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Manufacturing · head to head

Dyndrite vs Materialise Magics

Dyndrite logo

Dyndrite

Manufacturing

GPU-accelerated, scriptable toolpath control for metal laser powder bed fusion

From
On request
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: Dyndrite the value depends on writing Python; a shop without an engineer who codes gets a more expensive version of the build preparation software their machine already came with.; 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: Dyndrite covers Accelerated Computation Engine, Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Dyndrite and Materialise Magics differ
AttributeDyndriteMaterialise Magics
PlatformsWindows, Linux, Desktop, APIWindows

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 Dyndrite

  • Accelerated Computation Engine
  • Python API
  • Custom toolpath control
  • Multi-OEM build files
  • Automated build preparation
  • Materials development framework

Only in Materialise Magics

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

Both cover

  • Support generation

What people use each for

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

Dyndrite

  • An aerospace team qualifying a new titanium alloy and needing to script and version scan strategies rather than accept OEM defaultsnot Materialise Magics
  • A production department preparing builds with thousands of small parts where mesh-based tools take hours per filenot Materialise Magics
  • A group running metal printers from two different manufacturers and wanting one process definition that transfers between themnot Materialise Magics
  • A materials research group testing conditional scan strategies by region to control residual stressnot Materialise Magics

Materialise Magics

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

Where each one falls short

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

Dyndrite

  • The value depends on writing Python; a shop without an engineer who codes gets a more expensive version of the build preparation software their machine already came with.
  • No pricing is published anywhere and it is frequently sold through machine OEM catalogues, so the price you are quoted may depend on which printer vendor you buy through rather than on the software itself.
  • It requires a supported NVIDIA GPU, which rules out the shared virtual desktops many manufacturing IT departments standardise on and adds a hardware line to the purchase.
  • Scope is narrow: it is aimed at metal laser powder bed fusion, so polymer, binder jetting and directed energy deposition users are largely outside its target.
  • It is a small independent vendor with a correspondingly small community, so training material, third-party expertise and hiring for the skill are all harder than for OEM tools, and the OEMs it depends on for machine formats are also its competitors.

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

Dyndrite

On request
  • Dyndrite LPBF Pro$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription quoted per seat
    • Also sold through machine OEM catalogues such as Nikon SLM Solutions
    • Developer and academic programmes available on application

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 Dyndrite if

  • You need accelerated computation engine.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Desktop, API.
  • You also want python api.
Dyndrite 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 Dyndrite or Materialise Magics better?
Neither clearly leads. Dyndrite starts at On request and Materialise Magics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dyndrite or Materialise Magics?
Dyndrite starts at On request and Materialise Magics at On request.
Does Dyndrite or Materialise Magics run on more platforms?
Dyndrite runs on Windows, Linux, Desktop, API. Materialise Magics runs on Windows.
What is Dyndrite best used for?
Dyndrite is most often used for an aerospace team qualifying a new titanium alloy and needing to script and version scan strategies rather than accept oem defaults, a production department preparing builds with thousands of small parts where mesh-based tools take hours per file, a group running metal printers from two different manufacturers and wanting one process definition that transfers between them, a materials research group testing conditional scan strategies by region to control residual stress. Of those, an aerospace team qualifying a new titanium alloy and needing to script and version scan strategies rather than accept oem defaults and a production department preparing builds with thousands of small parts where mesh-based tools take hours per file are not what Materialise Magics is typically brought in for.
What can Dyndrite do that Materialise Magics cannot?
Dyndrite covers Accelerated Computation Engine, Python API, Custom toolpath control, Multi-OEM build files. Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Build Processors, Simulation module. Both handle Support generation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dyndrite: What does Dyndrite cost?

Nothing is published. It is quoted per seat annually and is also resold through machine OEMs, including Nikon SLM Solutions.

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.

Dyndrite: Do I need to write code to use it?

You can use it without scripting, but the reason to choose it over OEM software is the Python API. Without that the case is weak.

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.

Dyndrite: Which printers does it support?

LPBF Pro produces build files for machines from Aconity3D, Additive Industries, EOS, Nikon SLM Solutions, Renishaw, Velo3D and Xact Metal, among others.

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.

Dyndrite: Does it need special hardware?

Yes. The engine is GPU-accelerated and expects a supported NVIDIA GPU.

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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