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Manufacturing · head to head

Aras Innovator vs Markforged Eiger

Aras Innovator logo

Aras Innovator

Manufacturing

Subscription PLM platform where every module is included in the seat price

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Markforged Eiger logo

Markforged Eiger

Manufacturing

Free cloud print preparation for Markforged printers, because the money is in the hardware

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aras Innovator aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.; Markforged Eiger eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • They diverge on capability: Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration, Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aras Innovator and Markforged Eiger actually diverge.

Attributes where Aras Innovator and Markforged Eiger differ
AttributeAras InnovatorMarkforged Eiger
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Cloud, Self-hostedWeb, Windows, macOS, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (quote), free tier (Yes), 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 Aras Innovator

  • Model-based configuration
  • Upgrades included
  • All applications in one subscription
  • CAD data management
  • Effectivity and configuration management
  • Community Edition
  • Open REST and OData APIs

Only in Markforged Eiger

  • Continuous fibre routing
  • Cloud slicing
  • Fleet management
  • Part library
  • Material tracking
  • Simulation add-on
  • Eiger Offline
  • Access control

What people use each for

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

Aras Innovator

  • A manufacturer whose current PLM cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releasesnot Markforged Eiger
  • An engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modulesnot Markforged Eiger
  • A medical device or aerospace firm needing full traceability from requirement to as-built serial numbernot Markforged Eiger
  • A company piloting PLM on a real programme using the free 50-user Community Edition before committing budgetnot Markforged Eiger

Markforged Eiger

  • A tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminiumnot Aras Innovator
  • A defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires Eiger Offlinenot Aras Innovator
  • A manufacturing engineering group running several Markforged machines across sites from one queue and part librarynot Aras Innovator
  • A maintenance team producing reinforced replacement brackets on demand rather than holding sparesnot Aras Innovator

Where each one falls short

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

Aras Innovator

  • Aras publishes no prices at all, so you cannot sanity-check a quote against a list price and every negotiation starts from the vendor knowing more than you do.
  • The platform ships as a toolkit rather than a configured process, so a first implementation is typically a six to twelve month engagement with an integrator, and services frequently cost more than the first two years of subscription.
  • The Community Edition is capped at 50 named users, gets only annual releases and excludes Aras-performed upgrades, so it is a genuine free tier but a deliberately awkward place to stay.
  • Configuration flexibility invites over-customisation; organisations that model every local exception end up with a system only two internal people understand, which is the same trap they left their previous PLM to escape.
  • CAD connectors are not all equal in maturity, and some are excluded from the base subscription, so a shop standardised on a less common CAD tool should confirm connector scope in writing before signing.

Markforged Eiger

  • Eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • The standard product is cloud only, meaning part geometry is uploaded to a vendor service, which is unacceptable for many defence and aerospace sites and forces them onto the paid Eiger Offline subscription per machine.
  • Eiger Offline pricing is not published and is charged per machine, so a shop with several printers pays repeatedly for software the cloud users receive free.
  • Slicing control is deliberately simplified compared with open slicers, and experienced operators regularly find they cannot reach a parameter they want without contacting support.
  • Markforged has been through financial pressure and consolidation in the additive sector, and because the software is inseparable from the hardware, a change of ownership or product line pruning would strand the fleet rather than just the tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Aras Innovator

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Up to 50 named users
    • Core product data platform
    • Yearly release cadence only
  • Subscription (Standard, self-hosted)$undefined/year
    • Named-user subscription
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases
  • Subscription (SaaS)$undefined/year
    • Aras-hosted and operated
    • All applications included
    • Quarterly releases

Markforged Eiger

Free
  • Eiger Basic$undefined/year
    • Included at no additional charge with every Markforged printer
    • No per-user or per-printer software fee
    • Cloud print preparation and fleet management
  • Eiger Offline$undefined/year
    • Air-gapped installation for secure and classified environments
    • Sold per machine on subscription
    • Quarterly feature and material updates

Which should you pick?

Choose Aras Innovator if

  • You need model-based configuration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want upgrades included.
Aras Innovator review

Choose Markforged Eiger if

  • You need continuous fibre routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
  • You also want cloud slicing.
Markforged Eiger review

Questions people ask

Is Aras Innovator or Markforged Eiger better?
Neither clearly leads. Aras Innovator starts at Free and Markforged Eiger at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aras Innovator or Markforged Eiger?
Aras Innovator starts at Free and Markforged Eiger at Free.
Does Aras Innovator or Markforged Eiger run on more platforms?
Aras Innovator runs on Web, Windows, Cloud, Self-hosted. Markforged Eiger runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
Can I use Aras Innovator for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Aras Innovator best used for?
Aras Innovator is most often used for a manufacturer whose current plm cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releases, an engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modules, a medical device or aerospace firm needing full traceability from requirement to as-built serial number, a company piloting plm on a real programme using the free 50-user community edition before committing budget. Of those, a manufacturer whose current plm cannot be upgraded because past customisations would break, and who wants configuration that survives releases and an engineering organisation that needs requirements, quality and change management under one data model without buying three modules are not what Markforged Eiger is typically brought in for.
What can Aras Innovator do that Markforged Eiger cannot?
Aras Innovator covers Model-based configuration, Upgrades included, All applications in one subscription, CAD data management. Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aras Innovator: Is Aras Innovator open source?

No. The source is not open. The Community Edition is free of licence fee for up to 50 named users under a revocable licence, which is not the same thing.

Markforged Eiger: How much does Eiger cost?

Nothing, if you own a Markforged printer. It is included with every machine with no per-user or per-printer software fee. Eiger Offline is a separate paid per-machine subscription.

Aras Innovator: Can I buy a perpetual licence?

No. Aras sells subscription only. If a perpetual PLM licence is a procurement requirement, Aras is out.

Markforged Eiger: Can I use Eiger with a non-Markforged printer?

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

Aras Innovator: Do upgrades cost extra?

No, and that is the central commercial claim. Aras performs upgrades of subscriber environments, including customised ones, as part of the subscription.

Markforged Eiger: Is my part geometry uploaded to the cloud?

Yes, in the standard product. Sites that cannot allow that need Eiger Offline.

Aras Innovator: How many modules do I have to buy?

One subscription covers all applications. Some CAD connectors are the exception, so confirm yours is in scope.

Markforged Eiger: Where is the actual cost then?

In the printers and the proprietary filament and continuous fibre spools, which are the recurring spend.

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