

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AMFG

  • A machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hoursnot GrabCAD Print
  • An additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machinesnot GrabCAD Print
  • A manufacturer running AM and CNC in the same facility and wanting one production record across bothnot GrabCAD Print
  • Replacing an email and spreadsheet ordering process with a customer portal that produces priced quotes automaticallynot GrabCAD Print

GrabCAD Print

  • A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot AMFG
  • A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot AMFG
  • A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot AMFG
  • An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot AMFG

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AMFG

  • No pricing is published in any form, and the product is sold by module and site, so total cost is invisible until you are several sales calls in.
  • Automated quoting only becomes accurate once your cost model, machine rates and material data are properly loaded, so the value arrives months after go-live and early quotes need human checking.
  • The product started in additive manufacturing and has pivoted its marketing towards CNC machine shops, which means some CNC-specific depth is newer than the additive lineage and worth testing against your actual process mix.
  • It overlaps heavily with ERP and MES scope, so shops with an existing ERP face an ownership decision over scheduling and customer records that is a political problem, not a technical one.
  • It is a comparatively small vendor against established shop-floor systems, so integration work into an incumbent ERP will fall largely on you or a partner rather than on a pre-built certified connector.

GrabCAD Print

  • It only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • Pro is 5,000 US dollars per named user per year on top of machines that already cost six figures, and there is no floating licence in the standard offer, so shift-based teams buy multiple seats.
  • The production features that most justify the spend, nesting and manufacturing templates, are all locked behind Pro, meaning the free tier is not viable for a bureau.
  • Stratasys materials are proprietary and cartridge-locked, so the software sits on top of a consumables model where the recurring cost is set entirely by the vendor.
  • Support and feature coverage vary by printer family; newer technologies such as SAF and the Neo SLA line have historically lagged FDM in the depth of preparation options exposed.

Pricing, plan by plan

AMFG

On request
  • AMFG$undefined/year
    • Automated quoting and estimating
    • Production planning and scheduling
    • Shop-floor control and quality tracking

GrabCAD Print

Free
  • GrabCAD Print StandardFree
    • Free for Stratasys printer owners
    • Native CAD import and tray arrangement
    • Support generation and section tools
  • GrabCAD Print Pro$5000/year
    • Per named user per year
    • Automated build nesting
    • Manufacturing templates with locked process parameters

Which should you pick?

Choose AMFG if

  • You need geometric auto-quoting.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want 2d drawing analysis.
AMFG review

Choose GrabCAD Print if

  • You need native cad import.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
  • You also want multi-technology support.
GrabCAD Print review

Questions people ask

Is AMFG or GrabCAD Print better?
Neither clearly leads. AMFG starts at On request and GrabCAD Print at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AMFG or GrabCAD Print?
GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AMFG and Free for GrabCAD Print.
Does AMFG or GrabCAD Print run on more platforms?
AMFG runs on Web, Cloud. GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
Can I use GrabCAD Print for free?
Yes. GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AMFG starts at On request.
What is AMFG best used for?
AMFG is most often used for a machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hours, an additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machines, a manufacturer running am and cnc in the same facility and wanting one production record across both, replacing an email and spreadsheet ordering process with a customer portal that produces priced quotes automatically. Of those, a machine shop losing work because quoting takes three days and competitors answer in three hours and an additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machines are not what GrabCAD Print is typically brought in for.
What can AMFG do that GrabCAD Print cannot?
AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, 2D drawing analysis, Production planning and scheduling, Shop-floor control. GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro).

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AMFG: Does AMFG replace my ERP?

No. It covers quoting through shop-floor execution and quality. Finance, purchasing and inventory usually stay in the ERP, and you must decide which system owns scheduling.

GrabCAD Print: Is GrabCAD Print free?

GrabCAD Print Standard is free for Stratasys printer owners. GrabCAD Print Pro is 5,000 US dollars per user per year.

AMFG: Is it only for 3D printing?

No, though that is where it started. It now targets CNC machine shops as well and markets quoting for machining, sheet metal and additive.

GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?

No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.

AMFG: How accurate is automated quoting out of the box?

Not accurate until your machine rates, materials and cost model are configured. Treat the first months of quotes as assisted rather than automatic.

GrabCAD Print: What do I actually get for the Pro fee?

Nesting, manufacturing templates, part labelling, wall thickness analysis and build cost estimation. These are production rather than prototyping features.

AMFG: Is pricing published?

No. It is quoted by number of users, sites and selected modules.

GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?

Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.

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