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CAD · head to head

Mari vs Ultimaker Cura

Mari logo

Mari

CAD

3D painting for film and games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ultimaker Cura logo

Ultimaker Cura

CAD

Powerful 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; Ultimaker Cura support varies by community contribution
  • They diverge on capability: Mari covers High-resolution painting, Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mari and Ultimaker Cura actually diverge.

Attributes where Mari and Ultimaker Cura differ
AttributeMariUltimaker Cura
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Founded19962011

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 Ultimaker Cura

  • Universal printer support
  • Custom profiles
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Cloud integration
  • Tree supports
  • Arachne engine
  • Ultimaker 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 Ultimaker Cura
  • Handling very large multi-UDIM texture sets in a look development pipelinenot Ultimaker Cura

Ultimaker Cura

  • 3D print slicingnot Mari
  • Professional printingnot 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

Ultimaker Cura

  • Support varies by community contribution
  • No commercial technical support

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

Ultimaker Cura

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Ultimaker Cura 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 Ultimaker Cura if

  • You need universal printer support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want custom profiles.
Ultimaker Cura review

Questions people ask

Is Mari or Ultimaker Cura better?
Neither clearly leads. Mari starts at Free and Ultimaker Cura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mari or Ultimaker Cura?
Mari starts at Free and Ultimaker Cura at Free.
Does Mari or Ultimaker Cura run on more platforms?
Mari runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Ultimaker Cura 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 Ultimaker Cura is typically brought in for.
What can Mari do that Ultimaker Cura cannot?
Mari covers High-resolution painting, UDIM support, Procedural layers, Baking. Ultimaker Cura covers Universal printer support, Custom profiles, Plugin marketplace, Cloud integration. 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
Ultimaker Cura: Is Ultimaker Cura free?

Yes. Ultimaker Cura is completely free and open-source under the LGPL license. There are no premium versions, subscriptions, or hidden fees. All features are available to everyone.

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
Ultimaker Cura: How many printers does Cura support?

Ultimaker Cura supports over 400 different 3D printer models with out-of-the-box configuration. Users can add custom printers and profiles.

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
Ultimaker Cura: What file formats does Cura import?

Ultimaker Cura converts STL, OBJ, 3MF, and other 3D file formats into G-code instructions that 3D printers can execute.

Source
Ultimaker Cura: What features are available?

Cura offers 400+ configurable print settings, material profiles, intent profiles for specific applications, plugin support via the Ultimaker Marketplace, and active community development on GitHub.

Source
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