Manufacturing · head to head
Autodesk Netfabb vs GrabCAD Print
Autodesk Netfabb
Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing build preparation and simulation, now sold only bundled with Fusion
- From
- $4415/year
- Rated
- -
GrabCAD Print
Manufacturing
Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Autodesk Netfabb netfabb Ultimate has been retired outright, with no 2026 release and no renewals, so anyone who bought Ultimate is frozen on the 2025.1 build and must accept the repackaged Netfabb instead.; 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: Autodesk Netfabb covers Mesh repair, 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 Autodesk Netfabb and GrabCAD Print actually diverge.
| Attribute | Autodesk Netfabb | GrabCAD Print |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4415/year | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Windows, Desktop | Windows, Desktop, Cloud |
Identical on both: pricing model (Per user per year), 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 Autodesk Netfabb
- Mesh repair
- Build orientation and nesting
- Support generation
- Build simulation
- Geometry compensation
- Lattice and shell structures
- Machine library
- Fusion bundle
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.
Autodesk Netfabb
- A metal additive bureau predicting distortion on a laser powder bed build before committing twenty hours of machine timenot GrabCAD Print
- An aerospace supplier applying automatic geometry compensation so printed parts land within tolerance without iterative trial buildsnot GrabCAD Print
- A production department nesting hundreds of small parts into a single polymer build to raise volume utilisationnot GrabCAD Print
- An engineering team that already subscribes to Fusion and wants AM preparation without adding a second vendornot GrabCAD Print
GrabCAD Print
- A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot Autodesk Netfabb
- A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot Autodesk Netfabb
- A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot Autodesk Netfabb
- An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot Autodesk Netfabb
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Autodesk Netfabb
- Netfabb Ultimate has been retired outright, with no 2026 release and no renewals, so anyone who bought Ultimate is frozen on the 2025.1 build and must accept the repackaged Netfabb instead.
- Autodesk has ended development of the Selective Space Structures, Optimization Utility and Lattice Topology utilities, which removes capability some customers specifically bought the product for.
- It is now only sold bundled as Autodesk Fusion with Netfabb, so a shop that has standardised on other CAD pays for Fusion entitlements it will not use.
- At around 4,415 US dollars per seat per year it is far above slicer-class tools, and the pricing is per named user with no floating option in the standard subscription, which hurts teams where the AM engineer role is shared.
- Machine coverage is broad but not universal, and the newest printers from smaller manufacturers often reach their vendor own preparation software long before a Netfabb profile appears.
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
Autodesk Netfabb
$4415/year- Autodesk Fusion with Netfabb$4415/year
- Single-user subscription
- Netfabb build preparation, formerly Premium
- Selected functionality from the retired Ultimate edition
- Netfabb Simulation$undefined/year
- Metal powder bed build simulation
- Quoted through Autodesk sales, no published price
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 Autodesk Netfabb if
- You need mesh repair.
- You work on Windows, Desktop.
- You also want build orientation and nesting.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Autodesk Netfabb or GrabCAD Print better?
- Neither clearly leads. Autodesk Netfabb starts at $4415/year and GrabCAD Print at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Autodesk Netfabb or GrabCAD Print?
- GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4415/year for Autodesk Netfabb and Free for GrabCAD Print.
- Does Autodesk Netfabb or GrabCAD Print run on more platforms?
- Autodesk Netfabb runs on Windows, Desktop. 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. Autodesk Netfabb starts at $4415/year.
- What is Autodesk Netfabb best used for?
- Autodesk Netfabb is most often used for a metal additive bureau predicting distortion on a laser powder bed build before committing twenty hours of machine time, an aerospace supplier applying automatic geometry compensation so printed parts land within tolerance without iterative trial builds, a production department nesting hundreds of small parts into a single polymer build to raise volume utilisation, an engineering team that already subscribes to fusion and wants am preparation without adding a second vendor. Of those, a metal additive bureau predicting distortion on a laser powder bed build before committing twenty hours of machine time and an aerospace supplier applying automatic geometry compensation so printed parts land within tolerance without iterative trial builds are not what GrabCAD Print is typically brought in for.
- What can Autodesk Netfabb do that GrabCAD Print cannot?
- Autodesk Netfabb covers Mesh repair, Build orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build simulation. GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro).
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Autodesk Netfabb: Is Netfabb discontinued?
No, but Netfabb Ultimate is. There is a 2026 release of Netfabb, sold only as Autodesk Fusion with Netfabb. Ultimate licences cannot be renewed.
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.
Autodesk Netfabb: What does it cost?
The Fusion with Netfabb single-user subscription is listed at roughly 4,415 US dollars a year. Netfabb Simulation is quoted separately.
GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?
No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.
Autodesk Netfabb: Is there a perpetual licence?
No. Autodesk sells subscription only across its product range.
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.
Autodesk Netfabb: Do I need Fusion to use it?
You do not have to use Fusion, but you now pay for it, because the bundle is the only way Netfabb is sold.
GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?
Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.
Related pages
More on Autodesk Netfabb
More on GrabCAD Print
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