Softwr

CAD · head to head

Bentley MicroStation vs Ultimaker Cura

Bentley MicroStation logo

Bentley MicroStation

CAD

CAD and modelling platform for infrastructure design, and the file format the rest of Bentley runs on

From
$2284/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ultimaker Cura logo

Ultimaker Cura

CAD

Powerful 3D printing slicer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ultimaker Cura has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bentley MicroStation bentley licensing has a history of usage-based true-ups, where running the software beyond your entitlement is permitted at the time and invoiced later, so finance teams get bills nobody in the design office authorised.; Ultimaker Cura support varies by community contribution
  • They diverge on capability: Bentley MicroStation covers DGN modelling, Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bentley MicroStation and Ultimaker Cura actually diverge.

Attributes where Bentley MicroStation and Ultimaker Cura differ
AttributeBentley MicroStationUltimaker Cura
Starting price$2284/yearFree
Pricing modelPer user per yearUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS, Linux
FoundedUnknown2011

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

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 Bentley MicroStation

  • DGN modelling
  • DWG editing
  • Reality modelling
  • Parametric components
  • Drawing composition
  • Visualisation
  • MDL and .NET APIs
  • iTwin publishing

Only in Ultimaker Cura

  • Universal printer support
  • Custom profiles
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Cloud integration
  • Tree supports
  • Arachne engine
  • Ultimaker printers
  • Most FDM printers

What people use each for

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

Bentley MicroStation

  • A civil consultancy bidding on state DOT or national highways work that mandates DGN deliverables and issues a MicroStation workspacenot Ultimaker Cura
  • A rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy DGN drawings that would lose data in a DWG round tripnot Ultimaker Cura
  • An engineering firm standardising on OpenRoads or OpenBuildings, which require the MicroStation platform underneathnot Ultimaker Cura
  • A survey or asset team draping design geometry over point clouds and reality meshes for existing-conditions worknot Ultimaker Cura

Ultimaker Cura

  • 3D print slicingnot Bentley MicroStation
  • Professional printingnot Bentley MicroStation

Where each one falls short

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

Bentley MicroStation

  • Bentley licensing has a history of usage-based true-ups, where running the software beyond your entitlement is permitted at the time and invoiced later, so finance teams get bills nobody in the design office authorised.
  • It is Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build and no browser client, which rules it out for studios that have standardised on Mac hardware.
  • The user base is far smaller than AutoCAD's, so hiring a MicroStation operator is harder and slower in most markets and contract staff command a premium.
  • Value depends almost entirely on whether your clients mandate DGN; outside infrastructure and government work you are paying several times the price of mainstream CAD for a format nobody asks you for.
  • Agency workspaces, seed files and configuration variables make deployment a specialist job, and a firm working for several agencies ends up maintaining multiple incompatible configurations.

Ultimaker Cura

  • Support varies by community contribution
  • No commercial technical support

Pricing, plan by plan

Bentley MicroStation

$2284/year
  • Virtuoso Subscription$2284/year
    • Single-user MicroStation licence
    • Bentley Keys redeemable for training, mentoring or consulting
    • Bought through Bentley's eStore with a card
  • Practitioner or Enterprise licence$undefined/year
    • Term or perpetual licence sold direct by Bentley
    • Perpetual purchase requires an ongoing SELECT maintenance subscription
    • Volume and enterprise agreements with pooled licence usage

Ultimaker Cura

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ultimaker Cura review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bentley MicroStation if

  • You need dgn modelling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want dwg editing.
Bentley MicroStation review

Choose Ultimaker Cura if

  • You need universal printer support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want custom profiles.
Ultimaker Cura review

Questions people ask

Is Bentley MicroStation or Ultimaker Cura better?
Neither clearly leads. Bentley MicroStation starts at $2284/year and Ultimaker Cura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bentley MicroStation or Ultimaker Cura?
Ultimaker Cura has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2284/year for Bentley MicroStation and Free for Ultimaker Cura.
Does Bentley MicroStation or Ultimaker Cura run on more platforms?
Bentley MicroStation runs on Windows. Ultimaker Cura runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Ultimaker Cura for free?
Yes. Ultimaker Cura has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bentley MicroStation starts at $2284/year.
What is Bentley MicroStation best used for?
Bentley MicroStation is most often used for a civil consultancy bidding on state dot or national highways work that mandates dgn deliverables and issues a microstation workspace, a rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy dgn drawings that would lose data in a dwg round trip, an engineering firm standardising on openroads or openbuildings, which require the microstation platform underneath, a survey or asset team draping design geometry over point clouds and reality meshes for existing-conditions work. Of those, a civil consultancy bidding on state dot or national highways work that mandates dgn deliverables and issues a microstation workspace and a rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy dgn drawings that would lose data in a dwg round trip are not what Ultimaker Cura is typically brought in for.
What can Bentley MicroStation do that Ultimaker Cura cannot?
Bentley MicroStation covers DGN modelling, DWG editing, Reality modelling, Parametric components. Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support, Custom profiles, Plugin marketplace, Cloud integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bentley MicroStation: Can MicroStation open and save DWG files?

Yes, it edits DWG natively rather than importing it. Fidelity is good but not perfect on complex dynamic blocks and some annotation styles, so a DWG-mandated deliverable is still safer produced in AutoCAD.

Ultimaker Cura: Is Ultimaker Cura free?

Yes. Ultimaker Cura is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium versions, subscriptions, or hidden fees. All features are available to everyone.

Source
Bentley MicroStation: Is there still a perpetual licence?

Yes, Bentley still sells perpetual licences alongside term and Virtuoso subscriptions, but a perpetual licence needs an annual SELECT subscription to receive updates and support, so it is not a one-off cost.

Ultimaker Cura: How many printers does Cura support?

Ultimaker Cura supports over 400 different 3D printer models with out-of-the-box configuration. Users can add custom printers and profiles.

Source
Bentley MicroStation: Do I need MicroStation if I have OpenRoads Designer?

No. The Open products include the MicroStation platform, so buying both separately is duplicate spend.

Ultimaker Cura: What file formats does Cura import?

Ultimaker Cura converts STL, OBJ, 3MF, and other 3D file formats into G-code instructions that 3D printers can execute.

Source
Bentley MicroStation: What is a Bentley Key?

A prepaid token bundled with a Virtuoso subscription that you redeem for training, mentoring or consulting hours. Unused keys are a real cost if nobody in the team books the sessions.

Ultimaker Cura: What features are available?

Cura offers 400+ configurable print settings, material profiles, intent profiles for specific applications, plugin support via the Ultimaker Marketplace, and active community development on GitHub.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Bentley MicroStation

More on Ultimaker Cura

Keep looking

Other head to heads