Softwr

Manufacturing · head to head

GrabCAD Print vs JobBOSS²

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
JobBOSS² logo

JobBOSS²

Manufacturing

ECI shop control system formed by merging JobBOSS and E2 Shop System into one product line

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; JobBOSS² the product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.
  • They diverge on capability: GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GrabCAD Print and JobBOSS² actually diverge.

Attributes where GrabCAD Print and JobBOSS² differ
AttributeGrabCAD PrintJobBOSS²
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per yearquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Desktop, CloudWindows, Web

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 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)

Only in JobBOSS²

  • Estimating and quoting
  • Order and job management
  • Shop floor data collection
  • Scheduling
  • Job costing
  • Integrated accounting

What people use each for

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

GrabCAD Print

  • A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot JobBOSS²
  • A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot JobBOSS²
  • A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot JobBOSS²
  • An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot JobBOSS²

JobBOSS²

  • A job shop quoting from spreadsheets that wants estimating, routing and costing in one systemnot GrabCAD Print
  • An existing JobBOSS or E2 Shop System customer evaluating whether to migrate or replacenot GrabCAD Print
  • A make to order fabricator that needs accounting inside the manufacturing system rather than alongside itnot GrabCAD Print
  • A shop that wants operator time capture at work centres to make job costing reflect what actually happenednot GrabCAD Print

Where each one falls short

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

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.

JobBOSS²

  • The product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.
  • ECI is a private equity owned portfolio company with many vertical products, and buyers should read renewal, uplift and support tier terms carefully because the commercial model is built around long term contracted revenue.
  • Machine connectivity is limited, so shop floor data comes from operators clocking in and out rather than from controllers, and any automatic utilisation measurement needs a separate monitoring product.
  • Reporting is rigid compared with a modern system and most shops end up exporting to Excel for anything beyond the supplied reports, which reintroduces the spreadsheets the system was bought to eliminate.
  • The user interface carries its lineage and takes longer to learn than a current generation web application, which matters most for occasional users such as estimators and purchasing staff.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

JobBOSS²

On request
  • JobBOSS²$undefined/year
    • Quoting through invoicing for job shops
    • Shop floor data collection and scheduling
    • Hosted or on premises deployment

Which should you pick?

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

Choose JobBOSS² if

  • You need estimating and quoting.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want order and job management.
JobBOSS² review

Questions people ask

Is GrabCAD Print or JobBOSS² better?
Neither clearly leads. GrabCAD Print starts at Free and JobBOSS² at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GrabCAD Print or JobBOSS²?
GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GrabCAD Print and On request for JobBOSS².
Does GrabCAD Print or JobBOSS² run on more platforms?
GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud. JobBOSS² runs on Windows, Web.
Can I use GrabCAD Print for free?
Yes. GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. JobBOSS² starts at On request.
What is GrabCAD Print best used for?
GrabCAD Print is most often used for a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part, a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them, a design office running fdm and polyjet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than two, an engineering team importing native cad assemblies directly rather than maintaining an stl export workflow. Of those, a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part and a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them are not what JobBOSS² is typically brought in for.
What can GrabCAD Print do that JobBOSS² cannot?
GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro). JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting, Order and job management, Shop floor data collection, Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

JobBOSS²: What happened to E2 Shop System?

ECI acquired it and merged it with JobBOSS into the combined JobBOSS² line. Legacy customers are directed towards migration.

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

No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.

JobBOSS²: Is it cloud based?

It is offered hosted and on premises. Hosted is not the same as a cloud native architecture, and performance expectations should be set accordingly.

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.

JobBOSS²: Does it include accounting?

Yes, accounting is part of the product, which is one of the main reasons small shops choose it over an ERP plus separate finance package.

GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?

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

JobBOSS²: Can it read data from my CNC machines?

Not natively in any meaningful way. Data collection is operator driven, so shops wanting spindle level data buy a monitoring platform alongside it.

Share

Related pages

More on GrabCAD Print

More on JobBOSS²

Keep looking

Other head to heads