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Manufacturing · head to head

Formlabs PreForm vs Fulcrum

Formlabs PreForm logo

Formlabs PreForm

Manufacturing

Free print preparation software that only drives Formlabs printers, because the money is in hardware and resin

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fulcrum logo

Fulcrum

Manufacturing

Field operations management for installing, inspecting and maintaining physical work

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Formlabs PreForm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Formlabs PreForm preForm only drives Formlabs printers, so the free software is really an entry cost to a closed hardware and resin ecosystem rather than a tool you can keep if you change machines.; Fulcrum monthly pricing only available for first 12 months; after that, annual commitment required
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Formlabs PreForm and Fulcrum actually diverge.

Attributes where Formlabs PreForm and Fulcrum differ
AttributeFormlabs PreFormFulcrum
Starting priceFree$39/month
Pricing modelFree with a Formlabs printersubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb

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 Formlabs PreForm

  • Automatic orientation
  • Support generation
  • One-click print
  • Material presets
  • Dashboard
  • Fleet Control

Only in Fulcrum

Nothing recorded that Formlabs PreForm does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Formlabs PreForm

  • A dental laboratory preparing surgical guides on a validated resin and printer combinationnot Fulcrum
  • A prototyping team running several Form printers that needs job queueing and usage trackingnot Fulcrum
  • A jewellery workshop laying out castable patterns to maximise parts per buildnot Fulcrum
  • An education lab that needs software with no per-student licence costnot Fulcrum

Fulcrum

  • Capturing inspection photos and data completely offlinenot Formlabs PreForm
  • Collecting field data in areas without cell coveragenot Formlabs PreForm
  • Tagging asset locations with geospatial coordinatesnot Formlabs PreForm
  • Automating asset maintenance work order workflowsnot Formlabs PreForm

Where each one falls short

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

Formlabs PreForm

  • PreForm only drives Formlabs printers, so the free software is really an entry cost to a closed hardware and resin ecosystem rather than a tool you can keep if you change machines.
  • Formlabs resin is sold in proprietary cartridges, and the ongoing consumable cost over a printer's life dwarfs anything a paid slicer would have charged.
  • Third-party resins can be used only through open material settings that step outside validated profiles, which affects print reliability and the comfort of warranty support.
  • Parameter-level control is deliberately limited compared with open slicers, so advanced users cannot tune exposure and layer behaviour the way they can on an open platform.
  • It is Windows and macOS only with no Linux build, which is awkward for research groups and labs standardised on Linux workstations.

Fulcrum

  • Monthly pricing only available for first 12 months; after that, annual commitment required
  • Additional storage costs $2.20 USD per month per 20 GB block
  • Enterprise plan requires minimum of 5 users

Pricing, plan by plan

Formlabs PreForm

Free
  • PreFormFree
    • Free download with no licence fee or subscription
    • No installation or seat limit
    • Works only with Formlabs printers

Fulcrum

$39/month
  • Professional$43/month
    • 100 GB storage
    • 10 data shares
    • Standard email and in-app support
  • Elite$39/month
    • 500 GB storage
    • 50 data shares
    • Priority email, in-app, and phone support
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users minimum 5
    • Unlimited storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Formlabs PreForm if

  • You need automatic orientation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want support generation.
Formlabs PreForm review

Choose Fulcrum if

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

Fulcrum review

Questions people ask

Is Formlabs PreForm or Fulcrum better?
Neither clearly leads. Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and Fulcrum at $39/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Formlabs PreForm or Fulcrum?
Formlabs PreForm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Formlabs PreForm and $39/month for Fulcrum.
Does Formlabs PreForm or Fulcrum run on more platforms?
Formlabs PreForm runs on Windows, macOS. Fulcrum runs on Web.
Can I use Formlabs PreForm for free?
Yes. Formlabs PreForm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fulcrum starts at $39/month.
What is Formlabs PreForm best used for?
Formlabs PreForm is most often used for a dental laboratory preparing surgical guides on a validated resin and printer combination, a prototyping team running several form printers that needs job queueing and usage tracking, a jewellery workshop laying out castable patterns to maximise parts per build, an education lab that needs software with no per-student licence cost. Of those, a dental laboratory preparing surgical guides on a validated resin and printer combination and a prototyping team running several form printers that needs job queueing and usage tracking are not what Fulcrum is typically brought in for.
What can Formlabs PreForm do that Fulcrum cannot?
Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Support generation, One-click print, Material presets.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Formlabs PreForm: Is PreForm free?

Yes, with no licence fee, subscription or installation limit. It is free because it only prepares jobs for Formlabs printers.

Fulcrum: How much does Fulcrum cost per user?

Professional and Elite plans cost $43 per month for monthly billing or $55 per user per month when billed annually. Enterprise pricing is custom and requires contacting Fulcrum.

Source
Formlabs PreForm: Can PreForm drive a non-Formlabs printer?

No, and it never will. It is the front end for Formlabs hardware, which is where the revenue is.

Fulcrum: What is Fulcrum's storage limit?

Professional includes 100 GB storage, Elite includes 500 GB storage, and Enterprise includes unlimited storage. Additional storage blocks of 20 GB cost $2.20 USD per month.

Source
Formlabs PreForm: Can I use third-party resin?

Only via open material settings, which take you outside validated profiles and the reliability those profiles are tuned for.

Fulcrum: Are there restrictions on monthly billing for Fulcrum?

Monthly pricing is only available during the first 12 months as a Fulcrum customer. After 12 months, the company learns your usage pattern and offers pricing with an annual commitment required.

Source
Formlabs PreForm: Does it run on Linux?

No. Builds are provided for Windows and macOS only.

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