Manufacturing · head to head
Formlabs PreForm vs Xometry
Formlabs PreForm
Manufacturing
Free print preparation software that only drives Formlabs printers, because the money is in hardware and resin
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Xometry
Manufacturing
Custom parts marketplace whose quoting software is free because the money is in the order
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.; Xometry xometry is the counterparty rather than the shop, and the margin between what you pay and what the maker receives is never disclosed, so buyers cannot benchmark the part price.
- They diverge on capability: Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Formlabs PreForm and Xometry actually diverge.
| Attribute | Formlabs PreForm | Xometry |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free with a Formlabs printer | Per order, priced on the part |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Web, API |
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 Xometry
- Instant Quoting Engine
- Multi-process coverage
- Teamspace
- Thomasnet
- Supplier network
- Certifications
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 Xometry
- A prototyping team running several Form printers that needs job queueing and usage trackingnot Xometry
- A jewellery workshop laying out castable patterns to maximise parts per buildnot Xometry
- An education lab that needs software with no per-student licence costnot Xometry
Xometry
- An engineering team needing machined prototypes in a week without qualifying a shopnot Formlabs PreForm
- A procurement group consolidating dozens of low-value part suppliers onto one purchase ordernot Formlabs PreForm
- A startup with no supply chain buying a first low-volume production runnot Formlabs PreForm
- A design team price-checking a geometry change before committing to itnot 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.
Xometry
- Xometry is the counterparty rather than the shop, and the margin between what you pay and what the maker receives is never disclosed, so buyers cannot benchmark the part price.
- You usually do not choose or even know which supplier makes the part, so repeat orders can come from different shops with visibly different finish and process consistency.
- For parts bought repeatedly over years the marketplace margin compounds, and qualifying a shop directly becomes materially cheaper.
- Instant quotes are geometry-driven and degrade on unusual features, tight tolerances or complex assemblies, where a manual review changes the price after you have planned around the automated figure.
- Because the software is free and the revenue is in orders, there is no software contract to hold the vendor to; support and continuity are governed by your value as a parts customer, not by a licence.
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
Xometry
Free- Buyer accountFree
- Instant Quoting Engine at no charge
- Teamspace collaboration
- Thomasnet sourcing access
- Enterprise$undefined/year
- Negotiated part pricing and terms
- Dedicated account and programme management
- Procurement system integration
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.
Choose Xometry if
- You need instant quoting engine.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want multi-process coverage.
Questions people ask
- Is Formlabs PreForm or Xometry better?
- Neither clearly leads. Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and Xometry at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Formlabs PreForm or Xometry?
- Formlabs PreForm starts at Free and Xometry at Free.
- Does Formlabs PreForm or Xometry run on more platforms?
- Formlabs PreForm runs on Windows, macOS. Xometry runs on Web, API.
- 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 Xometry is typically brought in for.
- What can Formlabs PreForm do that Xometry cannot?
- Formlabs PreForm covers Automatic orientation, Support generation, One-click print, Material presets. Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine, Multi-process coverage, Teamspace, Thomasnet.
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.
Xometry: Does the Xometry software cost anything?
No. Quoting and Teamspace are free. Xometry earns on the parts you order, with the margin built into the part price.
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.
Xometry: Do I get to choose the shop?
Normally no. Xometry routes the job within its supplier network and remains your contracting party.
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.
Xometry: Is it cheaper than going direct to a machine shop?
For one-off and low-volume work usually yes, once you count sourcing time. For repeat production the marketplace margin makes a direct qualified supplier cheaper.
Formlabs PreForm: Does it run on Linux?
No. Builds are provided for Windows and macOS only.
Xometry: Can it handle ITAR or aerospace work?
It offers ITAR-registered and AS9100 routing on qualifying orders, but you must specify those requirements at quote time.
Related pages
More on Formlabs PreForm
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