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ERP · head to head

Aptean vs Materialise Magics

Aptean logo

Aptean

ERP

ERP solutions for manufacturing and distribution

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

Industrial build preparation and data repair for metal and polymer additive manufacturing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aptean a portfolio of industry-specific products rather than one platform, spanning ERP, TMS, PLM, EAM, WMS, MES and more, so the evaluation is which Aptean product before any feature comparison; Materialise Magics new seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.
  • They diverge on capability: Aptean covers Financial management, Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aptean and Materialise Magics actually diverge.

Attributes where Aptean and Materialise Magics differ
AttributeApteanMaterialise Magics
Starting price$1500/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsCloud, On-premise, WebWindows
CategoryERPManufacturing
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Aptean

  • Financial management
  • Manufacturing
  • Supply chain
  • Inventory management
  • Quality management
  • REST APIs
  • EDI
  • IoT systems

Only in Materialise Magics

  • Mesh repair
  • Part orientation and nesting
  • Support generation
  • Build Processors
  • Simulation module
  • Structures module
  • Reporting and traceability

What people use each for

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

Aptean

  • Industry-specific ERP for manufacturing and distributionnot Materialise Magics
  • Transportation and warehouse managementnot Materialise Magics
  • Product lifecycle management for food and apparelnot Materialise Magics
  • Enterprise asset management and maintenancenot Materialise Magics
  • EDI and payment processing alongside the core systemsnot Materialise Magics

Materialise Magics

  • A service bureau running several brands of metal printer that wants one preparation environment instead of five vendor slicersnot Aptean
  • Repairing badly formed STL or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not acceptnot Aptean
  • Automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the processnot Aptean
  • Simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal buildnot Aptean

Where each one falls short

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

Aptean

  • A portfolio of industry-specific products rather than one platform, spanning ERP, TMS, PLM, EAM, WMS, MES and more, so the evaluation is which Aptean product before any feature comparison
  • Pricing is not published for any product
  • Aimed at mid-sized and large businesses rather than small operations

Materialise Magics

  • New seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.
  • Build Processors are licensed separately per machine family, so adding a new printer brand adds a licence line as well as capital cost, and a mixed fleet multiplies the software bill.
  • The modules that deliver the biggest labour saving, notably e-Stage automated support generation, are paid extras, so the base seat alone leaves you doing manual support work.
  • Materialise publishes no prices anywhere, and quotes vary by region and reseller, so two similar bureaus can pay materially different amounts for the same configuration.
  • It is Windows only and remains a desktop application, which sits awkwardly with the cloud direction of Materialise CO-AM and means preparation capacity is tied to specific workstations and licence seats.

Pricing, plan by plan

Aptean

$1500/month
  • Standard$1500/month
    • Core ERP modules
    • Manufacturing
    • Supply chain
  • Premium$3000/month
    • Advanced modules
    • Analytics
    • Priority support

Materialise Magics

On request
  • Magics Essentials$undefined/year
    • Mesh repair and editing
    • Part orientation and platform placement
    • Basic support generation
  • Magics with modules$undefined/year
    • Everything in Essentials
    • e-Stage automated supports, Simulation, Structures priced individually
    • Build Processors licensed per machine family

Which should you pick?

Choose Aptean if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premise, Web.
  • You also want manufacturing.
Aptean review

Choose Materialise Magics if

  • You need mesh repair.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want part orientation and nesting.
Materialise Magics review

Questions people ask

Is Aptean or Materialise Magics better?
Neither clearly leads. Aptean starts at $1500/month and Materialise Magics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aptean or Materialise Magics?
Aptean starts at $1500/month and Materialise Magics at On request.
Does Aptean or Materialise Magics run on more platforms?
Aptean runs on Cloud, On-premise, Web. Materialise Magics runs on Windows.
What is Aptean best used for?
Aptean is most often used for industry-specific erp for manufacturing and distribution, transportation and warehouse management, product lifecycle management for food and apparel, enterprise asset management and maintenance. Of those, industry-specific erp for manufacturing and distribution and transportation and warehouse management are not what Materialise Magics is typically brought in for.
What can Aptean do that Materialise Magics cannot?
Aptean covers Financial management, Manufacturing, Supply chain, Inventory management. Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build Processors.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aptean: What is Aptean's pricing?

Aptean does not publish pricing on its website. Use the Request Pricing link or contact the sales team directly.

Source
Materialise Magics: Can I still buy a perpetual Magics licence?

No. Since 15 May 2024 Materialise sells new seats and new modules on subscription only. Existing perpetual licences continue to work but new capacity is subscription.

Aptean: Does Aptean offer free product tours or demonstrations?

Yes, Aptean offers free interactive product tours and personalized demos that can be scheduled at your convenience.

Source
Materialise Magics: Do I need a separate Build Processor for each printer?

You need one per machine family, licensed separately from the Magics seat. Budget for it before you buy the printer.

Aptean: What support is included after implementation?

Aptean provides 24/7 unlimited support and expert consultation following implementation.

Source
Materialise Magics: Is Magics the same as CO-AM?

No. Magics is desktop build preparation. CO-AM is the Materialise cloud platform for AM workflow and production management, which absorbed the former Link3D product.

Materialise Magics: Does Magics slice?

It prepares and supports the build and hands off through a Build Processor, which produces the machine-ready file. The machine-specific processing lives in the Build Processor.

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