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Manufacturing · head to head

Fictiv vs Tulip

Fictiv logo

Fictiv

Manufacturing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tulip logo

Tulip

Manufacturing

Frontline operations platform for manufacturing

From
$100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Tulip minimum 10 interface commitment increases entry cost
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fictiv and Tulip actually diverge.

Attributes where Fictiv and Tulip differ
AttributeFictivTulip
Starting priceOn request$100/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb

Identical on both: 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 Fictiv

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

Only in Tulip

Nothing recorded that Fictiv does not also cover.

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 Tulip
  • Moving a part between regions to change landed cost or tariff exposure without re-sourcing a suppliernot Tulip
  • Bridge production between prototype tooling and a committed high-volume suppliernot Tulip
  • Getting design-for-manufacturing feedback on a part before committing to injection mould toolingnot Tulip

Tulip

  • Production floor apps and dashboardsnot Fictiv
  • Quality and assembly workflowsnot Fictiv
  • Sensor data integrationnot Fictiv
  • Regulated industry manufacturingnot Fictiv
  • Multi-site operational dashboardsnot 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.

Tulip

  • Minimum 10 interface commitment increases entry cost
  • Enterprise and Regulated pricing not transparent
  • Complex per-interface billing model

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

Tulip

$100/month
  • Essentials$100/month
    • Apps, Tulip AI, Tables, Analytics
    • Mobile/desktop/touchscreen access
    • USB device integrations
  • Professional$250/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Advanced edge connectivity
    • SSO/SAML/LDAP
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • All Professional features
    • Workspaces, app approval workflows
    • Custom roles, multilingual apps
  • Regulated Industries$null/month
    • eSignatures (21 CFR Part 11)
    • Auditable record history
    • Zero data loss protection

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 Tulip if

Nothing in the data separates Tulip from Fictiv on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Tulip review

Questions people ask

Is Fictiv or Tulip better?
Neither clearly leads. Fictiv starts at On request and Tulip at $100/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fictiv or Tulip?
Fictiv starts at On request and Tulip at $100/month.
Does Fictiv or Tulip run on more platforms?
Fictiv runs on Web, Cloud. Tulip runs on Web.
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 Tulip is typically brought in for.
What can Fictiv do that Tulip cannot?
Fictiv covers Instant CAD quoting, Design for manufacturing feedback, Multi-region network, Multiple processes.

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.

Tulip: How is Tulip pricing calculated?

Tulip pricing is based on 'Monthly Active Interfaces (MAI)', the number of devices running Tulip Player applications with activity during at least one day per month. Minimum commitment is 10 interfaces.

Source
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.

Tulip: Does Tulip offer a free tier or trial?

No free plan is mentioned on the Tulip pricing page. All pricing tiers require direct contact with sales for quotes and requires a minimum 10 interface commitment.

Source
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.

Tulip: What is the difference between Essentials and Professional tiers?

Professional ($250/MAI/month) adds advanced edge connectivity, SSO/SAML/LDAP, 3rd-party HTTP/SQL integrations, custom widgets, and higher AI Action/automation task limits compared to Essentials ($100/MAI/month).

Source
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.

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