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Manufacturing · head to head

AMFG vs OpenBOM

AMFG logo

AMFG

Manufacturing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenBOM logo

OpenBOM

Manufacturing

Cloud bill of materials and part catalogue management priced per seat, with free read-only users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM 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.; OpenBOM pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • They diverge on capability: AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AMFG and OpenBOM actually diverge.

Attributes where AMFG and OpenBOM differ
AttributeAMFGOpenBOM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Windows, macOS, API

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 OpenBOM

  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Part catalogue
  • CAD add-ins
  • Change management
  • Free read-only users
  • REST API

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 OpenBOM
  • An additive bureau that needs one system for order intake, build scheduling and traceability across several machinesnot OpenBOM
  • A manufacturer running AM and CNC in the same facility and wanting one production record across bothnot OpenBOM
  • Replacing an email and spreadsheet ordering process with a customer portal that produces priced quotes automaticallynot OpenBOM

OpenBOM

  • A hardware startup replacing a shared BOM spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing runnot AMFG
  • A contract manufacturer sharing structured BOMs with customers who should see but not edit themnot AMFG
  • An electronics team pulling BOMs straight out of Altium and mechanical CAD instead of retyping themnot AMFG
  • A small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a PLM projectnot 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.

OpenBOM

  • Pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • Paying yearly nearly halves the seat price, from $55 to $30 and $165 to $90, so monthly billing carries an unusually heavy penalty for teams that want flexibility.
  • Change management, revision control and CAD file management are absent from the entry Team plan, so the cheapest tier is a catalogue rather than a working PLM.
  • It lacks the approval workflows, effectivity dating and audit depth that regulated medical and aerospace suppliers need, so companies pursuing ISO 13485 or AS9100 typically migrate away.
  • Record count is metered separately and a large imported part library can push a small team into a higher data tier without adding a single user.

Pricing, plan by plan

AMFG

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

OpenBOM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 2,000 data records
    • Basic BOM and catalogue management
    • Non-commercial and educational use
  • Professional Team$55/month
    • $30 per seat per month billed yearly
    • BOM management, part catalogue, inventory
    • RFQ and purchase orders
  • Company$165/month
    • $90 per seat per month billed yearly
    • Everything in Team
    • CAD file management and revision control
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Single sign-on
    • Custom integrations
    • Private or custom hosting

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 OpenBOM if

  • You need multi-level boms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
  • You also want part catalogue.
OpenBOM review

Questions people ask

Is AMFG or OpenBOM better?
Neither clearly leads. AMFG starts at On request and OpenBOM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AMFG or OpenBOM?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AMFG and Free for OpenBOM.
Does AMFG or OpenBOM run on more platforms?
AMFG runs on Web, Cloud. OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM 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 OpenBOM is typically brought in for.
What can AMFG do that OpenBOM cannot?
AMFG covers Geometric auto-quoting, 2D drawing analysis, Production planning and scheduling, Shop-floor control. OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management.

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.

OpenBOM: Is OpenBOM free?

There is a genuine free tier limited to 2,000 data records and aimed at non-commercial and educational use. Commercial teams start at $30 per seat per month billed yearly.

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.

OpenBOM: Do I pay for people who only look at BOMs?

No. Read-only users are unlimited and free on every paid plan, which is the main reason the total cost undercuts seat-for-seat PLM tools.

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.

OpenBOM: Are the CAD add-ins included?

No. They are $25 per seat per month billed yearly, $45 monthly, and require an active Team or Company subscription.

AMFG: Is pricing published?

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

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

For a startup, usually yes. For regulated manufacturing needing controlled workflows and full audit trails, no.

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