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Manufacturing · head to head

Fictiv vs OpenBOM

Fictiv logo

Fictiv

Manufacturing

On-demand custom manufacturing with instant CAD quoting, now owned by MISUMI

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenBOM logo

OpenBOM

Manufacturing

Cloud bill of materials and part catalogue management priced per seat, with free read-only users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fictiv this is a manufacturing service, not software you licence, so there is nothing to deploy or own and switching means re-sourcing parts rather than exporting data.; OpenBOM pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • They diverge on capability: Fictiv covers Instant CAD quoting, OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fictiv and OpenBOM actually diverge.

Attributes where Fictiv and OpenBOM differ
AttributeFictivOpenBOM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Windows, macOS, API

Identical on both: 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 Fictiv

  • Instant CAD quoting
  • Design for manufacturing feedback
  • Multi-region network
  • Multiple processes
  • Quality documentation
  • Order and revision tracking
  • Bridge to production

Only in OpenBOM

  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Part catalogue
  • CAD add-ins
  • Change management
  • Free read-only users
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

Fictiv

  • An engineering team needing machined prototypes in days without qualifying a machine shop firstnot OpenBOM
  • Moving a part between regions to change landed cost or tariff exposure without re-sourcing a suppliernot OpenBOM
  • Bridge production between prototype tooling and a committed high-volume suppliernot OpenBOM
  • Getting design-for-manufacturing feedback on a part before committing to injection mould toolingnot OpenBOM

OpenBOM

  • A hardware startup replacing a shared BOM spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing runnot Fictiv
  • A contract manufacturer sharing structured BOMs with customers who should see but not edit themnot Fictiv
  • An electronics team pulling BOMs straight out of Altium and mechanical CAD instead of retyping themnot Fictiv
  • A small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a PLM projectnot Fictiv

Where each one falls short

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

Fictiv

  • This is a manufacturing service, not software you licence, so there is nothing to deploy or own and switching means re-sourcing parts rather than exporting data.
  • A broker sits between you and the shop cutting your part, so at stable production volumes direct sourcing usually beats the platform price and the platform knows it.
  • You do not choose or generally know the specific supplier, which makes process control, supplier audits and traceability harder in regulated or aerospace work.
  • MISUMI completed a $350 million acquisition in June 2025, so roadmap and pricing now answer to a Japanese industrial components group rather than to an independent platform strategy.
  • Instant quotes are geometry-driven and complex or tightly toleranced parts drop into engineer review, so the speed advantage that justified the choice disappears exactly on the parts that are hardest to source.

OpenBOM

  • Pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • Paying yearly nearly halves the seat price, from $55 to $30 and $165 to $90, so monthly billing carries an unusually heavy penalty for teams that want flexibility.
  • Change management, revision control and CAD file management are absent from the entry Team plan, so the cheapest tier is a catalogue rather than a working PLM.
  • It lacks the approval workflows, effectivity dating and audit depth that regulated medical and aerospace suppliers need, so companies pursuing ISO 13485 or AS9100 typically migrate away.
  • Record count is metered separately and a large imported part library can push a small team into a higher data tier without adding a single user.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fictiv

On request
  • Per-part quoting$undefined/month
    • No subscription or platform fee
    • Priced per part by geometry, material, process and quantity
    • Instant quotes for many processes, engineer review for complex parts

OpenBOM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 2,000 data records
    • Basic BOM and catalogue management
    • Non-commercial and educational use
  • Professional Team$55/month
    • $30 per seat per month billed yearly
    • BOM management, part catalogue, inventory
    • RFQ and purchase orders
  • Company$165/month
    • $90 per seat per month billed yearly
    • Everything in Team
    • CAD file management and revision control
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Single sign-on
    • Custom integrations
    • Private or custom hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Fictiv if

  • You need instant cad quoting.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want design for manufacturing feedback.
Fictiv review

Choose OpenBOM if

  • You need multi-level boms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
  • You also want part catalogue.
OpenBOM review

Questions people ask

Is Fictiv or OpenBOM better?
Neither clearly leads. Fictiv starts at On request and OpenBOM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fictiv or OpenBOM?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Fictiv and Free for OpenBOM.
Does Fictiv or OpenBOM run on more platforms?
Fictiv runs on Web, Cloud. OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fictiv starts at On request.
What is Fictiv best used for?
Fictiv is most often used for an engineering team needing machined prototypes in days without qualifying a machine shop first, moving a part between regions to change landed cost or tariff exposure without re-sourcing a supplier, bridge production between prototype tooling and a committed high-volume supplier, getting design-for-manufacturing feedback on a part before committing to injection mould tooling. Of those, an engineering team needing machined prototypes in days without qualifying a machine shop first and moving a part between regions to change landed cost or tariff exposure without re-sourcing a supplier are not what OpenBOM is typically brought in for.
What can Fictiv do that OpenBOM cannot?
Fictiv covers Instant CAD quoting, Design for manufacturing feedback, Multi-region network, Multiple processes. OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fictiv: Is Fictiv software I can buy?

No. It is an on-demand manufacturing service with a quoting and order management platform. You pay for parts, not for the software.

OpenBOM: Is OpenBOM free?

There is a genuine free tier limited to 2,000 data records and aimed at non-commercial and educational use. Commercial teams start at $30 per seat per month billed yearly.

Fictiv: Is Fictiv still independent?

No. MISUMI Group completed its acquisition, valued at $350 million, in June 2025. Fictiv continues to trade under its own name.

OpenBOM: Do I pay for people who only look at BOMs?

No. Read-only users are unlimited and free on every paid plan, which is the main reason the total cost undercuts seat-for-seat PLM tools.

Fictiv: Do I know which factory makes my part?

Generally not. Fictiv manages a vetted network and allocates work within it, which is a limitation if your quality system requires named and audited suppliers.

OpenBOM: Are the CAD add-ins included?

No. They are $25 per seat per month billed yearly, $45 monthly, and require an active Team or Company subscription.

Fictiv: Is it cheaper than sourcing directly?

For prototypes and low volumes, usually yes once you count the cost of finding and qualifying a supplier. At stable production volumes, direct sourcing is normally cheaper.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

For a startup, usually yes. For regulated manufacturing needing controlled workflows and full audit trails, no.

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