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Manufacturing · head to head

Formlabs PreForm vs GrabCAD Print

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
GrabCAD Print logo

GrabCAD Print

Manufacturing

Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; GrabCAD Print it only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • They diverge on capability: Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Formlabs PreForm and GrabCAD Print actually diverge.

Attributes where Formlabs PreForm and GrabCAD Print differ
AttributeFormlabs PreFormGrabCAD Print
Pricing modelFree with a Formlabs printerPer user per year
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows, Desktop, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 GrabCAD Print

  • Native CAD import
  • Multi-technology support
  • Tray arrangement and supports
  • Nesting (Pro)
  • Manufacturing templates (Pro)
  • Part labelling (Pro)
  • Wall thickness analysis (Pro)
  • Cost estimation (Pro)

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 GrabCAD Print
  • A prototyping team running several Form printers that needs job queueing and usage trackingnot GrabCAD Print
  • A jewellery workshop laying out castable patterns to maximise parts per buildnot GrabCAD Print
  • An education lab that needs software with no per-student licence costnot GrabCAD Print

GrabCAD Print

  • A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot Formlabs PreForm
  • A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot Formlabs PreForm
  • A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot Formlabs PreForm
  • An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot 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.

GrabCAD Print

  • It only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • Pro is 5,000 US dollars per named user per year on top of machines that already cost six figures, and there is no floating licence in the standard offer, so shift-based teams buy multiple seats.
  • The production features that most justify the spend, nesting and manufacturing templates, are all locked behind Pro, meaning the free tier is not viable for a bureau.
  • Stratasys materials are proprietary and cartridge-locked, so the software sits on top of a consumables model where the recurring cost is set entirely by the vendor.
  • Support and feature coverage vary by printer family; newer technologies such as SAF and the Neo SLA line have historically lagged FDM in the depth of preparation options exposed.

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

GrabCAD Print

Free
  • GrabCAD Print StandardFree
    • Free for Stratasys printer owners
    • Native CAD import and tray arrangement
    • Support generation and section tools
  • GrabCAD Print Pro$5000/year
    • Per named user per year
    • Automated build nesting
    • Manufacturing templates with locked process parameters

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 GrabCAD Print if

  • You need native cad import.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
  • You also want multi-technology support.
GrabCAD Print review

Questions people ask

Is Formlabs PreForm or GrabCAD Print better?
Neither clearly leads. Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and GrabCAD Print at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Formlabs PreForm or GrabCAD Print?
Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and GrabCAD Print at Free.
Does Formlabs PreForm or GrabCAD Print run on more platforms?
Formlabs PreForm runs on Windows, macOS. GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
Can I use Formlabs PreForm for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 GrabCAD Print is typically brought in for.
What can Formlabs PreForm do that GrabCAD Print cannot?
Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Support generation, One-click print, Material presets. GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro).

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.

GrabCAD Print: Is GrabCAD Print free?

GrabCAD Print Standard is free for Stratasys printer owners. GrabCAD Print Pro is 5,000 US dollars per user per year.

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.

GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?

No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.

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.

GrabCAD Print: What do I actually get for the Pro fee?

Nesting, manufacturing templates, part labelling, wall thickness analysis and build cost estimation. These are production rather than prototyping features.

Formlabs PreForm: Does it run on Linux?

No. Builds are provided for Windows and macOS only.

GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?

Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.

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