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Manufacturing · head to head

Formlabs PreForm vs Paperless Parts

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
Paperless Parts logo

Paperless Parts

Manufacturing

Quoting and estimating software for job shops, with geometry analysis and ITAR-aware handling

From
On request
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.; Paperless Parts no pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • They diverge on capability: Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Formlabs PreForm and Paperless Parts actually diverge.

Attributes where Formlabs PreForm and Paperless Parts differ
AttributeFormlabs PreFormPaperless Parts
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree with a Formlabs printerquote
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 Paperless Parts

  • Geometry analysis
  • Costing rules
  • Customer portal
  • Quote revisions
  • ITAR-aware handling
  • ERP hand-off

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

Paperless Parts

  • A CNC machine shop losing RFQs because quotes take three days to return by emailnot Formlabs PreForm
  • A defence supplier that must process controlled RFQ files without exposing them to a generic cloud toolnot Formlabs PreForm
  • A fabricator standardising estimating so quotes do not vary by which estimator picked them upnot Formlabs PreForm
  • A contract manufacturer giving customers a portal to submit parts and receive prices themselvesnot 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.

Paperless Parts

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • The quality of automated quotes depends on costing rules the shop must write, which takes an experienced estimator out of production for weeks before the system is useful.
  • ERP and shop system integration is gated to higher tiers, so a small shop on the entry plan is still retyping won quotes into its job system.
  • Geometry analysis handles prismatic machined and sheet metal parts well but struggles with complex organic surfaces, weldments and assemblies, which still need manual estimating.
  • Once costing logic and quote history live in the platform, moving to another system means rebuilding the rules from scratch, which is a strong practical lock-in beyond the contract term.

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

Paperless Parts

On request
  • Basic$undefined/year
    • Quoting and geometry analysis
    • Customer portal
    • For small job shops and contract manufacturers
  • Pro$undefined/year
    • Integrations with ERP and shop systems
    • Deeper costing configuration
    • For mid-sized manufacturers
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Controlled data handling for defence and aerospace
    • Multi-site and multi-process support
    • Priority support and dedicated onboarding

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 Paperless Parts if

  • You need geometry analysis.
  • You also want costing rules.
Paperless Parts review

Questions people ask

Is Formlabs PreForm or Paperless Parts better?
Neither clearly leads. Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and Paperless Parts at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Formlabs PreForm or Paperless Parts?
Formlabs PreForm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Formlabs PreForm and On request for Paperless Parts.
Does Formlabs PreForm or Paperless Parts run on more platforms?
Formlabs PreForm runs on Windows, macOS. Paperless Parts runs on Web.
Can I use Formlabs PreForm for free?
Yes. Formlabs PreForm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paperless Parts starts at On request.
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 Paperless Parts is typically brought in for.
What can Formlabs PreForm do that Paperless Parts cannot?
Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Support generation, One-click print, Material presets. Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis, Costing rules, Customer portal, Quote revisions.

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.

Paperless Parts: How much does Paperless Parts cost?

It does not publish pricing. Expect a tiered annual subscription plus a separately quoted implementation and data migration.

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.

Paperless Parts: Does it quote automatically without setup?

No. It applies your costing rules to analysed geometry, and those rules have to be built with your estimator during implementation.

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.

Paperless Parts: Can it handle ITAR-controlled RFQs?

It markets controlled data handling for defence and aerospace work, which is a main reason regulated shops choose it over generic quoting tools.

Formlabs PreForm: Does it run on Linux?

No. Builds are provided for Windows and macOS only.

Paperless Parts: Will it integrate with my shop ERP?

Integrations exist but are gated to the higher tiers, so confirm your ERP is covered at the tier you are quoted.

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