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CAD · head to head

Mari vs PrusaSlicer

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PrusaSlicer logo

PrusaSlicer

CAD

Feature-rich 3D printing slicer

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mari the full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter; PrusaSlicer limited to slicing workflow only; no interactive 3D design capabilities
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, PrusaSlicer covers Automatic supports.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mari and PrusaSlicer actually diverge.

Attributes where Mari and PrusaSlicer differ
AttributeMariPrusaSlicer
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Founded19962012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CAD).

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 Mari

  • High-resolution painting
  • UDIM support
  • Procedural layers
  • Baking
  • Node graph
  • Color management
  • Maya
  • Nuke

Only in PrusaSlicer

  • Automatic supports
  • Multi-material
  • Variable layer height
  • Custom G-code
  • Paint-on supports
  • Ironing
  • Prusa printers
  • Most FDM printers

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

Mari

  • Painting textures directly onto high complexity 3D assets for film and gamesnot PrusaSlicer
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot PrusaSlicer

PrusaSlicer

  • Preparation of STL models for 3D printingnot Mari
  • Multi-material printing preparationnot Mari
  • G-code generation and customisation via macrosnot Mari

Where each one falls short

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

Mari

  • The full annual licence is $1,289 paid annually, and a short term quarterly rental is $949 per quarter
  • The cheap $299 per year or $35 per month subscription is restricted to a single licence for people working alone or in small companies
  • Node-locked and floating are separate licence types you must choose between
  • All listed prices are before applicable taxes
  • A separate non-commercial licence exists, so commercial use requires a paid tier

PrusaSlicer

  • Limited to slicing workflow only; no interactive 3D design capabilities
  • Designed for RepRap-based printers; compatibility with other printer architectures varies

Pricing, plan by plan

Mari

Free
  • Individual Subscription$86/month
    • Solo artists or small companies
    • $689 per year alternative billing
  • Team Subscription$null/year
    • Node-locked or floating licenses
    • Annual payment
  • Team Rental$949/quarter
    • Short-term access
    • Node-locked or floating licenses

PrusaSlicer

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PrusaSlicer review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Mari if

  • You need high-resolution painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want udim support.
Mari review

Choose PrusaSlicer if

  • You need automatic supports.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want multi-material.
PrusaSlicer review

Questions people ask

Is Mari or PrusaSlicer better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari starts at Free and PrusaSlicer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mari or PrusaSlicer?
Mari starts at Free and PrusaSlicer at Free.
Does Mari or PrusaSlicer run on more platforms?
Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. PrusaSlicer runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Mari for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mari best used for?
Mari is most often used for painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games, handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline. Of those, painting textures directly onto high complexity 3d assets for film and games and handling very large multi-udim texture sets in a look development pipeline are not what PrusaSlicer is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that PrusaSlicer cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. PrusaSlicer covers Automatic supports, Multi-material, Variable layer height, Custom G-code. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mari: What is Mari's pricing?

Individual Subscription costs $689 per year or $86 per month. Team Subscription costs $1,289 per year. Team Rental costs $949 per quarter for short-term access. Both subscriptions support node-locked or floating licenses.

Source
PrusaSlicer: How much does PrusaSlicer cost?

PrusaSlicer is completely free and open-source software developed by Prusa Research.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer a free trial?

Mari offers a free 30-day trial with unrestricted access to help users evaluate the software before purchasing.

Source
Mari: Does Mari offer student pricing?

Yes, Mari offers free or discounted access to all Foundry products for students, as well as free non-commercial licenses for learning and exploration.

Source
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